Are Functional Trainers Worth It For Your Home Gym?

I’ve received a ton of questions about whether functional trainers are worth it for your home gym.

This is going to depend entirely upon the space that you have as well as if you’re doing resistance training for bodybuilding, powerlifting, etc.

Let’s go over why they may or may not be worth it for your home gym now!

RELATED: Top 15 Best Functional Trainers For Your Home Gym (2023)

Table Of Contents

1 What Is A Functional Trainer?
2 Functional Trainer Pros And Cons
- 2.1 Pros
- 2.2 Cons
3 Functional Trainers Vs Free Weights
4 Frequently Asked Questions
5 Conclusion

What Is A Functional Trainer?

Functional trainers are a piece of fitness equipment very similar to a cable machine in a commercial gym for pulldowns, cable crossover, pushdowns, and various others.

The main difference is that they tend to have dual cable pulley systems to allow for a ton of different exercise variations.

RELATED: Best DIY Pulley System For Home Gym

Functional Trainer Pros And Cons

Functional trainers, like all fitness equipment, have their pros and cons.

I think the pros outweigh the cons on this one, so let’s go over them and see what you think!

Pros

#1 — It Expands Your Exercise Selection Tremendously

The sheer number of exercises you can do with just a functional trainer is insane!

You can do pulldowns, pushdowns, rows, extensions, curls, different pressing and fly variations, and a lot more!

By having a functional trainer in your gym, you have a tiny area that is dedicated to dozens and dozens of different exercises.

With the standard barbell and power rack, you have a lot of options as well.

But compared to a functional trainer, you’re going to be limited in the number of exercises you can do.

If you want to build as much muscle as possible, getting a functional trainer for your home gym is one of the best investments you can make.

#2 — Relatively Small Footprint Compared To Other Machines

Compared to all the different variations of exercises you can do on functional trainers, you would need a bunch of different machines, a power rack, barbells, benches, and more.

You don’t need that much space for a well-designed functional trainer in your garage gym.

#3 — Safety

Everyone knows that if you want to get as strong as possible – a barbell, dumbbell, and power rack setup is going to be the best you can get.

RELATED: Do I Need A Power Rack To Complete My Home Gym?

However, if you want to train as safely as possible, functional trainers are going to be better for most people out there.

Especially those that haven’t trained for a very long time and don’t know what needs to be done to ensure their technique is optimal.

Plus, to get as big as possible, you want to have the most amount of stability you can.

Cables and machines are going to be better than free weights if your main goal is to build more muscle for this very reason.

The more stable you are during a movement, the safer you’re going to be and the more muscle you’ll build.

Cons

#1 — Price

This should be obvious, but a lot of solid functional trainers are going to cost a decent amount of money, especially if it has weight stacks built into them.

There are a couple of plate-loaded versions you can get, but usually, they won’t be worth it depending on who makes it.

However, if you want to fully deck out a power rack with a pull-down cable setup, with iso lever arms and more, it might be comparable to functional trainers.

Add in the price of a barbell, plates, benches, and more; the trainer might be cheaper.

If you’re trying to make a budget garage gym, a functional trainer with a full weight stack might not be in the cards for you.

But if you can find a high-quality plate-loaded version, it might be worth it.

#2 — They Require Maintenance

With a typical power rack, barbell, and plates, you won’t have much maintenance at all.

Functional trainers have a lot of moving parts though, so you’re going to have to do some maintenance over time.

However, if you just plan on getting a functional trainer for your gym and that’s it, then a little maintenance is going to be worth it.

#3 – May Require A Learning Curve

Functional trainers allow you to do a ton of different movements.

However, for many people, this is going to mean learning how to do a bunch of new exercises you’ve never even thought of before.

Machines are going to be a little easier to learn and perform because they lock you in.

With cables though, you have a lot more wiggle room to move the cables around.

If you get past this, you’ll realize the full potential of having a functional trainer for your garage gym.

Functional Trainers Vs Free Weights

If your main goal is bodybuilding or just building muscle, a functional trainer is a great option!

They allow you to do various exercises for your different muscle groups without a ton of extra fitness equipment.

Plus, if it has a weight stack, you won’t even have to invest in separate plates which take up more space in your gym.

On the flip side, if you’re into strength training, powerlifting, or strongman training – getting fitness equipment like free weights, a power rack, and dumbbells are going to be a better buy overall.

The price is going to be something that you have to consider as well.

Functional trainers are going to cost a little more than just standard weights.

A solid power rack, weight plates, and barbells run anywhere between $500 to $2,000+ depending on the quality.

Whereas functional trainers are going to cost anywhere between $500-$5000+ depending on the quality and whether or not they have a weight stack.

Again, as I mentioned before, safety is also going to be a major concern for resistance training in a home gym by yourself.

If you just have to choose between a functional trainer or a free weight setup, a functional trainer might be a better idea.

After all, cables are usually a lot safer to train with compared to free weights which require a lot more stabilization to train effectively and safely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Build Muscle With A Functional Trainer?

You can absolutely build muscle with a functional trainer and it’s even better than what standard weights allow you to do.

If you’re trying to train different divisions of your muscle groups – such as the various sections of the pecs, shoulders, or lats, it’s going to be much more effective doing your resistance training with cables.

Of course, using a functional trainer, you’re going to have more stability than barbells or dumbbells, and you’re going to build more muscle without a ton of central fatigue.

Having a cable setup that allows you to train all the major muscle groups is going to be perfect for building muscle.

What Exercises Can You Do On A Functional Trainer?

There are a ton of different exercises you can do on a functional trainer.

Here are just a few that I recommend!

Pulldowns
Pushdowns
Rows
Face Pulls
Extensions
Curls
Pressing Variations
Shrugs
Flyes
And Much More!

If you have the right attachments and a functional trainer, you’ll be able to do an entire workout of just cable stuff without ever leaving that section of your garage gym.

Can You Do Squats On A Functional Trainer?

You can do squats on a functional trainer, but I recommend you stick with barbells, dumbbells, and machine base squats instead.

Can You Deadlift With A Functional Trainer?

Just like the squat, you can do the deadlift with a functional trainer, but is this going to be optimal?

Absolutely not.

Plus, if you’re trying to build muscle, there are better options than the deadlift anyway, such as a Romanian deadlift, stiff-legged deadlift, and even the trap bar deadlift.

How much does a functional trainer cost?

A functional trainer can cost anywhere between $500-$5000+ depending on the quality.

Usually, the best value is going to be found between $1,500-$3,000.

Anything lower than $1,000 is going to be pretty cheap and not worth the investment.

Not all budget options are created equal after all.

On the other hand, anything over $5000 is just not worth it as there are plenty of options that have a much better value.

What Should I Look For In A Functional Trainer?

There are 3 main things you should look for in a solid functional trainer.

The first is if it is pin, or plate loaded.

Each one has its positives and negatives but the main differences are as follows.

Pin Loaded – Easier to adjust but you’re limited by the weight of the stack, plus it’s going to be more expensive.

Plate Loaded – Much cheaper as long as you have budget weight plates lying around, but it’s a little more difficult to adjust the weights you’re using.

If you’re interested in finding some cheaper weight plates online or even locally, this guide covers it so you can check them out!

The next thing you should look for is the design. If you just have a single cable pulley, you will not have as many options, so you want to make sure you get a dual cable pulley system instead.

The third thing you need to pay attention to is the build quality of the frame, the pulleys, as well as the cables.

This is probably the most important thing because the quality is going to determine how long your functional trainer will last, and help guarantee your safety while using it.

Some extras you can look for with your functional trainer are different attachments.

This isn’t 100% necessary, but it’s also a nice addition they can throw in as you’re going to have to buy attachments for whatever it is you plan to do.

Conclusion

So what do you think?

Is a functional trainer worth it for your garage gym?

If so, which one are you interested in getting for yourself?

Let me know in the comment section below!

Until next time,

-Dante