Force USA G12: What’s included & what you need to know
The Force USA G12 is the forerunner in the Force USA lineup, offering commercial-level quality for the serious home gym trainer. Easy to adjust selectorised weight stacks make this machine a breeze for weightlifters, with the 1:1 cable ratio giving trainers a higher level of maximum resistance. But is it the right functional trainer for you? We’re here to give you a rundown on this premium Force USA machine, and how it can help you reach your fitness goals.
Force USA G12 breakdown
As an 8-in-1 machine, the exercises available for your home gym are near endless with the Force USA G12. The core features include:
- Power rack
- Functional trainer
- Smith machine
- Vertical leg press
- Chin-up station
- Dip station
- Core trainer / Landmine station
- Suspension trainer
The G12 also comes with an array of accessories:
- Long straight bar
- Triceps rope
- Short angled bar
- Lat pulldown bar
- Nylon stirrup handles
Force USA G12 design
All-in-one machines require precision design, a compact footprint, and versatility in available exercises. Force USA combines these three principles into the G12’s design, making for a one-stop training solution.
Footprint
A space-saving footprint is essential when creating your home gym. While dedicated machines for each exercise are ideal, the reality is that they take up a lot of space. The G12 combines its eight stations down to roughly 1/3 of the space you’d need if you had eight dedicated machines. In addition, this all-in-one gym can be placed flush against a wall, as the plates are angled forwards. This makes the G12 All-In-One trainer a perfect fit for home gyms where space is limited.
Cost and design balance
Balancing cost and available features is what makes all-in-one gyms so effective. There’s no doubt that all-in-one trainers require some compromises, like how there’s slightly less space in the power rack compared to dedicated gym equipment, but balanced on the scale of cost and convenience, all-in-one trainers can still be the easy choice.
The Force USA G12’s price tag isn’t small, but you’re still saving hundreds compared to buying dedicated equipment. All-in-one trainers help you keep your workouts flowing, reducing the time you spend switching exercises by utilising this space-saving design.
The convenience of this design shines through with the two selectorised weight stacks. Changing the weight on the stacks is much faster than on the plate-loaded systems on other Force USA units, and allows for much higher resistance.
Design versatility
There are hundreds of possible exercises to do on the G12, nearly mirroring the full spectrum you could do in a commercial gym. Although there are no band peg holes for band-resisted exercises, the available exercise variations definitely balance this out. Many trainers also use the suspension trainer ring to attach their own resistance bands.
8-in-1 features
Functional trainer
If you’re looking into an all-in-one trainer, the functional trainer is the first place to start. With a monumental amount of exercises and variations available on functional trainers, you’ll find this is one of the most used stations on an all-in-one gym. The trainer itself connects two upright columns to two weight stacks by pulleys, allowing each to be used separately. The pulleys can sit as low as 40cm and as high as 1.85m, with a total of 16 different available height settings.
A key part of the G12’s functional trainer is the selectorised weight stacks. This feature lets you change the weight almost instantly, simply by moving the pin to a different point in the stack. Aside from quickly upping the resistance for a workout, you reduce the time you spend between exercises by not needing to load weight plates. Another bonus of the selectorized weight stacks and pulleys on the G12 is that they can function independently, meaning you can train with a partner at varying levels of resistance.
The pulley ratio is another key aspect to consider when looking at a functional trainer. A 1:1 cable ratio, like on the G12, directly translates active resistance to the weight you have on the stack. In comparison, the functional trainer on the G6 has a 2:1 cable ratio, meaning you experience only half of the resistance you have stacked. This makes the G12 perfect for serious lifters and those looking to get the most out of the selectorised weight stacks.
Functional trainer accessories
The Force USA G12 comes equipped with five cable accessories: a short angled bar, nylon stirrup handles, a lat pulldown bar, a triceps rope, and a long straight bar. These allow for plenty of exercise and grip variations, making the functional trainer the most versatile station in an all-in-one gym. While these accessories perfectly supplement the options available in a commercial gym, home gym owners may want a few extra accessories to round out the functional trainer’s full capabilities. The Force USA G12 also comes with a lat pulldown leg holder that’s designed to be used with a weight bench. The leg holder attaches onto the j-hooks and can be adjusted for comfort, with the pads themselves covered in durable vinyl fabric.
Power rack
While technically a half rack, the G12’s power rack still lets you complete over 40 barbell exercises. The two columns instead of four save footprint space, with a total weight capacity rating of 450kg. The G12 and G9 share the same extra wide frame, which helps for stability, with identical j-hook and spotter arm designs.
The power rack has an internal width of 48”, with an external width of 52”. It’s important to note that the J-hooks and spotters are indented inwards, so they’re 49” apart on the outside. This is so you can comfortably use a standard Olympic bar for your power rack exercises.
If you need to drop the bar during an exercise, good spotter arms are essential. The spotter arms are 15 inches long, meaning you may need to have a shorter walkout for power rack exercises on the G12. They’re covered by a protective insert to lessen impact damage and scratches if you need to drop the weight quickly, and to preserve your all-in-one gym and equipment.
Similarly, the j-hooks also have a protective insert. While the rubber doesn’t cover the rear and upper sections, foam tape padding is an easy solution if you’re concerned about cosmetic scratches on your bar from heavier knocks. There are 16 holes on each upright, allowing for a wide range of spacing setups for different exercises, although the top two are inaccessible without a workaround.
Smith machine
The Smith machine has been in a strange place for gym-goers — some love it, some hate it. While it’s true that some exercises are better done with free weights, there are some exclusive exercise variations that can only be performed on a Smith machine. One of the best features is the enhanced safety compared to free-weight barbell exercises. Solo workouts are safer than ever with the machine’s safety catches, letting you bail out of a motion or drop your bar without damage.
The sleeves measure in at 12 inches long, which is plenty of space to make use of the machine’s incredible 350kg weight capacity rating. However, it is worth noting that you might be limited if you have super thick bumper plates. The Smith machine is also counterbalanced, meaning that the starting bar weight equates to 0kg. This makes adding weights and adjusting resistance simple, and allows for tailored training for those in physiotherapy.
So what about using your gym bench for Smith machine workouts? While you so a flat bench press on the G12, an incline Smith press is unfortunately not possible. Unlike the G3, G6, and G20, the internal depth measurements don’t give enough space to place the bench correctly for an incline Smith press. However, you can still perform this exercise on the functional trainer.
Dip station
The dip station handles attach to each side of the power rack, allowing for any height you need. The G12 comes with two sets of handles, one at a narrow 21 inch grip, and the other at a wider 27.5 inch grip. All of the handles are non-slip coated for comfort, letting you focus on form and the exercise variation.
The dual handles are a favourite of ours on the G12. Instead of a single attachment, the dual attachment on the uprights improves stability and keeps you centred over the midline of the trainer, giving you more workout space.
Vertical leg press
The vertical leg press can be a new experience for some, but we believe it’s one of the best stations to work your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. A fully vertical leg press, instead of an angled leg press, can take the strain off of your back and help you focus the resistance where you need it, making it perfect for those recovering from back issues.
The leg press connects to the Smith machine, like on the G9 and G6. It’s quick to load the weights, and the safety catches on the Smith machine ensure you can work out safely without a spotter. Whether you’re working from a bench or the floor, there’s plenty of space to adjust the leg press’s height.
Core trainer/landmine
The landmine attachment on the Force USA G12 is compatible with both standard and Olympic bars. While it can be attached on the inside or the outside of the G12’s rack, we recommend placing it on the outside. The swivel joint lets you position the barbell in any direction suitable for your home gym, which is especially useful if you’re working in a smaller space.
One of the most popular landmine exercises, T-bar rows, benefits from the G12’s dual-grip handle attachment. This hinged handle has two grip positions, one for neutral grip rows and one for overhand rows. While T-bar rows remain a go-to exercise on core trainers, we also love landmine squats and lunges for variation.
Chin-up station
The Force USA G12’s multi-grip chin-up station lets you perform a wide range of chin-up exercises, with grips to suit your needs and exercise variation. Close, normal, and wide grips are all possible with the available bars, as well as less common chin-up variations. Included are four short parallel bars, two oblique bars, and two straight bars that angle downwards.
The G12’s chin-up station is often compared to the G3’s. While you have a slightly larger array of exercise options on the G12’s station, the G3 has knurling on more sections of the bars. This isn’t a major issue for some — many actually prefer the G12 bars’ powder coated steel surface. The rubber coated sections of the bar measure in with a diameter of 38mm, while the steel sits at 33mm.
Suspension trainer ring
The suspension trainer ring can be used in two ways: for hanging a suspension trainer, or for looping a resistance band for band exercises. The ring itself is a U-bolt that is safely secured to the top side of the crossbeam, and can easily support your body weight and added resistance. Any sliding movement is limited in comparison to attaching a suspension trainer to a straight bar, meaning you can continue working out safely without repositioning.
Accessory and barbell storage
Storage is essential in a home gym if you want your workout space kept tidy and safe. In smaller spaces, built-in storage also helps to reduce clutter and the need for external storage. The Force USA G12 has a rear panel with 4 storage hooks that store all of the included cable accessories. However, the long straight bar will have to be stored up against the panel, as it’s too long to be stored on the hooks.
The weight plate holder pegs are angled forward, meaning the G12 can stand flush against the wall. It also makes switching your weights around much more efficient, as the bars are closer to the Smith machine. Each of the 6 plate holders measures in at around 8 inches, giving more than enough space for weight storage. If you’re storing standard size plates instead of Olympic, you can remove the outer layer of the plate holder pegs to use the smaller diameter 1 inch peg.
The G12 has vertical storage for both an Olympic barbell and a standard barbell. You’ll need a ceiling height of around 2.5m to store a full Olympic bar, otherwise you can keep the bar on the j-hooks when you’re not using the trainer.
Band peg holes and stability
The lack of band peg holes is a potential drawback for some — but it doesn’t have to mean that the G12 isn’t the right trainer for you. Band resisted exercises help to even out and increase resistance while you train, adding an easily adjustable level of difficulty to each workout. If band pegs are a necessity, you can install your own set of band pegs to the floor outside of the G12, or consider the G3 or G6.
Even though the G12 can’t be bolted down, you’re not losing out on stability. The wider frame and commercial-grade construction significantly increase overall stability, and with a total weight of 430kg, it’s very unlikely you’ll have issues with movement. Without the ability to perform band peg exercises, normal use of the G12 does not require the trainer to be bolted down.
Is the Force USA G12 right for you?
The G12 is an excellent training solution in both commercial and personal gyms, providing premium commercial quality and offering unparalleled versatility in available exercises. However, there are a few things to keep in mind for practical use.
Commercial use
The Force USA G12 is a natural fit for some gyms, and isn’t ideal for others. When looking at any all-in-one machine, it’s important to consider what equipment your gym has already. Strength-focused gyms likely have the G12’s stations as dedicated gym equipment, making an all-in-one machine redundant. However, gyms without strength as a training focus can benefit from the G12’s 8-in-1 design.
Physical therapy practices are one of the best applications for the G12. Your patients will vary in skill and physical ability, meaning you need a trainer that can accommodate all of them. The counterbalanced Smith machine lets you start with a weight of 0kg instead of a 20kg bar, perfect for those who aren’t ready for so much resistance. The easy adjustment of the weight stacks also reduces time spent setting up per session, letting you focus on your client.
Personal use
The selectorised weight stacks on the G12 make it a perfect fit for a bodybuilder’s home gym. No more long gaps between exercises, because resistance can be changed easily and quickly. The dual stacks also mean that you can train with a partner with differing levels of resistance. While commercial-grade quality isn’t a necessity for a home gym, it adds an extra layer of stability and reliability to your workouts.
Still unsure if the G12 is right for you? Our resident experts at Fitness Network are ready to answer any questions you may have. Whether you’re filling out a commercial gym or levelling up your home workout space, the Force USA G12 could be your best fit.