💸 Don't Waste Your Money | Reviewing Rep Fitness' Newest Releases

Rep Fitness Ares, Athena, FT-5000, or the Selectorized Lat Pull Down; Which is the right choice for your home gym? I give a detailed review of Rep Fitness Equipment’s’ Athena Side Mount Functional Trainer for their PR-5000 and PR-4000 power racks. I then do a breakdown of the Athena against the Rep Functional Trainer, Ares, and Selectorized Low Row equipment to help you decide which is best for your hard earned money.

Weight 258lbs (per unit)
Weight Stack 170lbs
Pulley Ratio 2:1
Cable Weight Capacity 540lbs (per side)
Cable Travel 106” (93” rack) or 82.8” (80” rack)
Added Height 1.8”
Added Width 3.7" (PR-4000) or 5.0” (PR-5000)
Added Depth 6.0” (Front of Rack)

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Footage Date: 2/1/2023

00:00 Introduction
00:51 Athena Side Mount Functional Trainer Review
01:50 Athena Cable Flys
02:45 Saved by the Bell TIMEOUT
08:00 Cost Breakdown: Ares, Athena, FT5000
09:30 Which Product is Right for Your Specific Needs

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Don't Waste Your Money | Reviewing Rep Fitness' Newest Releases

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Athena Selectorized Side Mount Functional Trainer
The Athena Selectorized Side-Mount Functional Trainer is a low-profile cable attachment that integrates into the side of your PR-4000 or PR-5000 series power rack. Get the functionality of a functional trainer machine so you can build your upper body and get in accessory and isolation work, without needing space for a stand-alone unit. In addition, it provides a lower price point (and smaller footprint) than the Ares Attachment, which includes a lat pulldown and low row. The Athena features a 2:1 pulley ratio, which means 20lbs feels like 10lbs. Each stack weighs 170lbs per side (feels like 85lbs) with the option to upgrade each stack to 220lbs (feels like 110lbs). It features hot-rolled steel plates with a 3% tolerance and a magnetic pin for quick and easy weight changes. Add bands to the integrated band pegs on the base and headplate for added resistance up to a max of 540lbs. The Athena gives you the freedom to customize your rack’s functionality by choosing either a left, right, or dual-sided setup.

Ares Cable Attachment
The Ares Cable Attachment is a fully integrated, functional trainer and lat pulldown/low row attachment that affixes to your existing PR-4000 or PR-5000 power rack. This saves major space, by bringing a ton more versatility and cable exercises inside the rack, while preserving nearly all the original functionality. The Ares features dual weight stacks of 260lbs each (with an option to upgrade to 310lbs per stack) that you can use for unilateral exercises. Or connect both stacks together for bilateral movements that demand heavier weight, like lat pull-downs. The patent-pending Ares features trolleys that are designed with a smooth plastic liner that’s easy to adjust up and down with one hand.

FT-5000 Functional Trainer
The FT-5000 Functional Trainer brings commercial-grade cable strength training to your home gym. This full, versatile trainer features 16 cable positions with dual weight stacks that top out at 220lbs each, for a total of 440lbs at a 2:1 ratio (moving 100lbs feels like 50lbs). It’s packed with high-end features, like a magnetic-tipped pin to lock weight in place and a column handle on wheels that adjusts height smoothly and effortlessly. The cable column markings are laser-etched, so it’s easy to line up the handles.
The sturdy, 11-gauge frame is double-coated with a chip-resistant, electrostatic powder coating and topped with a black metallic finish

[NoFate]

Which one is right for you?
00:51 Athena Side Mount Functional Trainer Review
01:50 Athena Cable Flys
02:45 Saved by the Bell TIMEOUT
08:00 Cost Breakdown: Ares, Athena, FT5000
09:30 Which Product is Right for Your Specific Needs

[chuckneely]

Just went to Rep showroom to demo and bring home a new 4000 30/16-93 6 post rack and Ares. And walked out with a PR4000 6 post, dual stack Athena plus lat pulldown low row, for 3 full selectorized stacks😊. If you want to work in the back of rack or do any type of incline bench, or if you care about leg and foot room when doing lat pulldowns or low rows....the Athena hands down. Ive had a knee replacemen and cant bend my left knee beyond 110 degrees, so getting into position with bench and leg pad to hold down my bodyweight in the Ares was very awkward and cramped. The center leg pad offered with the 4000 rack was superior to the 2 individual lep pads you need on the 5000 as well. I really wanted to love the Ares, but the full tricked out Athena was so much more comfortable than the Ares. Im not a guy, at 61 years old, who cares about the max of the weight stacks as much as my 30 year old son would. And the pricing all built out was within 300 bucks of the Ares/rack combo. The low row on the Athen is also superior to tbe Ares, with no bar interefernce on your feet. Both extermely high quality, and I was totally sold on the Ares- until I worked out on them. Athena for the win!

[Slayer]

Awesome review! Highly recommend the Gympin D handle to connect both side for heavier stack on lat pull downs and low rows. S/O to Flex Marks the Spot for that pro tip. Another assembly tip is to loosen all the pulleys prior to attaching them to the rack.

[Tlevy]

Great stuff as always. Big fan of the Ares and the new handles are great. Pretty impressed you built the Athena by yourself in just over 3 hours.

[cdi]

Since I have the plate loaded lat/low row, I went with the plate loaded Athena. I plan on moving and the plate loaded should be MUCH easier to move rather than selectorized version plus much cheaper! The only downside is I had to sell my weight horns but I replaced them with a weight tree, which I don't mind at all. I have the 93" rack and strongly recommend it.

[MrPanthers]

Really like how you did calf raises. I've been trying to figure out how to do them in my home setup. I'm gonna give that a try.

[johne]

Thanks for another great review, Jonathan. If I may, I used to have a ceiling like yours. I got a bunch of 1/8 inch plywood, painted it white, and nailed it up with a nail gun. Really brightened the space and gave a more finished look. Just an idea. Thanks again.

[jamestonbellajo]

For lat pulldowns and low rows, you can definitely get an attachment to connect both sides and then attach your own handles like the GymPin Pro D-Handle Bar. Prime, Steadfast, Stray Dog, Ironmaster and a bunch of other companies make something similar too. That way you can use both weight stack easily at once.

[boss_acg]

I bought the dual stack Athena with the low row and lat pull-down attachment. The only difference is that mine is plate loaded.

[shortiestofshorts]

Great video - finally a good review on the Athena. I just ordered mine (got in between the sold out blocks). 16" dual selectroized for a 5000 rack. Had to fit in my wifes approved garage gym corner, lol. Should be here in a few days :)

[spacecowboy]

If you get the new rep Pegasus seat and put it as low as it can go, do you think you could do lat pulldowns on it? Also if you use a gym pin can you still use weight storage on the back? Maybe if you only use 10s on gym pins?

[timothyspillane]

I want to purchase an Athena on a four post to save space. But Rep says to be careful with the 80 inch rack because it affects your ability to rack the bar after squatting. I’m 5’11” for reference …. Is the 80 inch four post out of the question? Should I just get the 6 post and take up more room in my basement?

[connormckay]

They make a plate loaded version of these which is about half the price (900ish for both sides) and I think that really would be the best value for a REP Rack cable machine although you do sacrifice having weights stored on the rack and also I think you can't have a lat pull down in the rack either which doesn't matter much since you can do that with the Athena anyways. Been Watchung a few of your vids and you def earned a subscriber, awesome content!

[samg]

Thanks for the great video. How difficult was the build for one side of the athena? Strange that Rep fitness does not have instructional video for this attachment and nobody is putting up videos on the install>

[scooobyj]

REP has gone above and beyond with their in rack weight stacks. Really awesome and innovative system.
I think the Athena is great for limited space, especially for you basement dwellers.

[dianemuollo]

Great video as always
Very informative

[GlucksGym]

Great video. I would've probably went Athena and lat pulldown/low row had I know that both were going to be released.

[HomeGymHacksandReviews]

Nice comparison of the different options!

[jordanemery]

Awesome review! I have the 93” rack and am trying to decide on a dual Athena vs the ares. I’m considering a gym pin D-Handle for the Athena to connect both weight stacks for rows/pulldowns

[TheCarterHomeGym]

Looks like a great option for us small space guys!