Powertec Fitness L-CT Leverage Maxi Crunch | 
| Brand: Powertec Fitness
Category: Sports
Buy New: $399.00
New (2) from $399.00
Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 82227
Shipping Weight (lbs): 94
Dimensions (in): 42 x 30 x 36
MPN: L-CT
Model: L-CT
UPC: 716542102156
EAN: 0716542102156
ASIN: B000P7ANKA
Release Date: April 2, 2007
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Abdominal machine with compact range of motion for effective ab workouts | | • | Abbreviated span of roughly 6 inches with defined start and finish positions | | • | Set at correct angle to fully relieve any stress on the lower back | | • | Comfortable head pad moves with lever to provide proper neck support | | • | Measures 30 x 36 x 42 inches (W x H x D); lifetime warranty on frame |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
SHIPPING INCLUDED "Develop a strong Core in comfort with this compact, slick machine" It has been found that the best method of performing a sit up exercise is through a very short range of motion. Just as with all exercises, the crunch also has a start and finish position. It is only about 6"s to the contracted position. Most people don't realize ...
Amazon.com Product Description
Develop your six-pack abs in comfort with the compact, slick Maxi Crunch machine from Powertec Fitness. Building on the idea that the best method of performing sit-ups is through an extremely short range of motion, the Maxi Crunch has an abbreviated span of roughly 6 inches, along with defined start and finish positions. As a result, users will perform their abdominal exercises using the proper form without wasting unnecessary energy. The bench is also set at the correct angle to fully relieve any stress on the lower back--a primary risk of traditional sit-ups. Finally, the Maxi Crunch includes a comfortable head pad that moves with the lever to provide support to the neck. The machine, which measures 30 by 36 by 42 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 112 pounds, carries the following warranties: lifetime on the frame, two years on component parts (such as bearings and spring pins), and one year on pads, grips, and unspecified parts.
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| Customer Reviews:
Pretty good, but a lot of assembly problems. November 11, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
UPDATE 11/17/07: I just used this in a workout for the first time, and it felt really good. I e-mailed Powertec about the incorrect nuts and cracked endcap I got sent, and they immediately UPS'ed me the correct nuts and two replacement endcaps at no charge. The motion takes a bit of getting used to, and breathing feels a little strange. Mostly it's hard to remember that you don't need to go very far to work your abs, and to let your abs draw the weight up instead of just pushing with your arms. It also really did take all the strain off my lower back like it was supposed to...so, A+, and looks like I'll be getting that six-pack I wanted for Christmas. :)
Original Post:
I just received this from Amazon, and wish I'd waited and bought it off Craigslist or something instead. People keep selling them on there for half the cost, so shop around first. This box is heavy, too...you'll need two people to get it inside. I had mine shipped by UPS, and when it arrived one of the plastic endcaps inside was badly cracked, I'm waiting to hear back from Powertec about a replacement, and one of the metal bars had big gouged marks in it from some other injury, but it won't affect the performace.
This machine is very solid, which I'm happy about, and actually fits me, which is surprising. It had a bigger footprint than I thought, about 4" by 3". I'm a 6'3" 250 lb weightlifter, and a lot of benches and machines are too small for me. Plus I have a permanent back injury (rotated pelvic bone) and can't do crunches on the floor, and this is advertised to take the strain off the lower back...from what I can tell so far, it seems to work! It has a very small range of motion, but everyone nowadays is saying you don't need one, so I guess we'll see how my abs develop. :)
The only real peeve I had about it was the assembly...it took me almost two hours from start to finish, which is surprising considering how few parts there are. The instructions are poor, because they just have exploded diagrams with no actual step-by-step written instructions, so you have to guess what goes on in what order. I'm pretty handy, so it wasn't too hard, but I can see someone not so mechanically inclined getting confused fast. The bolts supplied are *not* the same length as the bolts listed in the parts list, so you have to figure out which are which by the quantity in each bag. Plus, you can tell this was made in China...whoever drew the illustrations in it, despite the word "Powertec" being everywhere, still wrote "Powretec" in the diagram. Not to mention that in one step, it shows the bolts and nuts being inserted into the arm supports one way, and in the very next step, they're facing the opposite way.
I've just contacted Powertec and am waiting for an answer to another big problem...two of the nuts holding the tilting arm support bar to the greased axles are way too thick. The parts list says there are supposed to be two nuts that are half as thick as the other 13 used for the rest of the bench, but Powertec apparently cheaped out and decided to stop using them, and just sent two extra of the regular sized ones. Which is a problem, because the nuts can't lock down on the tilting axle, so over time they're going to come loose. The bolt only reaches about halfway into the nut, and if you fully tighten it, the tilting bar can't move. There's also another nut just like this down on the height adjustment sliding bar, it needs another half-as-thick nut.
The height adjustment sliding bar is badly designed, too, and slightly crooked when assembled. Not a real problem, since you'll probably pick your preferred height and leave it there forever. I can't imagine who can use this machine at full height, though. With the seat flat like a bench, my feet are way off the ground.
And the arm to hold the plates doesn't seem well thought out...you can't load a large plate on there, it'll hit the main bench frame as it lifts.
Also, during assembly you have to insert one half of the tilting arm into the other half, and they do not seat well together. I pretty much had to force them together, then get the bolt in the hole through them before they could pop apart again.
You will need a rather large hex ratchet if you want this to go fast, my ratchet heads don't go up large enough, so I was stuck using channel locks and robogrip pliers together, which takes a long time and leaves the nuts all cut up around the edges.
So! All that junk aside, I really am happy with it, and I'll update here when Powertec lets me know what the heck was going on with the parts.
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