Nautilus Multi Exercise Machine?

This is one of the oldest Nautilus installations at my gym. Seem to be in fine condition. Probably used sparsely. I can recall Arthur Jones training Boyer Coe on a similar version of this machine, on a youtube clip. Can’t seem to find an attachment chain or a included belt here though.

What is the proper name of this machine? Any interesting history? Age of this version? Anyone have any favorite excercises done on this one? I would assume heavy negatives on chinups and dips is the way to go here.

I’m not familiar with this version. In fact, I’ve never seen one like this.

I’ve never seen one with all those plastic shrouds?
Scott

It’s the Next Generation version guys.

Shields, platform for feet, wide grip pull-up bar. Otherwise, its the same machine as earlier versions. We have one earlier version that has the foot platform, 4 sets of steps, and the chin-up dip bars were Not adjustable. The people I got it from (for free) had the weight stack modified, it went up to 400 lbs.

A buddy of mine has this model. He’s got a platform that slides in onto the steps so you can belt squat and do stiff-leg deadlifts on it. With the platform and all the different attachments, you can pretty much do a full-body workout. It may be the ultimate home gym machine, in that, it has such a small footprint and you can do so many different exercises on it, provided you have all the attachments.

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I would like to update my Nautilus OME to a 400 lb stack

Before I got one I thought the multi machine was going to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. After I had it a while I couldn’t wait to get rid of it. The dip was to wide for me , on just about any exercise I could only use about 3 plates of a 250 pound stack. I found my cheap pulley pulldown machine worked much better on most stuff.
Scott

Thanks strengthmaster,

You do know your Nautilus! Curious about the platform - original equipment? What does it look like? I would love to do belt squats on this one!

Btw, I found a chain and a belt in another room at the gym. Must be put to proper use. And yes, the weight stack on this thing is huge!

This kind of special equipment is what I like about Nautilus. Traditional and revolutionary!

Any ideas on year of manufacturing?

Platform was NOT original equipment. Even though you can find pictures of them in Dr. Darden’s early books. https://www.ifr.net/ome-platforms
Arthur sold Nautilus in '86, so I’d say 89-mid 90’s.

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The platform is a game changer for those machines! SO many more options with it!

I knew of a few people who made their own platforms

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Yes, I’ve seen them made of wood and others made of steel. We have one for the one we have in our junior high weight room made of wood. With all the attachments, about 20 different exercises I believe. That includes NO for dips, chins, and parallel grip chins.

What do you mean by “That includes NO for dips, chins, and parallel grip chins.” ? NO ?

Negative Only. That’s what the steps were put on the machine for. To be able to walk up the steps and then lower yourself. The abbreviation NO was pretty standard for meaning Negative Only. You could certainly do those exercises in a normal positive/negative style, but with the steps you could perform them in a Negative Only manner with or without added weight. That is why I included them in the count as separate exercises.

Egad; I feel like a real dolt for not interpreting that. Thanks. I think that I will go hide now.

Since this thread is about the Nautilus Multi-Exercise machine, I am assuming that those people that you got yours from modified the stack to 400 lbs. True? If so, please excuse another lunatic question from me in asking what exercises they (and you) did/do on it to warrant the need for 400 pounds? Deadlifts and maybe belt squats with arms assisting? That is if it has a box that slides onto the steps.

JLO

JLO, yes it does have a box platform that slides in on top of the steps. And yes, belt squats with the box. Never really used the box for deadlifts. And calf raises without the box. Those are really the only exercises that I think might warrant more than the regular 250 wt. stack. Maybe shoulder shrugs with the shrug handle for a really strong guy. And yes, it was definitely modified to the 400# stack. It has the standard size wt plates 30-150, then 25lb plates 175-400.

Thanks for the reply and info.

I can only imagine what kind of beast person could do, say, ten to twelve reps, good form, no stopping between reps, butt-to-box, belt squats with the whole 400 lb. stack on that thing. Heck, even six to eight reps. And doing twenty reps would be from an out of this world person.

JLO