Force USA FTR Review: The Compact Functional Trainer Rack I Keep Recommending
By Mike, PhD, Professor of Exercise Science and NSCA Strength and Conditioning Coach, Hybrid Resistance.
Disclosure: Force USA sent me their new swivel seat, some of their bands and some of their aluminum attachments to try. Links and codes in this article may be affiliate links, which support the channel at no extra cost to you.
This Force USA FTR review comes from living with the rack in my garage gym for months, not from a quick unboxing. The FTR (functional trainer rack) is part of Force USA's Cornerstone series. It's a 3x3, 11-gauge squat rack with a 200 lb weight stack, articulating arms, and band pegs built in.
Bottom line: it's my favorite compact functional trainer I've used so far. The tradeoffs are a 2:1 cable ratio, a carriage that slides on a plastic liner instead of rollers, and paint that shows wear. It's best for lifters who want a squat rack and a cable stack in one small footprint. If you want a dedicated low row and top pulldown, skip it.
Force USA FTR Quick Specs
Spec | Details |
Series | Force USA Cornerstone series |
Steel / uprights | 3x3, 11-gauge steel |
Weight stack | 200 lb per side, upgradeable to 250 lb or 300 lb |
Cable ratio | 2:1 |
Articulating arms | 5 positions side to side, 4 up and down, umbrella clip that lets the arms sway or lock |
Band pegs | 4 included, two on each side at the top of the weight stack |
Pull-up bars | Adjustable, moved with knobs |
Included accessories | Triceps rope, pair of aluminum handles, small chains, carabiners, ankle straps, J-cups, spotter arms, barbell holder, pegboard, small storage shelf |
Weight horns | Not included |
App | Force USA training app via QR code |
Dimensions | 49 in W x 43 in D x 87 in H |
Price | $3,399 on forceusa.com |
Where to Buy the Force USA FTR
You can find the FTR on the Force USA website here: Force USA FTR. Code HYBRID5 saves you 5% on top of any sale Force USA has running.
A note on stock: the FTR was out of stock for about two to three months this year. It's back now, but I've had mixed signals on how long it'll stay in stock.
Why the FTR Interested Me in the First Place
Force USA's Cornerstone series has three cornerstone pieces. There's a freestanding cable tower (the tandem tower), the C20 all-in-one trainer, and the FTR. To me the FTR is the Goldilocks of the three.
I'd been waiting for this one. My favorite Force USA power rack used to be the X-15, and the FTR is basically a better X-15. The X-15 had stainless steel uprights, more storage than I knew what to do with, and both 2:1 and 1:1 cable pulleys. But it had no lateral holes, and you were always working around a cable. If the X-15 had had lateral holes, I'd probably still be using it.
I also learned something from running a freestanding cable tower. I wasn't really using it. I wasn't doing many seated heavy rows, and for lat pulldowns I'd often just kneel on the ground. That made me think a compact rack with a functional trainer built in is the real sweet spot for how I train: basic barbell squatting, basic benching, and cables for things like triceps pressdowns, curls and some single-arm work.
Setup and Footprint
Unboxing and assembly
The FTR comes in two boxes: one with the weight plates, and a large wooden box with everything else. Everything was well packaged. I looked closely and didn't see any dings or scratches out of the box. The only ones I found later came from me dropping things on it.
Compared with the nightmare of putting together their leg press and hack squat combo years ago, this was a huge leap forward. The manual isn't falling apart, and it's very clear.
I'm not going to lie, though: I made two or three stupid mistakes. Some parts look like they go one way, and a bolt has to go on top instead of the bottom. That cost me about an hour. I assembled it alone, and it wasn't a nightmare by any stretch, but the side panel on each side was cumbersome to line up by myself.
My advice: use two people, slow down, and check whether one beam is different from another before you bolt it in. The cables needed almost no fiddling. I had zero issues with them binding or torquing, which isn't always the case with all-in-one racks.
Footprint and storage
The thing I recommend the FTR for most is the overall price point and the dimensions together. I think the dimensions are tight for what it is: 49 inches wide, 43 inches deep and 87 inches tall.
Storage is useful without taking over. The pegboard comes included, and there's a small shelf you can angle so the rack fits into a corner. It's small, so you can only fit so much. That's a pro and a con. I've had the opposite problem with too much storage on the X-15, where I'd start throwing everything on it.
If you prefer an open layout, you don't have to install the storage area at all.
Build Quality
The FTR is 3x3 11-gauge steel throughout. The touch points look good, with light knurling on the pop pins, J-cups and spotter arms. Fully loaded, I don't worry about it tipping when I squat.
What you won't see is the heavy-duty bolts Rep or Rogue use. I can see people comparing the hardware and thinking this is a less robust machine. Functionally, for what you're doing and for most people, that doesn't really matter. In fact, bigger hardware can be more annoying to put together.
The powder coating also feels different from what I'm used to. I don't want to give the idea that it's cheap at all, because the design is sleek. But the paint is the thing I said I'd keep an eye on, and I'll come back to it in the cons.
How the FTR Trains
The articulating arms
The articulating arms are very good for what they are. You get five positions side to side and four up and down. There are small spacers on the inside, so you can't flush the arms completely inward, but you can go pretty far to the outside.
The umbrella clip was the surprise for me. It lets the arms sway back and forth or lock in place. I didn't think I'd like it, and it turned into a feature I used a lot.
The 2:1 cable ratio
The FTR is a 2:1 ratio machine, and I'd call that a downside. But honestly, once you figure out which ratio you prefer, you get used to any functional trainer. Ratio is mostly personal preference.
For me, I don't feel I need to go super heavy on cables. For lat pulldowns I grab two handles. If you want more load, you can use a joiner clip in the middle, add bands, or use a gym pin with external plates. I'd check with Force USA that a gym pin is OK on their rack first.
Barbell clearance
This is a dual-purpose rack, so you'll want to know whether the arms get in the way of the barbell. I'm 6 feet tall. With the arms raised all the way up, they clear out of the way with no problem for all my barbell work.
FTR Band Integration: The Feature I Wouldn't Buy Without
This is the feature that changed how I look at functional trainers. The FTR has band pegs on both sides of the weight stack, so you can rig resistance bands straight onto the stack. After finally using it, I personally wouldn't buy or recommend a functional trainer unless band integration was at least an option.
Here's why it matters:
It adds real resistance, cheaply. Force USA sent me two relatively light red bands. With no weight on the stack at all, they still make exercises fairly difficult, even on a 2:1 machine.
It adds variable resistance. Bands raise peak tension at the top of the movement. I don't think variable resistance is the holy grail some people do. I think bands and weights complement each other, and combining them is a true hybrid approach.
It smooths out the stack. Even if you're going heavy, a small band gives a nice, smooth, center pull you don't naturally get from a weight stack.
It's safer for overhead band work. For pressdowns and pullovers, if a band snaps it isn't going to fly back and hit you in the face.
It makes isometrics easy. When I go a little heavy or get close to failure, I just hold and do forced isometrics.
It's also low friction. You can leave the bands sitting there, and it takes about two seconds to string them on.
The pegs work best with standard 41-inch bands. You will need matched pairs, which is the reason it took me so long to try this. I have a sea of bands, but not many pairs. Thin to medium bands worked well. I wouldn't go any wider or thicker than the black pair I showed.
If your functional trainer doesn't have band pegs, a single weight pin is the usual workaround. In my experience it torques one side, and you feel a slight grind. A double-loaded pin is the better option.
Key Features and Surprises
Adjustable pull-up bars. You can move them fairly easily by loosening and tightening the knobs. Because the top 3x3 is open, I can mount other attachments up there. My Henny Straps still work with the arms moved to the inside.
Off-brand attachments fit. This is why I care about 3x3 with 1-inch holes. My U4C Fitness curved calf block and U-cups work, and so do my Rep Fitness J-hooks.
Accessories are generous. You get a triceps rope that's longer than standard, long aluminum handles with a cloth grip, small chains, about four to six smooth-cornered carabiners, ankle straps, J-cups, heavy spotter arms and a barbell holder. It doesn't come with weight horns.
Training app. There's a QR code for Force USA's training app, which is kind of nifty.
Swivel seat (separate). Force USA also sent their new swivel seat. It doesn't work well in the middle, but it does work on the outside of the uprights.
Aluminum attachments (separate). Force USA also sent some of their aluminum handles, now sold individually.
Cons: What I Don't Like About the Force USA FTR
2:1 cable ratio. It's a downside, even if it's mostly preference. If you want the option of 1:1 and 2:1, look elsewhere.
No rollers on the carriage. It slides on a plastic liner. It's smooth enough, and you can adjust it with one hand, but it takes a little effort.
Paint wear. After four or five months of not babying it, the paint where the carriage moves shows wear. Some people will want trolleys or something else to protect it.
Smaller hardware. Next to Rep or Rogue, the bolts don't scream heavy-duty. Functionally it hasn't mattered to me.
Assembly gotchas. It's easy to orient a part the wrong way. Two people are better.
J-cup spacing. The J-cups have tighter spacing, and I can see them dinging my barbell, so I baby them a bit.
Upright angle and digital units. When I mounted a Beyond Power Voltra on the outside, the cord rubbed against the unit, so I had to angle it to the inside.
No dedicated low row or top pulldown. For me that's fine. For some people it's a dealbreaker.
Stock. It has gone out of stock for months at a time.
Value and Alternatives
Price-wise, the compact 3x3 functional trainer racks I get asked about are all in roughly the same ballpark. Look at the features you want first. If it's a few hundred dollars' difference, that's your call. I think the FTR's price is fair once you count the accessories. You're paying a bit for the innovation of the footprint and the arms.
Option | Best for | Tradeoff |
Force USA FTR | A compact squat rack plus functional trainer with band pegs | 2:1 only, no carriage rollers, paint wear |
Maxum Fitness X1 / X3 | People who want 2:1 and 1:1, stainless upright, rollers | Too many options for my taste; cheaper-feeling accessories |
Get RXd Phoenix Tower | Value and simple design, great arms | No accessories included, no codes |
Rep Fitness Summit | The best "kitchen sink" compact package with top and low pulleys and a Smith machine | No articulating arms; over $5,000, close to $6,000 out the door at the time of the video |
Anubis 2.0 Elite | A budget compact functional trainer | I don't think it takes band pegs |
Giant Lifting Axis rack | Good price point with codes, new arms on trolleys | Still being tweaked at the time of the video |
Landmark Athletics Everest | Top and low pulleys, articulating arms, great Smith depth clearance | Bigger, Smith-focused build |
Two Beyond Power Voltras | Digital resistance with no stack | More expensive, charging, more maintenance |
Within Force USA, the C20 is a popular all-in-one, but I wish it were about $1,000 cheaper.
▶ Watch: my Beyond Power Voltra review
Who Should Buy the Force USA FTR
You want a squat rack and a functional trainer in one small footprint.
You value 3x3 uprights with 1-inch holes so off-brand attachments fit.
You like articulating arms and want cables for accessories, not max loads.
You use resistance bands, or want to, and want them on the weight stack.
You'd rather have a tidy rack than a wall of storage.
Who Should Skip It
You want a dedicated low row and top pulldown station.
You want a 1:1 cable ratio or a switchable ratio.
You want rollers on the carriage and thick powder coat that resists wear.
You judge a rack by the size of its bolts.
You need it delivered right now and it's out of stock.
Final Verdict: Is the Force USA FTR Worth It?
For me, yes. The FTR is still my favorite functional trainer in the compact 3x3 category, and it's setting the standard I compare new machines to. It's tight, it's small, and it gives me the best of both worlds: a minimalist squat rack with a functional trainer built in.
It's not perfect. The 2:1 ratio, the plastic carriage liner and the paint wear are real downsides, and the hardware won't impress Rogue fans. But in daily use it's low friction. Everything is in one compact space, and the band pegs turned into a feature I now look for on every functional trainer.
If you know you don't need a low row or a top pulldown, it's an easy one to recommend.
This is my experience, not medical advice. Check with a qualified professional if you have an injury.
Force USA FTR FAQ
Is the Force USA FTR worth it?
If you want a compact squat rack and functional trainer in one, I think so. It's my favorite in that category. If you need a dedicated low row and top pulldown, or a 1:1 ratio, look at other options.
What is the cable ratio on the Force USA FTR?
It's 2:1. I count that as a downside, but ratio is mostly preference. You can add load with a joiner clip, resistance bands on the band pegs, or a gym pin with plates.
How much weight is on the FTR stack?
It comes with a 200 lb stack, and there are add-ons to 250 lb or 300 lb.
Can you use resistance bands on the Force USA FTR?
Yes. It has band pegs on both sides of the weight stack. Standard 41-inch bands work best, and you'll need matched pairs.
How hard is the Force USA FTR to assemble?
It's easy if you go slow. I did it alone and lost about an hour to a few orientation mistakes. I recommend two people, especially for lining up the side panels.
Force USA FTR vs Rep Fitness or Rogue: which is better?
It depends what you want. Rep and Rogue have heavier hardware, but as far as I know they don't have a rack configured exactly like this. With the FTR you're really buying into Force USA's design.
What is the Force USA FTR price?
It's $3,399 on forceusa.com. Code HYBRID5 saves you 5% on top of any sale Force USA has running.
About the author: My name is Mike, and I've worked in the fitness industry and higher education as a professor of Exercise Science my whole adult life. I'm a Certified Personal Trainer and NSCA Strength and Conditioning Coach, with a PhD in Health Education and a Master's in Exercise Science. Other qualifications include ISSN Certified Sports Nutritionist, Precision Nutrition Coach and ACSM Exercise Physiologist. On Hybrid Resistance I share honest (non-sponsored) reviews of efficient, effective home gym equipment.
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Gear in this article: Force USA FTR, code HYBRID5 · Resistance bands: Clench Fitness (code SBT10), Serious Steel (code MIKE)
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