10 of the Most Unique Gym Machines in the UK (And Where to Find Them)

14 Sept

Walk into most commercial gyms and you’ll find much of the same equipment: current models from the same handful of manufacturers, ordered straight from the latest catalogue.

But some gyms take a very different approach.

From long discontinued machines and first generation designs to restored prototypes and genuine one-offs, some of the rarest gym machines are pieces most lifters will only ever see in old photos or videos.

Unless you know where to look.

The Rarest Gym Machines In The UK

Here are 10 of the most unique gym machines in the UK, what makes each one special and where you can actually train on them.

1. Trotter Galileo Flat Chest Press

Trotter Inc. was founded in 1973 and initially made its name producing treadmills before moving into strength equipment. The company was acquired by Cybex International in 1997, and Trotter branded strength machines have long since disappeared from production.

The Galileo Flat Chest Press is a genuine piece of strength equipment history and one you’re very unlikely to find on the average gym floor.

2. Cybex Classic Wrist & Forearm

Dedicated forearm machines aren’t exactly common. The Cybex Classic Wrist & Forearm Model 4050 takes things even further by combining two different movements in one seriously specialised machine.

It allows you to train pronation and supination as well as wrist flexion and extension, targeting the forearms through movements that would usually require separate exercises.

It’s an unusual piece even by vintage Cybex standards and one we spent years trying to find.

3. Keiser Classic MK1 Tricep Dip

Keiser has been developing pneumatic strength equipment since the 1970s, introducing its first air powered variable resistance machines in 1978.

This original generation Classic MK1 Tricep Dip comes from a very different era to the digital Keiser equipment you’ll see today. Instead of a modern display, resistance is shown using an old school mechanical pressure gauge.

4. Paramount DRP 600 Low Row

The Paramount DRP 600 Low Row doesn’t just look unusual. Its resistance system works differently too.

Part of Paramount’s Dynamic Resistance Profile series, it uses a sliding weighted “suitcase” positioned along a long lever arm. Move it closer to the user and resistance decreases; move it towards the weight horn and it increases. Plates can also be added to the horn for even more resistance.

It’s an ingenious design from a long discontinued range and an extremely rare piece of equipment.

5. Nautilus Power Plus Tricep Extension

The Power Plus range was Nautilus’s first venture into plate loaded strength equipment, and its design is very similar to the Gen 1 chain driven tricep extension famously used by six-time Mr Olympia Dorian Yates.

Rather than gripping conventional handles, your hands sit against guards while the fixed movement path takes the arms through a semi circular pressing motion, reducing the role of grip and keeping the emphasis firmly on the triceps.

6. Nautilus Gen 1 Chain-Driven Pullover

Few strength machines have achieved the legendary status of the original Nautilus Pullover.

Arthur Jones’ Nautilus machines revolutionised strength training in the 1970s, and this Gen 1 version uses a chain driven system for smooth, direct resistance transfer. Padded elbow and arm supports allow you to drive the movement without grip or bicep strength becoming the limiting factor, placing the emphasis squarely on the lats.

7. Pullum 1 of 1 Pendulum

Some rare gym machines were produced in tiny numbers. This one wasn’t produced as a range at all.

This bespoke Pendulum was made by Pullum for Darren “The Bull” Nicholhurst, Editor of FLEX Magazine, and is a genuine one-off.

The footplate moves forwards and backwards as well as changing angle, the safety stopper is height adjustable and there’s even a specially made rear hook for adding bands and increasing tension.

A true 1 of 1 machine built to be trained on, not displayed.

8. Nautilus Prototype Bicep Curl

Our Gen 1 chain driven Nautilus prototype bicep curl spent around five years sitting unfinished in storage before being completely restored.

New chains, bearings and upholstery brought it back to life, turning what could have remained a forgotten prototype into a fully functioning machine that’s now back on the gym floor.

9. Star Trac Hamtractor

The Hamtractor has developed a cult following among serious equipment enthusiasts, and for good reason.

This Star Trac version uses an adjustable tilted seat to create an effective position for loading the hamstrings, while multiple lower leg settings allow it to be dialled in to the individual user.

A pre-start lever also lets you lift the stack before getting your legs into position, rather than fighting against the weight at the beginning of every set.

10. Nautilus Gen 1 Chain-Driven Flat Press

Also known as the First Generation Chain Driven Low Friction Chest Press, this is another celebrated piece of early Nautilus equipment.

Its chain driven mechanism and bearing system create an exceptionally smooth movement, while its huge 360lb (approximately 163kg) weight stack is heavy even by today’s standards.

A second back pad has also been added to the Le Coach machine to give taller lifters a better setup.

Where Can You Find These Rare Gym Machines?

At Le Coach Fitness in Cambridge, all 10 are on the gym floor and available to train on, and what’s more - they’re only a small part of the collection.

From rare vintage machines and restored classics to custom built pieces and the best modern strength equipment, every machine is individually handpicked for what it brings to the training experience.

Want to experience some of the UK’s rarest gym machines for yourself? Come and train at Le Coach Fitness in Cambridge. Grab yourself a discounted day pass here.

Peter Goldstein