First off, you won’t find one of these cheap. Unless some guy dies and you buy it from his wife. This is known as a RARE collectable machine. Second, as much as I really like a lot of the older Nautilus machines, I believe you’d be disappointed. It wasn’t a great machine. The guy pictured using it calls it a lousy machine.
The Compound Position Biceps, much better machine. Yeah, the one with ONE seat. Yes, it did have an aggressive cam. But it was still a great machine. Very unique.
Although, I thought the two-seater was also a good machine. If I could have either one,
I’d take the original. But again, you aren’t finding either of these cheap. Much more than I think you’d want to pay.
The guy using it was Kim Wood. I’d like to see where he said it was a lousey machine so then I could think twice about looking for one.Believe me I know they are expensive but sometimes you luck into one at a reasonable price. I always wanted a BNTA and they were going for a ton years ago and then I found one stuffed in a warehouse for $135 bucks but yea more than likely I would be disappointed in the compound tricep. I have found that I was disappointed with many of the first gen machines after I got them as they didn’t fit my small frame well. I remember wanting the double shoulder so bad and then eventually I ended up with at least 3 of them and I scrapped at least one and practically gave away the others.Same with the double chest. Some guy on Craigs list had one on it for free so not being able to say no to a free Nautilus I rushed over and got it. I eventually left it in pieces and sold a few parts from it and scrapped most of the rest except for some metal I use for welding other stuff. I be had at least 3 of them and I liked the press part but the fly part didn’t fit my shoulders at all.
Scott
…photo #3 is me (in the white sweat suit) and the original compound-position Triceps ad (a lousy machine)
John Wood (Kim’s son) has a number of internet sites. The Iron League is a site he has that contains history of weight training information. Kim has a blog on it that he talks about many different subjects related to training. The quote from above is from an entry he wrote about the white adidas sweat suit he bought to be photographed on the machines. He left it when he left Nautilus in Florida and it was used by others when they were photographed on the machines. The picture he quoted from is the ad you posted earlier. The Iron League is a pay for membership site.
Strengthmaster you have some most interesting and inside stuff to say. It almost sounds like you must have worked with some of the old Nautilus guard ? One draw back of this forum is that I have no idea who people really are and can’t contact them to personally talk about this stuff without wasting everyone else’s time on it. Thanks for all you’ve told me.
Scott
Has anyone tried one of these new Iron Core curl machines like as seen at Michael Petrella’s gym or his web page ? They say it’s the best curl machine out there ? The handles revolve and it’s levered to some extent but other wise it looks like the typical curl machine at first glance. They say it produces a great burn!
Scott
Is there anything really better than just a barbell or dumbbell curl? Does the full range, variable resistance of a good machine make a visible difference?
The biggest difference I find is there is little resistance at the top and bottom of a dumbbell curl . On my machine the resistance is pretty even all the way through the curl.
Scott
In reality I think it’s more about convenience , feel and safety than really producing better results. A million big arms were built without machines. I hate rounding up plates to change dumbbell weights etc, especially when the weights get heavy. Just put a pin in and I’m ready to go.
Scott
I worked out a few times on Compound-position bicep and the tricep machines at the old Sam Jordan gym on the southside of Chicago back in the 70’s. Sam’s gym was loaded with free weight equipment and Nautilus machines. If a trainee used any Nautilus equipment you had to pay Sam $.50 each workout. Ole bowlegged Sam always got his money and was mesmerized by the new Nautilus machines. He tried to buy them all!!! The Compound Arm machines were Awesome looking. But there was seriously problems with the Tricep machine.
Despite getting a serious cramping sensation in your triceps at full extensions YOUR UPPER ARM WOULD NOT STAY AGAINST THE ARM PAD. Even though at the time I was a 115 lbs. 11" arm teenager it was impossible to properly use. Even the big 20" arm monsters in the gym had the same problem. Sam was very handy so he made special padded buckle straps to fit over the arm original padded spots. They helped some but most people abandoned it and went back to either freeweights or the original two person Nautilus bicep and tricep machine.
The Compound Bicep Machine had problems. Once again the contracted position behind your head cramped your bicep like hell. I loved the sensation. But trainees kind of abandoned it because if you tried using in the slow 2 up and 4 down speed that Nautilus preached then your progress was slow. It was easier to grab some heavy dumbbells and go back to throwing up weights like you use to. I would love to experience working out on all the vintage Nautilus equipment today. There’s a fitness near me that has a line of Nitro machines. I use to a member there 10 years ago but too many multi-set trainees would sit on individual machines knocking out set after set as you watched.
Dr. Wayne Wescott even did a Certification Workshop there years ago on the then new Nitro equipment. I was in awe but most people including the staff didn’t even participate or even cared . Most never heard of him. It would be great if there was like a Nautilus Museum with every possible machine that people could pay a fee and sample a workout. I have a hand typed letter response from Arthur Jones in 2002. There is a sadness in my heart that despite the greediness that I had for the cockiness that Arthur shocked the world with his articles in Peary Rader’s Ironman magazine, many people now make fun of his ideas about bodybuilding and his machines that were going to revolutionize the sport. I thought he would revolutionize the sport. And even a small frame hardgainer like me could build a physique that would resemble a gymnast at least. Praise Arthur!!!
Hey thanks for this response , it is very helpful! I’ve heard of these issues you bring up with both bi and tri compounds and yet those darn machines still go for a fortune even though they probably get very little use in a gym. I’d like to get them to see if I can modify them to work better or I just may have to try and make my own version of them from parts of other machines? Michael Petrella’s gym in Canada has just about every Nautilus ever made worth trying. Someday I’ve got to drive up there just to try out his machines!
Scott
The Nautilus seated bicep/ tricep plate loaded combination machine ( the first ones made ) are an unbelievable machine. The cams on this machine are designed so that the resistance increases as you move into the fully contracted position with the resistance being the greatest at full contraction.
This was in line with Arthur’s thinking at the time. Many later machines have/had cams that allow the resistance to fall off as you approach the fully contracted position.
This machine is easily upgraded with bearings replacing bushings and Kevlar replacing chains or cables.
The movement arm also allows for a partially pronated wrist grip as opposed to the semi-su
I agree with you Scott. I can’t lose my crush on old Nautilus machines. I have a Generation 2 Pullover, Ab machine, 10 degree, and Multi-Exercise machine. I also have a plate loaded Nautilus Lateral Raise. I really want a double chest and double shoulder machine. What machines do you have? How did you find them?
Nautilus wise Ive got the plate loading pullover , a 2nd gen pullover, BNTA , a stand alone BN, plate loading curl/tri, 2nd gen lateral , ab clam, lower back, double chest, leg curl and leg extension. I’d have more but I’m out of space for any more. Other than the really rare ones Ive had most of the others at one time or another. I don’t remember a plate loading lateral? It must be really old or a for home model ? I had a multi bicep but got rid of it and now I wish I’d kept it so I could try and convert it to the arms up compound bicep. Those are too expensive. I got most of them 10–15 years ago off places like craigs list or newspapers fairly cheap. For a certain period people were practically giving them away. I used to run an ad that said , Wanted Nautilus machines. Lots of people have them in their basement and just want them out of there. I went to buy one machine from a guy who had a whole basement gym full of them. At one point he just said take them all so I did. When driving around one day I saw this big pile of cut up metal. Suddenly I noticed some cams in the pile. Someone wanted a double chest out of their basement and took a cutting torch to it. After moving several of them I understood the cutting torch idea, ha ha!
Scott
Jealous at you guys! In Sweden the good old Nautilus machines simply aren’t available. An offer on Nautilus One machines, 11 of them, for $9000. Still expensive, but If I only had the space I would negotiate the price to make it a bargain.
