GMWD Bench Press and Shoulder Press Machine V7 Review
This product was tested in house by Michael at The Jungle Gym Reviews.
The GMWD V7 is a budget converging press machine that gives you flat bench, incline, and shoulder press all in one footprint for around $600. It is a bolt-together machine with an integrated adjustable bench that goes from zero to 85 degrees, converging press arms with multi-grip handles, and a gas-assisted height adjustment system. For someone who wants a dedicated pressing machine without spending thousands, this is one of the most versatile options in this price range. But it is a budget piece, and you need to understand what that means before buying.
Quick Takeaway
The GMWD V7 gives you three to five different pressing movements in one compact machine for $600. The converging arm path feels distinctly better than lever arms for chest-focused pressing, and the built-in adjustable bench means you do not need a separate bench to use it. The tradeoffs are build quality (everything shakes a bit at heavier loads), plastic plate horns, and thinner gauge steel. This is best used as an accessory machine to supplement free weight training, not as your primary heavy pressing station.
Quick Specs
Price: ~$599 (code JUNGLE for 10% off)
Press Type: Converging arc, plate-loaded
Bench Angles: 0 to 85 degrees in 15-degree increments (final jump is 10 degrees)
Height Adjustment: 20 positions with gas-assist piston
Handles: Multi-grip (flat press and neutral grip)
Arms: Independent left/right movement
Plate Horns: Plastic, bolt-on
Assembly: Bolt-together
Where to Buy
You can check the current price directly through GMWD below. Use code JUNGLEGYM for 5% off:
My Real-World Experience
I have been using the GMWD V7 for a few months to supplement my free weight training routine. That is honestly what I recommend this machine for — accessory pressing work after your main barbell movements. For me, that means flat bench or incline dumbbell press first, then moving to the V7 for higher-rep converging press sets at moderate weight. In that role, it is genuinely useful. The converging path gives you a contraction at the top that you simply cannot replicate with a barbell or dumbbells, and the ability to go from flat to shoulder press without changing machines is a real time saver.
The Converging Press Arms
The main selling point of this machine is the converging arc. The arms are on a fixed path controlled by linkage rods on either side. As you press up, the handles move from outside your shoulders to roughly a foot and a half apart at the top. This gives you that chest fly-press hybrid feel that dedicated machines from Hammer Strength or Life Fitness provide, just at a fraction of the cost.
You can manipulate the feel by changing the starting height. If you start lower, you get more of a fly-style path where the arms come closer together across your chest. If you start at a normal pressing height, it feels more like a traditional converging press. Between the height adjustment, the bench angle, and the two grip options, you genuinely get a lot of variety from one machine.
The arms move independently, so you can do single-arm work. They also move freely — there is no counterbalance or starting weight. When you have no plates loaded, the arms just float. This is nice for warming up but means the machine has zero resistance until you add weight.
The Built-In Bench
The integrated bench uses a pop pin system where both the back pad and seat pad adjust together on a fixed pivot bracket. Pull the pin, slide to your angle, and both pads set automatically. It goes from flat (0 degrees) through 15-degree increments up to 75 degrees, then one final 10-degree jump to 85 degrees for shoulder press.
The bench itself is functional but nothing special. The padding is adequate, the vinyl is standard budget quality, and the overall feel is what you would expect for a $600 machine. It is not removable — this is not a standalone bench you can pull out and use elsewhere. It is built into the machine frame.
Build Quality and Stability
This is where you need to set expectations correctly. The GMWD V7 is a bolt-together machine made with thinner gauge steel to keep costs down. At moderate weight (45 lbs per side), everything feels stable enough. Once you start loading it up to 100+ lbs per side, you will feel the arms shake and the whole machine bounce. The grips rotate slightly, the linkage rods have some play, and you can see the frame flex under load.
It never feels unsafe — the machine is not going to collapse or fail. But it does not feel planted and solid the way a commercial press machine does. The plate horns are plastic and bolt-on. Everything is extremely functional but clearly made to maximize value rather than premium feel.
The gas-assist piston on the back is a nice touch. It helps you lift the entire trolley system (arms + loaded plates) when adjusting height. Without it, repositioning with plates loaded would be much harder.
What Else Can You Do On It
Beyond the core flat/incline/shoulder press movements, I have experimented with a few other things. Shrugs work okay but the machine can tip slightly depending on weight distribution. Bent-over rows are possible but awkward — I would not count that as a real selling point. The reverse shoulder press (facing the machine and pressing behind you) actually feels really good and is one of my favorite uses for this machine.
The fly-press hybrid at lower starting heights is genuinely useful for chest isolation. You will not get the full range of motion of a cable fly, but the converging path at a lower start position gives you a solid chest contraction that is hard to replicate with free weights alone.
Comparisons / Alternatives
Lever Arms on a Power Rack: The closest alternative in terms of pressing variety. Lever arms give you more exercise options overall, but they take up rack space, require more setup time, and do not have the same converging path. A dedicated converging machine like this will always feel better for chest pressing specifically.
Titan Fitness Multi-Press Machines: Similar category but typically lack the aggressive convergence of the GMWD V7 or the ability to go all the way to 85-degree shoulder press.
Powertech Multi-Press: More established brand with similar functionality. Usually more expensive and without quite the same converging arc.
Cheaper $300 Press Machines: These exist but typically have a fixed axis (straight up and down) rather than converging. If you do not care about convergence, you can save money, but you lose the main benefit of this style of machine.
Tradeoffs
Build quality is budget-tier. Everything shakes at heavier loads. Thinner gauge steel, plastic plate horns, play in the grips. This is not a commercial machine.
Bolt-together assembly. Takes time to put together and the tolerances between all the bolt points contribute to the overall flex.
Not ideal as a primary heavy press. If you are strong and want to load 225+ equivalent for working sets, you will feel the instability. Best used as an accessory machine.
Takes up floor space. About 4 feet deep when stored against a wall. Not huge, but not nothing.
Non-removable bench. The bench is integrated into the frame. You cannot use it separately.
Who Should Buy
Buy the GMWD V7 if you want a dedicated converging press machine for accessory work, you train in a bodybuilding or hypertrophy style and want that machine contraction feel, and you do not want to spend thousands on a commercial piece. It is ideal for someone who already has a barbell setup and wants to add machine pressing variety without taking up much space or budget. At $600 with the discount code, the value is very high for what you get.
Who Should Skip
Skip the GMWD V7 if you are a heavy presser who wants a rock-solid primary machine, if build quality and premium feel matter more to you than price, or if you would rather have lever arms that give you both pressing and pulling in one setup. If you want something that feels commercial, you will need to spend significantly more money on a dedicated chest press from a brand like Prime, Hammer Strength, or Arsenal Strength.
Final Verdict
The GMWD V7 is the best budget converging press machine I have found for home gyms. It gives you flat bench, incline, and shoulder press in one compact footprint for $600, and the converging arm path genuinely feels better for chest work than lever arms or free weights alone. The build quality is what it is — budget — but it is functional, it does not feel unsafe, and the value per dollar is hard to beat. Use it as an accessory machine and you will be very happy with it.
CHECK PRICE — GMWD V7 PRESS MACHINE
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