GMWD LH01 Premium Hack Squat and Leg Press Machine Review

GMWD LH01 Premium Hack Squat and Leg Press Machine Review

This product was in house tested by Michael at the Jungle Gym Reviews.

The GMWD LH01 is one of the more refined budget-friendly hack squat and leg press combo machines I’ve used, with a few smart quality-of-life features that make it feel a step above the cheapest category. The hack squat side is the stronger half of the machine, and I especially like the handle position, angled headrest, and flip-up leg press plate. The biggest tradeoff is the same one that plagues most combo units: the leg press range of motion still falls short for deeper squatters unless you get creative. I think this makes the most sense for home gym owners who want a solid combo machine with a premium look and decent functionality, while people chasing truly excellent leg press ROM should hesitate.

Quick Specs

Price: $1,299 (sale) / $1,699 (MSRP)
Model: LH01
Type: Leg Press / Hack Squat / Calf Raise (3-in-1)
Footprint (L × W): ~84” × 72” (~7’ × 6’)
Footprint (without side horns): ~84” × 60” (~7’ × 5’)
Height: 53”
Product Weight: 400 lbs
Sled Weight Capacity: 1,000 lbs
Storage Weight Capacity: 1,000 lbs
Combined Capacity: 2,000 lbs
Sled Starting Weight: 55 lbs
Leg Press Plate Size: 21.26” × 14.96”
Hack Squat Plate Size: 25.2” × 22.83”
Back Pad Positions: 5
Safety Catch Heights: 4
Safety Limiter Positions: 5
Linear Bearings: Yes
Gas Spring Assist: Yes
Moving Wheels: Yes
Band Pegs: 2
Recommended User Height: 4’11” – 6’5”
Warranty: Frame lifetime, parts 6 months

Where to Buy the GMWD LH01 Premium Hack Squat and Leg Press Machine

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My Real-World Experience

The LH01 feels like GMWD trying to move a little more upmarket while still staying in the budget-minded home gym lane. It still has the same general bolt-together, cost-conscious DNA, but there are some thoughtful touches here that make it feel more complete than the cheaper end of this category.

The first thing I noticed is that the machine looks more premium than I expected for the price. The overall shape, the flip-up leg press plate, the contoured handles, the angled headrest, and the denser padding all help it feel more polished than the bargain-bin combo machines. It still is not a commercial piece, but it does not feel flimsy either.

I also appreciate that GMWD included wheels. That sounds small, but with a machine this size, any help moving it around is a real plus. The removable side horns also matter more than you might think, because being able to cut down the width by about a foot helps if you are trying to make this work in a tighter home gym.

The padding is also better than I expected. It has more of a dense memory-foam feel than the super cheap stuff, and the angled headrest actually makes a difference when you are bracing hard. On both hack squats and leg press, I like having somewhere for my head to go instead of just floating there.

Training Use Cases

For me, the hack squat is the better use case on this machine. That is where the LH01 stands out the most. The handles are in a much better position than a lot of combo units I have used, and they let me really lock in without feeling awkward. The angled headrest helps too. The result is a hack squat that feels stable, comfortable, and easy to repeat set after set.

The leg press side is still useful, and for many people it will be perfectly fine. The adjustable back pad, multiple safety settings, and ability to tweak the leg press plate angle give you enough room to make the machine work for your body. Calf raises are also easy enough to work in, which helps the machine justify the floor space.

This machine makes the most sense for someone who wants one lower-body machine that covers multiple movements reasonably well instead of buying separate dedicated pieces. That is really the entire appeal of the combo category. You are saving money and saving space, while accepting that one or both movements may be a little compromised.

Where I think this becomes unnecessary is if your priority is getting the absolute best possible leg press experience. If that is the goal, I would still lean toward a dedicated leg press or a higher-end standalone machine instead of a combo unit like this.

Tradeoffs & Limitations

The biggest issue is the leg press range of motion. That is not unique to this machine, but it is still the main issue. At 6’2”, even with the stoppers at the lowest position, I can barely get to 90 degrees unless I put something behind my back to push myself farther forward. In my case, using a bench pad fixes it well enough, but I do not love having to do that on a machine in this price range.

The hack squat side also has one annoying limitation for taller users: the highest safety catch could use one more position. When I finish a set, I would much rather be able to stand taller and lock it in cleanly. Instead, I have to squat down farther than I would like just to rerack it.

The leg press plate is also on the narrow side. If you have a wider stance or just like more room to move around, you will notice that faster on the leg press than on the hack squat. The hack squat plate feels much better in that regard.

There are also some quality-control realities here. On my machine, there were weld areas sharp enough to actually be annoying, and that is the kind of thing that reminds you this is still import equipment in the value category. Most of the machine feels solid, but details like that keep it from feeling truly premium.

Value & Alternatives

I think the LH01 is a decent value, but not a runaway one. That is the part I keep coming back to. It does more than the cheapest machines and feels better than the cheapest machines, but it also costs enough more that I do start asking whether that jump is fully justified.

If you are comparing it to the true bargain end of the combo market, this definitely feels like the nicer option. The handles, headrest, flip-up plate, padding, and general stability all help. But if someone asked me whether the higher price automatically solves the biggest combo-machine compromises, the answer is no. The leg press ROM issue is still there.

So I see the value here as being more about comfort and refinement than total problem-solving. If you want a better-feeling home gym combo machine and like the added touches, I can see the case. If you are hyper-focused on pure performance per dollar, there are cheaper combo units that get you surprisingly close.

Who Should Buy This

This is a good fit for someone who wants a hack squat and leg press combo that feels a little more refined than the cheapest options, and who values the hack squat side enough to make that the main attraction.

Who Should Skip It

I would skip it if your main priority is getting a truly deep, no-workaround leg press range of motion, or if you are hoping the higher price completely eliminates the usual combo-machine compromises.

Final Verdict

The GMWD LH01 is a solid combo machine with some genuinely nice design touches that make it more enjoyable to use than a lot of budget competition. The hack squat side works especially well, and that is what I would be buying it for. The downside is that the leg press side still needs a workaround for deeper users, which keeps this from feeling like a complete win. If you understand that going in and still want a feature-rich combo machine for a home gym, it is a very reasonable option.

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