When I first worked out at the YMCA as a teenager,this machine was the mainstay.Today,they are available (if you have the room and the money) for home use.Two of my friends who were room mates bought one a few years ago.Needless to say they had a helluva time getting the thing assembled (it cost extra so they thought they'd do it themselves).Then,they ended up not using it and piling it with laundry.The good thing about a Universal set is it's safety.You won't get pinned under a weight so you can go for the "max" without a workout buddy or spotter.It's easy to change the weight by simply moving the pin in the stack,and you can use it for Circuit Training,adding an aerobic benefit to your anerobic lifting routine.The downside is they are expensive,and take up a lot of room.Also,since the machine guides the movement of the weights,you do not develop the stabilizing muscles that are involved when you use free weights-so don't think you can use the same amount of weight if you switch from a universal to free weights.It's a "whole 'nother animal"!
