MARCY Squat Rider Machine XJ-6334, Silver & Black

Sounds like it is going to fall apart at any moment. Don’t buy, don’t buy

So, first thing I did was make sure all the parts and tools were there. They had pictures of a crescent wrench in the instructions, but did not include one. And I don’t have. So it was a lot harder to build. The instructions have no words, only pictures of all the bolts and it took me several minutes of looking at each diagram to know what went where. About half way through the project, I was standing in front of it, tightening a bolt, and I lifted a metal bar to get it out of my way. I wasn’t even thinking that would do any harm, because I’d already hit my head a few minutes earlier when I was seated and trying to tighten bolts and a different bar crashed into my head. But the 2nd time it happened, sent me to the ER with blood dripping down my scalp. Apparently the bar I had pushed up, came crashing right back down into my head when I was bent over and not looking at it. So I got a concussion putting this together. hit my head twice in one night. Went to the ER which was full of covid patients, so I probably now have Covid too… but when I got home, I decided to finish putting it together. I stood it up, then opened it. When I opened it, it crashed into my knee and nearly took my pinky off at the same time. This thing is DANGEROUS.

Once it was finally all assembed, I tried to use it. The seat is sooo low to the ground that I had a really hard time using it. I had to pull myself into a near standing position, then I figured out maybe the seat needed to be lowered so I could stand all the way up, which I still can’t, but it’s closer. The videos of this product make it look so smooth and effortless but it is neither. Maybe it will get easier once I develop leg strength, or lose weight, but it strained my back and I was out of breath after probably one minute of using it. And it was all upper body for me, no lower. I don’t know if I have the handle bars at the right height because there’s no chart, stating use hole 1 for this height, or hold 2 for this height, etc.

So… this is definitely something I will need to get used to and build up slowly with, but for now I just really worry about how to open and close it without injuring myself further. One last note: The video shows 3 bands and says you have 3 levels of resistance, but the instructions don’t say that the bands are optional, so I wonder if I can remove two of the bands to make it easier on myself? And if so, does it matter which band (cable) remains connected?

UPDATE: I removed 3 resistance cords and it’s easier to pull myself up but it still strains my lower back and getting onto the machine is dangerous, ad I can’t sit so low to the ground so I have to push one peddle while balancing on the other leg and and trying to sit with the seat raised higher by pushing the peddle, but this makes the machine wobble like it’s going to tip. I am under the 250 weight limit, but I would not recommend this for anyone over 50, as I am, or anyone over 200 lbs unless you’re all muscle and can hold yourself up while getting into the correct position. It’s dangerous.

I had heart surgery a few days after getting it and was over 6 weeks before I felt like trying to put this together.
The directions to put together was only photos with numbers by the part ## !! Took me over 12 hrs and 4 days to put together— trial and error was only way to figure how the next step was ?? Two of the lock nuts were stripped or bad mfg and had to go twice to ACE hardware to get quality nuts ?? Very cheap mfg it looks like as the support legs are not long enough to be stable on carpeted rooms ?? Also takes 2 people to get on & off as the seat is so low that your bottom is below your knees as 2nd person has to pull you half-way up to get handle bars & come to a standing position. They send 3 bungey cords and its impossible for seniors to use all 3 at same time and with 1 cord its duable once you get up above your knees……I called the company 2 times and their voice recorder says too busy to answer and try again later ?? WHAT A POOR way to do business !! On 3rd time I got a tech and they said I had to talk to Amazon as they sold it to me ?? AGAIN POOR SERVICE !! THEIR INSTRUCTIONS THAT WAS IN BOX AFTER OPEN SAID DO NOT RETURN PRODUCT TO STORE (which I thought was you-Amazon) Vey dissatisfied buyer beware !

I’m 6’3″ 220lbs. I was skeptical because of my height and weight but this thing still works and holds up for tall people. I really feel it in my lower back. I need to build up my core and this thing works. I definetly recommend this machine.