Bodytone Solid Grow SG17 Chest-Supported T-Bar Row

The Bodytone Solid Grow SG17 is a chest-supported T-bar row station taking Olympic 50 mm plates, with a recommended maximum load of 58 kg. It belongs to the Solid Grow line, Bodytone’s entry to mid-range plate-loaded family designed for small studios, independent coaches and premium home gyms, and is supplied by Light In Fitness at 1,146 EUR excluding VAT.

Chest support changes what the exercise trains

A conventional T-bar row is performed bent over and unsupported, so a large share of the effort goes into holding the torso still. That is useful for an experienced lifter and a liability for everyone else: the lumbar spine fatigues before the lats do, and the set ends for the wrong reason. The SG17 places the athlete against a fixed chest pad, which removes the stabilising demand entirely. The consequence is that the load reaches the mid and lower back, the trapezius and the rhomboids without lumbar compensation, and technique holds through the final repetitions.

• Integrated chest pad eliminates lumbar compensation during the pull
• Targets mid and lower back, trapezius and rhomboids
• Recommended maximum load 58 kg
• Takes Olympic 50 mm plates, not supplied
• Horizontal pulling angle complementary to lat pulldown work

Where it fits in a small floor plan

Studios below 150 m2 rarely justify a selectorised back machine and a free-weight row area at the same time. The SG17 resolves that: it delivers a supported horizontal pull with the loading feel of free weights, occupies a single footprint, and requires no cable runs, no weight stack and no maintenance beyond checking the pivot and the pad. For an independent coach it also removes the coaching overhead of teaching a hinge position before any rowing can be programmed, so a new client can train the back properly in their first session.

Plates and loading

Plates are not included. Budget a 50 kg set of Olympic discs per plate-loaded station if the machine is to be used independently of a shared plate tree, otherwise members will strip one station to load another. Because loading is by hand at chest height on this reference, standard rubber-coated or bumper plates are both suitable.

Specification

Frequently asked questions

Is 58 kg enough for a commercial gym?

For a chest-supported row it usually is. The pad removes leg drive and body English, so the loads that feel heavy here are well below what the same athlete would use on an unsupported row. Where a facility trains competitive strength athletes, this reference sits alongside a heavier plate-loaded row rather than replacing it, and the Solid Grow line is not the range to specify for that use.

How does it differ from a seated cable row?

The resistance profile. A cable row loads the movement evenly through the range, while plates load it hardest where leverage is worst, near full contraction. Programming both gives a more complete stimulus, and the SG17 is the cheaper of the two to install because there is nothing to route or service.

What does Solid Grow mean in the Bodytone catalogue?

It is the entry to mid-range plate-loaded family: correct biomechanics and commercial-grade construction, specified for moderate throughput rather than a 24-hour high-traffic club. For heavy continuous commercial use, the Forza and SRX lines are the appropriate specification.