Dynasty Fitness Hip Abductor/Adductor Review: Commercial Quality at Home?
The biggest problem I've found with a lot of hip abductor and adductor machines is that there is simply too much slack in the movement.
You start moving your legs, nothing happens, and then eventually the weight stack catches up.
The Dynasty Fitness DRE8020 Hip Abductor/Adductor takes a completely different approach. Dynasty advertises a zero-slack resistance profile, meaning resistance should engage essentially the instant you start moving.
After spending several weeks using this machine myself and putting a pretty wide range of my personal training clients on it, that claim absolutely holds up.
The resistance profile is easily the best part of this machine.
But there's a catch.
This is a roughly $2,649 dedicated hip machine.
For that kind of money, simply being smooth isn't enough. It needs to feel like a legitimate commercial machine, provide enough resistance for stronger lifters, fit multiple body types, and offer enough value to justify permanently giving up a chunk of your gym floor.
And for the most part, I think Dynasty pulled it off.
[[VERDICT:8.8|Excellent if hip training is a priority|The zero-slack resistance profile is outstanding, both movements feel equally good, and the 1:1 stack is legitimately heavy. The biggest downside is limited user-position adjustability. This is a luxury home gym piece, but a very good one.]]
[[RATING:Resistance profile=10;Build quality=9.5;Comfort=9.5;Adjustability=6.5;Value=8.5]]
[[TRAINER:I've tested this machine with clients ranging from the low-5-foot range to over 6 feet tall. Despite the fixed seat and pad positions, I haven't had a client who couldn't comfortably use it. It has also quickly become one of the most requested machines in my personal training studio.]]
[[BTN:Check Current Dynasty Fitness Price →|https://www.thedynastyfitness.com/LIFTLAB]]
Dynasty Fitness DRE8020 Quick Specs
[[SPECS:Price at Time of Review=$2,649;Exercises=Hip Abduction + Hip Adduction;Standard Weight Stack=210 lb;Optional Weight Stack=250 lb;Resistance Ratio=1:1;Length=60 in;Width=28.7 in;Height=66.5 in;Machine Weight=Approx. 542 lb;Resistance System=Selectorized Cable;Grade=Commercial]]
The dimensions are actually one of the things I like about the DRE8020.
At roughly 60 inches deep and only 28.7 inches wide, it has a surprisingly narrow footprint for a commercial-style selectorized machine.
Even when you're performing abduction and spreading your legs outward, the machine doesn't suddenly consume a massive amount of space.
At 66.5 inches tall, it should also fit comfortably underneath a typical garage door.
That's important because once you start adding dedicated machines to a home gym, floor space disappears comically fast.
Dynasty Fitness Hip Abductor/Adductor Pros and Cons
[[PROS:Outstanding zero-slack resistance profile;True 1:1 selectorized resistance;210 lb standard stack is heavy enough for most users;Both abduction and adduction feel equally good;Extremely smooth cable action;Premium commercial-style build quality;Excellent seat and pad comfort;Very narrow footprint for this type of machine;Quick transition between abduction and adduction;Extremely stable under load]]
[[CONS:Expensive for a dedicated two-exercise machine;Seat does not adjust forward or backward;Seat height is fixed;Knee pad position is largely fixed;Shorter users may benefit from a pad behind the back;Cable routing instructions on my unit were incorrect;Requires dedicated floor space]]
Delivery and Assembly
My machine arrived by freight roughly 10 days after ordering it.
Packaging was excellent.
Everything was heavily protected and bubble wrapped, and the machine showed up without a noticeable ding or scratch anywhere.
For a 500-plus-pound machine traveling by freight, that's about as good as you can ask for.
Assembly itself took me somewhere around one to two hours and was surprisingly straightforward.
There was really only one problem.
The instructions for routing the cable were wrong.
That created a confusing part of an otherwise easy assembly.
I ended up making a separate instructional video showing the correct cable setup and provided that to Dynasty Fitness so they could hopefully make the process easier for future customers.
Outside of that one issue, assembly was pretty painless considering the size and weight of the machine.
[[NOTE:The cable-routing instructions supplied with my machine contained an error. Dynasty Fitness was made aware of the issue, and I provided them with a video showing the correct setup. This may be corrected on newer orders.]]
What Does a Hip Abductor/Adductor Machine Actually Train?
This is a two-in-one machine targeting two different groups around the hip.
Hip abduction involves pushing your legs outward. This primarily targets the glutes, especially the gluteus medius and minimus.
Hip adduction involves bringing your legs inward. This targets the inner-thigh adductor muscles.
Could you train both of these muscle groups without buying a $2,600 machine?
Absolutely.
You could use a cable station, resistance bands, ankle cuffs or other exercises.
I personally don't enjoy those setups nearly as much.
Cuffing yourself to a low cable, trying to find the perfect angle and standing there balancing while doing hip abduction works, but it's also a bit of a pain.
I would much rather sit down, move a selector pin and train the movement.
That's really the buyer this machine is aimed at.
Not someone wondering whether theycantrain their glutes without it.
Someone who already knows they value these exercises enough to want a dedicated machine.
The Zero-Slack Resistance Profile Is the Standout Feature
This is where the Dynasty DRE8020 separates itself from a lot of hip machines I've used.
There is basically no dead zone at the beginning of the movement.
When I'm performing adduction, I can bring my knees completely together and the resistance remains engaged.
The second I begin moving outward again, I'm working against resistance.
You don't get that annoying little section where the cable goes loose, the stack settles and then suddenly catches again.
The same thing happens during abduction.
Resistance starts immediately and remains extremely smooth throughout the entire arc.
There's no weird spot in the middle of the repetition where the machine becomes dramatically easier.
There's no sudden jump in resistance.
It just feels consistent.
And this is one of those features that doesn't sound particularly exciting on a spec sheet.
Then you actually use the machine.
Suddenly you realize why a good commercial machine feels different than a cheaper one.
The details in the resistance profile matter.
For me, this is a10 out of 10 resistance profile.
The 1:1 Weight Stack Is Legitimately Heavy
The DRE8020 comes standard with a 210-pound selectorized weight stack, with an upgraded stack available.
More importantly, this is a 1:1 resistance ratio.
That means if you select 100 pounds, you're dealing with roughly 100 pounds of felt resistance rather than a pulley configuration that cuts that resistance in half.
That's a lot of weight for these movements.
For reference, I'm generally nowhere near maxing this machine out.
Around half the stack can already make a set of hip abductions pretty miserable.
In a good way, obviously.
Most people are also going to be considerably weaker on adduction than they are on compound lower-body exercises.
Unless you're exceptionally strong at these specific movements, I don't think the standard weight stack is going to be a limitation.
That was one of my concerns before using it.
After training on it, it's really not.
Hip Abduction Performance
To perform hip abduction, the pads sit against the outside of your knees and you drive your legs apart.
The starting position can be set extremely narrow.
I can start with my legs almost completely together, which gives me plenty of usable range of motion.
If someone can't comfortably squeeze between the pads in that position, there are additional starting-width settings.
Most people I've trained, though, have been able to use the narrow starting position without any issue.
Once you start moving, the motion is extremely smooth.
And because resistance begins immediately, you're actually loading that entire range.
A few repetitions in and the glute burn gets pretty aggressive.
I've trained on this with roughly half the weight stack and that is already more than enough resistance for hard sets.
If glute development is one of your priorities, this is an excellent way to add direct abduction work.
Hip Adduction Performance
Switching from abduction to adduction takes only seconds.
You rotate the leg pads inward and you're basically ready.
This movement needs a little more starting-position adjustability because everyone's hip mobility is different.
Someone extremely flexible may want a very wide starting position.
Someone with less mobility can bring the pads considerably closer together.
There are enough positions here that I've had no difficulty finding an appropriate range.
More importantly, the adduction movement feels just as good as the abduction movement.
That's worth pointing out.
A lot of two-in-one machines technically perform two exercises, but you quickly figure out that one movement was clearly the priority and the other one was shoved in so the company could put "2-in-1" on the product page.
I don't feel that way here.
Both movements feel like legitimate standalone exercises.
Neither feels compromised.
Build Quality Feels Commercial
Nothing about the Dynasty feels particularly budget.
The entire frame feels extremely solid and stable.
There's very little unnecessary movement or flex when training.
The weight stack moves smoothly.
The selector pin slides in and out cleanly without feeling like the stack is constantly pulling against it.
The handles use a comfortable rubberized material.
The spring-loaded adjustment mechanism feels substantially nicer than the basic pull pins you see on cheaper equipment.
Even the footplates along the bottom have a polished metal appearance that adds to the overall presentation.
It's the little stuff.
Nothing individually makes the machine dramatically better.
Collectively, though, it feels like something that belongs in a commercial gym or high-end private training studio rather than an inexpensive garage-gym machine.
If you're looking at other premium selectorized lower-body equipment, my Force USA Solitude review covers another machine I've been using extensively with clients.
[[LINK:Read my Force USA Solitude Leg Extension / Leg Curl Review →|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/force-usa-solitude-leg-extension-leg-curl-review]]
The Padding Is Excellent
The seat, backrest and knee padding are some of my favorite parts of the machine.
They're comfortable without being ridiculously soft.
The material also isn't very porous.
That matters a lot more to me as a trainer than it probably does to someone using a machine alone in their garage.
I've got people sweating on this equipment all day.
I'm constantly cleaning seats, pads and benches.
The upholstery on the Dynasty is easy to spray down and wipe clean, and sweat or deodorant doesn't immediately bury itself into the material.
That's a small detail for a single-user home gym.
For a personal training studio, it's a legitimate plus.
Adjustability Is the Biggest Weakness
This is the main thing I would change about the Dynasty.
There isn't much adjustment available for the actual user position.
You can't slide the seat forward or backward.
You can't raise or lower the seat.
You can't significantly change the position or angle of the knee pads to accommodate different leg lengths.
The core seating geometry is basically fixed.
Now, here's the interesting part.
It hasn't actually caused me many problems.
I'm around 5'8", and the machine fits me very well.
I've also had clients in the lower five-foot range use it.
I've had clients over six feet use it.
So far, everyone has been able to train comfortably.
For shorter clients, I'll occasionally put an AbMat or another small pad behind their back.
That shifts them a little farther forward and moves the knee contact point slightly.
Extremely sophisticated personal trainer engineering.
But it works.
Taller people could theoretically end up with the pad contacting farther down the leg than ideal.
Because the 1:1 stack is already so heavy, though, I don't think the slight mechanical advantage that creates is going to leave many people without enough resistance.
So I view the adjustability as a legitimate design weakness, but not necessarily a deal breaker.
How Well Does the Dynasty Fit Different Heights?
Based on the clients I've personally trained on it, I think people within a pretty normal range of heights should be fine.
If you're unusually short, unusually tall or simply very particular about having every contact point perfectly aligned with your body, this is something I'd pay attention to.
That's one area where I would love to see a future version improve.
Give me some fore-aft seat adjustment and this machine becomes much easier to recommend across nearly every body type.
For a personal training studio where dozens of different people might use the same piece, adjustability matters.
For a home gym where one or two people are using it, it's considerably less important as long as you know the machine fits you.
Is a Dedicated Hip Abductor/Adductor Machine Worth the Space?
This is probably the bigger question for most home gym owners.
The Dynasty isn't enormous.
Its narrow footprint is actually pretty impressive.
But it's still a dedicated machine that basically performs two closely related exercises.
That's a luxury.
If you're still building the foundation of your home gym, I wouldn't prioritize this over a good rack, bench, dumbbells, cables or your main lower-body equipment.
Something like the Lionscool leg press and hack squat simply gives a newer home gym owner considerably more total training capability per dollar.
[[LINK:Read my Lionscool Leg Press / Hack Squat Review →|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/lionscool-leg-press-hack-squat-review]]
The Dynasty starts making sense once you've already covered the basics.
You have your rack.
You have your free weights.
You have your primary lower-body training handled.
Now you're trying to build something that feels more like your own private commercial gym.
That's where dedicated machines like this become fun.
And dangerous for your bank account.
Who Should Buy the Dynasty Fitness Hip Abductor/Adductor?
[[WHO:Serious home gym owners who already have their essential equipment;Anyone who prioritizes glute and hip training;People who strongly prefer machine-based abduction and adduction over cable setups;Personal training studios that want fast selectorized adjustments between clients;Bodybuilding-focused home gyms adding dedicated isolation equipment;Anyone specifically looking for a commercial-style hip machine with a heavy 1:1 stack]]
Who Should Skip It?
[[SKIP:Anyone building their first basic home gym;People with extremely limited floor space;Anyone who rarely performs direct hip abduction or adduction;Budget-focused buyers who can accomplish these movements with cables or bands;People who need extensive seat and pad adjustability;Anyone who would get more value from spending the same money on several more versatile pieces]]
Is the Dynasty Fitness DRE8020 Worth $2,649?
For the right person, I think it is.
That's obviously doing a lot of work in that sentence.
This isn't a must-have machine.
You can train your glutes and adductors plenty of other ways.
And spending more than $2,500 to do two isolation exercises is going to sound completely ridiculous to some people.
Fair enough.
But if you're already shopping for a commercial-style selectorized hip abductor/adductor machine, I think Dynasty has built a really impressive piece.
The resistance profile is excellent.
There is essentially zero slack.
The 1:1 weight stack is legitimately heavy.
Both movements feel equally good.
The machine is extremely smooth and stable.
The upholstery is excellent.
The narrow footprint makes it easier to fit into a home or garage gym than I expected.
And most importantly for me, I've put a bunch of different clients on it and people genuinely enjoy using it.
It's actually become one of the more popular machines in my studio.
The main thing holding it back is adjustability.
At this price, I would like to be able to move the seat or backrest and dial the machine into a wider range of body types.
But in practical use, that limitation has bothered me much less than I expected.
If I were building my first home gym?
No chance this would be one of my first purchases.
If I already had a well-equipped home gym and wanted a dedicated abductor/adductor machine?
This would absolutely be on my shortlist.
[[BTN:Check Current Dynasty Fitness Price →|https://www.thedynastyfitness.com/LIFTLAB]]
[[NOTE:The link above is an affiliate link. If you purchase through it, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. It helps support Lift Lab Reviews and allows me to continue testing equipment in real training environments.]]
Dynasty Fitness Hip Abductor/Adductor FAQ
Does the Dynasty Fitness DRE8020 have slack in the resistance?
Very little to essentially none in my experience.
That's probably the standout feature of the machine. Resistance engages immediately when you begin moving, so you don't get the dead zone I've experienced on some other abductor and adductor machines.
How heavy is the Dynasty Fitness hip abductor/adductor weight stack?
The standard stack is 210 pounds.
Because the machine uses a 1:1 resistance ratio, that is a substantial amount of usable resistance for hip abduction and adduction. An upgraded stack is also available.
Is 210 pounds enough for hip abduction?
For the overwhelming majority of people, I think it will be.
I'm generally using somewhere around half the stack for challenging working sets, and I haven't had any clients come close to making the available resistance a problem.
Can you perform both abduction and adduction?
Yes.
The pads rotate to switch between the two exercises, allowing you to train both hip abduction and hip adduction from the same seated position.
The conversion is extremely quick.
Is the Dynasty Fitness hip machine good for short users?
It has worked with the shorter clients I've personally trained, including people in the lower five-foot range.
The main limitation is that the seat and backrest do not move forward.
For some shorter clients, I place a small pad or AbMat behind the back to shift them slightly forward.
Is the Dynasty Fitness DRE8020 good for tall users?
I've also used the machine successfully with clients over six feet tall.
Extremely tall users with unusually long legs may find the fixed pad position less than perfect, but I haven't personally had a client who couldn't comfortably use it.
How much space does the Dynasty Fitness hip abductor/adductor need?
The machine is approximately 60 inches long, 28.7 inches wide and 66.5 inches tall.
The narrow width is one of its biggest advantages compared with some larger commercial machines.
Is this machine commercial grade?
It certainly feels that way in use.
The frame is extremely stable, the weight stack and cables are smooth, the padding feels premium, and the entire machine is substantial enough that I would have no issue using it in a private personal training studio.
Can I train hip abductors without a dedicated machine?
Absolutely.
Cable hip abductions, bands and other exercises can all train these muscles effectively.
The advantage of a dedicated machine isn't that it's the only way to perform the exercise. It's convenience, stability, fast setup, consistent resistance and the ability to progressively overload the movement without dealing with cuffs or cable positioning.
More Leg Machine Reviews
[[ALT:Force USA Solitude Leg Extension / Leg Curl|A premium selectorized leg extension and prone curl machine with a heavy stack, smooth center-drive resistance and commercial build quality.|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/force-usa-solitude-leg-extension-leg-curl-review]]
[[ALT:Lionscool Leg Press / Hack Squat|A much more affordable lower-body machine combining leg press, isolateral pressing and hack squats in a compact footprint.|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/lionscool-leg-press-hack-squat-review]]
[[ALT:Mikolo NOVA Leg Extension / Leg Curl|A budget 2-in-1 leg machine with excellent range of motion and value, but one major flaw on the hamstring curl.|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/mikolonova]]
