Force USA Solitude Leg Extension / Leg Curl Review: Premium Feel, Heavy Stack
I've tested quite a few leg extension and leg curl combo machines over the last few years.
Some are inexpensive plate-loaded machines that technically give you both exercises but come with pretty obvious compromises.
Others try to bridge the gap between home gym equipment and the selectorized machines you'd find in a commercial gym.
The Force USA Solitude Leg Extension / Leg Curl Machine is probably the closest I've tested to actually pulling that off.
It weighs almost 600 pounds, has a 220-pound selectorized weight stack, uses a center-drive design and genuinely looks like something you'd expect to see in a commercial gym or higher-end personal training studio.
More importantly, it feels like premium equipment when you actually train on it.
I've spent a couple of months using the Solitude myself and putting a pretty wide variety of personal training clients on it.
Tall people.
Short people.
Stronger lifters.
Older clients.
People with limited mobility.
And while I really like this machine, it isn't perfect.
The range of motion could be better, the fixed back pad creates some fit issues for shorter users, and the center-drive system comes with one tradeoff that might matter if your mobility isn't great.
But overall?
This is one of the better selectorized leg extension and prone leg curl combo machines I've used.
[[BTN:Check current price at Force USA →|https://alnk.to/cSMjuAB]]
[[NOTE:Use code LIFTLAB to save 5%. Using my affiliate link helps support Lift Lab Reviews at no additional cost to you.]]
[[TRAINER:I've been using the Solitude in my personal training studio with clients of very different heights, strength levels and ages. That gives me a much better idea of how the machine fits different people than simply reviewing how it works for me.]]
## Quick Verdict: Is the Force USA Solitude Worth It?
[[VERDICT:8.8|One of the better premium combo machines I've used|The Solitude feels legitimately commercial, has an extremely heavy-feeling 220 lb stack, excellent center-drive resistance and one of the better prone leg curls I've tested. The biggest thing holding it back is the fixed starting range of motion on both exercises.]]
If you just want the cheapest possible way to add leg extensions and curls to your home gym, this probably isn't the machine for you.
There are much cheaper plate-loaded options.
The Solitude makes more sense for someone looking for something significantly closer to commercial gym equipment while still getting two exercises from one machine.
And from that perspective, I think Force USA did a really good job.
The build quality is excellent.
The cables are extremely smooth.
The 220-pound stack feels legitimately heavy.
The center drive gives you very even resistance across both legs.
Switching from leg extensions to prone leg curls takes a few seconds.
And the prone hamstring curl might be my favorite part of the machine.
My biggest criticism is the fixed starting position.
I'd like more knee flexion at the bottom of the leg extension and slightly more loaded stretch at the beginning of the prone curl.
Neither issue ruins the machine.
But if maximizing resistance in the stretched position is extremely important to you, it's something you should understand before spending more than $2,000.
### My Rating
[[RATING:Build quality=9.5;Leg extension=8.3;Prone leg curl=9;Weight stack=9.5;Adjustability=7.5;Value=8.8]]
## Force USA Solitude Specs
[[SPECS:MSRP=$2,299;Weight stack=220 lb;Machine weight=595 lb;Dimensions=68" L x 43" W x 57.5" H;Maximum user weight=396 lb;Usage rating=Full commercial;Exercises=Leg extension + prone leg curl;Frame=Heavy-duty oval steel;Resistance=Selectorized cable system;Exercise conversion=Single pop-pin adjustment]]
This is a substantial piece of equipment.
At 595 pounds, you're definitely not sliding it around your garage every time you train legs.
Once you decide where it's going, that's probably where it's staying.
## Force USA Solitude Pros and Cons
[[PROS:Excellent commercial-style build quality;Extremely stable under heavy loads;Heavy-feeling 220 lb selectorized stack;Very smooth cable action;Center-drive resistance feels balanced between both legs;Excellent prone leg curl contraction;Fast one-pin exercise conversion;Good lower roller adjustability;Premium handles and upholstery;Easy assembly for a machine this large]]
[[CONS:Leg extension needs more starting range of motion;Prone curl could use more loaded stretch;Back pad has very limited adjustment;Leg extension roller could be thicker and softer;Center drive makes entry slightly awkward for less-mobile users;Large dedicated footprint;Selector pin is not magnetic]]
## Build Quality: This Feels Like Commercial Equipment
The first thing that stood out to me after assembling the Solitude was just how substantial everything feels.
There's essentially no movement in the frame.
No rocking.
No annoying rattling.
No handles spinning around in your hands.
No feeling that the machine is struggling when you start using heavier loads.
The enclosed weight stack also makes the Solitude look significantly more polished than most home gym leg machines.
The Force USA branding on the shroud is clean, and the rounded oval tubing gives the frame more of a commercial look than the square tubing you see on a lot of garage gym equipment.
Does rounded tubing build bigger quads?
Obviously not.
But once you're spending more than $2,000 on a machine that's going to occupy a pretty noticeable part of your gym, I think appearance matters.
And this looks like premium equipment.
## The Upholstery and Handles Are Excellent
This is one of those things that's difficult to appreciate from a product page.
The upholstery has a smooth, nonporous texture.
That makes it easy to clean because sweat and grime don't seem to work their way into the material very easily.
But it also isn't excessively tacky.
If you've ever used really grippy vinyl while doing leg extensions or prone curls, you probably know where I'm going with this.
Some machines basically attempt to wax your legs while you're using them.
The Solitude doesn't.
The handles are similarly nice.
They have a premium rubberized texture with silver end caps and essentially zero movement.
These aren't features that would individually convince me to spend $2,300.
Together, though, they contribute to the commercial feel of the machine.
## Force USA Solitude Leg Extension Review
This is where things get a little more complicated.
I would describe the Solitude leg extension as good, but not great.
If I were grading the movement by itself, I'd put it somewhere around a B or B+.
The actual resistance feels excellent.
The cable action is extremely smooth, and the resistance feels relatively linear throughout the rep.
You don't have one part of the movement suddenly becoming dramatically lighter or heavier.
My biggest problem is simply the starting range of motion.
### Leg Extension Range of Motion Is the Biggest Weakness
The starting position of the leg extension is fixed.
You can adjust the length of the lower roller to get it positioned properly around your ankle, but you cannot rotate the entire lever farther backward to increase knee flexion.
For me, the starting position puts my knee somewhere around 90 degrees.
That's perfectly usable.
None of my regular personal training clients have complained about it.
But if you're someone who really wants to maximize knee flexion and load the quadriceps from a deeper stretched position, I'd like a few more degrees here.
Interestingly, Force USA was actually experimenting with larger prototype rollers when I saw the Solitude at HomeGymCon.
A larger roller would move the shin farther forward relative to the lever and effectively create more knee flexion at the beginning of the rep.
I don't know whether Force USA will ultimately sell that roller, so I wouldn't buy the machine assuming that upgrade is coming.
But it would address one of my biggest complaints.
[[TRAINER:None of my regular clients have complained about the leg extension ROM. This is something I notice more as someone who reviews equipment and pays attention to resistance in the stretched position than something the average client immediately notices.]]
### I Would Also Like a Thicker Leg Roller
A larger roller could potentially solve another minor complaint.
I'd like the current extension roller to be slightly thicker and softer.
During normal training, it's fine.
Once I start pushing heavier loads for lower reps, though, I notice more pressure against my shins than I do on some other leg extension machines.
It's not unbearable.
I can still train heavy.
It's just one of those details that starts becoming noticeable when you're spending premium money.
### The Center-Drive Design Is a Major Advantage
One of my favorite things about the Solitude is the center-drive setup.
A lot of combination leg machines drive the lever from one side.
That means resistance is being applied to one end of a long crossbar.
Even if you don't consciously notice it, there can be a little flex or twisting through that bar under heavier loads.
The Force USA drives the movement directly through the center.
The result is resistance that feels extremely even between the left and right legs.
I don't get the sensation that one side is taking slightly more load.
This becomes particularly noticeable when I compare the Solitude directly against the Temple of Gainz leg extension and curl machine I had been using.
The Force USA simply feels more balanced.
[[LINK:Read my Temple of Gainz Leg Extension / Leg Curl review →|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/toglegextensionlegcurl]]
## How Well Does the Solitude Fit Different Heights?
This is one area where using the machine with personal training clients has been especially useful.
I've put a lot of different body types on it.
The lower roller gives you plenty of adjustment, and I've had essentially no problem getting it positioned properly around the ankle.
I've also trained clients around 6'4" on the machine without any major issue.
The bigger limitation is actually on the other end of the spectrum.
### Shorter Users May Need a Back Pad
The back pad doesn't give you much fore-aft adjustment.
For taller and average-height users, that's generally fine.
For shorter clients, they can end up leaning backward because their back doesn't completely contact the pad while keeping the knee positioned correctly around the machine's pivot.
My extremely sophisticated solution?
I put an AbMat behind them.
That pushes the person forward a few inches and solves the problem pretty easily.
So I don't consider this a deal breaker.
But at this price, I'd still like to see more back pad adjustment built into the machine.
[[TRAINER:I've used an AbMat behind shorter clients to move them forward and better line up their knee with the pivot. It takes about five seconds and has worked well, but I'd still rather have the adjustment built into the machine.]]
## Force USA Solitude Prone Leg Curl Review
The prone hamstring curl is probably my favorite movement on this machine.
Switching from the leg extension into the prone curl is incredibly easy.
Pull one pop pin.
Drop the assembly down.
Lock it into position.
You're done.
There aren't multiple pads to reposition or several pins you need to remember.
For a personal training studio where I'm moving different clients through exercises all day, I really appreciate that.
Sometimes having fewer adjustments can actually be an advantage.
### The Hamstring Curl Resistance Is Excellent
This is where the Solitude really separates itself from the Temple of Gainz machine I had been using.
On my Temple of Gainz machine, I feel the resistance start to fall off as I approach the fully shortened position.
The Force USA maintains resistance much better through the top of the curl.
That gives me a significantly stronger contraction.
The cable action also stays extremely smooth.
No sticking.
No sudden change in tension.
No weird jumping in the stack.
And once again, the center-drive system keeps everything feeling balanced between both legs.
This is one of the biggest reasons I ultimately chose to keep the Solitude in my gym.
### Prone Curl Range of Motion Is Better, But Still Not Perfect
The range of motion on the prone curl is better than the leg extension.
But again, I'd like slightly more resistance at the deepest stretch.
At the bottom, I can get my legs completely straight with the roller resting against my lower leg.
What I can't do is adjust the roller far enough downward that the weight stack is already being pulled up while my hamstrings are fully lengthened.
That's an important distinction.
I can reach full knee extension.
I just don't get a significant loaded stretch beyond that position.
For most people, I don't think this is going to matter much.
If you're specifically chasing as much resistance as possible in the lengthened position, though, the fixed starting point is a limitation.
### The Rotating Rollers Are a Nice Detail
The rollers rotate freely as you curl.
That allows the pad to move with your leg instead of dragging across your skin.
It's a small feature until you use a machine where the roller doesn't spin.
Then you suddenly appreciate it a lot more.
I've actually experienced that exact problem on another leg machine I've tested.
[[LINK:Read my Mikolo NOVA Leg Extension / Leg Curl review →|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/mikolonova]]
## The 220 LB Weight Stack Feels Legitimately Heavy
This is probably one of the biggest selling points of the Solitude.
Don't look at the 220-pound number and immediately assume you're going to run out of resistance.
This stack feels heavy.
I'm generally somewhere around half the stack, maybe a little more, for moderate-rep working sets.
I also have older or less-strong clients who only need the first plate.
For the overwhelming majority of people, I don't think available resistance is going to be the limiting factor.
If you're exceptionally strong and somehow max this thing out, there are aftermarket ways to add additional resistance.
But I don't think that's something most home gym owners need to worry about.
### One Small Weight Stack Quirk
The selector pin itself feels nice.
It's tethered to the stack and slides into the plates without much resistance.
It isn't magnetic, though.
If you're using the first plate, there's nowhere to actually insert the pin between plates.
That means you're essentially resting the selector pin on top.
This is an extremely minor complaint.
But because I regularly train clients who use that first plate, I've noticed it.
## The Center Drive Has One Downside
Everything about the center-drive setup isn't automatically better.
The tradeoff is getting into the machine.
Because the drive mechanism sits directly through the middle, you have to maneuver around more equipment than you would on some side-driven designs.
For me, that's basically irrelevant.
For a healthy person with normal mobility, I don't think you'll care.
But I train older adults and some people who aren't particularly mobile or agile.
For those clients, getting into position can be slightly awkward.
They sometimes need to step around the center assembly and carefully bring a leg over the machine.
So if you're buying this for yourself and have significant mobility limitations, I'd consider that.
It's also worth thinking about if you own a personal training studio that works heavily with older populations.
For me, the better resistance distribution is worth the tradeoff.
But there is a tradeoff.
## How Much Space Does the Force USA Solitude Need?
Force USA lists the machine at approximately 68 inches long by 43 inches wide.
That's not tiny.
But for an almost 600-pound commercial-rated machine combining two exercises, it also isn't outrageous.
There's an interesting design choice between the seat and weight-stack tower.
Force USA leaves a pretty large open gap.
At first glance, I thought that space was wasted.
After using it, I've actually found it pretty useful.
You can walk directly through it.
That means I can position the machine relatively close to a wall without needing to leave an entire walkway around the outside.
I can enter through the opening between the seat and weight stack.
So while the machine could theoretically have been shorter, the unusual layout can actually make placement easier depending on your room.
Space matters a lot in my gym because I constantly have equipment coming in for testing while still needing enough open floor space to train clients.
If you're trying to maximize exercises per square foot rather than dedicating room to another standalone machine, something like the Apex Bench attachment ecosystem is another completely different approach.
[[LINK:Read my Apex Fitness Apex Bench review →|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/apex-fitness-apex-bench-review]]
## Assembly Was Surprisingly Easy
When you hear "595-pound selectorized machine," easy assembly probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind.
But this was one of the easier substantial machines I've built recently.
A lot of the primary frame arrives preassembled.
You're mainly adding the rollers, building out the stack, installing some exterior pieces and routing the cable.
I took roughly two hours.
And I'll admit a decent portion of that was me obsessing over getting the stickers perfectly straight.
Crooked stickers aren't going to change the machine's biomechanics.
They would, however, slowly drive me insane every time I walked past them.
So around two hours is a pretty realistic leisurely build time.
Getting a nearly 600-pound machine into the room where you want it is probably the harder part.
## Force USA Solitude vs Temple of Gainz
This was probably the most useful comparison I could make because I already owned and had extensively used the Temple of Gainz Leg Extension & Leg Curl machine.
And I didn't have room to keep both.
So this wasn't just a theoretical comparison.
One of them actually had to leave my gym.
I decided not to tell my clients which one I preferred.
I simply had everyone who had been regularly using the Temple of Gainz try the Force USA and tell me what they thought.
Every single client chose the Force USA.
That was interesting because most of them didn't notice the technical things I obsess over.
Nobody complained about a few degrees of range of motion.
What they noticed was that:
- The Force USA felt heavier
- The center drive felt better
- The seating felt more comfortable
- The overall movement felt smoother
Some of them weren't thrilled that it felt heavier because the numbers they were used to putting on the Temple of Gainz suddenly got cut dramatically.
Nothing humbles you quite like discovering your "200-pound leg extension" has suddenly become 100 pounds.
### Where the Temple of Gainz Is Better
The Temple of Gainz has one clear advantage.
Range of motion adjustment.
Its side adjustment allows me to position the lever farther backward on the leg extension and farther down on the prone curl.
That gives me more control over the stretched position.
If maximum starting ROM is your number-one priority, that's worth considering.
### Where I Prefer the Force USA
In almost every other major category, I prefer the Solitude.
I prefer:
- The center-drive resistance
- The heavier-feeling stack
- The prone curl resistance profile
- The seating
- The overall commercial feel
- The one-pin conversion
- The premium appearance
That's why the Force USA ultimately stayed in my gym.
And the Temple of Gainz didn't.
[[ALT:Temple of Gainz Leg Extension & Leg Curl|Better starting ROM adjustment, but I prefer the Force USA's center drive, heavier-feeling resistance, seating and prone curl resistance profile.|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/toglegextensionlegcurl]]
## Dedicated Machine or Leg Extension Attachment?
Before spending more than $2,000 on a dedicated selectorized machine, there's another question worth asking.
Do you actually need one?
If space is extremely limited and leg extensions or curls are only occasional accessory movements in your training, you might be better off adding them to equipment you already own.
The Apex Fitness Apex Bench, for example, has an expanding attachment ecosystem that includes leg extension and leg curl options.
That kind of setup makes more sense if your priority is maximizing the number of exercises you can perform from a small footprint.
The Solitude makes sense for someone who cares enough about the quality of the leg extension and prone curl experience to dedicate floor space to them.
That's an important distinction.
## Who Should Buy the Force USA Solitude?
[[WHO:Serious home gym owners adding dedicated selectorized machines;Personal training studios that need fast weight changes between clients;People who strongly prefer a prone leg curl over a seated curl;Anyone tired of loading and unloading plates for leg extensions and curls;Buyers who want commercial-style build quality and aesthetics;People who value very even center-drive resistance]]
I especially like the Solitude for a personal training studio.
It's fast to adjust.
It's easy to change resistance.
It's extremely stable.
And I can move a client from leg extensions to prone curls in seconds.
I've already been using it exactly that way.
## Who Should Skip It?
[[SKIP:Anyone building their very first home gym on a limited budget;People with extremely limited floor space;Lifters who prioritize maximum loaded stretch above everything else;Shorter users who strongly dislike using an additional back pad;People with significant mobility limitations who may struggle stepping around the center drive;Anyone who only occasionally performs leg extensions and curls]]
If you're still putting together the basics of your home gym, I'd buy a rack, bench, barbell, plates and dumbbells before spending $2,000-plus on a dedicated leg machine.
This is absolutely a luxury piece.
It's just a very good luxury piece.
## Final Verdict: Is the Force USA Solitude Worth Buying?
The Force USA Solitude isn't a perfect leg extension and prone leg curl machine.
I'd like more range of motion.
I'd like the ability to adjust the starting position.
I'd like more back pad adjustment for shorter users.
And I'd probably make the extension roller slightly thicker and softer.
Those are legitimate criticisms.
But none of them outweigh everything this machine does well.
The resistance feels fantastic.
The cables are extremely smooth.
The 220-pound stack is genuinely heavy.
The center-drive setup feels noticeably more balanced than the side-driven machines I've used.
The prone leg curl gives me an excellent contraction.
Exercise changes are incredibly fast.
And the entire machine feels like commercial gym equipment.
The most telling part of this review is probably what happened after I finished testing it.
I only have enough room in my personal training studio for one leg extension and prone leg curl combo.
So I put my clients on both the Force USA and Temple of Gainz without telling them which one I preferred.
Every one of them chose the Force USA.
And ultimately, so did I.
I'm keeping the Solitude in my gym.
If Force USA eventually improves the starting range of motion, whether that's through a larger roller or another adjustment, I think this goes from being a very good combo machine to an excellent one.
As it sits now, though, it's still one of the best premium leg extension and prone leg curl combinations I've tested.
[[BTN:Check current price at Force USA →|https://alnk.to/cSMjuAB]]
[[BTN2:See all my partner discounts →|https://liftlabreviews.com/affiliates]]
[[NOTE:Use code LIFTLAB to save 5%. Using my affiliate link helps support Lift Lab Reviews at no additional cost to you.]]
## Force USA Solitude FAQ
### Is the Force USA Solitude a commercial-grade machine?
Yes. Force USA rates the Solitude Leg Extension / Leg Curl for full commercial use.
At 595 pounds with an enclosed selectorized stack and extremely stable frame, it feels appropriately built for that designation in my experience.
### How heavy is the Force USA Solitude weight stack?
The Solitude uses a 220-pound selectorized weight stack.
Don't assume 220 pounds won't be enough.
This stack feels legitimately heavy, and I think the overwhelming majority of users will have more than enough resistance.
### Does the Force USA Solitude use a 1:1 resistance ratio?
Force USA uses a 1:1 cable setup on the Solitude.
The important thing from a practical standpoint is that the stack feels extremely heavy during both movements.
The cam, lever length and roller position still affect the force you actually experience at the leg, so I wouldn't treat the number on the stack as a direct measurement of force at your ankle.
### Does the Force USA Solitude have adjustable range of motion?
The lower roller adjusts to accommodate different leg lengths, but the actual starting angle of the leg extension and prone curl is essentially fixed.
That's my biggest criticism of the machine.
### Is the Force USA Solitude good for tall users?
I've personally used the machine with clients around 6'4" without major fit issues.
The lower roller has enough adjustment that taller users should generally have plenty of room.
### Is the Force USA Solitude good for shorter users?
It can work well, but the fixed back pad can create a fit issue.
Some shorter clients sit too far backward to perfectly align their knee with the machine's pivot.
I've solved this easily by putting an AbMat or similar pad behind their back.
### How quickly can you switch between leg extensions and prone leg curls?
Very quickly.
One pop pin allows the main lever assembly to move between the seated leg extension and prone leg curl positions.
The entire transition takes just a few seconds.
### Is the prone leg curl good?
Yes.
I actually think the prone leg curl is the better of the two exercises.
The resistance stays with you extremely well through the top of the curl, giving you a very strong hamstring contraction.
My only criticism is that I'd like slightly more loaded stretch at the bottom.
### Force USA Solitude vs Temple of Gainz: Which one is better?
I prefer the Force USA overall.
The Temple of Gainz gives you more control over the starting range of motion.
The Force USA wins for me on center-drive resistance, weight stack feel, prone curl resistance profile, seating, conversion speed and overall commercial feel.
That's why I decided to keep the Force USA in my gym.
## More Leg Machine Reviews
If you're comparing different ways to build out your lower-body training setup, these are worth reading next:
[[ALT:Temple of Gainz Leg Extension & Leg Curl Review|The direct comparison. It gives you better ROM adjustment, but I ultimately preferred the Force USA enough to keep it in my gym instead.|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/toglegextensionlegcurl]]
[[ALT:Mikolo NOVA Leg Extension / Leg Curl Review|A dramatically cheaper plate-loaded alternative with excellent ROM on the leg extension but one major flaw on the prone curl roller.|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/mikolonova]]
[[ALT:Lionscool Leg Press / Hack Squat Review|If you're building out a complete lower-body setup, this is one of the better budget leg press and hack squat combinations I've tested.|https://liftlabreviews.com/post/lionscool-leg-press-hack-squat-review]]
[[LINK:Browse all Lift Lab equipment reviews →|https://liftlabreviews.com/reviews]]
