Adjustable bench recommendations?

[bobmen10000]

The Rogue is in Columbus. But looks like they have no adjustable benches in stock at the moment.

No in-store pickup from Rogue due to Covid (unless it is changed very recently) which sucks for us who live right next to Columbus and want to buy shit but not pay hundreds of dollars for 30 miles of shipping.

Bummer. Hadn't heard that. Is the shipping cheaper if you live nearby? Can you bribe some employee to pick it up for you and load it in your car in some parking lot down the block during their lunch break or something? Lol.

It is the cheapest rate, though not really cheaper if you live 5 minutes versus 200 miles away based on the shipping zone. Rogue is generally the most reasonable on shipping for heavy equipment (save for Titan) in my experience. Ironmaster is very reasonable as well because they build their shipping price into the cost of the item - like Titan.

[gtl]

What about this guy?

https://www.amazon.com/PAPABABE-Adjusta ... B07XXQM3XN

Looks like a Rep Knockoff

[MPat]

What about this guy?

https://www.amazon.com/PAPABABE-Adjusta ... B07XXQM3XN

Looks like a Rep Knockoff

Yeah looks a lot like the AB 3000, I was looking at that earlier, I might just be giving up on the idea of one bench for all my benching needs. Gonna end up with two damn benches.

[zappey1]

My bench FINALLY came this week! It took over 10 weeks. Website said 6 which is one of the reasons I went with the edge bench over some of the other ones I was looking at.

I will say it is better quality and more stable then what I was expecting! Other then the 4 weeks extra to ship it was great. I emailed them several times to check on the status and they got back to me with in a day. I also sent them a recommendation to change the time listed on their website if they could not honor it.

[Allentown]

Year old post necro:
Flat bench + adjustable is the way to go still? I've started doing some incline stuff, and am supposed to be doing some more incline and seated work, but I just have the flat bench now. I could probably find a way to have two benches around, but one would be easier for obvious reasons.

[gtl]

Year old post necro:
Flat bench + adjustable is the way to go still? I've started doing some incline stuff, and am supposed to be doing some more incline and seated work, but I just have the flat bench now. I could probably find a way to have two benches around, but one would be easier for obvious reasons.

I think it depends on how much you're doing 1 vs the other, and how much you're willing to spend on an adjustable bench.

Don't incline bench much? Maybe you can get away with propping your bench up like Mike T.
Don't flat bench much? Maybe you can get away with an adjustable bench that is sometimes annoying for flat bench (gap, height, width, whatever)
Buy a nice enough adjustable bench, you probably only need the adjustable bench.

I sold my Rogue adjustable bench 5 years ago and don't regret it too much. I like the extra space and didn't use it enough. If I were to get another, I'd probably consider the Ironmaster because its compact.

[Allentown]

Year old post necro:
Flat bench + adjustable is the way to go still? I've started doing some incline stuff, and am supposed to be doing some more incline and seated work, but I just have the flat bench now. I could probably find a way to have two benches around, but one would be easier for obvious reasons.

I think it depends on how much you're doing 1 vs the other, and how much you're willing to spend on an adjustable bench.

Don't incline bench much? Maybe you can get away with propping your bench up like Mike T.
Don't flat bench much? Maybe you can get away with an adjustable bench that is sometimes annoying for flat bench (gap, height, width, whatever)
Buy a nice enough adjustable bench, you probably only need the adjustable bench.

I sold my Rogue adjustable bench 5 years ago and don't regret it too much. I like the extra space and didn't use it enough. If I were to get another, I'd probably consider the Ironmaster because its compact.

Right now it looks like flat bench 1x week, incline (or decline) 2x week, seated with the assumption of a back rest something like 3 times a week, like Arnold press. But prior to this, never incline and occasionally seated that I just did sitting on my flat bench.

So basically, I was fine and happy without it for a decade. Not sure how often after this program I plan to do seated orinclined, but I'm kind of liking them.

[quikky]

I've replaced my Rep flat with this Rep adjustable: https://www.repfitness.com/benches/adju ... 5200-bench

Been pretty happy with it.

[damufunman]

I have the Rep AB-3100 v1, very happy with it. Have very little to compare to, and I'm not particularly picky, but like it.

[Bliss]

Don't incline bench much? Maybe you can get away with propping your bench up like Mike T.

Did anyone try this yet? Or can you provide where to find info from him doing it?

I'm looking at pointers wrt stability, sliding off the bench without seat support etc.

I've got a really nice flat bench and wanted to avoid extra purchases so currently envisioning to fabricate 2 wooden "angle spacers" which would look like a wedge (to go under the foot of the lower end) and like a high-ish box with also a slanted edge (to go under the higher foot). Probably also some rubber sheet for extra grip between wood and floor.

This works fix the issue of incomplete contact between the flat bench feet and floor (pressure point damaging the floor material, sliding around etc), but the issue of the lack of ass support is kinda a deal breaker? Or not....weights would be quite low, for higher volume/assistance work - maybe around 70-100 kg.

[James]

Mike T has a few videos on Instagram showing him doing it.

I used to use 12" oak blocks I borrowed from work but now I have a 2" OD pipe at the height I want on an extra set of j hooks. Put the bench on the pipe where the bend for the leg is. I take the rubber feet off (rogue flat bench 2.0) and use a piece of horse mat under the floor leg. Its super stable.

Edit: Just remembered I have Incline this Friday so I'll take a picture.

[hector]

I've replaced my Rep flat with this Rep adjustable: https://www.repfitness.com/benches/adju ... 5200-bench

Been pretty happy with it.

You’re living the dream!!!
I’m not going to buy anytime soon, but I still wonder how (if at all) noticeable the gap is when flat benching?

[Michiganian]

Being as I'm somewhat on a budget and I'm space-limited, it had to be a FID bench for me. After days reviewing all the options I went with the XMark Flat Incline Decline Weight Bench - 7604

Pros:

• Very solidly-built. This is a substantial bit of kit. Solid as a rock. No wobble. No wiggle. No slop. As stable as the commercial benches my gyms had.
• The hardware is all top quality.
• Gives me all the flat, incline, and decline adjustments I wanted.
• Very easy to move about. Just raise it by grabbing the ankle pads and wheel it around.
• Pads are very firm, yet very comfortable.
• It works very well for decline ab crunches, which was one of my criteria. (Except for the gap. See "Cons.")
• Economical.

Cons:

• The gap. Yeah, it has a gap. Fairly substantial, too. If, like me, your butt ends up right in that gap, decline ab crunches are anywhere from uncomfortable to painful. A small pillow mitigates that though. (I don't perceive the gap will be a problem for other decline work.)
• It's taller than standard Olympic height. (Not a big problem for me as I have long legs.)
• I wanted long, because I'm 6'4" tall, but, it's almost too long--even for me. I have to really make sure to get my backside scooted well back in the seat when using it inclined for overhead single-DB tricep extensions, otherwise the DB hits the back of the top of the pad.

All-in-all I'm pleased with the bench, but, if they ever come out with a new zero-gap version I'll be all over it like a bad suit. That's my biggest negative.

[James]

Turns out I didn't need to take a picture because Mike T put up an IG story and he's not using a box anymore. He switched to setting it up like I do. Except he uses a bar instead of a pipe he found in a scrap pile and he faces to the back of the rack to use the floor cross member to brace his feet. Which is pretty smart.

Have a screenshot for when the story goes down.



Edit: Also totally stealing the idea of marking the center point on the bench feet.

[KOTJ]

Yeah, setting bench incline like that is just dumb, unless you're unable to afford a decent adjustable bench.

No butt support, so you decrease potential ROM and stability with increased incline.

Inherently less stable for leg drive, with the new potential for a bench to move laterally if your leg drive favors one side due to accident...also much harder to keep your back/shoulders set as you increase the incline.

Also more limited to which angles you can set.

[James]

I can get angles 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 and some more vertical that I didn't bother putting the angle finder on for with that set up. Probably a few in between too. Not sure an adjustable bench is going to be better on the variety.

Don't know how no butt support would decrease ROM though you're going to have to walk me through that one.

[KOTJ]

I can get angles 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 and some more vertical that I didn't bother putting the angle finder on for with that set up. Probably a few in between too. Not sure an adjustable bench is going to be better on the variety.

Don't know how no butt support would decrease ROM though you're going to have to walk me through that one.

Leaning into an incline doesn't allow the same arch/ROM and stability of a seat + incline.

I guess if you're super flexible you might be able to, but then you're still using more effort to prevent yourself from sliding down the bench.

That's probably why incline benches are made with seats.

Can you incline bench without one? Yes. Just like you can substitute an axle bar instead of an Olympic bar.

[James]

Wouldn't less arch because you don't have a seat mean more ROM?

Sliding really isn't a problem if you have a decent bench top or a roll of shelf liner.

[mgil]

Mike T needs to buy a FID bench. He’s strong enough to get away with that setup. Morons will see this and do stupid things.

[James]

Mike T being strong has nothing to do with it. That bench set up is literally stronger and more stable than a home adjustable bench.

Oh no you have to use your legs which is only a problem if somehow you can't squat more than you can incline.