Bench and Rack for (much) bigger guys?

[Shrinking]

Hey everyone, this is my first post and hopefully I don't sound like too much of an idiot. I mean, at least i'm not asking about bowflex!

Anyway, to the point. I've lost about 50lbs in the last 3 months by changing my diet and eating healthy, as you can imagine, that means I started out pretty damn fat and still am. I am currently 420lbs. I've never weight lifted in my life, and after moving to a new home and having some disposable income I want to finally buy some free weight equipment and start a simple 5x5 plan.

The problem I am having is finding a bench which will be large enough to be comfortable, and heavy-weight enough to hold myself and the weights. Hopefully in the next year my own weight will be replaced by more barbell weight. The benches ive seen typically have very little width and basically just a bar in the center that looks like it could barely hold a few hundred lbs.

Any advice on some heavy duty benches that will not break the bank would be appreciated.

I'm also still stuck on what power rack, and ive been reading and reading to figure out what to do.

So far im between getting a sumo rack from nyb and putting it in my second floor bedroom, or purchasing a powertec OR BodyCraft F430 and giving up my garage spot for gym equipment.

While money isn't a huge concern, I really never expected racks to cost so much. With that said, I think my entire budget for rack/bench/weights will be $1000 max. With the bodycraft i'd be cutting it close. The sumo rack is worth it.. until you account for the shipping and then it feels like spending 200 more for a full rack is the better deal.

Again, any help is appreciated.

Edit: Thought I should add, I do not mind used equipment and I am in the Houston Texas area.

[Wildtim]

Well good benches have been discussed ad nauseum on here. I'm betting they are all going to seem a bit narrow to you but well..........

They tend to be based around a width that allows for free arm movement for most people. They also tend to meet or be close to the regulation width for most powerlifting federations.

There are plenty out there that support a thousand plus and quite often they look very similar to those that can only handle a few hundred so you have to buy form a known quality maker.

Unless your second floor bedroom has less than seven foot ceilings most racks made for the home will fit. The F430 is a pretty expensive rack there are others like the power tech, and the powerline that come in much cheaper and will do what you need them to.

[Caliban07]

I am in much the same shape as you Shrinking. I got the Bodycraft f320 bench and its very good for me. Is it as comfortable as an easy chair? No, but it has a real nice feel of not giving when you lift. I'm not sure if you have the same balance issues as I do but even trying out the Hoist I nearly toppled it in the store. Not sure if that helps but thought testimony from another big guy might be good.

[dumb.bell]

Maybe a little bit of a drive, but if one of these is still available it might be well worth it.

http://austin.craigslist.org/spo/1961135891.html

[Shrinking]

Well good benches have been discussed ad nauseum on here. I'm betting they are all going to seem a bit narrow to you but well..........

Oh for sure, I know i'm not going to find the perfect one without going custom, but some of them are just TINY. So far I think the f320 may be the best for me judging by pictures.

As far as racks go, the thing is if im spending 450-500 on a powertec, I feel like another 150 for a better rack wouldn't be such a big deal. I really like the way the F430 looks. But to be honest, I do not know the actual differences between the products and I guess I should research that a bit more.

I am in much the same shape as you Shrinking. I got the Bodycraft f320 bench and its very good for me. Is it as comfortable as an easy chair? No, but it has a real nice feel of not giving when you lift. I'm not sure if you have the same balance issues as I do but even trying out the Hoist I nearly toppled it in the store. Not sure if that helps but thought testimony from another big guy might be good.

Thanks Caliban, we are literally built the same! I think I am about 5'10 and after next weigh in I should be about 415-420. The f320 was the one I was looking at, did it fit ok in the rack you chose? Assuming you have a rack? I went to some sports shops to try out benches and I agree on the balance issue, they all felt terrible and most had single bars in the middle that felt like a balancing act. The f320 also comes with amazon prime 2 day shipping, so I think thats going to be the bench winner.

Maybe a little bit of a drive, but if one of these is still available it might be well worth it.

Yea, that is a bit far. I wouldn't mind the drive, but I do not own a vehicle capable of transporting that. Thanks so much for looking though.

[buffbrown21]

First of all congratulations on making the decision to take comtrol of your life. I wish you total success in your fitness goals. I probably would have recommended the f320 or maybe the Ironmaster super bench.

Also, I had a buddy who was 490 (at 5' 11") and got down to 225-235 and was running 10k races. So, you can achieve your goals, dont let anyone tell you different.

You should keep an eye on craigslist for other equipment in the future, as well.

Good luck.

[Shrinking]

Thanks buff, I really appreciate the kind words. I was actually split between the f320 and the ironmaster. I like that the ironmaster has no middle part to it when it lays flat, it seems like flat it would be more comfortable. But the only problem is that the seat (in pictures) looks very small and I wasn't sure how well it would work in any seated position. Also the ironmaster seems to have a few weeks backorder, so i'm really not sure. I wish I could find one to sit on in Houston but im having trouble finding decent fitness stores!

Edit: After looking at some more pictures of the ironmaster and my beginner 5x5 (which seems to be mostly squats/flat bench exercises) I am really considering the ironmaster, that bench looks large and comfy when laid flat.

[Essexlad]

Have you considered this;

http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Incline-D.../dp/B000EB7O2M

Much bigger and stronger than the F320, I don't know if that's the cheapest place to get one or if it'd be over budget.

[Shrinking]

Thanks Essex! That bench seems pretty similar to the ironmaster which is a bit less expensive and does not have the annoying gap. I'm still not totally sure about the ironmaster seat though, so im definitely going to keep that one in mind.

[Caliban07]

When I was choosing benches I actually came up with a pretty large list based off of dimensions as I felt that would be the best way to decide if I couldn't try them all. I went with the f320 over the ironmaster simply because its closer to the ground in the flat position. As far as the two benches go I don't think you can go wrong with either one. I was actually going to dig up a spreadsheet I had made of all the main benches dimensions/weight limits but I seem to have deleted it. =(

As far as racks go sadly I do not as yet have one, but when I get mine its going to be the legend power cage. they have an economy model that might actually fit into your budget, or the bodysolid rack seems a decent choice too. Oh also, while I'm thinking of it, you never mentioned how much space you have to play with. If you have a lot there is also the body solid gfid71, which from all accounts is mammoth and solid as all get out. Good luck either way with what you end up getting

[Shrinking]

Oh also, while I'm thinking of it, you never mentioned how much space you have to play with.

I'm actually not sure on this yet. My bedroom has a ton of extra space, but its on the 2nd floor of my rented house. So I don't know if its a good idea to put a weight set up there. I also have a nice large garage spot, but I have an expensive car so I will need to decide if I want to garage my car, or use that area for a nice gym setup. Im leaning more towards the garage because of the space and weight concerns.

Regarding the bench, the height is a good point and im not sure if thats going to be a big concern or not. At least, a big enough concern that two pieces of wood in the feet positions could fix? I'm going to look around houston to see if any stores carry them so I can give it a try before making the purchase. If its too high ill probably end up having to go with the 320.

[ndmike99]

Given your current situation I would probably looking into getting either Iron Master or Powerblock Dumbbells. A rack would be great to have in the long run, but it sounds like space is an issue, and if you have never lifted weights before I doubt you will be throwing around 300 pounds anytime soon. With a nice set of adjustable dumbbells and a nice adjustable bench you will be able to do plenty of exercises to reach your goals. You can always add the rack later. If you plan on staying in your current location for a long period of time than a rack may be a better purchase, but that's not the way I would go right now.

[Shrinking]

Given your current situation I would probably looking into getting either Iron Master or Powerblock Dumbbells. A rack would be great to have in the long run, but it sounds like space is an issue, and if you have never lifted weights before I doubt you will be throwing around 300 pounds anytime soon. With a nice set of adjustable dumbbells and a nice adjustable bench you will be able to do plenty of exercises to reach your goals. You can always add the rack later. If you plan on staying in your current location for a long period of time than a rack may be a better purchase, but that's not the way I would go right now.

You are right and thats something ive been considering all day, I am only at this current location for the next year or two. I was thinking about going with the 75lb dumbbell + stand + bench package from ironmaster. Its expensive, but it would go great in my room and would allow me to do the majority of the exercises in my starter program. The only thing I would not be able to do with dumbbells is the deadlift and the squat which both require barbells... maybe there are dumbbell exercises near to these I can switch out though? At my weight, would un-weighted squats (or maybe squats with just a bar?) be so bad?

The program i've been trying to get equipment for is newbie-fitness.blogspot.com/2007/01/stripped-5x5.html for reference.

[ndmike99]

You are right and thats something ive been considering all day, I am only at this current location for the next year or two. I was thinking about going with the 75lb dumbbell + stand + bench package from ironmaster. Its expensive, but it would go great in my room and would allow me to do the majority of the exercises in my starter program. The only thing I would not be able to do with dumbbells is the deadlift and the squat which both require barbells... maybe there are dumbbell exercises near to these I can switch out though? At my weight, would un-weighted squats (or maybe squats with just a bar?) be so bad?

The program i've been trying to get equipment for is newbie-fitness.blogspot.com/2007/01/stripped-5x5.html for reference.

The reason most people use barbells for squats and deadlifts are because those lifts are usually the strongest lifts and require the most amount of weight. At your size I would imagine doing squats holding 150 pounds of dumbbells (75 in each hand) would be sufficient for the time being. You can always get the IM add on kit if you found that not to be enough. Once you move just ad a rack and barbell. You will have everything you need. If you search on youtube or even google for "dumbbell squat" or "dumbbell deadlift" I am sure you will find videos.

[Shrinking]

That totally makes sense, thanks Mike.

I'll be deciding this weekend what to do, but unless I can think of any other reasons not to ill be ordering the ironmaster bench/dumbbell combo. The height issue of the bench still has me a little concerned, but it seems like such an easy fix to just put some sort of foot rests on each side of the bench.

Also I won't lie, the ironmaster bench basically comes with no assembly required and I suck at putting things together. I was dreading the rack construction. This will also give me some time to watch craigslist for a really cheap rack and olympic barbell!

You guys are all really great by the way, I feel 250% less lost after today.

[AtomikStrongman]

Might want to look into the Body Solid GFID71. It is the physically largest bench I've ever used. If a really big, really tall guy asked me, that's the one I'd recommend. Also check out the FID46 bench and the GPR378 rack w/ the new safeties and liftoffs.

[Shrinking]

So I have decided on getting the 75lb ironmaster dumbbells. However im still a bit stuck on a bench. The IM superbench looks great, but the only problem is it is 20 inches off the ground. I am about 5'9-5'10, will that be a huge problem? And could that be fixed if I were to just buy two 1-2'' pieces of wood for each side? Im actually starting to think now that I may just get a quality heavy duty flat bench, since for the most part I do not actually need to incline/decline for a long time. Would that be a better option? I am so undecisive.

[desslok]

Honestly, you may want to find a flat bench on craigslist for a good deal. Flat benches tend to be sturdier than FID benches in general, so you should find one for a good price. Don't worry about the padding, if its ripped and scratched even better so you can lower the price. Then, google for how to make a new top pad for it, I would find a link for you but its a pain on my phone its acting up. Its basically 3/4 inch plywood with foam and vinyl from a fabric shop. So you can make a new top pad for about $30 and you can make it wider than you could buy. Then set a target weight goal when you hit, say for example 350, you buy yourslef the Ironmaster as a reward. Whatever you go with good luck with your goals, just remember its mainly diet. Read the sticky in the nutrition section on how to calculate your calories.

[Shrinking]

Thanks Desslok! Yea, I think that is what I am going to do. As for diet, i've been logging everything I eat since August and thats really whats helped me lose the first 50 lbs. Now that I have that down I want to add in some lifting and cardio. The cardio is easy since I have a pool and have been swimming constantly.

[jfindon]

So I have decided on getting the 75lb ironmaster dumbbells. However im still a bit stuck on a bench. The IM superbench looks great, but the only problem is it is 20 inches off the ground. I am about 5'9-5'10, will that be a huge problem? And could that be fixed if I were to just buy two 1-2'' pieces of wood for each side? Im actually starting to think now that I may just get a quality heavy duty flat bench, since for the most part I do not actually need to incline/decline for a long time. Would that be a better option? I am so undecisive.

I'm barely 5'10 and don't have a problem with the height of my IM bench.

[desslok]

Thanks Desslok! Yea, I think that is what I am going to do. As for diet, i've been logging everything I eat since August and thats really whats helped me lose the first 50 lbs. Now that I have that down I want to add in some lifting and cardio. The cardio is easy since I have a pool and have been swimming constantly.

Nice work! Don't forget to recalculate your calories every so often as you lose weight. I see some people plateau sometimes, when they lose weight on a deficit, but then lose enough so they are now at their maintenance calories and get stuck. Keep it up!

[FatGymRat]

Given your current situation I would probably looking into getting either Iron Master or Powerblock Dumbbells. A rack would be great to have in the long run, but it sounds like space is an issue, and if you have never lifted weights before I doubt you will be throwing around 300 pounds anytime soon. With a nice set of adjustable dumbbells and a nice adjustable bench you will be able to do plenty of exercises to reach your goals. You can always add the rack later. If you plan on staying in your current location for a long period of time than a rack may be a better purchase, but that's not the way I would go right now.

Mike, this is exactly the plan for my spare room workout area with that nice LifeFitness/Hammer bench I got from you.

Later when I have the space, I will drop it inside a power rack and go bananas.

I am not too far off from the size of the OP. I can say that the Hammer Strength/LifeFitness, Icarian, and Cybex benches are sturdy enough to hold up a house, and thyey are readily available used in like-new to well used condition (priced accordingly) all over the country.

I may re-upholster the seat and back pad on mine sometime down the road, but it's literally a life long purchase to me. I cannot see any reason other that I would ever want to go to another unit, other than maybe to get a shiny brand new one after I am done purchasing everything else I might want.

[OutKlast]

I have a HOIST 4165 bench, the seat pad is one of the widest that I have seen. I'm a little under 6' and 170lbs with a 33" waist and I look like a little kid on this bench cause there is 2-3" of extra space on each side of my butt (it also doesn't help that my feet dangle when its set for incline benching). The backpad actually tapers. So yea, its slim up by your head but it widens out a little bit. The bench has a 1000lb total capacity.

[Shrinking]

Wow, thanks everyone for the responses. I really didn't expect so many positive replies. I've been getting over a really bad cold so I haven't been shopping or looking at all the last few days, but i'm hoping to figure out what I want and get it all ordered by the end of this week. Yesterday I got in my Seca 700, 500lb capacity scale. Its HUGE, but its so accurate! I got off, drank 20 ounces of water and was able to see the difference in weight on it. I was so tired of trying to balance myself on a digital.

Thanks for all the bench suggestions!