Flat to Incline Benches

[lucasrd]

I'm in the market for a bench that goes from flat to incline (decline is optional).

I weigh over 200lbs. My bench is close to 400, so I'd need something rated at 700lbs or higher since i'll be using it to bench press inside my power rack.

Also, I would like a bench where the padded part is between 10 and 12 inches wide.

Anyone out there have such a bench? Or could recommend one?

I'm leaning toward this one: Body-Solid? PowerLift™ Bench (FID46) Anyone have it or know how wide the padded part is?

[QUALITYGUY1]

Originally Posted by lucasrd

I'm in the market for a bench that goes from flat to incline (decline is optional).

I weigh over 200lbs. My bench is close to 400, so I'd need something rated at 700lbs or higher since i'll be using it to bench press inside my power rack.

Also, I would like a bench where the padded part is between 10 and 12 inches wide.

Anyone out there have such a bench? Or could recommend one?

I'm leaning toward this one: Body-Solid? PowerLift? Bench (FID46) Anyone have it or know how wide the padded part is?

LOL....need you ask?

Rated at 750#, the Bodycraft F320 was made SPECIFICALLY for what you asked for.
Comes complete, leg support, wheels and all...you don't have to buy anything unless you want to do scott curls or leg extensions.















in before the $hit hits the fan!

[lucasrd]

do you know how wide the padded part is? I have lifted on one that is 9'' and one that is 11''....when i lifted ont he wider one i could bench like 30lbs more

[BrianEE93]

Originally Posted by lucasrd

I'm in the market for a bench that goes from flat to incline (decline is optional).

I weigh over 200lbs. My bench is close to 400, so I'd need something rated at 700lbs or higher since i'll be using it to bench press inside my power rack.

Also, I would like a bench where the padded part is between 10 and 12 inches wide.

Anyone out there have such a bench? Or could recommend one?

I'm leaning toward this one: Body-Solid? PowerLift? Bench (FID46) Anyone have it or know how wide the padded part is?

Here we go! Where is Busy?

I am actually looking for the same thing. I am leaning toward the Bodysolid FI21. I need to go back to the store and try it again. The pad seemed a little narrrow. This may just be because my bench now is a little wide. The FI21 is fairly cheap but you can't add attachments which I don't really want anyway. The local store is going to sell it to me for $170. The guy at the store is a freakin' hulk and he told me he got his 600lb. flat bench on the FI21. He may be just blowing smoke but he was huge.

[QUALITYGUY1]

Originally Posted by lucasrd

do you know how wide the padded part is? I have lifted on one that is 9'' and one that is 11''....when i lifted ont he wider one i could bench like 30lbs more

It is definitely wider than 9". I'll measure when I go home today and let you know the exact dimention rather than guessing.

[QUALITYGUY1]

Originally Posted by BrianEE93

Here we go! Where is Buzz?

I am actually looking for the same thing. I am leaning toward the Bodysolid FI21. I need to go back to the store and try it again. The pad seemed a little narrrow. This may just be because my bench now is a little wide. The FI21 is fairly cheap but you can't add attachments which I don't really want anyway. The local store is going to sell it to me for $170. The guy at the store is a freakin' hulk and he told me he got his 600lb. flat bench on the FI21. He may be just blowing smoke but he was huge.

That is a good alternative if you are going to use it in a rack and if you aren't going to want attachments, decline, or a foothold. Has the same feature of the seat/bench sliding to the rear like the BC, rather than inclining to the front like othe FID benches.

[lucasrd]

Originally Posted by QUALITYGUY1

It is definitely wider than 9". I'll measure when I go home today and let you know the exact dimention rather than guessing.

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[BrianEE93]

Originally Posted by QUALITYGUY1

That is a good alternative if you are going to use it in a rack and if you aren't going to want attachments, decline, or a foothold. Has the same feature of the seat/bench sliding to the rear like the BC, rather than inclining to the front like othe FID benches.

I am going to me using it in a Powertec rack which is a little short on depth anyway. Their own Utility bench just barely fits in the rack for OHP.

lucasrd - I will measure my Powertec bench width and try to get you the width on the FI21.

[Tiak]

--I own the FID46. I can measure the padding for you later today.

Overall I would say its a decent bench.

positives:
+Good padding, comfortable bench.
+Very heavy and stable, bench weighs over 100lbs.
+The handles are nice for leg curls / extensions

negatives:
-TALL bench. In the neighborhood of 23+ inches (flat position).
-IMO the decline isn't the best. The seat winds up in a flat position when the bench is declined. Plus there's no real foot hold-down.
-If you load up the leg extension to the point that it weighs more than the rest of the bench, the front Y-fork will rotate slightly due to slop in the bolt holes that attach it to the frame.

One other note, I only put about 400lbs total load on the bench, so I can't really comment on how it feels with 700lbs on it.

[Blue Blazer]

Well I am in your situation as well, but I am not going with the f320, to me the bench needs work

I have tried the bc f602 in the powertec power rack and this is no small bench, it fits fine all you have to do is put the bench between the crossmember of the power rack (that is if you have no lat attachment)

Anyone who doesn't have a lat attachment in their rack I would STRONGLY recommend that they buy a bench like the Bodycraft f602 or lamar fid bench

To me these are much better than the f320...

Good luck, but the f320 is probobly the perfect bench for a power rack especially a power rack that isn't deep with a lat attachment (like powertec)

Good Luck, JM

[BrianEE93]

The Powertec Utility bench I have has a 12" wide back pad and the Bodysolid GFI21 has a back pad that is 9-1/2" wide. When I first laid down on the FI21 it felt weird because it was 2-1/2" narrower then what I use all the time. The hulk working there swears by a narrower bench. I was even trying to spend another $100 on the GFID71 and he told me he liked the 21 better. He said he got bruises on his shoulder blades with a wider bench. I can feel the edge on either bench when I am flat benching because of the retraction of my shoulder blades.

[Brother Steel]

Originally Posted by lucasrd

I'm in the market for a bench that goes from flat to incline (decline is optional).

I weigh over 200lbs. My bench is close to 400, so I'd need something rated at 700lbs or higher since i'll be using it to bench press inside my power rack.

Also, I would like a bench where the padded part is between 10 and 12 inches wide.

Anyone out there have such a bench? Or could recommend one?

I'm leaning toward this one: Body-Solid? PowerLift? Bench (FID46) Anyone have it or know how wide the padded part is?

Hi,

I am probably the only one on Bodybuilding.com who has one but I have the Body-Solid GFID71. I love mine. The bench is 9 1/2 inches wide and the bench is 19 3/4 inches high. It is built like a tank. It is rated at 1000 pounds and I believe it will do it. The bench is very heavy and well made. It comes with wheels to move it around and you do need them. I also have the preacher curl attachment and the leg curl attachment. It comes with a leg hold down attachment. I got mine on sale for less that 200 dollars. The bench comes with a lifetime warranty and is commercial rated.
Here is a picture of it: http://www.fitnessfactory.com/images/Item/499l.jpg

It might not be the best bench out there but I am waiting for Powertec to come out with their bench after they have remodeled it for the fourth time or the Ironmaster bench when they put a stronger latch pin in it. I think the f320 would be a good choice except for at my age I really don't want a bench where my butt is dragging the ground when you use it. My butt already drags enough. Oh well, the new gray color on the Body-Solid bench sucks so who the heck would really want one anyway. I am glad mine is white. At least the girl in the picture is nice looking.

Just my 2 cents....
Brother Steel

[Tiak]

--The FID46 padding is 10" wide. The bench is 23" from the floor in the flat position.

[BrianEE93]

Originally Posted by Brother Steel

Hi,

I am probably the only one on Bodybuilding.com who has one but I have the Body-Solid GFID71. I love mine. The bench is 9 1/2 inches wide and the bench is 19 3/4 inches high. It is built like a tank. It is rated at 1000 pounds and I believe it will do it. The bench is very heavy and well made. It comes with wheels to move it around and you do need them. I also have the preacher curl attachment and the leg curl attachment. It comes with a leg hold down attachment. I got mine on sale for less that 200 dollars. The bench comes with a lifetime warranty and is commercial rated.
Here is a picture of it: http://www.fitnessfactory.com/images/Item/499l.jpg

It might not be the best bench out there but I am waiting for Powertec to come out with their bench after they have remodeled it for the fourth time or the Ironmaster bench when they put a stronger latch pin in it. I think the f320 would be a good choice except for at my age I really don't want a bench where my butt is dragging the ground when you use it. My butt already drags enough. Oh well, the new gray color on the Body-Solid bench sucks so who the heck would really want one anyway. I am glad mine is white. At least the girl in the picture is nice looking.

Just my 2 cents....
Brother Steel

I actually like the grey better. I like black the best.

It sounds like the FID71 is the same width as the FI21. How do you like that width?

[BrianEE93]

Originally Posted by Tiak

--The FID46 padding is 10" wide. The bench is 23" from the floor in the flat position.

I thought the Powertec Utility bench was high! It is 22" and I have to put plates under my feet to get them flat on the floor when I flat bench. Why do they make benches so high? They are all like this. I can't see any advantage to a higher bench. The BS FI21 is 17" high and my feet hit perfectly. I am 6'3" with short legs. I only have a 30" inseam. I believe a competition flat bench is about 14" high.

[Brother Steel]

Originally Posted by BrianEE93

I actually like the grey better. I like black the best.

It sounds like the FID71 is the same width as the FI21. How do you like that width?

I like the white because it matches my Power Rack. The 9 1/2 inch width is a trade off. I think it is a little narrow when it comes to the bench press but I love it when it comes to reverse dumbbell flies. I have and old Apex bench that is 11 inches wide and I love it. I do a lot of my dumbbell work on it. I don't think here is a perfect bench but if I could only own one the FID 71 is hard to beat. I guess I could put a custom 11 inch top on my bench but I don't think it would be worth the trouble. No two people are the same so the best way to find a bench that fits is to try it out before you buy it.

[KSA]

The Bodysolid FID 71 seems to be built like a tank but it seems to be very long, more longer than a Powertec, Ironmaster, ... benches.

I am right ?

[Brother Steel]

Originally Posted by BrianEE93

It sounds like the FID71 is the same width as the FI21.

Well, I went back and re-measured my FID 71 and the top part of the bench is really 9 3/4 inches wide and the seat part of the bench is 10 1/2 inches wide with a taper on the end which goes down to about 7 inches. Just wanted to clear things up. That extra 1/4 of an inch should offer a heck of a lot more support. ;^)

[C Man]

Originally Posted by Brother Steel

I am probably the only one on Bodybuilding.com who has one but I have the Body-Solid GFID71.

Originally Posted by KSA

The Bodysolid FID 71 seems to be built like a tank but it seems to be very long, more longer than a Powertec, Ironmaster, ... benches. I am right ?

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...1#post55411781

[Tiak]

Originally Posted by BrianEE93

I thought the Powertec Utility bench was high! It is 22" and I have to put plates under my feet to get them flat on the floor when I flat bench. Why do they make benches so high? They are all like this. I can't see any advantage to a higher bench. The BS FI21 is 17" high and my feet hit perfectly. I am 6'3" with short legs. I only have a 30" inseam. I believe a competition flat bench is about 14" high.

Yeah I'm not really thrilled with the height of the FID46. I have to put my feet on the front support "Y-fork" (which is 3-inch tubing IIRC). However, there is always a silver lining... with a tall bench you can do bench rows and rear delt raises a little easier, so its not all bad.

[Brother Steel]

Originally Posted by KSA

The Bodysolid FID 71 seems to be built like a tank but it seems to be very long, more longer than a Powertec, Ironmaster, ... benches.

I am right ?

I don't own a Powertec or an Ironmaster bench to compare my FID 71 to but it is 16 inches longer that my Apex bench. I have not found the length to be a problem for me. If you are cramped for space then it could be an issue. Perhaps some of the other guys with short benches could chime in here.

BTW... My FID 71 works well with my Body-Solid Power Rack.

[Blue Blazer]

Right now I own a powertec bench and do find it high...but for flat bench I never did put weight plates under my feet, but it is high

I do like the bodysolid FID 71 the FID 31 seems to be really good too...but again it is high...the flat incline one seems alright but again the height

I think if size is an issue they should look into the f602 db bench and lamar LS513 db bench...they fit in the powertec bench and these aren't the smallest benches, there are far smaller benches than those 2

I am buying the Lamar and strongly recommend it...it is basically the same thing as the f602 except 7 inches shorter and 4 inches wider...

When I do get it, after breaking it in a bit and getting to work out with it for at least a month, I will post a review...just by looking at it and comparing it to others this is an outstanding db bench...

Good luck on finding your bench lucasrd and if your rack doesn't have a lat attachment I think it will fit it just fine...remember if you can always put the bench between the crossmember of your rack when doing seated shouler presses...

Best of luck man, JM

[BrianEE93]

Originally Posted by Joey Mo

...I do like the bodysolid FID 71 the FID 31 seems to be really good too...but again it is high...the flat incline one seems alright but again the height...

The flat incline Bodysolid is only 17" high and with the pad being narrower than the Powertec my feet set flat on the floor doing flat bench.

[Blue Blazer]

Originally Posted by BrianEE93

The flat incline Bodysolid is only 17" high and with the pad being narrower than the Powertec my feet set flat on the floor doing flat bench.

Oh ok, nice! I must of gotten mixed up since I was looking at one after another and trying to remember the heights of each one in my head lol

Either way that is good, I don't like benches that are high, all the benches at the gym are like 15 inches or maybe less I don't know off the ground and that's the way it should be imo

The Lamar LS513 is 20 inches high, not bad, I am 5'10 and didn't have too much trouble with the powertec and that one is like 22 inches, so this should be good...

Anyone know how wide the backrest padding is on the lamar bench, I would really like to know this...

[Tiak]

Originally Posted by Joey Mo

Either way that is good, I don't like benches that are high, all the benches at the gym are like 15 inches or maybe less I don't know off the ground and that's the way it should be imo

I think the most likely explanation is that a lot of the adjustable benches at commercial gyms don't support a decline setting. A lot of what I see is Flat/Incline adjustables and a dedicated decline bench.

I guess when these manufacturers try to design an FID, they are somewhat limited heightwise by the decline angle and length of the bench.

[QUALITYGUY1]

Originally Posted by lucasrd

Thanks! I appreciate it!

FYI...My Bodycraft Bench measures exactly 9 & 7/8" across.