Thoughts on Irwin Fitness (monolift, bench, roller j-cups)?

[Deep-Voiced-One]

Still pondering (I do a lot of pondering & I don't want to choose poorly again)...

I have two concerns:

1. Seat width. It looks kinda narrow? (There were comments to that effect in at least one review I read.)

2. The decline leg accessory rollers being uncovered foam. One would think that, for what they charge for that thing ($90), they could vinyl-cover them.

1. My GF is latina and the seat isn't even too narrow for her.

2. Agreed that they should've included vinyl covering for the decline/sit up attachment like they did with the leg ext/leg curl attachment and the separate covers for it suck because they don't fit it right (that's the only thing from IM that I got and was disappointed with), but not a dealbreaker on getting the bench and attachments.

[radrd]

1. My GF is latina and the seat isn't even too narrow for her.

2. Agreed that they should've included vinyl covering for the decline/sit up attachment like they did with the leg ext/leg curl attachment and the separate covers for it suck because they don't fit it right (that's the only thing from IM that I got and was disappointed with), but not a dealbreaker on getting the bench and attachments.

I think the seat is a little too narrow to be especially comfortable, but you're sitting on it to lift, not to watch TV, so it's fine. At first, I thought the vinyl covers for the decline attachment didn't fit and gave up, but for some reason I was able to get them on when I tried against weeks later with a little effort. Now I just need to find a use for the decline attachment. Decline situps aren't particularly beneficial and can even be detrimental. I don't enjoy decline bench and dips are just as effective if not moreso.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I think the seat is a little too narrow to be especially comfortable, but you're sitting on it to lift, not to watch TV, so it's fine. At first, I thought the vinyl covers for the decline attachment didn't fit and gave up, but for some reason I was able to get them on when I tried against weeks later with a little effort. Now I just need to find a use for the decline attachment. Decline situps aren't particularly beneficial and can even be detrimental. I don't enjoy decline bench and dips are just as effective if not moreso.

It's good you were able to fit the vinyl covers on right, still a slight con that they sell them separately though...as for a decline exercise my favorite is decline pullovers no doubt, you get a good pump and stretch doing those of course it depends on how you train and if you wanted to include those in your routine.

[radrd]

It's good you were able to fit the vinyl covers on right, still a slight con that they sell them separately though...as for a decline exercise my favorite is decline pullovers no doubt, you get a good pump and stretch doing those of course it depends on how you train and if you wanted to include those in your routine.

Interesting. I've been thinking about incorporating pullovers in my routine again. Might have to give that a try!

[Michiganian]

1. My GF is latina and the seat isn't even too narrow for her.

TBH: I never realized Latinas tended to run a bit wider through the caboose (Yes, I am sometimes not the most observant of people - lol.)

2. Agreed that they should've included vinyl covering for the decline/sit up attachment ... but not a dealbreaker on getting the bench and attachments.

Wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me, either.

I think the seat is a little too narrow to be especially comfortable, but you're sitting on it to lift, not to watch TV, so it's fine.

As long as it's not uncomfortable or awkward for lifting I'll be good with it.

At first, I thought the vinyl covers for the decline attachment didn't fit and gave up, but for some reason I was able to get them on when I tried against weeks later with a little effort.

Until you guys mentioned them, I hadn't even known they were available. Those'll do.

Now I just need to find a use for the decline attachment. Decline situps aren't particularly beneficial and can even be detrimental.

Decline situps can definitely be dangerous due to the sheer forces on the lower spine. Decline crunches, however, are safe and effective.

Besides: I love doin' 'em

I don't enjoy decline bench and dips are just as effective if not moreso.

I don't currently do decline benches, but, I plan to add them eventually.

...as for a decline exercise my favorite is decline pullovers no doubt, ...

I didn't know about those. I'm definitely doing to add those to my rotation.

According to 4 Back Exercises You're Screwing Up (yes: t-nation): Cable decline pull-overs are even more effective.

[Greybird2]

if you are adding decline benches for man boobs, it is a waste of time. The best thing for man boobs is incline benches at varying heights. Increased upper chest size makes the man boobs appear smaller, and maybe even fade away if you cut some calories. Shoulder presses also help quite a bit.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

if you are adding decline benches for man boobs, it is a waste of time. The best thing for man boobs is incline benches at varying heights. Increased upper chest size makes the man boobs appear smaller, and maybe even fade away if you cut some calories. Shoulder presses also help quite a bit.

Incline paired with flat all the way! (20° and 30° usually works for me). I hit all 3 in my workouts twice a week (flat bench, OHP and incline bench). One upper day I'll hit incline with a 20° angle and the next I'll do a 30° angle.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

Interesting. I've been thinking about incorporating pullovers in my routine again. Might have to give that a try!

I personally like doing them with a DB holding it the same way as on a DB overhead triceps extension (both hands version in sort of a diamond grip style). IMO it's more portable during the movement than with a barbell, or EZ curl bar and I feel a deeper stretch with it.

[Michiganian]

if you are adding decline benches for man boobs, ...

Hardly. I'm trying to get rid of the moobs

The best thing for man boobs is incline benches at varying heights. Increased upper chest size makes the man boobs appear smaller, and maybe even fade away if you cut some calories. Shoulder presses also help quite a bit.

Already doing seated presses. (I don't have enough clearance downstairs to do them standing.)

Doing my research I'm finding two opinions on decline benches: Useful and waste of time. Since it's my upper chest that needs the work I suppose I'll forgo them for now.

Incline paired with flat all the way! (20° and 30° usually works for me). I hit all 3 in my workouts twice a week (flat bench, OHP and incline bench). One upper day I'll hit incline with a 20° angle and the next I'll do a 30° angle.

I'm going to try alternating between flat and incline on different chest days. I'm doing an A/B Starting Strength/Fierce 5 Novice program. I did flat benches yesterday. Next "A" day I'll try incline.

I've read 30-40° is optimal?

Anyway: I want to retain the ability to do decline benches if I want. I also want to be able to do decline ab crunches--even though I've many other ab exercises I can do. And now there's the decline pullovers. (Just ordered an EZ Curl bar for the cable machine for those. I'll try 'em with my DBs, as well.)

The Family CFO is balking a bit at my wanting to buy a $600 bench. "Do you realize how much you've spent on that stuff?" she asked. "Yeah, I do," I replied, and thought "And I'm afraid to tell you the number"

[thedickus]

Don't really feel like spending $600 on a bench (bench + decline attachment + pad extension [I'm tall]), nor dealing with selling the bench I have, but, I think I'm gonna have to.

I'm hoping IM has either a Memorial Day or Independence Day sale to take some of the sting out

In the meantime: The bench I have works--even if it's far from optimal.

You might be able to find the original IM SuperBench on the used market. The knock against it was that it was taller than the Pro version which I think is at 17.5" I think some of the basic attachments will work for either version

[Michiganian]

You might be able to find the original IM SuperBench on the used market.

I tried that first time around. Came up bupkis. Looked again this time. Same.

The knock against it was that it was taller than the Pro version which I think is at 17.5"

Which would defeat one of the purposes: Which is to get the lower height

I'm tall, so, with my current bench, I can plant my feet flat when, for example, benching, but, it doesn't feel optimal. So my current bench is adequate. I'll probably just live with it until IronMaster puts the Pro on sale again.

[BiGx5MurF]

Hardly. I'm trying to get rid of the moobs


Already doing seated presses. (I don't have enough clearance downstairs to do them standing.)

Doing my research I'm finding two opinions on decline benches: Useful and waste of time. Since it's my upper chest that needs the work I suppose I'll forgo them for now.


I'm going to try alternating between flat and incline on different chest days. I'm doing an A/B Starting Strength/Fierce 5 Novice program. I did flat benches yesterday. Next "A" day I'll try incline.

I've read 30-40° is optimal?

Anyway: I want to retain the ability to do decline benches if I want. I also want to be able to do decline ab crunches--even though I've many other ab exercises I can do. And now there's the decline pullovers. (Just ordered an EZ Curl bar for the cable machine for those. I'll try 'em with my DBs, as well.)

The Family CFO is balking a bit at my wanting to buy a $600 bench. "Do you realize how much you've spent on that stuff?" she asked. "Yeah, I do," I replied, and thought "And I'm afraid to tell you the number"

For upper chest development, you might want to try overhead presses instead. Better than incline bench IMO.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

Hardly. I'm trying to get rid of the moobs


Already doing seated presses. (I don't have enough clearance downstairs to do them standing.)

Doing my research I'm finding two opinions on decline benches: Useful and waste of time. Since it's my upper chest that needs the work I suppose I'll forgo them for now.


I'm going to try alternating between flat and incline on different chest days. I'm doing an A/B Starting Strength/Fierce 5 Novice program. I did flat benches yesterday. Next "A" day I'll try incline.

I've read 30-40° is optimal?

Anyway: I want to retain the ability to do decline benches if I want. I also want to be able to do decline ab crunches--even though I've many other ab exercises I can do. And now there's the decline pullovers. (Just ordered an EZ Curl bar for the cable machine for those. I'll try 'em with my DBs, as well.)

The Family CFO is balking a bit at my wanting to buy a $600 bench. "Do you realize how much you've spent on that stuff?" she asked. "Yeah, I do," I replied, and thought "And I'm afraid to tell you the number"

30° will hit the clavicular head and upper pecs with some front delt as well, it's a solid angle to incline bench at no doubt. 40° is gonna emphasis front delt more and some clavicular head (not necessarily a bad thing if that's the area you want to bring up, it might however beat up and stress your front delt more though, but everyone's body is different). 20° in my opinion brings up the upper chest perfectly and is a very comfortable angle to incline bench from, it's my favorite angle hands down with 30° coming in second.

I never did the cable variation of decline pullovers, but I've heard good things about it, in fact Bill Pearl has wrote about these exercises in his book and I imagine them bringing a good pump to the lats, triceps and pecs. I dig the DB version since it's space friendly and I've always got a good deep stretch from it...its been one of my old school moves I've done over the years. I'll might try the cable version sometime too and see how it feels.

[Michiganian]

For upper chest development, you might want to try overhead presses instead. Better than incline bench IMO.

I do those already. (Seated DB presses, because I don't have the ceiling clearance for standing barbell or DB presses.)

Those primarily hit the front delts, though, rather than the pecs.

20° in my opinion brings up the upper chest perfectly and is a very comfortable angle to incline bench from, it's my favorite angle hands down with 30° coming in second.

To each their own, but, everything I've read, and what the co-owner of my last gym told me, was 30° was optimal.

Though the flatter the bench, the lower on the chest the emphasis.

I dig the DB version [of the decline pullover] since it's space friendly and I've always got a good deep stretch from it...

You ain't kiddin'!

Just for grins I set my bench for decline and gave 'em a try yesterday afternoon. Man, you can feel that stretch all the way down into the pelvis. I did two sets of those (light weight--only eight and fifteen pounds on the DBs), alternating with sets of decline ab crunches. It was a nice, light, short workout for recovery day

Ran across incline cable pullovers while I was looking at YT videos on decline pullovers. Not certain what the differences are. Maybe not as much stretch down to the bottom?

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I do those already. (Seated DB presses, because I don't have the ceiling clearance for standing barbell or DB presses.)

Those primarily hit the front delts, though, rather than the pecs.


To each their own, but, everything I've read, and what the co-owner of my last gym told me, was 30° was optimal.

Though the flatter the bench, the lower on the chest the emphasis.


You ain't kiddin'!

Just for grins I set my bench for decline and gave 'em a try yesterday afternoon. Man, you can feel that stretch all the way down into the pelvis. I did two sets of those (light weight--only eight and fifteen pounds on the DBs), alternating with sets of decline ab crunches. It was a nice, light, short workout for recovery day

Ran across incline cable pullovers while I was looking at YT videos on decline pullovers. Not certain what the differences are. Maybe not as much stretch down to the bottom?

If your bench goes to a true 20° then give incline bench a try at that angle, it's not as low as you think it would be and gives a great ROM and hits just right on the upper chest. 30° is also solid with a bit more clavicular head being hit.

As for the co-owner of the gym telling you what's optimal, exercise your own experiences into your workouts to determine what's "Optimal" for you...even what I state as my staple moves may, or may not be for you personally, but what I do know is that they work for me. I also incorporate both angles for a bit more variety on my split...I just am biased towards 20° more.

Incline cable pullovers I would imagine stress the long head of the triceps more, while the decline cable pullovers (similar to the DB and barbell versions) are gonna emphasize the lats, chest and a bit of triceps to a lesser degree.

All in all, don't over think it and pick what works best for you and use it for a good while so you get better at it and see results.

[Greybird2]

I do those already. (Seated DB presses, because I don't have the ceiling clearance for standing barbell or DB presses.)

Those primarily hit the front delts, though, rather than the pecs.


To each their own, but, everything I've read, and what the co-owner of my last gym told me, was 30° was optimal.

Though the flatter the bench, the lower on the chest the emphasis.


You ain't kiddin'!

Just for grins I set my bench for decline and gave 'em a try yesterday afternoon. Man, you can feel that stretch all the way down into the pelvis. I did two sets of those (light weight--only eight and fifteen pounds on the DBs), alternating with sets of decline ab crunches. It was a nice, light, short workout for recovery day

Ran across incline cable pullovers while I was looking at YT videos on decline pullovers. Not certain what the differences are. Maybe not as much stretch down to the bottom?

DB presses not the same. Might be better to incline as high as your bench can go and barbell press.

[Michiganian]

DB presses not the same. Might be better to incline as high as your bench can go and barbell press.

Heh. It had never occurred to me I could do seated (barbell vertical) presses now that I have my squat stand.

Today's routine includes presses. So that's what I'll do today, instead of DB presses. Thanks for the suggestion!

(Before having the squat stand I was reluctant to try them for fear of failing a lift and dropping the bar on my lap.)

[thedickus]

Heh. It had never occurred to me I could do seated (barbell vertical) presses now that I have my squat stand.

Today's routine includes presses. So that's what I'll do today, instead of DB presses. Thanks for the suggestion!

(Before having the squat stand I was reluctant to try them for fear of failing a lift and dropping the bar on my lap.)

I bought the Seated Press Pad for Super Bench/PRO a while back. If you do go the IM Super Bench route it's something to consider. I don't like military/front presses with a high pad that runs up to the back of my head. I prefer to lean my head back out of the way. I used to connect the preacher attachment to my PowerTec utility bench and just turn around and use it as a short back bench. I don't mind the pad going all the way up on behind the neck presses, just not for front presses.

[Greybird2]

Heh. It had never occurred to me I could do seated (barbell vertical) presses now that I have my squat stand.

Today's routine includes presses. So that's what I'll do today, instead of DB presses. Thanks for the suggestion!

(Before having the squat stand I was reluctant to try them for fear of failing a lift and dropping the bar on my lap.)

You will find them hard. But, that is good.

[Michiganian]

I bought the Seated Press Pad for Super Bench/PRO a while back. If you do go the IM Super Bench route it's something to consider. I don't like military/front presses with a high pad that runs up to the back of my head.

I think that may not be an issue with the v2 version of the bench?



I'm pretty tall. But, if it turns out to be, yeah: Looks like a good option.

You will find them hard. But, that is good.

Yup. Otherwise: What's the point?

[thedickus]

I think that may not be an issue with the v2 version of the bench?



I'm pretty tall. But, if it turns out to be, yeah: Looks like a good option.


Yup. Otherwise: What's the point?

Cool, they added a third higher seat position. It says it makes the top of the pad 24.5" above the seat at the highest position. The Seated Press Pad says it makes the top of the pad 21" above the seat. Then yes, that shouldn't a problem. It also make it more like a shorter back utility bench, you can easily pick up a dumbbell or curl bar right off the floor in front of you for overhead extensions. With the Seated Press Pad you still have the majority of the bench extending out in front of you. IM really did listen and address many concerns on this version. I've got a bunch of their stuff, aside from their prices rising (like everyone else's) my issue with them has always been that they nickel and dime you on all of the add-ons. Looks they've included a couple here.