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Very wide, flat bench - recommendations?

jj80

jj80

Member
As title suggests I'm after recommendations. So far considering the MM gymdirect flat commercial that has a 30cm back rest. 30cm would be the minimum I'd consider.

Trained at Brisbane PTC (great place, btw) recently and they had a bench which was wider, perhaps 34cm? Not quite sure on measurement, but it felt great. I have a feeling it was a very expensive import though.
 
Given the pros bench with a 30cm bench... exactly how wide are your shoulders?....

I'm a big guy and i find 25cm benches too narrow, but 30cm benches comfortable.

(however i'm getting a 28cm bench for home as it ticks my other boxes for an inclinable)
 
I have a 30cm wide bench. Looks to be made from the same factory as the muscle motion and force usa....

Bought it from power plus fitness in underwood for 200.

There is an equipment listing on ptc website. Should help you with your answer.

From memory its a force commercial bench combo.
 
The bench you used was a $2800 competition set up mate, not what you'll find at A-Mart ;)

Gym direct have a commercial falt bench that is almost as wide. I haven't seen anything better that is reasonablly priced.
My only issue with it is it's not flat, it's got rounded padding.
 
I thought it was really expensive. It's annoying that wide benches are so hard to find, even in the commercial models.

I might try some 30cm benches, or make my own by making something out of hardwood fence posts + wood top + gym floor padding with 10,000 nails that's indestructible.
 
Alpha Moth said:
"Gym direct have a commercial falt bench that is almost as wide. I haven't seen anything better that is reasonablly priced. "
Click to expand...

Read it again. Price aside, he knows of better.

And I wan't to know what this "better" is, price aside.
 
^^ perhaps he means his $2800 comp bench. The MM flat one is $300 so it's not really a cheap bench.

That said, there are lots of good benches they're just not wide enough. The MM FID one I have is actually really well suited to modification (rated to 250kg and the square hollow sections supporting the pad run all the way down its back)

Plan is 2 pieces of 34cm x (length of my current bench) plywood covered in gym mats (just got some for $18) then done up at an apolsterer's. If it's a success I'll post pics :)
 
I'm also looking to modify The MM standard flat bench (FBEV) I think it's 250mm and I want 300mm. Looks basic enough with ply a suitable foam and thankfully my manager is a former upholsterer by trade :) so he can make it look good ;)
 
Eleiko (4000)/Texas (2000)/ custom (2800) combo racks are the only benches I've used that are better.

These are not stand alone benches though, they can't be used in a power rack.
 
I took this bench:
Adjustable Flat Incline Bench (FIBEV)
and removed the 25cm-26cm wide (or so) backrest

Bought 1 sheet of 19mm ply. I made two sections 34cm wide and the same length as the existing backpiece, liquid nail glued them together then bolted them to the bench.

I covered them with this material which I cut to size with scissors:
NEW INTERLOCKING GYM FLOORING MATS EVA FLOOR TILES X 4 PIECES - YOGA STRETCHING | eBay

All up cost me $75 for the ply (heaps left over) + $18 for the gym flooring, and I have a pretty sturdy 34cm wide flat/incline bench. The padding's quite hard but I prefer it to too much padding. Could have got it done for less.

I have no idea how the ply will hold up, it's pretty strong looking but if I was to lift 150kg+ I might go for a single steel piece covered with gym flooring.
 
I bought the exact foam I linked above and doubled it up. Really I think you could just about bench on the hardwood itself. Use whatever padding u want, really. Add more till it gets to the comfort level you want.

It's really really simple, just 2 pieces of plywood with holes drilled in them - 4 holes, in the same position as the holes on the original pad - so it bolts straight up (although bolts are weaker as theyre going into wood).

I made a video but the quality is shit, combination of bad phone + poor lighting under my house. Sorry but the bench is too heavy to move it somewhere else and take a few snaps.

By the way this thing may collapse, or break off and hurt me, I have no idea. I think it's unlikely but in no way is this a well designed and tested modification. Copy me at your own risk....

My dark grainy video of the bench..... padding is not glued on as yet -
002 - YouTube
 
Don't know if I'd be using that floor mat material, I think you'd want something with a bit of slip to it for when you get into position on the bench.
 
I have the Force USA Commercial flat bench from gymandfitness.
30cm wide and thick hard padding that won't compress.
height is just outside IPF specs though, but I measured against ER bench and only 1cm higher. The only think I don't like is the wheels which are not needed
 
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