Phoenix isn’t a company that can compete with the big boys in terms of offering top of the line weight benches with a max weight capacity over a thousand pounds, but for the price, their newest Olympic weight set is worth a second look.
The Power Pro Olympic weight bench by Phoenix features flat, decline, and incline positions and comes equipped with a lat tower, leg lift, and a preacher curl attachment.
Built tough, the thicker steel frame is designed to handle a heavier weight load, so this bench would be a good option for both beginners and advanced lifters.
Overview and Features
This is not your average Olympic weight bench, in fact, many lifters found that it more closely resembled an adjustable bench. Because of the design, the adjustability is kind of a tradeoff for weight capacity. The average Olympic weight bench lift capacity is around eight hundred pounds up to one thousand pounds, but this bench has a low weight capacity of just four hundred pounds. While this won’t be a problem for many lifters, powerlifters will need a bench that can easily handle twice the weight load.
This weight bench also comes equipped with a built-in squat rack located on the rear of the bench, in addition to weight plate adapters.
The frame is covered by a one-year product warranty, which, for the price, is not very impressive.
Unlike a traditional Olympic weight bench, this model is adjustable, so it’s basically an adjustable weight bench with a higher weight capacity. This hybrid bench is perfect for light and heavy lifters and comes with a wide range of positions and attachments that are perfect for lifters in search of a bench that can provide a total body workout.
This versatile model is designed to cater to lifters of all fitness levels, so it’s definitely a bench you won’t quickly outgrow.
The bench is made out of a heavy-duty three-inch steel frame.
Measuring in at eighty-eight by eighty-three by sixty inches, this is a large fixed weight bench that will take up quite a bit of room in the home.
Made from high-grade three-inch steel, it’s also solidly built. The construction ensures that this is a weight bench that was built to last.
Wide Variety of Attachments
Equipped with multiple attachments such as a preacher curl, lat tower, and squat rack, this total body weight bench can offer the same type of workouts you get at the gym, but without the high annual membership fees.
Aside from these great attachments, the bench itself features multiple adjustment points so you can enjoy a wide range of resistances for your weight training workouts.
It has a four-hundred-pound max weight capacity, which is lower than the average weight capacity other Olympic weight benches offer, but higher than what you can expect from a standard adjustable bench. The leg lift attachment has a weight capacity of one hundred and fifty pounds, which is higher than average.
This bench is incredibly sturdy, so you won’t have to worry about the bench sliding or rocking when you’re lifting heavy.
In order to get heavier weight plates on the machine, the top leg pads on the leg extension attachment must be removed. This is a major design flaw that can really slow you down during a workout. Lifters will not able to put heavier weight plates on first, even after they’ve removed the leg extension attachment because the bolt for the attachment is clearly in the way. This means you’ll have to be careful to place the lighter weight plates on first.
For lunges or squats, lifters will appreciate the way the braces curl away from the bar’s location. However, lifting the bar can be difficult since you have to screw it in as opposed to an easy pop pin design that allows for a more seamless workout. Additionally, people over six feet tall will find that the bars cannot be raised as high as they would like.
Assembly
Assembly will take about two hours to complete. The included instructions were very vague, which made the process that much more difficult.
Pros
- Unlike other Olympic benches, this model features decline and incline positions. The included preacher curl and lat tower are removable and perfect for total body workouts.
- This model comes with a built-in squat rack.
- Comes with a total of three weight plate adapters and a few sets of spring clips.
- Extremely versatile, you can enjoy a total body workout without having to purchase extra equipment.
Cons
- Difficult assembly process.
- The preacher curl attachment can be difficult to adjust.
- The bench offers a lower than average weight capacity for an Olympic bench.
- With all the attachments, this bench will take up plenty of space in the home.
- This is a fixed model, so it can’t be moved and stored after a workout.
- Larger lifters felt that the lat pulldown was too small and difficult to use correctly.
- The company only covers the frame for one year and does not cover the attachments or padding at all.
- Changing the position of the bench during a workout can be difficult and time-consuming.
Home Workout Habit.com Product Rating:
This bench received plenty of mixed feedback for lifters. Lighter lifters and beginners were satisfied with the weight capacity and the benches’ overall performance, while heavy lifters and avid gym goers were disappointed in the difficult setup and adjustments, and lower than average weight capacity.
This isn’t the best weight bench on the market, and it doesn’t quite offer the same type of heavy lifting capabilities that you’ll enjoy from Olympic benches at the gym, but it does offer a decent weight capacity that’s perfect for most people who prefer to lift at home. If you’re looking for a bench that offers a higher max weight, check out the Fitness Reality X-Class Light Commercial Utility Weight Bench. Designed with a heavy-duty steel frame construction and equipped with a wide range of useful extras, this bench provides plenty of options for lower and upper body workouts.
The bench itself is not exactly a space saver, considering the wide range of attachments, but the fact that it offers a total body weight training workout makes it a steal for the price. We gave this bench a rating of four out of five stars.
