I tested this high-end piece of gear for two months—and it was even better than I expected.
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I DON’T USUALLY spend much time thinking about the weight benches I use for strength training. When I’m in a gym, I’m more concerned about snagging whichever station is open amidst the hustle and bustle of the weight room floor. When I train at home, I’m just thankful that I have a stable platform for my pressing, rowing, and Bulgarian split squats instead of having to sub in a couch or folding chair, which I used to do before I upgraded my setup a few years ago to include a basic adjustable bench.
I wasn’t expecting a major improvement to my strength training practice when I received my Life Fitness Multi-Adjustable Bench review unit to test, thinking that my experience would remain largely unchanged. The bench didn’t push me to change my routine—I've used it now for the better part of two months, for everything from flat and incline bench presses to Bulgarian split squats and barbell hip thrusts—but it has helped me to realize just how much better a top-tier piece of equipment can make a workout.
The first thing that struck me about the Multi-Adjustable Bench is just how big it is. When you're planning out your home gym, you might be looking for something that's compact. If you're working with a limited floor plan, this might not be your best bet. But if you don't have to worry about space, this type of heft will only be helpful for your training. Officially, the measurements are 58” x 29” x 17” (147 x 73 x 43 cm), making it more than long enough at almost five feet for even the tallest lifters to get in position for prone pressing. I did notice that the Multi-Adjustable Bench was a bit shorter than the one I had been using when I put it inside a rack for bench presses, but this wasn't a major problem. I just readjusted the height of my bar catches and went about my workout.
The weight of the unit itself is noticeable compared to other benches. The Multi-Adjustable Bench weighs 110 pounds, so it's not something you'll be able to heft without effort when you need to move it off the floor. I had to help the delivery guy carry the unit through my narrow railroad apartment into my yard out back, and it was a challenge to navigate the space. Once you've got it on the ground, however, the wheels on the back end allow for smooth maneuvering. I haven't had any problems pulling it around my yard, even though it's an uneven, rocky surface. There's a pair of pegs on the front you can grab to make this easier.
Controlling the bench angle is simple, with a pair of tabs beneath the seat and back pad that lock in and out with a firm pull. I've had moments using other benches where shifting between settings is a pain, either too easy (and therefore at risk of flipping out of the desired setting once you put your back onto the pad) or possessing a mechanism that takes multiple steps to shift between settings. That was never the case here. There are seven angles for the back pad (one decline at -10º, then flat 0º, and inclines of 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 70°) and three for the seat (0°, 15°, 30°).
I did most of my work at either flat or the 45-60º inclines, and was pleased with how stable the bench was as I was pumping through reps, whether I had my back on the pad for presses or flipped onto my chest for rows. There was no shakiness whatsoever, which has also been a problem I've had with less premium benches. This thing is built like a tank.
The bench's leather-like pads aren't too stiff, but they don't have too much give, either. That would be a major issue if there were too much cushion when it comes time to lock in my shoulder blades for a press, for instance. This is also good for leg-focused movements, like Bulgarian split squats and stepups. I've done both exercises a few times using the bench and had no issues with the pads being unstable. They also stayed surprisingly clean, even though the bench is not intended (or designed) for outdoor use. This was even with my sweating and outdoor use and storage too (I keep the bench under a tarp, but it stays outside). I've had it for two months, and I wouldn't be shocked if it looks exactly the same five years from now.
Lots of workouts don't absolutely require the stability that the Multi-Adjustable Bench provides—utilitarian flat benches that you'll find in CrossFit gyms can do the job for most of your movements, and a basic adjustable bench will let you add the incline component to your training—but I did run into one exercise that made the heft of my test unit really shine: the barbell hip thrust. I was doing a workout in my yard and set up to do the move with a basic Rogue flat bench. The moment that I set my shoulders against the pad, the bench shifted backwards. It was much too light to handle this type of movement. That wasn't going to work, unless I took more time and energy to set up counterweights.
Once I pulled the Multi-Adjustable Bench from its spot in my rack and got into position, there was no such issue. The bench is stable enough that I could load plenty of weight onto the bar (225 pounds, in this case) and thrust away without the platform budging. This demonstrates that it's a much more complete piece of equipment, since I can depend on it for the whole range of exercises for which I'd use a bench.
I have no doubt that I'm able to do more with this premium bench than I would with a more basic unit. That's how you should look at it if you're interested in using it, too. This is a commercial-grade, high-level piece of gear for upscale fitness clubs and the most lavishly kitted-out home training setups. There's not a price currently listed on the Life Fitness site (you'll have to request a consultation if you're interested in getting one yourself), but reps told me it runs for $1549. That's much more expensive than many standard benches—but this isn't a piece of equipment that's standard. If you're getting this type of thing, you're looking for an elevated experience. From my testing, that's exactly what you'll get.
Brett Williams, a senior editor at Men's Health, is a NASM-CPT certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.
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