Reflex decline vs flat bench press

This is a comparison between the Reflex decline bench and the flat bench press including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Reflex flat bench

The Reflex flat bench arm kit comes in at $1674 and is a great addition to your existing gym to widen the possible exercises you can do. This article was originally published in "Which bench to get to from Rogue".

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the Reflex Flat bench

The reflex flat bench is the sturdy design of the reflex line applied to a regular flat bench setup. You will get a solid piece of equipment with little moving parts apart from the barbell. This is a good setup for your big athletes who are moving big weights. The specifications of the Reflex flat bench are:

Combination of 3×3 11ga. & 3/16-walled fully Welded Tubular steel construction.
Powder Coated finish.
Plastic lined weight bar saddles.
Adjustable Saddles w/ 11 positions.
Weight storage.
7 position adjustable safeties.
Weight storage.
1in high-density foam pad.
Weight 167 - 470LB
Length 60” - 70”
Width 48”
Height 58” - 64”

The reflex flat bench will stay where you place it and go nowhere. This is especially good when you want to ensure the same setup each and every time you bench.

Pros of the Reflex Flat bench

A sturdy setup that keeps you safe, even when moving big weights around. Can also be used as central plate storage in the middle of multiple racks.

Cons of the Reflex Flat bench

Single-purpose use and not a lot of flexibility to change. Needs more floor space than other solutions you might come up with for the bench press.

Alternatives to the Reflex Flat bench

Alternatives to the reflex flat bench are

The reflex competition bench comes in only slightly more expensive than the flat bench version. In return, you get an IPF approved machine to practice for the real thing. Of you are considering a bench press setup like this you might as well spend the few extra to get the competition version.

The reflex decline bench press is the piece of equipment that I would get if I had the floor space left. Out of the different bench press variations, the decline is the one I feel most uncomfortable with when done on a free-standing bench. The reflex decline would address this.

The AB3 bench is Rogues portable bench which can be used for flat, incline and decline setups. As it is on rolls it might not be as stable as the Reflex series, but if you are not a beast, this will be more than sufficient to get your work done.

Summary for the Reflex Flat bench

The reflex Olympic flat bench is not something I personally would consider. I would either go for the decline or competition bench press if I was in the market for a bench machine.

Overview and review of the Reflex Olympic decline bench

The Reflex Olympic decline bench press comes in at $1882 and is a great addition to your existing gym to widen the possible exercises you can do. This article was originally published in "Which bench to get to from Rogue".

Overview of the Reflex Decline bench

The Reflex decline bench provides you with a sturdy decline bench press setup for the big boys. This bench is going nowhere no matter how big the weights or athlete. You will have the bench set up steady so that you will always have the same setup. There are also safeties in place. Overall a solid piece of equipment, especially when your gym is specializing in big guys or bodybuilding. The specifications of the Reflex decline bench are:

Combination of 3×3 11ga. & 3/16-walled fully Welded Tubular steel construction.
Powder Coated finish.
Plastic lined weight bar saddles.
7 position adjustable roller pads.
Adjustable Saddles w/ 11 positions.
Weight storage.
7 position adjustable safeties.
1in high-density foam pad
145 - 450 LB
Length 62”-92”
Width 48”
Height 47”-53”

This is a good addition to your gym when you have a lot of space and many big guys or very new athletes.

Pros of the Reflex decline bench

The sheer size of this will make it a favorite for all your athletes who don’t fit into other machines. Once a transportable bench becomes too small, you probably want to graduate to this beast. Some might also appreciate that the bench will always be set up at the same distances. This is hard to achieve with a transportable version. The reflex decline also provides space for plates and is a good addition to any gym with plenty of floor space.

Cons of the Reflex decline bench

The reflex decline bench press is not very versatile. If you do a lot of circuit training and have little room, it probably won’t be the best investment. It takes up a lot of floor space and can be intimidating to some clients. If you are planning a home gym it is pretty much out of the question, unless you live in a mansion.

Alternatives to the Reflex decline bench

Alternatives to the reflex decline bench are

The reflex incline basically does the same as the decline setup, just for an incline bench setup. Again you need a lot of space in return for security.

The reflex military bench takes the incline and decline approach and uses it for the military press. Again you are taking up more space in return for being able to move bigger weights more secure.

The Rogue AB3 is a portable bench from Rogue which can be set up for incline and decline benches presses. This will probably the tool of choice for anyone who wants to build their home gym.

Summary for the Reflex decline bench

The reflex decline bench machine is probably the piece of equipment I would consider the most from reflex. The decline bench press is the one where you most need a secure setup. All other forms of bench presses I am personally happy to do with a bench and barbell in a rack. I might feel different if I did those with more than 300 pounds for repetitions.