Reflex flat bench vs Rogue West side bench

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

Overview and review of the Rogue Monster West Side Bench

Price: 1.195

This review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue Monster West Side bench will make every bencher happy, even the biggest ones. See the details in this article.

Overview of the Rogue West side bench

The Rogue Monster Westside bench has been built with the ideas of Louie Simmons in mind. It took the first Westside bench design to the Monster series. This is the ultimate bench press machine. If you have a bunch of football players running around who break normal benches and equipment, because they are so savage, this is the piece of equipment to go for.

The Rogue West Side Monster bench comes in black. It weighs 342LB with a footprint of 53''x34''. It is 54.75'' high and provides everything you need to train heavy bench pressing including extra large band holders at the bottom. The plate at the back also enables a spotter to get into the right position to spot a very heavy bench press. If you want to break world records or do a 300 pound with bands for reps competition, this is the bench you need.

How many clients should the Monster West side Bench bring you?

If you think that the Rogue Monster West side will bring you 4 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 2.400$ net new revenue against an investment of 1.195$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Pros of the Rogue west side bench

This will never break and provide support to even the biggest athletes you can dream up. Never have your Rhinos complaining or injured again because their equipment does not support their massive bodies.

Cons of the Rogue west side bench

This is overbuilt. I mean seriously overbuilt. Don't get this for your wife or kids, They will get frightened.

Alternatives to the Rogue west side bench

These are the Alternatives to the Rogue Monster West Side bench you can get on the same budget:

1x Rogue west side bench 2.0 @725$

This is the little sister of the Monster version of the bench. It still has the spotter platform so that someone can help on a 300 pound and more bench press which has been missed. This is still massive and will cover the needs of most people unless you are Thor who is being spotted by Brian Shaw.

Conclusion

The rogue west side bench is a tool fir the serious bench presser who moves a lot of weight. If you intend to have several people bench pressing more than 600 pounds in your gym, this is the one to get. For all others it is still a hell of a setup.

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".

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.