REP fitness AB-5200 adjustable bench vs Reflex Military bench

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness AB-5200 bench and the Reflex MIlitary bench. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Reflex Olympic Military bench

The Reflex Olympic Military bench comes in at $1.905 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

Most popular Rogue bench

This is an overview of the most popular Rogue benches based on views and click throughs for purchase on Marathon-Crossfit.com in 2020. If you want to dig deeper on the details of the data you can read what were the most popular rogue products in 2020.

These were the most popular rogue benches on Marathon-CrossFit.com in 2020. The rankings were as followed:

The Rogue AB3 is the most expensive bench you can get from Rogue. In return, you get a monster of a bench that can do incline and decline bench presses. I am not a huge fan of decline bench presses, especially for a home gym where you might pin yourself without any help around. Therefore I lean more towards the AB2. You can read the full review of the AB3 by following this link.

The Rogue AB2 is the little brother of the AB3. It is the same bench except that it is missing the mechanics to do decline benches. This makes it the best value for money bench from Rogue in my opinion. You can read the full review of the AB2 via this link.

The Rogue west side bench 2.0 is the bench of choice if you weigh more than 120kg and you are a huge fan of the west side method. In my opinion, you can get no bench which is as sturdy at this price point. This bench allows for all the band variations you can dream of and can take a 1000 pound bench press as long as you bolt it to the ground. If you are not a monster, this might be a little overkill. You can read the full review of the Rogue Westside bench 2.0 by following this link.

The Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 is a cheaper design than the AB2 which does the same thing. I personally prefer the pin and lock system of the AB2 as it is sturdier and leaves you with less risk of catching your fingers in it. The adjustable bench 2.0 is easier to adjust but more likely to slip a notch during exercise when not put in place correctly or catch a finger in the mechanics. You can read the full review of the Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 via this link.

The rogue combo rack could also be listed under racks. I chose to list it under benches because if you buy this instead of a power rack, you buy it for the competition bench and not for the squat stand. Compared to other combo racks in the market the price is decent and you will get a high-quality combo rack. It is not recommended if you are not already an experienced lifter. You can read the full review of the Rogue combo via this link.

Overview of the Reflex Military bench

The reflex Olympic military bench is a solid bench to securely do your seated military bench presses. This is a big piece of metal which will never break on you. No matter how big your athletes and the weights they will move, the reflex will not go anywhere. If you have problems with shifting benches based on your floor or the sheer size of your athletes than the reflex is the solution. The specifications of the Reflex military bench are:

Combination of 3×3 11ga. & 3/16-walled fully Tubular steel construction.
Powder Coated finish.
Plastic lined weight bar saddles.
Aluminum Spotter Deck.
Adjustable Saddles w/ 11 positions.
Weight storage.
7 position adjustable safeties.
Weight storage.
1in high-density foam pad.
Product weight 155 - 465LB
Length 38”-54.5”
Width 48”
Height 58” - 74.5”

As long as you have the floor space and very big athletes, the Reflex military bench is the right solution for you.

Pros of the Reflex Military bench

With the Reflex bench, you have the same set up for your military press each time you or your athletes step into the machine. With the weight of the machine, your athletes will be secure no matter how big the challenge. This is a great machine for a serious gym that reminds of the golden days of bodybuilding.

Cons of the Reflex Military bench

The Reflex military bench takes up quite a bit of floor space and is pretty limited in its applications. This makes it not an ideal option for home gyms or group class environments with changing demands.

Alternatives to the Reflex Military bench

Alternatives to the Reflex Olympic military bench are

The reflex decline bench tailors to the same idea as the military press machine. The decline bench press is a machine where you would need more security as for a military press. Therefore your money might be placed here unless you have a lot of bodybuilders in your gym or just like big things.

The reflex incline bench press has a fixed bench for incline bench presses. This makes a more secure setup as with a free-standing bench. This comes at a higher cost and a bigger need for floor space.

The Rogue AB3 bench would give you the option to move below $1000 while still being able to move the bench and allow for different setups. This is the only bench from Rogue which can also be used for decline bench presses.

Summary of the Reflex Military bench

The Reflex military bench will help with security and the same set up for military presses. If you want to move big weights on the seated military press this is the machine for you. Especially if you considered the ISO leg press you might want to consider the reflex range to make your budget stretch further.

Overview and review of the REP fitness AB-5200 adjustable bench

This is an overview of the REP fitness AB-5200 bench including pros, cons, and alternatives. The original was published under which rep fitness bench to buy. Follow the links for more details.

REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench $469

The REP AB-5200 is the current top dog among the REP fitness benches. It is easy to adjust, has a minimal gap between the lower and higher pad, and can be easily rolled around with it included pair of rolls. The full specifications of this bench are:

This product was designed by REP in the USA and is a Patent Pending Product.
11-7 gauge steel throughout 2x3" steel frame with a 1,000 lb capacity.
7 back pad adjustments with laser-cut degree markings in 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 85 degrees.
3 seat pad adjustments to find the perfect angle.
High-grip pad material with an ultra-dense foam core, backed by 3/4" plywood.
Ladder back design with cage. Nylon cover over bolts to protect the paint on the ladders.
Urethane-covered back pad handles.
Oversize stainless-steel handle and wheels with a low lift-off point for easy maneuverability.
Thick steel wheel guards to protect the wheels when being maneuvered, and to lessen tripping hazard.
Space-saving design allows the bench to be stored in an upright position.
Stainless logo plates.
Optional Spotter Deck sold separately.

Total Height: 18"
Total Pad Length: 55.25"
Back Pad Width: 12"
Pad Gap: 2.25"
Toal Footpring: 8.25 SQFT
Weight: 125lbs
3% Tolerance

You can not go wrong with this bench except for the price. This the most expensive bench from REP and you might opt for something else to push your savings further. Compared to the competition from Rogue Fitness you are saving a lot as you are still staying under $500 where the top range of Rogue fitness products can take you close to $1000.

Pros of the REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench

The pros of the REP AB-5200 are:

Easy-adjust
Good outside rack bench
Horizontal handle
Easier to move
Can be stored upright
85-degree incline
Spotter deck option
Less likely to catch fingers
Labeled degrees
Color options

The big pro of this bench is that it is easy to use and transport even though it is beefy. The horizontal handle at the base of the bench makes it easy to lock up and roll around. This makes it great outside the rack bench for all purposes on a free-weight area.

The incline options run up to 85 degrees and it can also be stored upright when in the flat position. This makes it easy to put this bench against a wall when it is not being used to free up some space. I personally also like that the highest option is not a true 90-degree angle as this is easier to train in while putting less strain on your shoulders.

REP Fitness also has three extra features on this bench compared to Its main competitor Ro hue Fitness. The mechanics for putting the bench up and down are protected by a little rail. This makes a lot less likely to catch your fingers in them. The angles for the different inclines are numbered so that you always know which degree you are training on. The last bonus is that REP Fitness offers different color options for its benches where Rogue only comes in black.

Cons of the REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench

The cons of the REP AB-5200 are

Gap in seat
Light compared to bigger benches
Price
Short seat

The seat has a gap and the lower part is always quite short. If you have a very big backside or it happens to fall on the gap in your bench press setup then you might want to go for the REP zero-gap bench instead.

Compared to other bigger benches from competitors this bench is fairly light. Within the REP range, it is the beefiest you can get, but other vendors offer some bigger benches specifically for powerlifters. This is only a consideration if you intend to be ch press more than 700 lbs on a regular basis on your bench. For all other scenarios, I personally think that the AB-5200 is more than enough.

The last thing is that this is the most expensive bench from REP Fitness you can get. That is nOt the definition of the ultimate bargain, even though REP fitness will already save you a lot of money competed to Rogue fitness.

Alternatives to the REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench

Alternatives to the REP AB-5200 are:

The REP zero Gap bench is a good alternative if you think you need a longer lower seat and no gap in the bench pad. The Zero gap also works with a push pin setup for the different incline settings which makes it more secure once it clicks in. The downside is that it can be a pain to adjust mid-session.

The Rogue AB2 adjustable bench works with a push pin mechanic and comes very close to the REP fitness Zero gap bench design. If you want your bench from the best vendor around and like the push pin design, this is it. I personally think that this bench is a little pricey even for Rogue standards.

The Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 is the closest design from Rogue to the REP AB-5200. I own this bench myself and if you have any worries about a gap I can assure you that it is virtually nonexistent for the Adjustable bench 2.0. Price-wise it is close enough to the AB-5200 to consider it if the rest of your gym is also from Rogue.

The TITAN max adjustable FID bench is TITAN’s approach to a beefy adjustable bench. Titan Fitness is the low-cost competitor in the home gym space to REP fitness and Rogue fitness. They are known to have more quality issues on minor things like the coating and welds but make up for it with dumping prices.

Conclusion for the REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench

The REP AB-5200 is an excellent bench for the price tag and will be beefy enough for all your needs in a home or commercial gym. You can not do a lot wrong here unless you are super worried about the gap in a bench, which this model has a minimal one of. The best alternative would be the Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 it a slightly higher price.