Rogue AB3 vs Reflex Military bench

This is a comparison between the Rogue AB3 bench and the Reflex Military bench including pros, cons and alternatives. 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

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 Rogue AB 3 Adjustable bench

The Rogue AB3 bench comes in at $935 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 Rogue AB3 Adjustable bench

The AB3 Adjustable bench is the next generation bench of the AB2. The AB3 adds decline positions to the setup to make it possible to either bench incline, flat or decline. It made from 11 Gauge steel and is a direct descendent of the Nebula 1080 bench. It also comes on rolls and can be maneuvered around easily. The Rogue AB3 has the following specifications:

Adapted from the Nebula 1080 "Awesome" Utility Bench
Includes NEW Decline Bench feature
6 Adjustable Seat Settings
9 Adjustable Back Pad Settings
Weight: 117LB
Length (with bench flat): 68"
Pad Width: 12"
Height: 18"
Steel: 2x2" and 2x3" 11-Gauge Steel

Which makes it the most versatile one in the Rogue line up.

Pros of the Rogue AB3 Adjustable bench

The AB3 is the most versatile bench out of the Rogue line up. You can use it on the entire gym floor and give it the most possible setups to bench press.

Cons of the Rogue AB3 Adjustable bench

For a portable bench, the AB3 comes in at a high price. The attachment which makes it possible to decline bench might also not be for everyone. Especially powerlifters and big athletes might feel like that this addition to the bench is more of a hindrance than a value add.

Alternatives to the Rogue AB3 Adjustable Bench

Alternatives to the Rogue AB 3 bench are

The AB2 is the bench as the AB3 just without the option to do decline bench presses. If you want a big bench that can be moved and don’t trust decline setups on portable benches this is the one for you.

The Rogue Westside 2.0 bench is a drop in for Rogue racks specialized for the Westside style training. It will provide a flat bench setup which can be effectively used with bands and chains to create a maximum variation on the flat bench press.

The Rogue Adjustable bench is the best value for money bench you can get from Rogue. They spent time and thought on perfecting the production process to make this their low-cost adjustable bench.

Summary for the AB3 Adjustable bench

The Roge AB3 is the Porsche in the Rogue portfolio when it comes to portable benches. As long as you don't mind the attachment at the end of the bench getting in your way.