Universal 5 Position Weight Bench Review

Whether you are looking for a weight bench with a stronger design that can support heavier dumbbell workouts or want to upgrade your current bench, you will find the Universal 5 Position Weight Bench a strong contender. This bench is made by Nautilus, one of the leading manufacturers that build gym equipment catering to beginner athletes.

The Universal Five-Position Weight bench is simple and inexpensive, and therefor perfect for beginners. However, don’t let the price fool you. The bench is also sturdy and made with commercial grade steel that will make it last for years.

The steel is covered with vinyl upholstery, which can be easily wiped after use.The bench is cheap in price (see price) but not in quality. You can own this bench for about a hundred dollars and enjoy the variety of features that will suit your style of training.

The bench has a few drawbacks, but honestly, its benefits are way more than the negatives. This workout bench is a great buy for beginner bodybuilders.

Universal 5 Position Weight Bench Overview

1. Design

The workout bench has a thick padding for the back support and seat to ensure your workout is as comfortable as possible. The padding has been contoured to allow for greater freedom of movement around the shoulders. This feature is important as you need to be able to move your shoulders easily when performing pressing type movements so as to bring he weight down and get maximum benefit from each rep.

Like the name suggests, there are 5 different positions that can be achieved with this bench. The positions range from a 10° incline to a 45° incline. The workout bench cannot reach a vertical position.

For most people, the Universal Five-Position Weight Bench is perfect for their home or garage gyms. However, if you feel having the vertical position is important for your workouts, you can check out the Bowflex SelectTech Series 5.1 bench.

The Universal Five-Position workout bench comes with foam rollers attached at the front. The rollers help to keep the body in a fixed position and prevent you from sliding down the back support when the bench is in decline position.

Universal 5 Position Weight Bench Features Summary

• Compact workout bench measuring 17″ x 25″ x 51″.
• Has a maximum weight rating of 430lbs (maximum user weight and lift load) and 250lbs (maximum user weight).
• Has stabilizer levelers that provide a stable base on any type of floor.
• The 5” foam rollers and contoured backrest shape ensure a comfortable and safe workout.
• Allows you to work out your entire core and upper body.
• 5 adjustable positions (-10°, 0°, 15°, 30° and 45°) for dozens of exercises.
• Fairly lightweight at only 33.4lbs, which means it is easier to lift.
• Made from strong durable steel. The bench will last for years.

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Exercise Options

The Universal 5 Position Weight Bench allows you to perform a range of exercises that cannot be accomplished with standard flat workout benches.

When you set the backrest in decline position, you can perform decline sit-ups and crunches to build your abs. At the same position, you can target your lower chest development by performing decline bench press.

The foam rollers on the bench allow you to tuck your feet behind for support in the decline position. If you don’t intend to use the bench at decline, you can remove the rollers without affecting its strength or aesthetic appeal.

Below are some exercises you can perform on the bench with a high quality set of dumbbells:

• Decline dumbbell flys
• Decline sit-ups
• Elevated lunges
• Dumbbell pullovers
• Lying tricep extensions
• Flat dumbbell press
• Seated side lateral raises
• Seated hummer curls
• Incline dumbbell curls
• Incline dumbbell flys

Pros of Universal 5 Position Weight Bench

• Makes workouts comfortable and safe
• It looks great in both commercial and home gyms
• Very affordable for beginners
• Made by a company with a strong fitness equipment reputation
• Light in weight and hence easy to move around during workouts

Cons of Universal 5 Position Weight Bench

• Cannot incline to 90°
• The leg holder is in a weird position for some exercises
• The handle does not have a convenient frame and hence rolling the bench in different areas of the gym can be challenging

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Assembly and Installation

The bench is shipped in parts and so you will need to assemble it yourself. However, the good news is the bench comes with a couple of wenches to help you out. The bad news is that the wenches are not the best quality and hence you may need to find some from your toolbox that would work just as well, if not better.

The shipment comes with a parts diagram that shows how the bench should be assembled. While the instructions aren’t clear-cut, you will be able to figure out how to put the bench together after some time.

Warranty

The Olympic Five-Position Workout Bench is sold with a two year warranty for the frame and 30 days warranty for the padding. This is the standard warranty offered for most adjustable workout benches.

Customer Reviews of the Universal Five Position Weight Bench

Majority of customers on Amazon are happy with the quality and strength of the Universal Five-Position Weight Bench. Over 90 percent of customers have given the bench a 4 or 5 star rating (the highest available). (Read customers’ ratings)

One of the characteristic of the bench that customers are happy about is its weight. The bench is light in weight at only 33lbs. This is significantly lighter than most competing benches in its class that cost about thrice its price weight. The lightness of the bench means you can easily move it out of the way between workouts.

From majority of the reviews, the major concern seems to be that the decline position is not made particularly clear. For the bench to get on decline position, the support bar has to be lowered past the lowest support point.

Universal 5 Position Weight Bench Review Summary

One of the most efficient ways you can build mass and gain strength is through a simple free weight workout. Therefore, you need to find a workout bench that is stable and versatile for a variety of exercises. The Universal Five-Position Workout Bench is one of such benches,

The bench offers five positions of 10°, 0°, 15°, 30° and 45°, which will allow you to do dozens of exercises to build your core and upper body. The bench also ensures your workouts are safe and comfortable thanks to the 5’ foam rollers and the contoured shape.

The stabilizer levelers on the bench also ensure the bench remains stable no matter the type of floor it is being used on.

Overall, the Universal 5 Position Weight Bench is a great buy for beginner bodybuilders. The bench is very affordable, allows for many workout exercises and long-lasting. Check the price of the bench on Amazon.

Pros