The Olympic Flat Bench is a weight room staple. The bench press is an exercise that defines athletes and bodybuilders simultaneously. It is often the first exercise those who aspire to be stronger do. After all, what good is any chest-thumping if you don’t have a strong one to beat upon? It is this popularity that has driven us to develop not one, not two, but four different Olympic Flat Benches. And while they look similar, all four of our Olympic Flat Bench options have key differences. Let’s dive in and see what they are.
Olympic Flat Bench
Our basic Olympic Flat Bench (3105) is likely what you picture when you think of an Olympic flat bench. Is has a flat pad and two uprights to hold a bar. That should be enough. But at Legend, we don’t do anything basic.
Our Olympic Flat Bench is made from fully welded, three inch square, 11 gauge steel. This means there’s no bolts to wiggle loose over time. It also means you won’t shimmy and shake, no matter how heavy your reps are. The tall bar catch tabs make it easier to rack the weight. We also added a second set of bar catches for extra safety. Both sets feature polymer wear guards to protect the bar knurling. We added another strip of polymer along the bottom side of each post. This protects the finish from plates we all know will get propped there between sets.
The bench pad itself is made of dense foam topped with 32-ounce, top-stitched upholstery. It sits 17 inches off the floor. Measuring a little over 45 inches long, it’s long enough to support even the tallest athletes. But since it’s just 10 and a half inches wide, it won’t get in the way of shoulder blades during reps.
The total dimensions of our standard Olympic Flat Bench are about 49 inches wide by 48 inches long, without factoring the width of the bar. This setup is ideal for smaller spaces, like home gyms or garage setups. For a more in-depth look at our Olympic Flat Bench, check out this blog post.
Olympic Flat Bench with Storage
Our Olympic Flat Bench with Storage (3150) is basically the same things as above, with a plate storage rack bolted to the back. That does mean that this unit is not technically fully welded, however, the only bolts are the four that hold the plate storage arms to the back of the fully welded Olympic flat bench. Since it’s only four bolts, there still isn’t much to worry about in terms of maintenance.
The storage offered on the 3150 is a whopping ten chrome-plated Olympic size pegs. So you can pack on as many plates as you conceive needing for whatever bench press exercises you’ll be doing. Loading and unloading the bar is easy with everything well within reach. And of course, the polymer wear guards on the sides of the uprights are still there, protecting the finish.
The same bench dimensions apply, but the dimensions of the overall unit are slightly different. The overall width is about 66 inches (without including the bar), while the length of the Olympic Flat Bench with Storage is approximately 74 inches.
Pro Series Olympic Flat Bench
Our Pro Series Olympic Flat Bench (3240) is our premier Olympic flat bench. Just looking at it, you can tell that it’s a top-of-the-line piece of weightlifting equipment. When you dive into the details though, it’s abundantly clear: there isn’t a more complete bench on the market!
This Olympic flat bench is not fully welded. It was, however, CAD developed to minimize the number of bolts required. Just four bolts means installation is easier and there are no compromises when it comes to stability and strength.
The angled uprights on the Pro Series Olympic Flat Bench keep the bar catches out of the way, but easily reachable, for freedom of movement. The scratch-resistant, 3/8-inch chrome-plated steel Multi-Catch Racking System has three bar catches. This provides additional safety throughout the rep range.
The bench itself is made of up high density foam. It is covered in top-stitched 32-ounce, stain-resistant upholstery. The pad is a little over 45 inches long to accommodate users of all heights. It is a “just right” 10 and a half inches wide. Perfect for support, but won’t get in the way during reps. The bench sits at just about 17 inches off the ground.
The flat feet of the Pro Series Olympic Flat Bench offer supreme stability. Welded onto these feet are four band pegs. This offers the opportunity to add bands for extra resistance during reps.
Welded onto the back of the uprights are ten chrome-plated, numbered Olympic size weight storage pegs. This means every plate you could need is immediately handy for quick changes between reps.
We’ve packed a lot of features into a footprint of 68 and a half inches long and about 68 inches wide (not including the bar). You’d be hard pressed to find a more complete bench than the Pro Series Olympic Flat Bench on the market!
Competition Flat Bench Press
Our Competition Flat Bench Press (3906) truly is a standalone piece. In fact, we did a deep dive on this one not too long ago. This piece was designed to meet all IPF standards for bench press. The bar height adjusts from 29 to 44 inches in one inch increments. It has chrome-plated bar catches with laser cut numbering to ensure accuracy. And only two frame bolts make for an ultra-rigid setup.
The pad is made of ultra-dense foam padding covered in double-stitched 32-ounce marine-grade vinyl. Competitive lifters need a sturdy base that doesn’t get in the way of their shoulder blades. The pad of our Competition Flat Bench Press sits 17” off the floor. It measures 51 ½ inches long by 12 inches wide, offering just the right support.
Wear guards along the bottom of the uprights allow you to lean plates against the frame without worrying about scratches. A welded-on spotter platform measures 18 by 30 inches and is made from diamond plate. It provides a stable space for a spotter to catch any missed lifts.
The total footprint of the Competition Flat Bench Press is 50 and a half inches wide (not including a bar) and 59 inches long. If you need a bench that meets all IPF standards and provides a sturdy base for the heaviest of lifts, this is the one!
