Product Reviews
Ironmaster Superbench
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Summary: The Superbench by Ironmaster is a sturdy, highly functional weight bench that provides commercial quality at a home-gym price.
Suggested list price at time of testing: $229 plus shipping
Rating: 9 (out of 10)
Reviewed by: Brad Schoenfeld, CSCS
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The Superbench by Ironmaster is as good a value as you will find in a home workout bench. The first thing you notice after removing the Superbench from the box is its sturdy design. Don't be fooled by its affordable price - this isn't some cheaply made piece of junk that wobbles when you lie on it. Constructed with the durability of a commercial piece of equipment, the Superbench is rugged and built to last. The twelve-gauge steel frame is a metallic powder-coated gray with chrome components, and is rated at 1000 pounds in the flat position and 600 pounds in incline/upright. The extra-thick backrest pad with stitched vinyl upholstery is extremely comfortable. Overall, the workmanship is top notch with an aesthetically pleasing design.
Set up of the unit is a snap. It took less than ten minutes to assemble (and I wouldn't call myself mechanically inclined). Secure four bolts into the feet of the bench and its ready to use. The tube design keeps the weight of the unit down to 60 pounds. Although it doesn't have wheels, it is fairly easy to move around and doesn't take up a lot of space.
Performance-wise, the Superbench is first-rate. It has eleven lockout positions, ranging from flat to incline to upright with the following capabilities: 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80 and 85 degrees (the crunch attachment is necessary for decline work). This provides tremendous flexibility for working your body from a variety of angles and trumps most benches costing a lot more. Since even slight shifts in training angle changes the recruitment pattern for your target muscles, this can help to avoid plateaus and produce distinct improvements muscular development over time.
Another nice feature of the Superbench is its expandability. Accessory attachments include a crunch/sit-up, dip bar handles, leg extension/leg curl, chin-up bar, and preacher curl pad. Rarely will you find such versatility in a home bench.
The only thing keeping the Superbench from receiving a perfect score is the seat design. Specifically, the seat slides into one of three slots on the bottom of the bench and, although attachment and removal of the seat is not overly burdensome, personally I would have preferred an all-in-one design with a flip-up/flip-down adjustment. Not only would this make the bench a bit more user-friendly, but it would avoid the inconvenience of having the seat lay around when not in use. In the overall scheme of things, though, this is really nitpicking. O the plus side, the seat aligns perpendicularly with backrest pad at any angle, thus preventing the danger of sliding off the bench during a lift.
Overall, the Ironmaster Superbench is a terrific buy, providing more features than benches costing considerably more money and doing so in a comfortable, sturdy package.
Highly recommended.
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