Which is the BEST weight bench for tall guys?

If you’re a tall person you will be used to having to research sports equipment before you buy it to make sure it’s BIG enough for you. Weight benches are no different as if the bench is not long or high enough it will feel really cramped and prohibit your ability to use leg drive in your workouts. Here is what you need to know when looking for a tall-person-friendly bench:

The best bench for tall people in the UK is…

There are a few fantastic options for weight benches suited to tall people – even in the UK 😉 

Best overall: Bulldog Gear Adjustable Bench 2.0

Bulldog have a REP AB-5000 bench clone available in the UK. The design of the REP bench is excellent for tall guys as the bench is absolutely COLOSSAL. Seriously!

• 12” / 30cm back pad width is the wider of the two options commonly found (10” vs 12”)
• 147cm (one hundred and forty seven!) – Incredibly long bench and EASILY long enough for the tallest of lifters. That’s almost 5 FEET of bench alone! 
• 11 gauge steel with 450kg weight capacity – high enough for almost anyone!
• Zero pad gap adjustment so can be used as a mega-long flat bench!
• You can check out my full review of this bench right here

Overall this is easily the best bench for tall guys. There are several 7ft guys in America using the REP bench with no complaints.

Runner up: Rogue AB-3 Adjustable Bench

Known for their awesome kit, the Rogue AB-3 is awesome. The design is VERY similar to the REP AB-5000 and the Bulldog Gear 2.0 above. The Rogue loses out here on price – it is incredibly expensive in the context of the other benches mentioned. 

If you have the budget and like the brand however you will not be disappointed with the Rogue AB-3!

What do tall people need from a weight bench?

If you’re over 6 foot tall you will be used to dealing with the compromises the come from being tall. If you’re shopping for a weight bench there are a few extra considerations for you to deal with compared to shorter shoppers:

So what’s the problem tall people face?

Basically you can end up cramped on to a bench that is simply TOO SMALL. Have you ever sat on a kids chair at a family event? Yep – that feeling of discomfort can carry over to the gym as well! We don’t want our head or back hanging off our bench when we’re lifting. We need an absolutely SOLID base to facilitate lifting as much weight as possible!

Long torso vs legs

Your body geometry will impact your bench choice – if you have a long torso you will likely want a bench with a long back pad so you can lie comfortably on it.

Long legs are a little easier to work around as you can splay them out when benching, but if you’re particularly leggy you may want to look for a taller bench such as the original Ironmaster Superbench (50cm / 20” high) compared to the relatively standard 45cm / 17”.

If you have ambitions to compete the IPF (international powerlifting federation) specifications for a bench is a height of 42cm – 45cm. They are far looser on the length with a simple minimum of 1.22m being outlined so we can go crazy with a super long bench if we like, as long as it’s not too tall!

Weight capacity and width do NOT need to change due to height alone

These do NOT need to change just because someone is tall (or short). A good quality bench will have enough capacity that almost anyone should be able to lift on it comfortably therefore a few extra kilos of body weight really won’t push the boundaries of a decent bench. 

Benches are typically 10” or 12” wide which has largely become standard with reputable manufacturers. If a bench is too wide it will impinge on your range of motion as you lower weights (your elbows coming down at around 45 degrees from your shoulder) so going beyond 12” wide increases the risk of this becoming an issue. If it’s too narrow then it will feel like a less secure base if you protrude too far over the sides.

Flat vs Adjustable bench: Which is best for tall lifters?

For a home gym an adjustable bench is more versatile in most situations and therefore what I recommend most people start with if they can afford to buy a good quality one. If you can’t stretch your budget, then an excellent flat bench is a better buy than a very poor adjustable bench in my opinion.

Specifically for tall guys the length of the bench is the most important aspect and you can get both long and short options for flat or FID benches. Note that the length of most FID benches will be stated when FLAT – so the seat pad PLUS the back pad, so when inclined the back rest will shorten accordingly.

Conclusion

If you are a tall person you will no doubt have had a few struggles buying equipment or sports kit in the past – weight benches are unfortunately no different. The best weight benches for tall people are those that have a LONG back pad so you can get comfortable when lifting. Height is less important as we can splay our legs to work around any limitations of a standard 17” bench.

Tall people rejoice – you CAN buy a weight bench big enough to comfortably lift on!