PRO FORM G680 Olympic Weight Bench + where to buy olympic sets

[Rapp]

Hallo Iedereen,

Irish man based in Arnhem looking for your advice and help, I can understand dutch very well and read it so if your english is bad please feel free to type in dutch.
I'm looking for information regarding this bench http://www.connection-fitness.co.uk/...544/index.aspx

There aren't many reviews available on the net but from what I have seen most are positive - bar some people saying they weren't informed it needed a 7' barbell - preferably olympic. Also it seems to be out of stock in a lot of shops so thats a good sign, or else its killed hundreds of people and being recalled!!!

I know there are better benches out there but my budget is 300 euros, its on the wehkamp right now for that price. What attracts me to it is the squat rack and safety system as I plan on working out from home now that I have a lot of space, so I wont have a spotter and love to nearly kill myself squatting haha. The lat bar and preacher curl are also very useful attachments in my opinion. I havent see a bench at the same price with all those features.

I would also like to know where is the best place to buy olympic weight sets? I'm living in Arnhem so can drive to Germany no problem. I saw this shop: http://www.sport-tiedje.nl/ or can I find better and cheaper as I don't want the best equipment just something that does the job at a decent price. I'm going back into football so don't need serious equipment or excess muscle bulk. This equipment is to regain the roberto carlos style thighs before the season starts.

Thanks in advance for your help/interest.
Regards,
Rapp

[Rapp]

Sorry its my first time using a dutch forum

[Rapp]

http://www.wehkamp.nl/w2/Winkelen/Ke...r=760732&AI=10

Thats the wehkamp link in case anyone else is interested in the bench. Also the zoom function is better with this link.

[toothpick]

perhaps the url below will help you

http://muscletotaal.nl/producten.php...aratuur&merk=%

[SHUTTERSPEED]

when buying abroad consider all the transportation costs and some additional taxes.
I think you can better buy something in holland

http://www.helisports.nl/
http://www.helisports.nl/tweedehands...pparatuur.html

http://www.fitness-seller.nl/

[b t s]

Hey Rapp, why not in search for a gym in arnhem their are a lot.
I live near arnhem and have heared that Multisports has some good equipment.
Also Stellingsport.
Or in Westervoort (place next to arnhem) has a good gym that has good equipment too.
And English is no problem whe have polish people too.

Because you want it for a sport i think a gym is easier for you then a homegym.

If youre not intrested in gyms but want to buy youre own, then this post is useless

[Rapp]

Origineel gepost door toothpick

perhaps the url below will help you

http://muscletotaal.nl/producten.php...aratuur&merk=%

Origineel gepost door SHUTTERSPEED

when buying abroad consider all the transportation costs and some additional taxes.
I think you can better buy something in holland

http://www.helisports.nl/
http://www.helisports.nl/tweedehands...pparatuur.html

http://www.fitness-seller.nl/

Thanks very much for those links guys, I found exactly what I'm looking for on those sites and the prices are pretty good too - well prices anywhere in the world are always better than in Ireland.
I like the look of the Marcy bench, url below, on your helisports.nl link SHUTTERSPEED and you brought up a very good point concerning taxes and transport costs, so thanks for that. I may as well buy bench and weights at the same place I reckon as it won't make much difference in cost anyway and delivery/collection will be easier.

http://www.helisports.nl/benches/Mar...alterbank.html

http://www.helisports.nl/gewichten/K...Plate-Set.html

I'm still not sure which weights to get so might end up buying an olympic 180cm bar and add on the weights separately. So if anyone has an opinion on that feel free to say something. The cheaper option would be:

http://www.fitness-seller.nl/product...t-117-5kg.html

but it looks to me like the length would be too short for that bench? Sorry but due to my dutch I'm not 100% sure (but 90% sure ).

[Rapp]

Origineel gepost door b t s

Hey Rapp, why not in search for a gym in arnhem their are a lot.
I live near arnhem and have heared that Multisports has some good equipment.
Also Stellingsport.
Or in Westervoort (place next to arnhem) has a good gym that has good equipment too.
And English is no problem whe have polish people too.

Because you want it for a sport i think a gym is easier for you then a homegym.

If youre not intrested in gyms but want to buy youre own, then this post is useless

Thanks for posting mate, I am interested in gyms and I know the polish very well - we have a LOT more in Ireland than here in Holland particularly Limerick City where I'm from - I bet if you ask them a lot will know it rough place haha.
Its just easier for me to train at home right now because I have plenty of room, a new puppy that needs to be minded like a baby and generally concentrate better working alone.
I also don't wait very long between sets and often use supersets a lot as 'normal' bodybuilding does not work for me (6 week routines 1-2 mins rest between sets etc).
I have to change routines and 'shock my body' all the time so can't wait for equipment to become free! I would have to go into detail to say why but its mainly due to a strange mix of fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibres.

By the way you look like your doing very well for a 17 year old - next Arnold maybe

[SHUTTERSPEED]

Origineel gepost door Rapp

Thanks very much for those links guys, I found exactly what I'm looking for on those sites and the prices are pretty good too - well prices anywhere in the world are always better than in Ireland.
I like the look of the Marcy bench, url below, on your helisports.nl link SHUTTERSPEED and you brought up a very good point concerning taxes and transport costs, so thanks for that. I may as well buy bench and weights at the same place I reckon as it won't make much difference in cost anyway and delivery/collection will be easier.

http://www.helisports.nl/benches/Mar...alterbank.html

http://www.helisports.nl/gewichten/K...Plate-Set.html

I'm still not sure which weights to get so might end up buying an olympic 180cm bar and add on the weights separately. So if anyone has an opinion on that feel free to say something. The cheaper option would be:

http://www.fitness-seller.nl/product...t-117-5kg.html

but it looks to me like the length would be too short for that bench? Sorry but due to my dutch I'm not 100% sure (but 90% sure ).

for that marcy bank i think a 180 cm bar will not be a problem. when you want to buy a bar and weights (from different sites) just look at the diameter of the bar.
There are 30 mm and 50 (sometimes 51 but thats same as 50) so don't make the mistake buying a 30 mm bar and 50 mm weights

[Rapp]

Origineel gepost door SHUTTERSPEED

for that marcy bank i think a 180 cm bar will not be a problem. when you want to buy a bar and weights (from different sites) just look at the diameter of the bar.
There are 30 mm and 50 (sometimes 51 but thats same as 50) so don't make the mistake buying a 30 mm bar and 50 mm weights

Well mate this is the one of my main points in this post, the original bench I was thinking of buying (proform) is ONLY suitable for 7 feet or 220cm bars and it took hours of googling and translating an italian bodybuilding site with babbelfish to find that out!
What idiots that company must be, the same is true with other benches from proform I have looked at - lack of information. I know a person should be able to guess from the product dimensions but still a bench should come with recommendations as to what bar fits it.
By the way that italian is going to a steel factory to get a barbell custom made LOL - very hard to get olympic weights in italy or their price is $$$$$$$!

I should have explained the situation more clearly, I was bodybuilding from 16-23ish, so I have no problems getting a very ordinary bench and using almost exclusively free weights bar a squat rack (which was homemade) and bench press but my GF is now getting into training so I have to cater for her needs and get all those attachments i.e. lat tower, preacher, legs extensions etc. But I only used olympic weights in gyms and a crap 120kg set of chrome weights at home.

Anyhow the Marcy bench allows for usage of 30mm and 50mm weights but thanks for the warning anyway. You've been very helpful. Saved me maybe 100euro.

[SHUTTERSPEED]

http://www.helisports.nl/benches/Mar...alterbank.html

I think 180 bar should not be a problem on this one but i can't guarantee.
I've bought a rack few weeks ago and first i also wanted to buy a 180 bar but luckily someone came up with the thought that it would probably not fit with the sleeves.
So i've ordered a 220.

good luck!

[Rapp]

Origineel gepost door SHUTTERSPEED

http://www.helisports.nl/benches/Mar...alterbank.html

I think 180 bar should not be a problem on this one but i can't guarantee.
I've bought a rack few weeks ago and first i also wanted to buy a 180 bar but luckily someone came up with the thought that it would probably not fit with the sleeves.
So i've ordered a 220.

good luck!

After speaking to my brother, fireman/tazmanian devil who breaks the doors down for his unit he strongly advised going for the Proform G680 and this set: http://www.helisports.nl/gewichten/K...Plate-Set.html

I hate to be a pain in the ass as in constantly changing my mind but I would like to know if anyone knows how exactly the squat rack/system works on the proform g680 or even a guess to how it works? The description makes it sound like its a smith machine but it looks far from that. Is it possible the sleeves move with you and the pin IS the safety mechanism whilst the straps hold the bar?

[SHUTTERSPEED]

the set can only handle a max of 140kg (bar + weights) - so look if thats enough

the safety spotter system is adjustable (the lower two small bars) and will catch the bar in case you can't hold on to it.
also the two bars from where you grap the bar while benching for example are adjustable (to make it easier to grap the bar for military presses, or decline bench)

[Rapp]

Origineel gepost door SHUTTERSPEED

the set can only handle a max of 140kg (bar + weights) - so look if thats enough

the safety spotter system is adjustable (the lower two small bars) and will catch the bar in case you can't hold on to it.
also the two bars from where you grap the bar while benching for example are adjustable (to make it easier to grap the bar for military presses, or decline bench)

Thats pretty much exactly what I thought but didn't want to hear . Its a rather strange looking futuristic bench with slightly misleading information IMO. I thought it MAY have been possible to rack the bar at any phase in the motion but for 300euros that was a bit presumptive or dumb of me.

The proform is rated to 275kgs total and the Marcy 880M is rated to 270kgs - both have a max of 140kgs on the squat rack but the proform doesnt need the bench removed to squat and the spotter system is better.

140kgs would be enough as I wouldn't intend on doing low reps alone on the squat, anyway higher reps work better for me 15-18 and I always managed to get out of difficulty in the squat by resting 3 seconds at the bottom, aside from the one time I fucked 100kgs or so onto my parents floor as a teenager - that made a nice 5 cm dent hahaha - some ligament in my elbow slid over the bone so had to throw it off.
I'm sure you know judging by your post count and knowledge about how you gain back ATP muscle power (40% approx) by waiting 3 seconds - its been a while so don't quote me on that.
Sorry for singling you out and talking so much but its just a pity my dutch isnt good enough to join in on the other forums as I believe I have some interesting stuff to tell e.g. - I am a former sports science student and had muscle tissue samples taken (biopsy) they thought I was a mutant due to the very strange results of my muscle fibres - calves chest biceps were approx 80-100% slow twitch whilst shoulders, triceps and all back muscles were nearly 100% fast twitch.
They always say its genetics but in childhood and your early teens you can change those fibres as I was an endurance athlete aged 9-15. That was their conclusion anyway.

[Rapp]

One more thing before you want to shoot me or yourself for my rambling on. If you had 500 euros or so, what bench + weights would you buy? I don't even necessarily mean the benches and weights we've spoken about already.