BowFlex 5.1S Bench : Sports & Outdoors

10 reviews for BowFlex 5.1S Bench : Sports & Outdoors

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   J. Edelstein – August 20, 2025

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Perfect for home gym

   I purchased the Bowflex 552 Dumbbells, Dumbell stand (2013), and Adjustable Bench 3.1. All three were great purchases and go together really well for a home gym so I’m bundling the review. Specifically, all 3 of these products looks great, are very sturdy, are easy to use and function exactly as intended. Plus it all shipped for free.The dumbells seem like a high initial cost but are really a great value compared to individual pieces. The weight changes are very easy and the 2.5 increments are handy (though not available at every level). Only complaints would be that they are a little long, the 52.5 max weight, and that the 2.5 increment is available at every level. But these are understandable compromises given the other benefits. The stand also seems a bit pricey but is a valuable piece. It makes the home gym look a lot cleaner and makes the workouts go quicker and safer. The bench was the best of the purchase. At $150 It has the 4 bench positions I would want (flat, seated, incline, decline) and feel just as sturdy as the ones at the gym. Only quibbles would be that the legs take up a decent amount of space and the leg piece could be better situated for crunches. Highly recommend all 3 pieces.
2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   JeffJeff – August 20, 2025

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Quality bench, easy to use, very sturdy

   Purchased this bench as part of the beginnings of putting together a home gym. We’re short on space, so it was important that it had a small footprint. Assembly was relatively straightforward, and if you can put together a small Lego set then this should be a breeze for you. Total assembly took about 30 minutes, and you’ll want a knife or a pair of scissors to work through the packaging. Allen keys to assemble everything are included. During assembly, the “heavy-duty-ness” of the frame was apparent, and I wouldn’t hesitate to load this bench up with the recommended max weight (person plus weights) of 600 pounds. Once assembled and flat, it does take up some real estate; in the stowed position, that’s cut down to about 1/3rd.In the fully declined position with seat lifted, decline sit-ups feel just right with the ankle bar. The flat position is rock-solid when doing bench presses, and it’s very nice to have several options for incline. The mechanism for raising/lowering the bench is a spring loaded “pull pin” type which allows the upright support arm to glide easily up and down the floor leg – no grinding or scraping sensations. Once your desired position is selected, you can allow the pin to pop in place which fully secures the back rest. Optionally, you can twist the same handle to lock the support arm and leg together to eliminate any play between them. The seat has two position options, flat of course, and then raised. In the raised position, it’s high enough to fully prevent sliding down the seat when doing incline work but not so high as to be distracting. With the seat raised, it’s also set at the same angle as the backrest when fully lowered, providing for a great base for decline work or for decline crunches/sit-ups. The seat mechanism is simple. Lift the seat up to lock it into the up position. Lift a small red lever to allow the seat to drop back down to the flat position. The rounded edge of the seat has plenty of flex to it, almost like I’m sitting down in my favorite recliner at first. I worry that this flex may lead to long term wear and tear issues, but without knowing the internal design of the cushion (no, I’m not tearing it apart) I have no evidence to suggest that my worries are true. The ankle holders are foam, not super soft, and they seem like they’ll hold up for a good while – time will tell on both items.The ankle holder folds up for storage, but the mechanism which allows it to fold up also allows for some free play. You can get it to rattle quite a bit and make some noise if you grab it and shake it, though good security of the mechanism is apparent, and I expect it to be very reliable.The feet of the bench are adjustable, so if you don’t have a perfectly flat floor, it will allow you to compensate. Some have indicated that the gap between the back rest and the seat is very wide. There is truth to that; the gap is 4″ when the bench is fully flat and 2″ at a 45 degree incline and raised seat. At a 90 degree incline, the back meets the seat. It would have been possible for Bowflex to eliminate this gap, but it would have required a much more complex mechanism resulting in either a higher cost or a lower quality product. To be honest, I find that my butt rests perfectly in the gap on a flat bench when my ankles are under the ankle supports which allows the back rest to provide support to the arch of my back, sort of like how a good car seat provides just that little bit of much needed support. Because the seat is roomy though, there is some space to move around a little bit, perhaps to locate the gap directly under the arch of my back, but there was no way that I could completely eliminate the feeling of the gap. The best that I could actually come to getting a “gapless” sensation was to actually lie on the bench backwards with my head on the seat and spanning the gap with my neck, though even that wasn’t perfect. If you require a bench with minimal gap, definitely look elsewhere.Beyond that, the quality of the material looks solid, and I’m not worried that I’ll damage the upholstery. It also looks very sharp. Oh, when it’s on the casters, it doesn’t *quite* fit through a standard 30″ doorway unless the door opens a full 180 degrees. The total width of those legs is probably 28 1/4″ wide. If you can turn it and pick it up though, not a problem.

   127 people found this helpful

   

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   WW – August 20, 2025

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Nice and sturdy for you big guys

   My biggest question when buying a bench or any piece of exercise equipment is, “Will it be big enough for me?” At 6-3 255, this can be a problem. Seems exercise companies these days think only small people work out!I bought this along with the 552 dumbbells and stand. I found that this bench, just like the stand was much easier to assemble than some reviews say. The only part I had trouble with was putting the seat on, which can be explained by my body size. I’m sure there is a better way to do it, but I just picked it up and sat it on a table and put the seat on that way, instead of laying in the floor, cursing the little guy that decided to make this seat require me being under it to install the seat.Trust me, that is part of the fun!All of the instructions were clear, and it really wasn’t that much that needed to be assembled. The parts as packaged, the seat, the back rest pad, the front stabilizer, the rear stabilizer and the rest was assembled. Well except the leg hold downs, which only requires sliding a pin and bar through a hole and putting the pads on each side.You bolt the main part to the rear stabilizer, then the front stabilizer, bolt the back pad and seat on and that is it.For a few measurements, and why I am more than impressed with this bench.The seat at its widest point is 15 inches wide, at the front (under your thighs in incline) and 12 inches wide at its most narrow point. The back rest is also 12 inches wide. The back rest is nearly 3 inches thick and the seat is a little over 3 inches thick.The material used in the frame is very sturdy. It says 300 pound user with 300 pounds of weights, can be supported and I believe it. The construction and design itself is excellent.What I did was pull the stand in front of the leg end of the bench. It is narrow enough to fit that way, with the stand and dumbbells right in front of you when you sit down.The incline is also very easy to use. You just slide the bar (that you can see in the picture) it has wheels on the bar and each setting has a gate/wall that the wheels stop at. That is it. No more pulling pins out, turning hex wrenches, or anything like that.Mainly what I am saying is that I am an old school lifter that is used to narrow benches that require work to adjust during the workouts, this bench takes all of that extra work out of it and it looks nice as well.Looks aren’t a big deal, but trying to convince my wife that I really need this bench in the garage, near her artwork, made the looks matter!I also have reviews of the stand and dumbbells up, so check those out too. I’m very pleased with all 3 and recommend each of them as highly as possible.

   132 people found this helpful
4. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Roy Munson – August 20, 2025

   4.0 out of 5 stars

   This Bowflex bench is solid…

   I bought the Select-Tech 552 dumbell set w/stand, so I needed a bench to go with it. I saw this was the ‘matching’ bench and had good reviews, so I went with it without much shopping around. I think I paid $150 with no tax or shipping. As I did not shop around, I don’t know if this is a good ‘value’ compared to other brands.As far as the bench itself, it is very sturdy. No wobbling while you are using it – this is a big plus. It also looks very nice and obviously matches my other equipment.The adjustment options are nice to have, but to me they are mostly unnecessary. I only use it in the flat position and one incline position. I can’t imagine what one would do with all the other positions, but maybe someone who is more sophisticated in their work out could utilize them.The leg attachment, again, is very sturdy. I didn’t buy it for sit-ups, nor would I recommend this to someone who wanted it solely for sit-ups, but if you want a bench primarily for lifting that gives you a sit-up option, this will work just fine.As to the negatives… This was mentioned by another reviewer, but there is a opening in the bench where it folds up. It is really in a bad place (atleast for me, I am 6′ 3″) – right on the small of the back. It is uncomfortable and seems like it could cause injury. I am able to get around it by scooting my rear as close to the end of the bench before I lay back. Still, it seems like this could have been designed better.The assembly was simple and consists primarily of using washers and bolts. On mine, on the bottom end, the welds were in the way of one of the holes I needed to put a bolt/washer through. The washer would not sit flat and it was very difficult to get this one tight.Another complaint would be that the wheels are useless the way they are positioned – you will just end up dragging it from one place to another. And the bench does not fold up for storage, so it may not be the most compact bench to tuck away when not in use.Overall, I would recommend the bench and I would buy it again, but it is far from perfect. If you shop around you may be able to find a better option for your individual needs. Hopefully my insight helps with your purchase decision!

   173 people found this helpful
5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   M. Vasquez – August 20, 2025

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Well Functioning Bench For Your Work Outs

   If you like to have a comfortable and large seat on your bench then this one is definitely for you. It’s very easy to change the positions for your various exercises. It is also quite sturdy and can easily support your weight and your weights whether they are dumbbells or a barbell. Being 245 and using two 70 pound dumbbells I never once heard a creak out of this bench while doing my work out. The wheels make moving it a breeze, it’ll take a little to get the hang of “driving” the bench in and out of storage but once you get it you will notice that moving it isn’t a project like the biggest Uhaul truck.In terms of space, It’s definitely on the big side depending on your housing situation. At about 58″ long (front wheels to back leg) and 18″ wide (base from left to right) you’ll want to give yourself plenty of space for your workout (that is if you like doing dumbbell flies or leaning on the side of the bench). At 19″ tall its generally comfortable to sit on.For the different work outs you can perform the bench functions nicely. I don’t do too much decline, but for that you have to take the support bar off the notches and let slide all the way to the front (wheel side) of the bench. It feels great while doing incline and just right for flat bench. Military feels great on the back, plenty of support, but you’re going to have to the push the back forward a little so you can get the support bar in the top notch.Building it was not a difficult task yet time consuming. Remember though, you don’t want to get hurt so make sure you secure the nuts and bolts properly for safety’s sake. Also use a socket wrench/pay attention to the instructions and you’ll have a nice working bench.My only complaint against the bench are the little caps on the support bar that keep wanting to fall off when I change positions. During my work outs I have to push them back into place.

   4 people found this helpful
6. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Cody – August 20, 2025

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Great, quality bench that can be used for many different work outs!

   Pros:-Sturdy, everything looks and feel like quality materials that will last years.-Easy assembly, it took about 15-20 minutes to put everything together and was very easy to do.-Great packaging, I had 2 day shipping and when it showed up the box was destroyed. I’m guessing that it gets dragged and pushed and shuffled around any way the UPS guys can since its heavy, but I think they expect that because once opened the box everything was in perfect condition and each part was tightly, individually wrapped.-Efficiently adjustable, it’s easy to move from incline to flat to decline quickly in the middle of working out. I bought the 552 adjustable dumbbells as well and together I can do a lot of different work outs without having a whole gym at my disposal.-Wide bench, compared to wobbly, skinny benches at the gym this one is much wider which is nice for a guy so you don’t feel like have of your body is hanging off each side. My whole back fits on the bench which is comfortable and keeps my back straight to lower any chance of injury.Cons:-Lower back gap, some others have mentioned that there is a gap on the bench where it bends which can feel a little strange on your lower back. It would be nice if it wasn’t such a big gap but it is well padded and is more something to get used to that something that is uncomfortable or impedes anything.-Wheels don’t roll, others have also mentioned this, the wheels don’t roll unless you left one end up way high so that the stoppers aren’t touching the ground. I would rather have this than a bench that moves when you are working out.Recommendation: Yes, I would recommend this bench to anyone looking for one. It’s great quality and something that will last a long time.

   One person found this helpful
7. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   The Candid Critic – August 20, 2025

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Great bench, Great Price

   This bench is really nice. I am not a hardcore lifter or anything like that, I bought a set of the SelectTech Dumbbells from the Bowflex site to go along with the bench. Although it’s brand new to me, it seems solid and should work perfectly for the dumbbell workouts I want to do.It went together easily – it took me about 30-40 minutes with a couple interruptions. I used a magnetic parts tray much like this one:

   Advanced Tool Design Model ATD-8760 Stainless Steel Round Magnetic Parts Tray

   and found this indispensable for building this will all the bolts and washers. A very helpful item to have if you assemble anything like this.My only gripe with the assembly involved putting on the seat. I found myself in some strange positions having to turn an allen wrench in a very tight space. It would be helpful if the manufacturer could attach that one piece. The back rest was easy, the seat took a little more contortion work.Overall, great bench and I am look forward to really using it with my Bowflex dumbbells and stand.Update: I have been using the bench for the last week and it is fantastic and sturdy. Easy to maneuver and it looks nice. Priced right it’s a winner!

   One person found this helpful
8. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Cameron – August 20, 2025

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Great product. Wait for a price drop though…..

   I recently purchased the

   Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)

   on a lightening deal along with the

   Bowflex SelectTech 552 / 1090 Dumbbell Stand

   and needed a bench to go along with the combo. I purchased both of those items as part of a lightening deal theme of fitness. I stayed with the same manufacture (kind of like pairing electronic equipment together) I was impressed with the quality of the dumbbells as they arrived prior to this order and was impressed with their quality and was hoping for the same from the bench. I have to say I was not let down.The bench arrived in well put together packaging. I was afraid due to the weight that the bench might be banged up but Bowflex has well packaged their products for shipment.Putting together the bench was a snap. If I remember it took less than half an hour.The bench is light weight. I was afraid once I built it I would have issues relocating the bench from location to location but the weight lessened the burden of this. Also, near the head of the bench, there are two wheels that, when you turn the bench at an angel up, the weight is distributed to these wheels for mobility of the bench.There are a multitude of positions of the bench to utilize. I can feel my abs burn with the incline sit ups as well as my shoulders from some of the angels that this bench allows me to preform during my work out routine. There was included literature on different workout routines to help aid those that need assistance and to prevent you from hurting yourself.The bench, overall, is very sturdy. It does not wobble with movement. I was not afraid of it coming apart during rigorous use. The padding is thick and comfortable to sit/lay/push against.Overall a great product I highly recommend. For the wife, she loves the overall color and look of the bench so it does not conflict with the decor she is going for in our household.

   One person found this helpful
9. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Blue Sky – August 20, 2025

   4.0 out of 5 stars

   Very nice… but not perfect

   ASSEMBLY========Assembly time took just over 45 minutes and illustrations were clear. Assembly was easy and straight-forward. Only issue with assembly was that one of the leg cushions were a little too snug and I had to keep on twisting and turning it to get it to slide into the pole, but eventually I got it to go in with a lot of twisting. Bolt holes all lined up nicely and inserted quickly. Assembly tip: when assembling the frame to the board it is easiest if you turn the boards upside down and then place the frame on top of it instead of placing the board on top of the frame, just easier to align holes that way.QUALITY=======Supporting staples on the underside of the boards seemed to be clustered closer in some regions while other regions a bit farther apart than what I would have preferred. I would have like to see more staples used to support the vinyl to the board. Not really a big deal though as it probably looks good enough for now, maybe I’ll dig out my staple gun and add a few more for extra measure.While other reviewers noted tears in the vinyl or other folds in the corner, my boards and vinyl were in pristine condition, no rips, tears or folds.The vinyl is nice material because it wipes clean easy but again I worry about long term durability. My previous bench was by Weider and it had some type of really durable molded firm rubber/foam material for the boards so never had to worry about vinyl coming loose or ripping, wish Bowflex made this bench with that same material (maybe version 2.0 :)).The ease of changing from incline/decline/flat positions is very quick and smooth, a real pleasure to use. The engineering quality there is top notch, bravo. My old bench had a metal rod I had to pull out and insert into the frame and ohhh what a pain because it would never line up right and I would have to pull the bench board on a slight angle to get it to line up and then the rod would make a metal-to-metal screach sound (think of running finger nails across chalk-board) when I pulled the tightly position support rod out to change to incline… none of that with the Bowflex design, there is no pins or rods to pull out, simply lift board and swing support arm. Very very nice and quick.FEATURES========The four positions (90 degree, 45 degree, 0 degree, and -10 degree) are plenty enough for my workouts and probably for the majority of other lifters. I wouldn’t spend the extra money for the 5.1 bench, just no need for the extra positions as the 3.1 model is more than sufficient.This bench has a 90 degree position and that is extremely helpful in doing seated overhead presses because it provides strong and high support for the back, something my older bench didn’t have. I like this feature alot.The decline angle seems sufficient but I would have preferred a bit more of a steeper decline for doing my sit-ups. That brings me to the next feature the leg holder/support.The leg holder/support comes with this bench and can be easily detached by removing the support pin. I am disappointed with the engineering / positioning of the leg support. It seems to have been an after-thought feature that was thrown together at the last minute by Bowflex. It is just not comfortable as other reviewers on here have already mentioned. This is really unfortunate because it would have been a really nice feature if it was executed better (maybe improved in version 2.0?). The problem is that the leg support makes it really uncomfortable on your legs when you perform sit-ups on this model. I have tried various positioning of the leg support (tried putting pad closer to ankles, closer to calfs) and all of them have been uncomfortable. Even though it is uncomfortable to use I think it is still bearable to use the leg support for sit-ups (it also becomes annoying/irritating after using it for a while). Now I am an ectomorph and real skinny at the moment so I can imagine that a heavier individual would probably be even more uncomfortable in using the leg support for sit-ups.The wheels is an okay feature I guess but really how often do you need to roll around your bench. Even if you do have to move it, you can just as well lift it up (it is about 55-65 pounds). One nice feature to have for those living in very limited space would have been a fold-up version where the frame and legs fold for real compact storage and sliding under the bed or tossing in the closet (maybe version 2.0).The overall aesthetics of the bench is nice, sexy. I like the touch of red near the top of the board.OVERALL=======This is a very nice bench but with a few of the above suggestions this could turn from very nice to perfect. This is a good value for the money, get this bench you won’t be disappointed. And last but not least don’t waste your money on the 5.1 model.

   137 people found this helpful
10. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    Cody – August 20, 2025

    3.0 out of 5 stars

    Stows upright but could use a lot of improvement

    Like other bowflex products this is packaged very nicely. I don’t know how long the product has been sitting in a warehouse but there’s some fit and finish issues, mainly the inside of the adjustable frame shows a lot of oxidation (outside is painted but not the inside I reckon) which was highly visible around the frame in the form of bronze dust and in the bag it came with. I wiped down the frame before assembling the product with a rag and it turned a nice shade of brown. Not the end of the world but still.On the bright side, this is an easy bench to assemble with the exception of the end caps for the feet pads. Whereas I had to use online instructions for the 552/1080 stand, the bench is very straightforward. For the leg pad caps, a rubber mallet will help, but as I didn’t have one I tapped them into the rod with a ball-peen hammer and harder bits of cardboard from the packaging so I wouldn’t break the plastic caps. I simply couldn’t press them in by hand and I had a second person helping me push from the other side, putting our full bodyweight into it. The end caps are not a great design, and the rod is slightly too long so there’s some play with the leg pads.What would really make this bench better is more adjustments. Namely an 80 degree, 10 degree, and a -10 degree adjustment for upright presses and flyaways, respectively. Sometimes I just need a slight incline or decline. The adjustments are made by simply unlocking an adjustment peg and moving the frame into holes on one side of the frame. You may want to go down a model like to the 4.1s and do what I’ve seen other folks do — use a wood block to add extra adjustment positions for a less invasive hack.This bench does store upright and doesn’t take up a whole lot of space and is light enough to move around. However, I’m not a fan of the wheels. I wish they were bigger and not quite as underneath the frame so you could roll it easier.Lastly, as others have mentioned, there is a considerable gap between the butt rest and the back rest. If you sit farther back on the butt rest when you decline, I do get a little creak out of the seat, so I end up scooching forward a bit.What I do like: padding and quality of the seat is very nice. Overall quality and stability is nice. I’m going to have this for a while and get a lot of use out of it even though I wish it offered a little more.I purchased this bench because the legs were wider than what I was seeing from the Asian brands and I didn’t want a super heavy bench in my second floor spare room. From what I can tell, this is a good buy compared to similar brands because of how wide and stable the legs are. Depending on your height, this can be good or bad since the wide legs near the seat of the bench might be in the way of your feet.Look for a more traditional bench for non-Bowflex heavy barbell stuff, if you need more adjustability, need a narrow leg at the seat of the bench, or if you intend on working out in a garage or basement where you can have sturdier equipment.

    18 people found this helpful