Roman Chair

Positives:Firstly, for the price, this thing is a fantastic piece of equipment! It has reasonable build quality, including decent padding, considerate placement of the thigh pads for males, a pleasant powder-coat finish to the steel, and usable protective fittings on the feet. The adjustability is a pleasant feature, when most are at a fixed angle. It has worked just fine at all angles for my usage over the past number of weeks, and it has been stable enough for me to feel fairly confident while in motion. The added benefit of the design is that it is far more easily folded for storage, which I have only done once, as I prefer to have it out, but you could use it and then put it away as needed without problem - Definitely a unique feature.Detractors:There are a few points that could be better, but are not necessarily worth the removal of a star. One is that there is a practical weight limit, whether or not the description gets it right, I couldn't quite say. My guess would be that stability and balance *could* become an issue at over 300 lbs (user + whatever weights you are using at the time), and I would not recommend its use in that scenario - Buy up to something more sturdy. This is just my guess, based on my copy of the item, so some may be more sturdy, or they might be less. Another point that contributes to the previous stability/weight limits are the stops that hold the adjustable angle support; They are welded to the main frame with relatively small spot-weld points, which I don't love, even for my own weight. I am tempted to ask a friend to help me reinforce those welds. It hasn't been a problem yet, even with frequent use, but that's my biggest concern. A very minor quibble to add is that I was missing a few of the hardware components in the packaging that help attach the handles/thigh pads to the frame. Wasn't a big deal, since I have assorted bolts and the like in the toolkit, so I simply found a set that fit right. Didn't bother with customer service since I had hardware on hand, so I can't speak to that aspect of the business.Conclusion:For the price, this is phenomenal. Please note that this is not the best piece of exercise/flexibility/therapy equipment ever, but it is well suited to my needs. With a little bit of patience and care for the limits of the stability, and balance, it has proven itself a useful, flexible, and worthwhile addition to the home gym equipment. I would easily recommend it for its flexibility alone, so long as the user is within or close to the weight limits.

I've been having low back pain that wasn't resolving with my usual tools (stretching, light exercise). I discovered that doing a dead hang from the hips off a 45 hip extension bench at the gym really helped - puts traction on the right spot. So I wanted something to use at home, but it needed to be cheap, and to fold up and store compactly. This fits the bill.Most folding 45 degree benches use a V shaped structure: one side lies on the ground, the other forms the 45 degree ramp. The durability and rigidity depends on how heavily built the structure is at the apex of the V. You can find photos on-line of cheap ones that have buckled during use. This design was unique in that a movable brace forms a rigid triangle - that is a much better design with respect to structural rigidity.The unit is decent quality, and when all the knobs are tightened down, it feels quite rigid and strong. It folds flat quite easily, and is light weight, so therefore easy to move around and store.I am on the short side - 5'5" and about 170 lbs, and if fits me quite nicely. Can't speak to how well it would fit someone much bigger or smaller.While it seems durable enough for my use, it isn't a heavy-built commercial-quality device. If you are 250lbs, and plan on doing hip/back extensions with a lot of weight, or with a lot of velocity, it might not be the best choice. With modest weight and controlled movements, it would be just fine for home use.Pro's:- Split pad with a gap in the middle is comfortable.- Light, stores flat, yet pretty rigid when set up.Con's:- The foot plates sit close to the floor, If you lacked ankle flexibility, you might have trouble getting your foot flat on the footrest. It will stretch the calf muscle pretty good. This can be fixed by setting the front and back bases on a 2x4 piece of lumber. It creates more space for your forefoot.- The arm on the heel pad feels a tad bit short. Depending on the angle I am using, it feels like my knees are hyperextending a little more than I would really like. I wish the arm were 1 or 2 inches longer. I may try to fabricate a short extension to solve that issue.

I'm 6'2" at 265 lbs and this equipment is advertised for up to 300 lbs, and it broke on the second time ever using it. The first time was able to complete 3 sets of 20, but the second day at the 47 rep. the frame curled up on me like a teeter totter the when I felt it folding up under me (falling forward while legs were still secured by the foam bar) I grabbed the handles to which then bent down in front of me. Luckily I was able to catch my self before the center rail could break. This should not be used by anyone with any real strength or size, maybe alright for children or small framed females. It would be more honest to rate this as up to maybe 200 lbs.