Marcy Weight Bench Review

Fitness equipment is a must-have for workout enthusiasts and athletes everywhere. 

Although it is not necessary if one wants to build strength, exercise, and stay fit, fitness equipment makes the process more customizable and easier! 

Weight machines and treadmills are best for building up or conditioning certain muscle groups or for knowing calorie expenditure and tracking progress. 

The global strength equipment market, which includes the Olympic weight bench, was estimated to be worth US$1.04 billion this 2021, based on November 2020 statistics.

One home gym equipment that’s making a name in the fitness industry is the Marcy Weight Bench because it offers a plethora of exercise options. And why not? 

The home gym itself comes with different workout stations, like smith machines, a squat rack, and half cages.  

The linear bearings of this adjustable bench are also precision-engineered to function as smoothly as possible during workouts!

If you want to know more about the Marcy Weight Bench, keep on reading. I will provide you an in-depth review of the product, its build quality, design, what other people are saying about it, and whether it’s worth your money!

TLDR: Review of the Marcy Weight Bench MD-857

Product Description

User Experience

The Marcy Weight Bench MD-857 is a fully Olympic bench, meaning it can take a real battering. 

It’s a good sturdy bench that I would recommend to experienced lifters and starter lifters for some serious gains. 

It’s good for constant variations, whether you do concentration curls, dumbbell bench press, reverse dumbbell fly, etc!

Another thing you’ll most likely appreciate in this Marcy Olympic weight bench just like I do is the rubber topped pegs found on the reverse side of the weight bench rack. This means you can quickly convert your Marcy Diamond Elite Bench MD-857 into a walk-in squat rack.

There’s also a dual-function leg developer at the front that you can use to get your legs warmed up and prepare your body for what’s coming.

Design and Build Quality

The Marcy full-body workout bench is designed with both aesthetic and function in mind. It is constructed with various back pad positions: upright position, incline, decline position, and flat. All these make the bench versatile.

Because of its versatility, you can put your body in an ideal position during the bench press workout. 

That way, you can maximize your workout time and optimize your safety during a workout too! 

You will notice there’s a storage space where you can put your weight plates. This will also avoid cluttering your home workout space.

What Makes it Stand Out

Marcy MD-857 is a full-body workout bench (yes, it targets multiple muscle groups) and that’s what makes it stand out. 

It has an arm curl bar and adjustable arm cull support pad for your arm exercises, you can do chest press exercises and military exercises, and the dual-leg development ensures that your legs are also kept in the mix.

Furthermore, there are two bar catches on the frame, giving you enough freedom and space to do squats.

Value for Money

The Marcy MD-857 adjustable bench may cost you more than standard weight benches, but it’s a good deal when you consider what this equipment really is all about.

This home gym model, to be exact, gives you plenty of exercise options. You can lift heavy weights (maximum weight capacity 600lb, on bar catch 300lb), extremely comfortable, will exercise your major muscle groups, and is ridiculously strong.

Also, you won’t have to worry about paying gym membership fees or wasting your gas driving to a gym.

Pros

• Easy to assemble, bolts and nuts are all wrapped and clearly marked
• Sturdy, made of premium steel construction
• Has weight plate storage posts 
• With 600lb weight capacity, including the user’s body weight
• Comes with adjustable bar catches and a squat bar catch
• With curl handle and preacher curl pad for bicep exercise
• Versatile bench, with 5 back pad positions
• It’s easy to change the positions of the bar catch
• Allows you to train both your hamstrings and quads with a dual-function leg developer
• You can work out with ease along a slide track

Cons

• Very few users said the seat wiggles a bit
• Manual instructions could be a little bit larger for an easy read
• Few users say it’s not really high-density foam at it compressed after weeks of usage

Is it worth it?

The answer is, it depends on your goal. 

If you are serious about strength and size, then it is definitely worth it to invest in a Marcy Olympic exercise bench. It may cost quite a bit more than an ordinary flat weight bench, but you’ll feel more confident in working out with heavier weights and on your strength training exercises because it’s a high-quality workout bench.

However, if you are new to weightlifting and just want to stay fit, you may be better off investing in a sturdy bench without a seat sliding track or a squat track. There are other decent weight benches in the market with enough weight capacity for home workouts that are not necessarily for pro-athlete level.

Interested? Here’s the link to purchase!

In-Depth Review of the Marcy Weight Bench

Specifications

Maximum on Bar Catch: 300lb

Maximum weight on Leg Developer: 100lb

Maximum user weights: 300lb

Maximum weight capacity 600lb (include user’s weight)

Assembled Dimensions: 80″L x 47.5″W x 60″H

Framework: 14-Gauge Thick Solid Steel

Upholstery: 2.5 inches thick

Seat Adjustment: 3 Angles

Barbell Compatibility: 7ft

Exercise Stations: Chest Press, Free Weight Pegs, Squats, Ab Crunch, Arm Curl, Leg Curl Low Pulley,  Decline press, and Shoulder Press.

Self Assembly Time: Yes (2-3 Hours)

Please note: This Marcy Diamond Elite Bench MD 857 requires assembly

Quality and Durability

This adjustable weight bench with 600lbs (user weight included) maximum weight capacity is made of premium steel. It is constructed from vinyl, foam, and rugged that make a durable exercise gear for long usage. 

The way it is constructed is stabilized and compact to offer optimal support, when for daily workouts. This Marcy Diamond weight bench MD-857 also includes a seat sliding track to help conform your body to proper lifting positions.

Workouts and Exercises

There are different ways to tone your entire body with a weight bench and a barbell or dumbbell, but I’m going to highlight the more effective and go-to moves that fitness enthusiasts use:

1. Bench press

Bench presses are workouts that can tone the upper body, especially the shoulders, arms, and pectorals. Some bench press variations you can do on Olympic weight benches are traditional bench press, incline, decline, and narrow grip bench press.

2. Single arm row

This exercise works your biceps, traps, upper back, and lats. When done on an Olympic bench or any weight bench for that matter, this stance helps you to stay away from the cow or cat positioning in your back. What’s important is that you are not putting unnecessary stress on your lower back.

3. Triceps dip

This workout requires that you keep your back directly next to the Olympic bench. Sit on the edge of the weight bench and put your palms face down next to your thighs. While keeping your arms straight, scoot forward just enough until your butt and hips are in front of the seat. Be in the proper form so you avoid unnecessary burden on the rotator cuff.

Other exercises you can do include leg lowers (targets core muscles), lateral bench hops (works the full body and cardio), step up (targets legs and glutes), and pistol squat prep (also works glutes and leg muscles).

Additional Features

Storage for Weight Plates and an Adjustable Squat Bar Catch

The MD-857 has two pegs where you can easily store your weight plates and for added convenience.

It also comes with adjustable bar catches on the frame so you can do squats. The height will be adjustable so the bar can be reached in different seat positions. This feature not only promotes a proper workout but a safe one too!

Warranty

The Marcy full-body workout bench is covered with a 3-year warranty.

Liked what you read? You can buy it through this link!

Honorable Mentions: Other Marcy Weight Benches

Best for Apartments and Small Spaces: Marcy Flat Utility

Another high-functioning bench is the Marcy Flat Utility. This bench is particularly designed for people living in small spaces, like in apartments. Its dimension? 43 x 14 x 17 inches LxWxH. This is also reinforced with a powder-coated finish to prevent wear and tear from strenuous workouts.

[You might also like: Best Flat Weight Bench]

Best for Home Gym Weightlifting: Marcy Multi-Position Workout Utility Bench – SB-10115

The ergonomic structure of this utility bench will help you stay motivated as you achieve your fitness goals even when at home.

Best Foldable Workout Bench/ Portable Home Gym: Marcy Folding Standard Weight Bench – MWB-20100

Although this bench does not come with transport wheels, it is foldable. You can fold it when not in use to minimize the area where it occupies.

Most Advanced Marcy Home Gym – Marcy Diamond Elite Smith Cage System MD-9010G

This home gym system is designed like a club machine for total body training.

Marcy Olympic Weight Bench: Who is it Best for?

The Marcy Olympic Weight Bench is best for people who are serious about lifting weights. It can support extreme heavy lifters because the equipment can tolerate more weight pressures than standard weight benches.

Investing in a good quality incline-decline workout bench will likewise allow them to perform a greater combination of exercises.

What Do People Say About it?

Amazon

While this Olympic weight bench enjoys an above-average rating on Amazon, there were still a few who were slightly disappointed with their purchase. One says, “It’s good, but not great.” He went on that “the manual didn’t define which piece was what number, only the small parts [or the] screws… When placing the bar with no weights on it on the supports, the entire post on the left side moved at least an inch.

I’m happy with my purchase, I just wish it wasn’t so flimsy [and the] instructions were better.”

Meanwhile, another Amazon customer considers the weight bench “a real workstation.” He added, “[It’s a] nice set-up in our basement. It’s made of quality materials, designed extremely well, and performs beyond my expectations…I’m a busy man [and] I don’t have time to read or write product reviews, but Marcy, you guys knocked it out of the park with this bench! Thank you!”

YouTube

Preston Foster, who purchased the Marcy Olympic weight bench back in 2017 when the price was much more affordable than today said, “It’s a pretty good bench.” He said that his favorite part of the bench is the adjustable preacher curl pad or attachment. 

Plus, [there’s] a place where you [can] put all your weight plates. You can put on more than a hundred or so pounds. I also use it with reverse grips. Because normally when you’re doing a preacher curls, you have your hands grip down. And I do reverse grip and I have it up. It also works the back way and that’s the reason why I like it so much!”

The Verdict: Should I Buy It?

In terms of functionality and value for money, I would recommend you to buy the Marcy full-body workout bench. With it, you can do different exercises and it can accommodate more weight levels than standard weight benches.

The seat and back pad with a seat sliding track will help you maintain a proper form, like when doing chest press and military exercises. It also has a built-in squat rack to help you build your glutes and quads.

Just an additional tip to help you get in shape: If you do end up buying this Marcy workout bench, treat every training as an opportunity to see progress and become better. Take advantage of its every feature for a full-body exercise.

So, there you go. Train hard, but remember to train safely!

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