Last Updated on March 7, 2018 by Jeff
Overview:
The Century Versaflex Stretching Machine offers users the opportunity to really test and improve upon their stretching ability while increasing flexibility. It can help ease your range of movement in the leg and hip areas, and even provide an edge in competitive sports, especially martial arts. The Century Versaflex is easy to operate and allows users to push themselves to their stretching limit in a controlled and comfortable way by using a lever to crank the leg supports to anything up to 190 degrees. This stretching machine (as well as split machine) includes a degree indicator chart to track your progress and recognize your success in improving the degree and intensity of your stretches over time.
Click here to see the price of the Century Versaflex Stretching Machine on Amazon.
Technical Info:
- Length: 35 in (90 cm)
- Width: 20 in (51 cm)
- Height: 8 in (20.3 cm)
- Weight: 55 lbs (25 kg) (approximately)
Features:
- Able to stretch to 190 degrees
- Degree indicator to monitor progress
- Comfortable, adjustable thigh pads
- 4-position stretching arm
- Stretching handles on the thigh decks
- Solid steel construction
Warranty:
- One year, limited.
Shipping and Assembly:
The Century Versaflex Stretching Machine requires assembly as it comes in multiple parts with screws and bolts etc. Instructions are provided but please read further comments as assembly can be difficult.
What We Love About the Century Versaflex Stretching Machine
Proof of Stretching Progress
This is one of the few leg stretching machines around that offers users the capacity to measure the degree of their stretches and, subsequently, monitor the progress the Century Versaflex helps you to achieve over time. Having tangible proof of progress can be a hugely effective motivator, which is why we’re giving this machine a big tick in the box for this feature.
Multi-positioning
The multi-position thigh pads are also a useful feature of this Versaflex stretcher. The pads are crucial to the effectiveness of the stretches performed on the machine as well as to your comfort, so having the ability to adjust them to suit your personal needs is a real plus of this stretching machine.
What Isn’t So Great
Potential Maintenance Issues
The main flaw of the Century Versaflex is that, over time, the ratchet mechanism and gears doesn’t hold the stretch fast, which detracts from its effectiveness and its ease of use. The machine still provides a full stretch and for progress to occur, but this shortcoming definitely needs to be considered when purchasing.
Jumping in Stretch Degrees
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the Versaflex machine, unlike some of its counterpart stretching equipment on the market, allows the degree of stretch to only be increased by a minimum of 5 degrees at a time. This may not sound like a great deal, but mid-stretch it can feel like a massive jump between the intensity of the stretches, and we can’t help feeling smaller increments may have made this stretching machine a little more user-friendly.
Assembly Challenges
Finally, assembling the Versaflex Leg Stretcher can be a stressful and frustrating challenge, made difficult largely by the poor instructions provided. The pictures of the pieces are on a separate page to the written instructions, so establishing which parts are being referred to in which section can prove difficult. The situation isn’t helped either by the poor quality and the misleading size of the pictures as this hinders the identification of each piece.
Final Word on the Century Versaflex Stretching Machine
The main selling point of the Century Versaflex Stretching is its ability to allow users to monitor the progress of their stretching over time, as many of its rival leg stretching machines do not have this capacity. If used regularly, the Versaflex can offer excellent, measurable results. Despite a few drawbacks, this machine is well worth considering for the great features it has over other stretcher options.
Here’s the Bill Wallace Century Versaflex demonstration video: