No matter the style or brand, weight benches come in two varieties: adjustable and non-adjustable. Adjustable benches let you change the angle of the bench to suit your workout goals. Non-adjustable benches have one fixed angle.
With adjustable weight benches, you can do incline presses, flat presses, decline presses and more. You can also easily adjust the bench for different exercises. For example, a decline bench lets you work your chest muscles by doing decline flies or other exercises on the bench.
Non-adjustable weight benches are less expensive than adjustable ones. However, they don’t provide as many options for working out your chest, shoulders and triceps muscles. And since their angle is fixed, you can’t lower them for triceps, dips, or other exercises that require a low bench position.
Additional Equipment Needed for Weight Benches
It’s a common misconception that when you buy a weight bench, it comes with weights. In reality, you’ll need to buy weights separately. This is because each manufacturer has their own set of weights.
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, it’s worth investing in a high-quality weight set. There are several essential components to consider before making your purchase: the type of the bench, its dimensions, the number of plates and bars, and the amount of weight it can handle. The bench is the most important component for most people.
The first thing you want to think about is weight. How much weight do you want to lift? That’s important because it will help guide your purchase decision. Here are some common weight ranges:
Beginner: 5-10 pounds
Intermediate: 20-30 pounds
Advanced: 35-50 pounds
Remember, these are just recommendations, so feel free to choose heavier or lighter weights depending on your fitness level. Also, don’t worry about going overboard on the weight at first. Start with something manageable and gradually add more as you get stronger.
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Free Weights or Barbells?
Another factor to consider is whether you want a barbell set or dumbbells . Some people like the convenience of a barbell set because it comes with everything you need in one package, but others prefer dumbbells because they can vary their workout by changing only one piece of equipment. If you’re not sure which option is better for you, go with a barbell set first and then decide if you want to invest in dumbbells later on.
Treadmills, exercise bikes and free weights are all good forms of exercise. But if you want to build muscle, there’s no substitute for free weights. Lifting weights helps build muscle mass and tone the body, both of which can help improve metabolism and burn fat. That’s why many people believe that the best way to lose weight is by lifting weights combined with aerobic exercise.
Weight Bench Exercises
There are a variety of weight bench exercises you can do to strengthen your arms, shoulders, back, and legs. You’ll find a multitude of uses for your weight bench and it should last you a long time with proper care and cleaning. Here are a few exercises you can do on a weight bench:
Reverse Crunches
The reverse crunch is a great exercise to strengthen your lower abs and obliques. In addition to being a great abdominal exercise, it can be incorporated into other ab exercises and even as an isometric mid-set break.
Dumbbell Chest Press
The dumbbell chest press is a great exercise for both men and women. When done correctly it works the chest, shoulders and triceps. Dumbbells are typically more challenging than barbells and require more stabilization by the core muscles.
Dumbbell Incline Chest Press
The incline dumbbell press, or the incline chest press as it is also known, is an upper body workout that works the pectoral muscles in your chest, the triceps on the backside of your arms, and the anterior deltoid muscles on the front of your shoulders.
Dumbbell Concentration Curl
Sit with your knees bent at a 90° angle with your feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and place the back of your upper right arm on the inner part of your right thigh. Your arm should extend, holding the weight off the floor. Slowly curl the weight up, using only your forearm, at the top squeeze the biceps. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Do all your reps on one arm, then switch to the other.
A weight bench is a substantial investment, so it’s important to invest your money in a quality option that will serve you well for many years. Hopefully this guide has given you enough information to make an informed decision when choosing the best weight bench for your home gym.
