Guide To Buying A Weight Bench

1. Find the pin under the backrest of the bench.
2. Keeping one hand under the backrest, use the other hand to pull/rotate the knob. As you do this, adjust the bench as per your preference.
3. Return the knob to its resting position after adjusting.
4. You can use the same procedure for the seat of the bench too.

You can use the weight bench to target different muscles like upper and lower chest, shoulders, deltoids, trapezius, triceps, lats, rhomboids, and back.

The weight bench is a versatile tool that you can use for lots of different exercises. Some exercises grouped by the muscles they target are-

Pecs: You can do incline, decline, and flat chest presses, and incline, decline, and flat dumbbell flys.

Deltoids: By inclining the bench at a 45-degree angle and lying face first, you can do reverse dumbbell flys. You can also do shoulder press to target your delts.

Biceps: Concentration curls are an effective exercise to work your biceps, and you can do it easily on the weight bench.

Triceps: By lying on your back on a flat bench and holding the dumbbell/barbell overhead, you can perform skull crushers, or lying tricep extensions.

Back: Dumbbell row is an excellent exercise that targets your lats, read deltoids, rhomboids, and trapezius.

Abs: You can do various variations of crunches, sit-ups, and other ab exercises on the weight bench.

Yes, you can. If you have a power rack, you can use it for the barbell press. In case you don’t have one, you can do dumbbell bench press exercises. Dumbbell presses allow for a wider range of motion and they activate your pecs more.

You can do a decline bench press on a weight bench provided it is an adjustable bench. The exercise provides a better mechanical advantage than the incline press, and you can lift heavier loads. Just like with a regular bench press, you can use a power rack to do barbell presses and in the absence of one, do dumbbell presses.

Here are some tips to help you bench more:

• If you can’t get the barbell/dumbbell off your chest, practice more explosive pressing.
• If you cannot complete the lockout, work on your triceps first.
• Bring some variation in your reps. You could increase the number of sets and decrease the number of reps, and vice versa. Lowering your reps while increasing the weight will help you lift more.
• Use your entire body to lift the weight. Squeeze your legs, hips, and glutes when you raise the weight.

It depends on your budget and the exercises you intend to do. An adjustable bench allows you to do a lot of different variations of different exercises, whereas you can do a limited number of exercises on a flat bench. However, a flat bench is also a lot cheaper, lighter, and easier to maintain.

A foldable or collapsible weight bench is a compact bench that you can move anywhere, anytime. Foldable benches occupy less space and are portable. For fitness freaks who don’t have enough space to buy a regular bench, a foldable bench is a great option. You must, however, exercise caution when you’re buying one. Pay attention to the bench quality, padding, and its capacity.

Good weight benches have at least a 2-3-inch-thick foam padding that provides ample cushioning. The outer skin and upholstery should be durable enough to last many years, without developing any wear.