Increase strength by adding a weight bench to your home gym
If you’re building a home gym and you want to make sure your versatility for every work out, a weight bench and free weight accessories are must-haves. There are a variety of weight benches you can choose, and which one you pick depends on what type of workouts you plan on getting in.
What is a weight bench?
A weight bench is a piece of fitness equipment that look just like a regular bench you’d sit on. The difference is that a weight bench is designed for use in weight training and having one in your home gym means you have a spot to safely lift heavy weight.
There are several different types of weight bench you can choose.
Flat, sit-up and adjustable benches
Flat, sit-up, and adjustable workout benches look just like a standard bench. They generally have no attachments and can be used for different types of workouts. With this type of workout bench you’re not limited to just chest workouts like you would be if you only had a regular bench press.
This style of workout bench is most commonly used with dumbbells. You can choose a simple flat bench that maintains one flat position, a sit-up bench with a padded back that looks like a narrow chair, or adjustable benches that will allow you to lay flat, incline, or decline. Adjustable benches allow you to shift your body into different positions so you can target every muscle.
Olympic workout benches
An Olympic workout bench is similar to a standard workout bench, but the Olympic bench is wider, longer, and can accommodate more weight than a standard bench. Olympic weight benches have frames made of materials such as extra strong tubular steel for durability and to accommodate heavier weights without shifting or tipping.
Olympic weight benches have more attachment options than standard weight benches. You can use this type of exercise bench as a flat bench, sit up bench, or incline bench. You can also decline an Olympic bench, and a decline bench press will increase your options for lifting, move stress off your shoulders, and add a level of safety to your workout.
Regular bench press
If you’ve ever seen or used a flat weight bench with barbell holders, you’re already familiar with a regular bench press. This type of weight bench will either be pre-set to lay flat, at an incline, or is adjustable to different angles for maximum impact on your muscles.
A regular bench press is the perfect addition to a home gym if you’re planning on lifting free weights. You can choose different free weight accessories including adjustable barbells to gradually increase your strength.
Which weight bench should I buy?
Because there are so many different types of fitness benches to choose from, you’ll need to decide what type of training program you’ll be doing before you start shopping. It’s also good to have clear goals for your fitness regime so you know you’re buying the right equipment.
If you plan on doing basic to intermediate workouts, you may want to choose a simple flat bench or an adjustable bench that lets you both sit up and use various incline positions. If you’re setting up your home gym to become a space for serious training, you may opt for an Olympic bench. Olympic benches provide you with more workout options because they can be micro-adjusted for position and have attachments for working out all areas of the body.
Keep in mind that the weight bench you choose will come on its own, and you’ll have to purchase any free weight accessories. Those accessories include barbells, dumbbells, tricep bars, squat stands, multi-grip handle bars, and preacher curl benches.
Ready to take your home gym workouts to the next level? Take a look at our resources on weight benches and free weight accessories.