Weight Benches

A Weight Bench Is a Useful and Versatile Piece of Fitness Equipment

Most exercise enthusiasts are aware of the normal ways that you can use a weight bench, but you may not be aware of how versatile a weight bench can be. There are a number of different exercises you can perform with a standard weight bench, plus there are variations like an adjustable weight bench, or a weight bench with weights included. A great place to browse for an assortment of weight bench types, both new and used, is on eBay.

When you hear the word weight bench, you may only envision a fixed bench that is padded so that you can lie flat on your back to perform chest presses using a weighted barbell.

• Flat bench – This is a standard padded bench.
• Adjustable weight bench – There are also bench designs where you can elevate the back of the bench to perform inclined chest presses.
• Decline bench – Rarer are the decline weight bench designs. A decline bench has padded rollers to hook your feet to lie backwards with your head towards the floor. This is the decline chest press exercise.

The standard size of a bench press is customarily 120 centimetres long and 50 centimetres wide. There are benches that are slightly longer, but normally this is the standard width. If you envision lifting extremely heavy weights, or want to add some diversity to your program, you may consider an Olympic weight bench set. Olympic benches are sturdier to safely handle over 200 kilograms. They are usually up to 10 centimetres wider, plus twice as long.

A weight bench is used to do the standard chest press exercise. The different types allow you to do this specific exercise at various angles. However, there are other exercises you can perform as well.

• Chest flies – The second most common exercise you can perform on a bench are chest flies. There is also the option of performing this exercise at different angles with an adjustable weight bench.
• Seated shoulder press – You can sit facing the supports and perform the standard shoulder press move safely to target the muscles in your shoulder.
• Pullovers – Using a single dumbbell, you can also perform what are called pullovers. This motion exercises multiple upper body muscles including the chest, shoulders, triceps, and upper back.
• Biceps curls – You can use a weight bench to do biceps concentration curls.
• Triceps dips – Resting on the palms of your hands and gripping the edge of bench with your legs out in front of you, you work the back of your arms and shoulders doing triceps presses.