Home Gym Bench
A home gym bench also referred to as a weight bench or fitness bench can be an integral part of your home gym and has multiple uses. For example, it can be used for bodyweight exercises, dumbbell exercises, or in a power rack. It also allows you to add many other movement variations, such as seated presses instead of standing presses.
Some benches also come with optional attachments such as a leg extension and leg curl, bicep preacher curl, bench press, abs, to name a few.
Types of home gym benches
There are many types of home gym benches, but the most popular bench for home fitness is the standard flat bench and the adjustable bench.
Flat bench
The flat bench is the most basic. You can perform various exercises on this bench, but it’s not as versatile as an adjustable bench.
Adjustable bench
An adjustable bench allows you to set the bench in various positions and angles from flat to incline or decline. So if you’re looking for a bench where you can do different exercises in a variety of angles, then this would be the best one.
What to look for in a home gym bench
Heavy-duty
A quality bench will be strong and stable, making it considerably heavier than your average bench. An adjustable bench can generally weigh up to 30kgs (66lbs) or more.
Weight capacity
Choose a bench rated at holding at least 230kgs (500lbs) but ideally 450 plus kgs (1000lbs). This might seem like a lot of weight, but remember it has to carry your body weight, the weight you’re lifting and your movement when lifting.
Size
It would be best if you had a bench of proper length, height, width, and that will be comfortable for your body. Best to test one out for yourself. I like a bench that is not too wide because I don’t want the width to interfere with the natural movement of my arms and shoulders, especially when doing lying or upright presses.
Stability
There are two things that I look for when it comes to bench stability - legs and foam density. I want a bench with wide legs or a base at one end, preferably the lifting end, because you don’t want it moving under a heavy load.
The other factor is the foam under the covering. I prefer a nice dense foam a couple of inches thick because it does make a difference in stability when performing an exercise.
Adjustable bench angles
Ensure that the bench can be adjusted for a wide variety of angles, from flat to incline and upright position. Also, from flat to decline. I prefer that the base where you sit can be moved to different angles to prevent you from sliding off the bench or losing power when lifting.
Wheels
Best to get a home gym bench that has wheels at one end or comes with a wheel kit attachment for easy mobility. Wheels make it easier to move around, simply by lifting it at one end and wheeling it, rather than dragging or carrying it around.