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Weight lifting benches are gaining in popularity for home gyms since they are a great way to add variety to your free weights workout. But benches are multi-functional in other ways as well. If you have a large home gym you can also use them under a barbell rack or Smith machine, or use the bench with or without hand weights to target specific areas in your workout.

Adjustable Weight Benches

Adjustable weight benches on the market can range from as little as $75 to several hundred dollars depending on the features added onto the bench. The classic position for the bench press exercise is the flat position — where you focus on your chest and other muscles (such as the shoulders and triceps), but most benches now offer an incline/decline seatback (with an easy spring-loaded pin adjustment) to allow a variety of exercises. For example, an incline bench can be adjusted to imitate a preacher bench so you can focus on your upper arms.

You can adjust a bench to allow you to enjoy dozens of variations of weight lifting exercises. Take crunches, for example. When you want that extra “crunch” you can change the angle of stress on your abdominals by changing the incline of the bench, or do crunches while lying on top of the bench, or you may find it more comfortable to lie on the floor and put your legs across the bench.

When shopping for a weight lift bench you’ll want one with a vinyl seat cushion that is sweat-resistant, and easy to clean. The steel frame should be sturdy and scratch-resistant, as well as rust-resistant. Get one with wheels if you can, since wheels are especially nice for moving a 50 lb. bench around the gym to position under a rack. You can even find a removable leg lift with and adjusting Olympic adapter on some of the high-end models. Make a smart choice, and the right choice, and see for yourself the advantages of adding a weight lifting bench to your home gym.