Weight Lifting Benches: A Primer

Most people who aren't familiar with weight lifting benches probably assume that, for the most part, all weight lifting benches are created equally. This couldn't be further from the truth, however, and in actuality choosing a weight lifting bench is a process that requires quite a bit of knowledge on the subject lest you wish to end up with something that doesn't completely suit your needs.

When shopping around for weight lifting benches, the first thing you'll want to be aware of is that weight lifting benches come in two basic forms: Adjustable and static. In other words, some benches simply lay flat and can't be moved. This may at first seem like a practical and safe feature but as you progress in your weight lifting regimen you may find that you require a bench that allows you to change the incline on the part your back rests on. Typical bench presses, performed while lying flat, are great for basic exercise but in time you'll see that it is necessary to add the incline and decline bench press to your routine. This can only be accomplished with an adjustable weight benches.

Weight lifting benches also come in one of two widths: There are the regular weight lifting benches whose bar holders are typically a bit wider than shoulder width apart and then there are those with holders that are much wider. The narrower benches are usually cheaper but they also aren't able to hold as much weight as the wider benches because of the inherent geometry involved. On the other hand, wider weight benches make it necessary to have Olympic sized bars and weight plates so the trade off in a higher weight capability is matched by the extra money you'll need to spend.

Some weight lifting benches come with extra add-ons that include such useful features as a preacher curl mat or a lateral pull-down machine. These benches are of course more expensive than traditional weight benches but you may find that the extra price is more than worth it with the increased amount of workouts you can perform with the added machinery. On the other hand, none of the workouts that you can do with machines like the leg press or lateral pull-down can't be duplicated with dumbbells or barbells. On the contrary, most fitness experts in fact say that any muscle worked out with free weights rather than machine plates receives a better workout and grows bigger and stronger. This is a hard pill to swallow but it should encourage you to forget about the pricey additions to your weight bench and instead use that money on more dumbbells and barbells. The fact of the matter is that a weight bench is only good for a limited amount of exercises and there is a much wider variety of exercises that can be performed with two dumbbells or one barbell.