Weight Bench
A padded surface for lying or sitting during exercises like bench press.
A weight bench is essential for exercises like bench press, dumbbell press, and rows. Adjustable benches can be set to flat, incline, and decline positions, allowing varied angles for pressing and supporting exercises. A quality, stable bench is a cornerstone of any gym setup.
Flat, incline and decline
A flat bench trains the chest as a whole with the largest loads. An incline of roughly 30 to 45 degrees shifts emphasis towards the clavicular head of the pectoralis major, the upper chest, at the cost of some load. Decline reduces the shoulder's contribution and is often the most comfortable version for people with shoulder issues, though it is the least commonly programmed. Adjustable benches cover all three and are the single most useful piece of furniture in a home gym.
What to look for
Pad width around 25 to 30cm is the usual compromise: too wide restricts the shoulder blades, too narrow gives no stability. A flat, firm pad matters more than padding depth, because a soft pad lets the shoulders sink and destabilises the press. If the bench adjusts, check that the gap between back and seat pads is not sitting where your lower back goes.
Common mistakes
Buying a fixed flat bench then wanting incline work six months later. Using a bench with too much give, which feels comfortable and presses badly. And setting an incline far steeper than 45 degrees, which turns the exercise into an overhead press with a longer name and loads the front delts rather than the upper chest.
Examples
- Flat bench for bench press
- Incline bench for upper chest
- Adjustable bench for versatility
Compound exercises
Put this into practice with exercises from the library.
Romanian Deadlift from Deficit
Olympic Weightlifting · Barbell
Rope Climb
Strength · Other
Russian Twist
Strength · Bodyweight
Sandbag Load
Strongman · Other
Scissors Jump
Plyometrics · Bodyweight
Seated Barbell Military Press
Strength · Barbell
Seated Cable Rows
Strength · Cable
Seated Cable Shoulder Press
Strength · Cable