Weight bench

An weight bench is one of the basic and absolutely essential components of strength training. Whether you’re equipping a large commercial gym or a small home gym, the bench is a must. They can also be called a workout bench, gym bench or exercise bench.

Uses for an weight bench

A bench and a pair of dumbbells can be used to exercise a large part of the body. Unlike bodyweight training equipment, which can also train a large part of the body, a bench and dumbbells allow you to load your muscles progressively and much, much more heavily. To extend your workout even further, you can add a barbell and rack to your bench.

Types of benches

There are several different variations on the market, namely:

• Adjustable/Adjustable Weight Bench: this is the most common variant and the best buy for most people. It is a bench where you can adjust the inclination so you can do even more different exercises. Within the category of adjustable benches, there are also several differences. These differences include how much you can adjust the backrest, the increments in which the adjustment can be made, whether it is possible to have an inverted/negative tilt, and whether the seat can be adjusted. In general, the more adjustment possibilities the better.
• Straight/Plan Workout Bench: This is simply a bench that cannot be adjusted or set in any way. It always has a perfectly flat incline. The advantage of these benches is that they can be more stable than an adjustable bench in the same price range. The disadvantage is that you can’t do as many different exercises with a flat bench. If you already have an adjustable bench and want a new bench that will only be used for bench presses, a flat model is a good option.
• Collapsible Bench: a fairly popular option is a bench that folds up. The advantage of a collapsible bench is simply that they can take up much less space if needed. Often folding benches are a little cheaper and simpler in design. They are best suited for people who live in a small space. Then a folding bench can be either adjustable or flat.
• Special benches: There are also benches designed for specific uses, such as sit-up benches and back benches.

Which is the best exercise bench to buy?

The best bench for most people is an adjustable model with the maximum number of adjustments. By this we mean that the backrest should be able to be lowered to a negative/inverted inclination and the angle of the seat should be adjustable. Furthermore, it is of course good if the bench is of good build quality and can handle heavy weights. Remember that the maximum load indicated also includes your body weight. So if you buy a bench with a maximum load of 200 kg and you weigh 100 kg, you should not exercise with more than 100 kg of weights.

For some people, a flat gym bench may be “best in test”. In this case, it’s mainly about more advanced solutions, such as the situation where you already have an adjustable bench and want a bench specifically for bench press.

If you are in a tight space and do not have such high demands on maximum load and quality, a folding bench can be a very good and inexpensive option.

Thunder Fitness sells a heavy duty premium bench of the highest build quality. It has a maximum weight of 500 kg and maximum adjustment possibilities for both backrest and seat. Read more and buy it below!