Many of us have started working out at home due to all the gyms shutting as a result of Covid-19. Choosing the right home gym equipment depends on various factors such as the size of your home and your workout goals, but one piece of equipment which every home gym needs are a quality weight bench.
Weight benches are incredibly versatile and can be used for hundreds of different exercises. There are many different weight benches available of varying prices and quality so it is important to make sure you choose the right one. Here are the qualities to look for when you are planning to buy a weight bench.
1. The Size of the Bench
The first thing you will need to consider when buying a weights bench is the size. There are many cheap models of bench which are very thin and while you may still be able to use them for certain exercises, if you are looking to lift serious weights, these small benches do not offer much support. They are often too narrow and so they can cause injuries as you twist and move to try and find stability when benching heavy weights. Look for a bench that has good width and it will provide the stability you need.
2. Incline Adjustability
There are so many different exercises you can do on a flat bench but this number increases dramatically when you can adjust the angle of the bench. When you buy a weight bench that you can adjust, you can do incline, decline, and flat exercises as well as adjusting the bench all the way up to 90 degrees. Incline, decline, and flat bench press and dumbbell press target different areas of your chest while pressing sat fully upright enable you to target your shoulders.
3. Stability and Sturdiness
Whenever you are using any piece of exercise equipment, it is crucial that it is sturdy and stable or you could be putting yourself in serious danger. Working out with wobbly, unstable equipment is very dangerous, particularly when you are bench pressing and the weight is held above your body. All you need is for the legs to break off or the bench to tip over and you will have the whole weight of the bar falling down onto you. If you are benching heavy weights you could easily break bones or even be killed with it coming down on your chest or neck. Make sure that whatever bench you buy is completely stable and always have a spotter when you are benching heavy.
4. Built-In-Weight Rack and Leg Curl
There are some benches that come with weight racks and leg curls attached and others that are just stand-alone benches. An all-in-one bench with everything included can reduce the amount of other equipment which you need to buy but will take up far more space. Stand-alone benches will require you to buy other equipment such as squat stands but are easier to move and store away. Ultimately you will need to decide which kind of bench works best for your space and the other equipment which you have.
5. Quality of the Leather
As long as your bench is made from solid metal and is well constructed then the frame will last for years but one thing which you do need to pay attention to is the quality of the leather. Cheaper benches will use plastic or imitation leather and while this may look fine when you first buy the bench, it will soon start to wear down. Even with wear and tear, as long as the bench is structurally sound you will still be able to use it, but if you want the bed of the weight bench to last longer, it is worth spending that little bit more for genuine leather.
6. Ease of Assembly
Depending on what kind of bench you buy and where you buy it from it may come preconstructed or you may have to put it together yourself. If you do need to assemble it yourself, make sure you have the requisite tools and skills to do it properly. If not, you could be putting yourself in serious danger as your bench will not be stable enough to use safely.
Buying a quality weight bench is one of the most important purchases you will make for your home gym. Don’t just buy the cheapest model as size, stability and adjustability are all far more important. Whether or not you want any extra attachments like weight racks or a leg curl will depend on what other equipment you have but you should never compromise on quality as this can cause safety issues.