Step into any gym, walk past the cardio machines and enter the free weight room. In this room you'll find an array of dumbbells, barbells and weight benches. The weight bench is a highly versatile piece of equipment that you can use in a variety of ways for a total body workout if you know how.
Function
A 2006 issue of the "Journal of Sport Behavior" revealed that a combination of aerobic cardio training and interval circuit training led to significantly superior fitness gains for women. Use the weight bench for a total body circuit that includes the chest, back, shoulders, triceps, biceps, abdominals and legs to sculpt your body and build endurance. Complete 10 to 15 reps of each exercise once and then repeat the circuit for a total of 3 sets.
Types
You will find a variety of different weight bench machines in your fitness facility. The most common weight benches are the flat/adjustable weight benches commonly found in the free weight room. These weight benches are used for performing a variety of exercises for the upper and lower body. Some of the other types of weight benches include hyperextension weight benches for the lower back, preacher weight benches for bicep curls and abdominal weight benches for crunches.
Lower Body Considerations
Use the weight bench as a tool to assist you with lower body exercises like the squat. The squat requires you to utilize your core and buttocks sequentially as you lower your hips perpendicular to the floor. Perform the squat with the bench behind you to give your hips a target to aim toward. Stand in front of the weight bench facing the mirror. Hold a pair of 10- to 15-lb. dumbbells at your sides. Inhale to lower your hips toward the weight bench as if you were trying to sit in a chair. Stop when your hips are a couple of inches above the bench.
Upper Body Considerations
Use the weight bench to modify your chest press. The weight bench allows you to alter the angle of your chest press. When your torso is parallel to the floor you are maximizing the utility of the chest muscles, as you increase the incline your chest and shoulders are required to work together. When the torso is perpendicular to the floor the shoulders must work independently. As you move your torso from a parallel to the upright position you should decrease the weight to provide your shoulders with an appropriate challenge.
Warnings
The weight bench is often utilized for lower body exercises like step-ups in which you place the sole of one foot on the bench and engage your buttocks and thighs to stand with both feet on the bench. This exercise is for experienced exercisers due to the body awareness, control and balance required to keep the exercise safe. The soft cushion of the weight bench will challenge your stability. Due to the height of the weight bench, the level of engagement that your buttocks and thighs must perform will be significantly higher than other lower body exercises that take place on a flat surface like squats or lunges. Perform step-ups using stairs or an aerobic step before performing them on a weight bench.
References
- "Journal of Sport Behavior"; Effects of Aerobic and Circuit Training on Fitness and Body Image Among Women"; Volume 29, Issue 4; 2006
- "European Journal of Applied Physiology"; Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistance-training regimens: speci?city of repetition maximum training zones; Gerson Campos et. al.; Issue 88; 2002
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Changes in Muscle Size and MHC Composition in Response to Resistance Exercise with Heavy and Light Loading Intensity; L. Holm et. al.; Issue 105; 2008
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