Weight benches are the most commonly used equipment in every gym. They can be used to exercise every muscle group for a wide variety of exercises. Weight benches come in a variety of styles ranging from flat, incline, decline, preacher and hyperextension. There are also adjustable benches as well that allow the seat to be moved to various positions.
Non-Adjustable Benches
Non-adjustable benches may be flat or in an incline or decline position. These benches are commonly used for barbell chest exercises, such as bench press, incline press and decline press. Flat benches are the most basic style of bench available. They are commonly used for standard bench press and flat dumbbell chest presses or fly's. However, non-adjustable benches can also be used as a tool for training other body parts.
Adjustable Benches
Adjustable benches are used at the gym and at home. They offer a wide variety of seated positions from flat to an upright seated position. The adjustable bench also has various settings for incline and decline positioning. Adjustable benches also tend of have wheels at one end, making it easier to move throughout the gym. Some adjustable benches also offer attachment options in which you can attach a preacher bench or a leg extension/leg curl attachment. This can be beneficial to the at-home exerciser.
Preacher Curl Bench
The preacher curl bench is used for isolation training of the biceps. It allows the user the sit upright with their arms hanging over the padded bench and perform the biceps curl with a barbell or dumbbell. The seat to the bench is adjustable to accommodate various heights.
Hyperextension Bench
The hyperextension bench is designed to isolated the lower back. To perform this exercise, lie face down on the bench with your feet on the platform and your ankles tucked under the foot pads. The upper pad should be adjusted so your upper thighs are flat across the pad, and you can easily bend at the waist. The movement is performed with a flat back by slowly bending at the waist, with or without weight, until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then slowly return to starting position.
Warning
While, weight benches are capable of being used in a variety of ways, they are not designed to be used as step bench or plyometric platforms. In addition, when using an adjustable weight bench, preacher bench or hyperextension bench always make sure that the bench is adjusted properly and securely before beginning your exercise.
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