A workout bench, also known as a weight bench, is a popular fitness tool that can be found in gyms, hotels, rehab centers and homes all across the nation. When it comes to its use, there is no major muscle group that can't be worked. All you need to know is what exercises to do and how to perform them.
Step 1
Lie down on the bench to do dumbbell chest presses. Hold dumbbells in your hands and extend your arms straight above you with your palms facing forward. Slowly lower the weights until your elbows are bent 90 degrees, then push them back up until they are an inch apart.
Step 2
Sit on the bench to work your shoulders. Hold dumbbells in your hands at shoulder level with your palms facing forward. Press the dumbbells straight up in the air and toward each other until they are an inch apart. Slowly lower them back down and repeat.
Step 3
Use the bench to build your back with one-arm dumbbell rows. Kneel on the bench with your left knee and have your right leg behind you and planted on the floor. Bend down and pick up a dumbbell with your right hand. Pull the dumbbell up until it is right by your hip, then let it go straight back down toward the floor. Keep your back straight the whole time, and make sure your upper arm is tight against your body throughout the movement.
Step 4
Work your triceps on the bench. Stand with your back to the bench, and place your hands on the edge about shoulder width apart. Walk your feet forward and lower your hips up so your thighs are parallel to the ground. Lower your butt toward the floor by bending your elbows. Push yourself back up by contracting your triceps and repeat.
Step 5
Place the backs of your upper arms on the bench to do concentration curls. Kneel on the ground in front of the bench and place your arms on top of it. Hold dumbbells in your hands and extend your arms with your elbows pressing into the bench. Curl the weights up until you feel a contraction in your biceps, and squeeze for a full second. Lower the dumbbells back down and repeat.
Step 6
Step onto the bench to work your legs. Hold dumbbells in your hands with your arms resting at your sides and your palms facing in. Step onto the bench with your right foot, then left foot. Step off the same way, then lead with your left foot. Alternate back and forth.
Step 7
Perform 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets of these exercises. Do your exercises two to three times a week.
Tips and Warnings
- When you do one-arm rows, twist your thumb in toward your body when you lower the weight to put more emphasis on your back muscles. To increase your intensity while doing triceps dips, straighten your legs so your heels are on the ground. To increase it even more, place your heels on another bench or a stability ball.
Things You'll Need
- Dumbbells
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