An Olympic weight lifting bench uses Olympic bars and Olympic plates. Its solid design supports heavy weight loads so you can use this bench as a beginner or an advanced lifter. The bench is adjustable for various upper body exercises and supports your bar when you use it during lower body exercises. You will need a set space for an Olympic bench if you are purchasing one for at-home use, as it is not easily transported.
Angles
Your Olympic bench adjusts from an upright, to an incline, to a flat and a decline angle. These various positions allow you a range of exercise movements to include in your strength-training workout. Performing a chest press on an incline activates your upper chest and shoulder muscles. You could perform the same chest press on a decline to strengthen your lower chest muscles.
Preacher Curl
Many Olympic benches have a preacher curl platform option. The preacher curl slides into a slot on the end of your bench to be used during arm strengthening exercises. The bench provides a seat during the preacher curl exercise.
Legs
Some Olympic bench sets feature a leg extension and leg curl option. To use the leg extension sit on the end of your bench and place the rollers over the top of your ankles, and extend your legs. This exercise strengthens your quadriceps, the front of the top of your legs. Perform a leg curl by lying face down on the bench, place the rollers behind your ankles and bend your legs, raising your feet toward your backside. This exercise strengthens your hamstrings, the back of the top of your legs.
Specifics
Most Olympic benches support a combined body weight and weight plate amount of 600 lb. The benches are made of tubular steel, which means they are hollow in the middle, so that your bench can be moved if necessary, but the bench itself still weighs over 100 lb. The uprights support an Olympic bar and can be used as a resting place for your bar when not in use or as a beginning position when using your bar for squats or standing bicep curls.
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