Strength Training is an important component to any fitness plan. With strength training, you can strengthen not only muscles, but connective tissues as well – which can help you avoid injury during your cardio workouts. And a great way to start strength training at home is with a set of dumbbells or other free weights, and a weight bench. But, how do you choose the best weight bench for your workout needs?
First, it’s important to define what your fitness goals are. What is your main objective? Is it to loose weight? Improve your aerobic capacity? Or to build muscle? Knowing what your objective is for strength training can help you define the type of weight bench makes the most sense for you. And, once you know your objective, you can put together a strength training program that you can match equipment to.
Next, it’s important for your safety that you look for a bench that is sturdy, and has a strong foundation. Yes, there are weight benches available that can cost under $100. And, you’ll find that these types of benches are built with cheap, thin steel, and when bolted together, may feel loose and nearly ready to break. Although portability may seem nice for a bench, never sacrifice strength and structural soundness. If you’re going to be doing any type of bench press, for example, you want a rack like the TuffStuff COB-400 Olympic Bench that is wide, which provides not only support when the weight bar is resting on it, but also won’t shift as you are lifting the weights.
You may want to also look for a rack or bench height that is adjustable. You want to make sure that when your holding the bar at shoulder width, that you can easily lift the bar. With an adjustable incline bench like the TuffStuff CLB-325 Flat/ Incline Ladder Bench, you can also focus your workouts on your upper pectorals and shoulders. The bench padding should be comfortable as well.
If you’re looking to do any leg exercises with your bench, there are benches like the Body Solid FID46 Flat / Incline / Decline Bench, which has a leg developer for doing leg extensions and curls, But these types of leg development features aren’t the best if you’re looking to do more serious leg focused strength training exercises, and you may be better off looking for a separate leg machine. Additionally, if you’re looking to do any squats as part of your lower body strength training program, you may want to eventually get a Smith rack (which allows you do do squats without needing a spotter) – if you think you’re going to possibly go that route, then you want to make sure that whatever bench you choose will fit within the dimensions of a Smith rack.
If you’re looking for more guidance and advice on what the best type of weight bench you should choose, stop into any of Fitness 4 Home Superstore’s 3 Valley area stores. We carry a full range of weight benches from the industry’s best fitness manufacturers – and we can help you find the right bench for both your fitness goals as well as your budget!
