3 tips for using a weight bench

Bench press

One of the most popular exercises performed using a weight bench is the bench press. In Dutch, this is also called the bench press. The bench press primarily trains your chest muscles, but it also works your shoulders and triceps.

To perform this exercise, you'll need a barbell in addition to the bench press. Depending on your training progress, you can add additional weights to the barbell.

To perform the bench press, lie on the bench with your shoulder blades extended, arch your back, and place your feet on the floor on either side of the bench. Then, grab the barbell from the holder and bring it to your chest. The barbell briefly touches your chest, and then you push the bar back up. The first tip we want to give you is to maintain a straight back throughout the exercise. This will prevent shoulder injuries.

Adjustable weight bench

When purchasing a weight bench, you can choose between a non-adjustable and adjustable version. We recommend an adjustable bench because you can perform more exercises with it than with a non-adjustable one. The adjustable bench also has an adjustable backrest, allowing you to adopt both seated and lying positions.

Seated bicep curl

An exercise you can then perform using a bench press with the backrest raised is the seated bicep curl. Because the backrest is raised, you have good support while performing the exercise.

To perform this exercise, you'll need dumbbells in addition to the bench press, weighing a weight appropriate for your progression. Perform the seated bicep curl by assuming a seated position with both feet on the floor. It's important to keep your back as still as possible during this exercise to maximize the power transfer from your biceps. Start with the dumbbells at knee height and then lift them toward you with a smooth motion from your elbows. You can alternate between your left and right arms, or both arms simultaneously.

Lunges

Finally, we'd like to discuss a leg exercise you can perform using a weight bench. An exercise known for its positive effects on leg muscle growth is the lunge. You can also perform this exercise using a weight bench. Besides your leg muscles, lunges also train your glutes and abdominal muscles.

You perform lunges by resting the top of your back foot on the bench and placing the other foot forward. Then, lower yourself through your front leg and come back up. This exercise is best performed with dumbbells in both hands.

You can perform the exercise by first doing a set with your left leg forward, followed by a set with your right leg forward. You can also alternate between left and right legs, but that might be less practical because you have to place your back foot on the bench.