do you need a weight bench

by Marcellus Douglas IV Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

A weight bench is a fundamental piece of home gym equipment. I highly recommend getting one so you can increase the variety and quality of your exercise routine. That being said, there are still plenty of legitimate exercises you can do without a weight bench, so you do not absolutely need one for your home gym.

Which weight bench would be best for a beginner?

The Best Weight Benches For Home Gyms

Best Flat Weight Bench: REP PR FB-5000 Flat Bench
Best Adjustable Weight Bench: REP AB-5100 Adjustable Bench
Best High End Bench: Rogue Monster Utility Bench 2.0
Best Budget Foldable Weight Bench: Fitness Reality 1000 Super Max Weight Bench
Best Flat Weight Bench for the Money: Titan Flat Weight Bench
Best Affordable Bench: Ironmaster Super Bench

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How much space do you need for a weight bench?

The amount of space you need to weight train at home will really depend on the exercises you’re doing and the bench you buy. For basic weight training using a flat bench you’ll need at least 6ft x 6ft. If you opt for a utility bench with attachments or an Olympic bench, you’ll need around 10ft x 7ft, give or take.

How to make a weight bench at home?

Make the notches in the legs to add the support board. ...
Add the support with wood screws.
Add the short apron at the top of the legs using pocket screws.
Attach the long aprons to connect both pairs of legs.
Make the bench top from the four boards using pocket screws.
Attach the top to the base with wood screws.

What is the alternative to a weight bench?

Workout Bench Alternatives: What You Can Do If you Don’t Have a Bench

Use the Floor: Didn’t get me? ...
Or a Table: Another great substitute for the work out bench can be your regular coffee table. ...
Foam Or Mattress: The mattress or foam mats are one of the most used gym equipment, in fact, they are the most widely used equipment by the gym freaks.

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Is it worth getting a bench?

Do you need a weight bench with an integrated rack for home workouts? The short answer is no, especially if you are new to weight lifting. You are better off getting a sturdy bench without a rack and adding a cage/half rack later on when you feel more confident working with heavier weights.

What can I use instead of a weights bench?

A closed gym will certainly make you realize that you've taken the weight bench for granted — and how hard it is to recreate a weight bench at home....Before you get discouraged, try these four at-home weight bench alternatives.Piano or Dining Table Bench. ... Couch Armrest. ... BOSU or Stability Ball. ... The Floor.

Can you lift weights without a bench?

Believe it or not, you can accomplish a chest crushing workout with out a bench and just a pair of dumbbells. If necessary, you can build an entire muscle and strength building program with dumbbells and little else, you don't necessarily need a bench to accomplish your goals.

Do I need a bench for my home gym?

Home gyms need a bench for bench pressing. This is a great exercise for building muscle and strength in the chest and arm muscles. A weight bench is not essential for people who do not plan to bench press at home.

Do you need a bench to use dumbbells?

If all you have is a set of dumbbells, you can perform dumbbell chest exercises — without a bench — at home. Perform eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise. Work up to three sets in a row before increasing the weight of your dumbbells.

Do you need a bench for bench press?

But can you build a chest without bench pressing? Yes, it's possible to build a chest without bench pressing. While the bench press is a great compound exercise for building the chest muscles, there are many alternate exercises, such as the floor press, cable crossover, dumbbell press, and push-up.

Is bench or chest press better?

Bench Press: 17 Pros and Cons. The machine chest press and the bench press are two popular exercises that both work your chest, front delts, and triceps. The chest press is generally safer and easier to learn, but the bench press has helped more lifters build muscle and reach high levels of strength.

How can I bench at home without a bench?

2:155:59Build a Bigger Chest with the "BENCHLESS" Bench Press!YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThen just drop the hands forward or. If you are under a bar you bring them down here first you'reMoreThen just drop the hands forward or. If you are under a bar you bring them down here first you're not holding a bar give them to 90 degrees. And then reach straight up from there okay.

What if I don't have a bench?

1:434:48Best Bench Substitutes for Home Workouts [NO BENCH] | LiveLeanTVYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipShoulders my number two substitute for a bench has always been a chair a chair is so useful forMoreShoulders my number two substitute for a bench has always been a chair a chair is so useful for substituting for all sorts of bench. Exercises. You can do a flat bench press on a chair.

How can I build my chest without bench?

0:0810:55The 8 Best Chest Exercises (NO BENCH OR DIPS!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo i'm sure you've been told to do lots of incline bench press if you want to build your upper chestMoreSo i'm sure you've been told to do lots of incline bench press if you want to build your upper chest. And of course if you want to get that lower chest you're going to want to make sure that you do

Can you build chest with just dumbbells?

Dumbbells might not be as flashy as a loaded barbell, but they're actually very effective in building your pecs.

Can you use your bed as a workout bench?

Your bed is good for more than just sleeping. If you work out at home, it can double as a weight bench for chest exercises or stand in for the floor during ab exercises.

Can I use an exercise ball instead of a bench?

Swiss balls are currently used to replace stable benches during the performance of upper body strength training exercises.

Should I buy a flat bench?

The flat bench press does a better job of developing your pecs. Many trainers agree that the incline press is safer on your pecs, shoulders, and rotator cuffs. With so many exercises to strengthen your chest, the chest press with either bench will be effective.

Is dumbbells and bench enough?

Although you can get by just fine with either barbells or dumbbells, I highly recommend combining both into your weight training routine. Q: Is a bench and dumbbells enough? A: Absolutely! It's not ideal, but it's enough to make serious progress.

Are dumbbells enough?

Again if you do not want to put on huge muscles, hand weights will do. To sum up it is enough to have just a pair of dumbbells to have a full body workout at home, it has its cons, but still possible to build a strong and developed body.

Why are dumbbell benches better?

For Muscle Growth A 2017 study found that the dumbbell bench press elicited more pectoralis major and biceps brachii activation than the barbell bench press. (2) The deeper range of motion of dumbbell bench presses might be the culprit and may help you build more muscle as a result.

Is floor benching effective?

The floor press is a great exercise to have in your training arsenal because it is an excellent upper body strength builder, is great mechanically for beginning lifters, and can help those recovering from injury ease back into pressing movements.

Can dumbbell press replace bench press?

It is better to bench press with dumbbells if you want to prioritize the chest muscles, but if you want to activate the triceps more, you can use the barbell. The bench press with a dumbbell provides more range of motion, so if your goal is to build muscle, then choose a dumbbell bench press.

Can you build a big chest with just bench press?

The inclusion of assistance exercises will also allow for lifters lacking chest development to isolate the chest by itself, instead of letting the triceps or shoulders take over. So while yes, bench press can be made to be “enough” for chest development, bench press alone is likely far from optimal.

How can I make a weight bench at home?

0:433:33DIY Bench Press | How to make a weight bench - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI screwed two by fours around that 2x4 to make the leg for the bench. Two-by-fours are really cheap.MoreI screwed two by fours around that 2x4 to make the leg for the bench. Two-by-fours are really cheap. And I want the bench to be quite strong so I just kept layering in additional pieces.

Can you use your bed as a workout bench?

Your bed is good for more than just sleeping. If you work out at home, it can double as a weight bench for chest exercises or stand in for the floor during ab exercises.

How can I bench heavy without a spotter?

0:504:48How to Safely Bench Press HEAVY Alone (Without a Spotter) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPress pins or handles where you're going to be bench pressing off of and then you adjust those.MorePress pins or handles where you're going to be bench pressing off of and then you adjust those.

Can I use an exercise ball instead of a bench?

Swiss balls are currently used to replace stable benches during the performance of upper body strength training exercises.

Why is a weight bench important?

A weight bench is a very important equipment for any person who wants to start weight-lifting. Before the invention of weight benches , people used the floor. Benches provide you with an easy and effective way to exercise different body muscles. Here are some of the benefits and reasons why adjustable weight benches are important.

What is an adjustable weight bench?

This makes adjustable weight bench ideal workout equipment for people who love to workout in the comfort of their homes.

How to get your arm straight after a workout?

Set the back pad of your adjustable weight bench to a 90-degree angle and hold your dumbbells as they are hanging down by your side. With your palms facing out, curl up without moving your elbow and grip the contraction at the top for about a second. Slowly move the weight back down until your arm is straight prior to repeating the process.

How to do chest press with weight bench?

To do chest press, you need to lay in a flat, incline or decline position and lift the weight vertically to bring into line with your chest. Move the weight down to your chest while keeping your elbows tight and hold that position an inch above your chest. Ensure you hold the position for about a second then quickly push the weights upwards.

How to get a good core workout?

Hold the dumbbells in a palm in a neutral grip position hanging beneath you. Gently move the weight up to your core while keeping your elbows tight. Hold the position for a second prior to returning to the starting position.

Why are adjustments important in weight bench?

Adjustments are crucial because different exercises and workout need different angles to work the full body. These various angles from the adjustments will allow the seat to be positioned to relieve stress on the body as well. The more the adjustments, the more workout variety there will be. With more adjustments, you are getting more varied workouts. This will eventually pay for it if you are planning on training using muscle confusion as it is optimal. Some of the adjustment features in weight benches are;

How to do seated shoulder press?

You will also need to have a barbell or dumbbells. Lift the weight straight over your head and slowly move the weight down to your elbows to form a right angle and push the weight up.

A Bench CAN Be Well Worth It For A Home Gym

If you’re at all serious about training at home, you will have at some point considered buying a weight bench.

Benefits & Drawbacks Of Getting Be Bench For A Home Gym

Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of getting a workout bench for your home gym.

DIY Bench Alternatives For A Home Gym

Previously, I explained that a bench is not essential, because beginners can do other exercises that don’t require a bench.

Recommendation For An Affordable Home Gym Setup

Here’s an equipment list for a basic, yet effective and affordable), home gym to build muscle. I used this setup to gain 20lbs of muscle at home:

Weight bench with a rack

Although we usually associate weight benches with heavy compound exercises such as the bench press, most models designed for home workouts don't come with an integrated weight rack. That's because most people don't have barbells and weight plates laying around at home.

Weight benches without racks

How about weight benches with no racks? Are they good for anything? As a matter of fact, they are good for most types of strength exercises you will perform at home, especially at the beginning. It's not like you will start your fitness journey by bench pressing 200 lbs / 100 kg.

What is the most basic chest exercise?

The lifts you mention omit the chest and triceps. The most basic chest exercise is the bench press, where you kinda need a bench.

What is a fitball used for?

Also, the fitball can be used for a wide range of non-weighted exercises and stretches as well. It’s a pretty good piece of kit for a home workout.

Do you need bench press?

Bench press is just one exercise, and many people put way too much time into it. If your are a power lifter or a bodybuilder, then yes, you need it. But for general fitness, you can do without it if you must. Squats and deadlifts are muct more important. Compound exercises are what you need to do. Start out light, learn how to do the movements, and than add more weight. Use push-ups in blace of bench presses.

Should I get a bench or dumbell?

It’s probably not essentially to get a bench if you’re just a beginner and you already have dumbbells. The most important thing when you start weight training is to get into any sort of productive routine that you will stick with, and I think you can do that just fine with dumbbells and no bench.

Can you lift dumbbells without a bench?

We’ve been lifting dumbbells without a bench for years. We just lay down on the floor and do it.

Can you do weight lifting without squats?

Just make sure to include dumbbell squats. You can’t have a real weight lifting regimen without squats.

Can you use an old piano bench?

but you could use an old piano bench in a pinch.