Flat, Folding, Adjustable, and Other Weight Benches

Flat Weight Bench

A flat weight bench is a simple bench used for various exercises in home and commercial gyms.

It should be strong and sturdy, able to withstand large weights, and plenty of abuse caused by regular workouts.

Flat weight bench without bench-press attachment can be used for bench press using various racks, like squat racks, squat stands, bench-press racks, and similar.

Maximum allowed weight is rarely below 300 pounds (user AND the weights), with 1000-pound models being available, too.

Adjustable Weight Bench

Adjustable weight benches are often not as sturdy as flat weight benches, but they are more versatile - they can be adjusted in several incline, decline, and, of course, flat positions.

They are used in exercises that target muscles under different angles when compared with flat benches and for many other exercises that can't be done on a simple, flat-weight bench.

The adjustable weight bench can be a simple weight bench, or it can come with many accessories and attachments, increasing its price but making it almost a small home gym.

Weight Bench with Accessories

The most common accessories and attachments for adjustable weight benches are:

• bench press stand - suitable for incline, decline, and flat bench press, and various shoulder barbell exercises,
• preacher curl pad - suitable for Preacher Curls, focusing on the biceps,
• leg attachment - suitable for various leg exercises, focusing on calves, quads, and hamstrings.

Other attachments depend on the bench model and manufacturer.

Of course, all other exercises that can be done on an ordinary flat or adjustable weight bench can be done on an adjustable weight bench with attachments.

Don't need an attachment for some exercise? Simply take it off.

Abs Weight Bench

The abs weight bench is suitable for various abs exercises, hence the name. It can be also used for some other exercises, depending on the model and its features.

It is a simple and sturdy weight bench with an adjustable incline level for varying the load on the trainee.

Note: to have perfectly visible abs, one needs to have strong abs, but without a proper diet and low body fat percentage, no exercise can help :)

When not in use, the abs weight bench can be stored easily since most of them require very little storage space.

Hyper Weight Bench

A hyper weight bench is a type of adjustable weight bench specialized for hyperextension and other core and posterior chain workouts.

Personally, I am not a big fan of hyperextension benches and workouts using them, but after heavy squats and deadlifts, it is nice to relax and 'reset' back with a few slower and controlled chin-ups and hyperextensions.

Instead of a hyper weight bench, some people prefer to use Roman Chair which can be used for similar exercises as well.

Preacher Curl Bench

The preacher curl bench is a very specialized weight bench used almost exclusively for one exercise - Preacher Curls and their variations.

Some people consider such bench to be overkill for a home gym, but they forget that people often have issues developing specific muscle groups.

If you have problems developing strong and aesthetically pleasing biceps and arms in general, a preacher curl bench can be of great help.

They often have adjustable pads (where arms are positioned during exercises) and sometimes seats.

They rarely come with weights, but if you find them on sale as a combo, remember that those weights can be used in other exercises, too.

The maximum allowed load is usually much larger than most people can lift, but check it before purchase, just in case.

Adjustable Height Bench

Adjustable height bench is commonly used in various plyometric workouts and exercises.

It can help build strength, stamina, and agility and can be very helpful for people practicing martial arts or for sports like basketball and similar.

One of the things that I personally don't like about such benches is the small footprint of the base - if you land on the bench with your feet not being in a perfect position, you will probably fall down. Been there, done that ... several times :)

Seriously - this is a very useful piece of exercise machine; just be careful ...

Roman Chair

Roman chair is similar to a hyper weight bench, but it is more versatile.

It enables a trainee to work out abs, back, glutes, and hamstrings on a single bench. Of course, the main load is on the glutes and lower back when doing hyperextensions and on the abs when doing abs exercises.

Roman chair is also a very useful piece in any home gym, just be aware of the narrow base that most models have, especially when you do exercises with rotations - slight imbalance and you are on the floor.

Most roman chairs are highly adjustable to accommodate trainees of various sizes and to enable a trainee to work out muscles at different angles.

Maximum user weight is usually 250+ pounds, but there are models with much larger maximum user weight.