Weight Bench Exercises and Training Guide

Explore weight bench exercises, from dumbbell presses to rows. Choose the right bench and learn practical tips for stable, controlled training.

A weight bench provides a stable platform for strength training with dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, and bodyweight.

What is a weight bench?

Weight benches come in flat, adjustable, and multifunctional designs. A flat bench supports movements such as dumbbell presses, one-arm rows, and step-ups. An adjustable backrest lets you change your torso angle for exercises including incline presses and seated shoulder presses. Before each set, check that the bench is stable and any adjustment is securely locked.

How to use a weight bench safely

Select a bench that suits the exercise and the load you plan to use. Keep your feet planted during presses, control the lowering phase, and avoid dropping weights onto the bench. For demanding barbell sets, use suitable safety supports or a spotter, and reduce the load if your form breaks down.

Bulgarian Split Squat Bodyweight Left

The Bulgarian Split Squat is a powerful exercise that focuses on strengthening your lower body, with an emphasis on one leg at a time. This variation, performed without additional weights, emphasizes your left leg and improves balance, coordination, and muscular endurance. Execution Find an elev

Bulgarian Split Squat Bodyweight Right

The Bulgarian Split Squat is a powerful exercise that targets strengthening your lower body, with a focus on one leg at a time. This creates a unique challenge for your balance, coordination, and muscle strength. It is an excellent way to address asymmetries between your legs and strengthen your low

Bulgarian Split Squat Left Bodyweight Side View

The Bulgarian Split Squat is a powerful exercise that targets the lower-body muscles, with a focus on one leg at a time. This provides a unique workout that not only improves your strength and balance but also helps correct muscle imbalances. Execution Find an elevation, such as a bench or a stu

Bulgarian Split Squat Machine

The Bulgarian Split Squat Machine offers a unique way to train your lower body, focusing on balance, strength, and stability. This exercise is a variation of the traditional squat, but places greater emphasis on one leg at a time, resulting in a more intense workout for the leg muscles and core. Ex

Bulgarian Split Squat Right

Introduction: The Bulgarian Split Squat is an effective exercise for strengthening your lower body, focusing on one leg at a time. This improves balance, symmetry, and muscle strength. Execution: Begin by placing your right foot on the ground and your left foot behind you on an elevated platform, s

Bulgarian Split Squat Right Bodyweight Side View

The Bulgarian Split Squat is a powerful exercise that focuses on strengthening your lower body, with an emphasis on the right side when performed from a side view. This exercise offers unique benefits, such as improved balance, coordination, and the isolation of muscle groups in each leg. Execution

Bulgarian Split Squat with Cable Resistance Band

The Bulgarian Split Squat with Cable Resistance Band is a dynamic exercise that combines strength, balance, and flexibility. Adding the resistance band provides an extra challenge, improving not only lower-body strength but also core stability. Execution Find a stable surface, such as a bench or

Bulgarian Split Squat with Dumbbells

The Bulgarian Split Squat with dumbbells is a powerful exercise that targets strengthening your lower body, with a particular focus on the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. This variation adds extra resistance with dumbbells, making your muscles work harder and challenging your stability. Executi

Cable Lying Triceps Extension

Like the forward and overhead cable triceps extensions, the lying variation is an exercise for extending the arms and thereby training the triceps. In terms of the position of the upper arms (and therefore the stretch on the long head of the triceps), this exercise is more comparable to dumbbell and

Cable Pullover

The lying cable pullover is an exercise that primarily activates the chest muscles, latissimus dorsi, and serratus. It therefore fits into both a back workout and a chest workout. This version of the pullover can be performed either lying on the floor or on a bench. Lying Cable Pullover Main muscles

Cable Seated Fly

So-called fly exercises are popular exercises for isolating the chest muscles as much as possible. The primary function during this exercise is pulling the upper arms forward with the pectoralis major. Because the arms maintain the same curvature throughout the movement, the triceps are required muc

Cable Standing Preacher Curl

Cable standing preacher curls are a variation of dumbbell standing preacher curls and barbell preacher curls. An important difference from dumbbell standing preacher curls is the way resistance is distributed more evenly throughout the movement. This does not mean that the resistance remains constan

Cable Twin-Handle Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

Want to develop a powerful back and an impressive V-shape? Then the Cable Twin-Handle Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown is an excellent choice. This exercise targets the width and thickness of your back muscles and offers a unique way to train your lats with a focus on the lower muscle fibers. Execution

Cambered Bar Lying Row

The Cambered Bar Lying Row is a powerful exercise that targets strengthening your back muscles. Due to the unique shape of the cambered bar, your muscles are stimulated differently than with traditional rowing exercises, which may lead to better results and a lower risk of injury. Execution Lie

Chest Bench Press Correct Stance

The Chest Bench Press is a classic strength exercise that focuses on strengthening the chest muscles, triceps, and shoulders. This exercise is a staple in many strength-training programs because of its effectiveness in building muscle mass and strength. Execution Lie on your back on a flat bench

Chest Dip on Bench

The Chest Dip on Bench is an effective exercise that targets and strengthens your chest muscles, triceps, and shoulders. This exercise is unique because you can perform it almost anywhere, as long as you have access to a bench or a sturdy surface. Execution Find a bench or sturdy surface that is

Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

The Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press is a powerful exercise aimed at strengthening your upper body, with a particular focus on your triceps and chest muscles. This variation of the traditional bench press places greater emphasis on the triceps by narrowing the grip width, creating a unique challenge a

Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

The Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press is a powerful exercise aimed at strengthening your upper body, with a particular focus on your triceps and chest muscles. This variation of the traditional bench press places more emphasis on the inner chest and triceps, making it an excellent choice for building s

Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

The Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press is a powerful exercise aimed at strengthening your upper body, with a special focus on the triceps and chest muscles. This variation of the traditional bench press places more emphasis on the triceps, providing a more intense workout for these muscles. Execution

Close-Grip Bench Press

The Close-Grip Bench Press is a powerful exercise that targets the development of your triceps, chest, and shoulders. The narrow grip makes your triceps work harder than in a standard bench press, giving this exercise a unique advantage for building arm strength. Execution Lie on a flat bench wi

Close-Grip Bench Press in Smith Machine

The close-grip barbell bench press is a modified version of the bench press. Bringing the elbows back alongside the body with the narrower grip places more emphasis on the triceps and less on the chest muscles. Performing the exercise in the Smith machine allows it to be performed more safely. It al

Close-Grip Preacher Curls

The Close-Grip Preacher Curl is an effective exercise for intensely training the biceps. The close grip and support of the preacher bench place more emphasis on the lower part of the biceps and the brachialis. Execution Set up the preacher bench and grab an EZ bar or a dumbbell with a weight you

Concentration Bicep Curl

The Concentration Bicep Curl is an effective exercise focused on isolating and strengthening the biceps. This exercise offers the unique benefit of targeted muscle activation, allowing you to experience a more intense muscle pump and improve the shape of your biceps. Execution Sit on the end of

Concentration Curl

The Concentration Curl is an effective exercise for isolating and strengthening the biceps. This exercise offers the unique benefit of targeted muscle activation, allowing you to focus intensely on the biceps without involving many other muscle groups. Execution Find a comfortable chair and sit