Weight Bench Exercises 101: the Best Chest Exercises with Bench

The history of the gymnasium dates back 3000 years in ancient Persia. Of course, you could never find these modern gyms back then, but the theories and practices were pretty much the same- you target your muscles and train your body. We have come a long way from community gyms or home gym setups. 

Especially after the pandemic, home fitness has become more in trend. A weight bench is one such outstanding gym item that you get both in-home setups and community gyms. So, what is a weight bench, and what exercises can you do with it? 

What is a Weight Bench?

A weight bench is one of the most common pieces of equipment that you can find in almost any gym across the world. A weight bench may look more like a park bench, but it has adjustable settings to support the trainee. Therefore, it assists well when people engage in different weight lifting exercises. 

People usually sit or lie on a weight bench during training. Hence, weight benches have similar support to hold your body during the exercise for better posture. They are also very sturdy, giving them the ability to sustain heavyweights. 

There are plenty of types of weight benches depending on their function. For example, there are ab benches, flat benches, adjustable, and Olympic benches that serve different or multiple purposes. 

Best Weight Bench Exercises to Building a Bigger Chest

1. Dumbbell Bench Press

The bench press is probably the first exercise that comes to mind when talking about gym benches. Dumbbell bench press with weight works on your pecs, delts, and triceps. The dumbbell bench press gives you a greater range and is safer than the traditional bench press. Here's how you do it:

Photo: Youtube@ATHLEAN-X™

• Set the bench incline or flat. 
• Lie on your back on the bench.
• Hold dumbbells on each hand to the sides of your shoulders with your arms wide.
• Your palms should face forward away from us.
• Now, push the dumbbells above your chest by extending the elbow unless your arms are completely straight. 
• Now, slowly get back to the former position. 

2. Dumbbell Fly

Do you want to build the perfect chest? Dumbbell fly is one of the best exercises that target your pecs, triceps, biceps, delts, and forearms. To do the exercise, you will again need a bench. 

• Lie on your back on the flat bench with dumbbells in each hand, held straightly above your chest, and your hands should face each other. 
• Now lower the dumbbells with your arms wide. Keep a fixed position of bending your elbows for about 10 degrees to protect the joints. 
• Stop when you feel your chest is stretched well.
• Pull the dumbbells back to the start position by squeezing your pecs together.

3. Decline Pushups

Pushups are a full-body exercise that works on many muscles of your body. You use your body weight to train your muscles, especially muscles in the chest. Decline pushup is just an advanced variation of pushups. 

• You start with the standard pushup position. 
• Put your hands down your chest at shoulder level. It should be a bit wider than your shoulders. 
• Now, put your legs on the bench. Lower your body by squeezing your primary muscles. 
• Go as low as possible and get back to the start position gradually. 

Conclusion 

A weight bench is a very affordable gym accessory. Whether you buy it for your home setup or your gym, it will serve multiple purposes. These exercises were some of the many possible exercises you can perform on a bench. Go try them!