The Complete Guide to Workout Benches | Benefits, Types & Top Home Workouts

My name is David Williamson and I am a professional personal trainer and fitness coach for over 20 years. Today I want to share my knowledge with you about workout benches.

A workout bench is one of the most versatile pieces of home gym equipment. Whether you’re lifting dumbbells, barbells, or using it for bodyweight exercises, a good bench provides support, stability, and variety for your workouts, it’s an essential for any home gym.

In this guide, I will cover what a workout bench is, how it works, the different types available, the benefits of using one, and how to choose the right bench for you—plus my top home exercises and a FAQ section.

A workout bench is a padded, solid platform designed to support strength and conditioning exercises. It allows you to perform a wide range of movements safely and effectively, particularly when lifting weights, mainly body building exercises.

Workout benches are common in both gyms and home setups and are used for upper body training, core work, and full-body stability exercises

Workout benches provide a stable surface that helps maintain form and safety during exercise. By adjusting the bench angle (on adjustable models), you can hit muscles from different angles—for example, using an incline bench press to hit the upper chest, or a decline chest dumbbell press, to hit the bottom of the chest.

They also isolate specific muscles and expand your exercise variety compared to floor training and are great for single leg loaded exercises as well, split squats.

Flat Benches

• Fixed, non-adjustable.
• Simple, sturdy, and affordable.
• Best for bench press, chest fly’s, dumbbell rows, and lower limb bodyweight work.

Adjustable Benches (FID Benches)

• Incline, decline, and flat positions.
• Versatile for targeting a variety of different muscle groups.
• Popular in commercial and home gyms.

Olympic Benches

• Larger and built for more heavy lifting.
• Often include a built-in barbell rack.
• Designed for bench press and heavier more serious strength training.

Folding Benches

• Compact and space-saving.
• Good option for smaller areas (Home gyms).

The right bench depends on your training style, space, and goals:

• For Beginners: Flat bench – simple and budget-friendly.
• For Versatility: Adjustable bench (FID) – best all-round option.
• For Heavy Lifters: Olympic bench – ideal for barbell bench press, shoulder press and progression.
• For Small Spaces: Folding bench – easy storage.

Pro Tip: Look for strong weight capacity, durable padding, and sturdy construction for safety and longevity.

Workout benches bring several advantages to your training:

• Exercise Variety – Perform presses, rows, split squats, tricep dips, and more.
• Better Strength Training – Provides support and stability for heavy lifting.
• Muscle Targeting – Incline/decline options hit muscles from different angles.
• Core Activation – Used for sit-ups, leg raises, and ab-focused workouts.
• Safe & Stable – Reduces injury risk compared to floor lifting, more stability.
• Compact & Versatile – Fits into most home gyms.

Here are 5 of the best exercises you can do with a bench:

1. Bench Press (Dumbbell or Barbell)

• Works: Chest, shoulders, triceps.

2. Incline Dumbbell Press

• Works: Upper chest, anterior shoulders.

3. Dumbbell Row (One Arm on Bench)

• Works: lats, biceps and core.

4. Bulgarian Split Squat (Rear Foot Elevated)

• Works: Quads, glutes, hamstrings and over all hip stability.

5. Bench Step-Ups

• Works: glutes, hamstrings, quads and entire hip complex.

Q1: Do I need a workout bench for home training?
While not essential, a bench increases exercise variety and is a highly recommended piece of equipment for strength training and body building.

Q2: What is the difference between a flat and adjustable bench?
Flat benches are in a fixed position, while adjustable benches allow incline/decline angles, making them more versatile for different muscle groups.

Q3: How much weight should a good bench hold?
Look for benches with at least 200–250 kg capacity (including your body weight and weights lifted). Olympic benches typically would hold more than this.

Q4: Are workout benches good for beginners?
Yes. They are safe, stable, sturdy and make it easier to execute technique properly.

Q5: Can I do ab exercises on a bench?
Absolutely. Decline sit-ups, leg raises, and bench-supported core movements are excellent options.

Workout benches are a must-have for home gyms. They’re versatile, safe, and suitable for all fitness levels, offering a wide range of exercise possibilities. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced body builder, the right bench can be transformative for your training.

Check out our selection of workout benches at Fitness Max and find the perfect model for your goals.