How to Use a Weight Bench – Introduction
What are the best weight bench exercises you can do in the privacy of your home?
A lot of people believe that to lose fat, build muscle, and get fit, they need access to a well-equipped gym.
This opinion is reinforced by various celebrities who are often shown doing exotic workouts with expensive state-of-the-art equipment and accompanied by their personal trainers.
The good news is that you don’t need lots of fancy fitness equipment or expensive trainers to reach your fitness goals.
Ultimately, your body has a hard time differentiating between using a $20,000 leg press and doing squat jumps in your living room.
So long as you work hard and consistently, your body will respond and adapt to whatever workout you do.
In this article, we’re going to reveal ten of the best exercises you can do using nothing but two of the most versatile pieces of equipment for your home gym – an adjustable weight bench and a pair of dumbbells.
The 10 Best Weight Bench Exercises
If you’ve got a weight bench and some dumbbells, you have everything you need to train every muscle in your body.
Here are our ten favorite weight bench and dumbbell exercises.
#1. Goblet bench squats
Target muscles: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus
While you can do squats without a bench, using one helps keep you honest by ensuring every rep descends to the same height.
How to do it:
- Hold a single dumbbell in front of your chest and just under your chin.
- Stand with your back to your bench and your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Brace your abs.
- Push your hips back, bend your knees, and squat down until your butt lightly touches your bench.
- Do not sit and relax on the bench. Just touch and go.
- Stand back up and repeat.
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#2. Bulgarian split squat
Target muscles: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus
Most people have one leg stronger than the other.
This exercise is a great way to identify and fix those left to right strength imbalances.
It’s good for hip mobility and balance too.
How to do it:
- With a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your back to your exercise bench.
- Bend one leg and place your foot on the top of the bench.
- Hop forward into a split stance.
- Brace your abs.
- Bend your legs and lower your back knee down toward the floor.
- Try to keep your torso upright and your front shin vertical.
- Stand back up and repeat.
- Rest a moment and then do the same number of reps on the other leg.
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#3. Dumbbell leg curls
Target muscles: Hamstrings, gluteus maximus
Just because you don’t have access to a leg curl machine doesn’t mean you can’t isolate your hamstrings.
This old-school exercise is very effective!
How to do it:
- Lie on your front on your bench, so your knees are on the edge of the seat.
- Place and hold a dumbbell between your feet.
- Hold it tight by squeezing your legs together.
- Starting with your legs straight, bend your knees and raise the weight until your shins are perpendicular to the floor.
- Extend your legs and repeat.
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#4. Dumbbell bench press
Target muscles: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps
The bench press is a popular exercise but, done with a barbell, you really should have a spotter on hand to help you if you are unable to complete a rep and rerack the bar.
Dumbbell bench presses are MUCH safer and work the exact same muscles.
Even better, an adjustable weight bench allows you to do a variety of exercises for different muscle groups.
For example, An incline bench press works your upper pecs more than a flat bench press.
In contrast, a decline bench press works your lower chest more than a flat weight bench press.
How to do it:
- Lie on your exercise bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Hold the weights at arms’ length over your chest, palms facing down your body.
- Plant your feet firmly on the floor, pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your abs.
- Bend your arms and lower the weights to just outside your shoulders.
- Press them back up and repeat.
- You can do this exercise either on a flat bench, in a decline or incline position as preferred.
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Dumbbell Bench Press vs Barbell Bench Press
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#5. Close grip dumbbell bench press
Target muscles: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps
This bench press variation is ideal for home exercisers as it makes light weights feel much heavier.
It’s a very effective chest sculpting exercise.
How to do it:
- Lie on your exercise bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Hold the weights at arms’ length over your chest. Turn your hands, so your palms are facing inward.
- Press the weights together.
- Maintaining the inward pressure, bend your arms and lower the weights to your chest.
- Keep pressing your weights together.
- Push the weights back up and repeat.
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#6. Dumbbell shoulder press
Target muscles: Deltoids, triceps
As its name suggests, this is a shoulder or deltoid exercise.
Put the backrest on your bench fully upright for more support, or leave your bench flat to increase core activation as preferred.
How to do it:
- Sit on your bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Raise the weights to your shoulders and turn your wrists, so your palms are facing forward.
- Brace your abs.
- Press the weights up and overhead, so they meet above your head.
- Lower the weights back down and out to your shoulders and repeat.
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#7. Single arm row
Target muscles: Latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, rhomboids, biceps
While we absolutely LOVE exercises like bent-over rows and deadlifts, we can also admit that, sometimes, these exercises can be hard on your lower back.
The good news is that using a weight bench can take a lot of stress off your lower back.
How to do it:
- Holding a dumbbell in one hand, lean forward and place your other hand on the top of your bench.
- Your back should be roughly parallel to the floor.
- Let the dumbbell hang down from your shoulder, palm turned inward.
- Brace your abs.
- Bend your arm and row your dumbbell up and into your ribs.
- Extend your arm and repeat.
- Try to do the same number of reps on each arm.
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#8. Chest-supported dumbbell row
Target muscles: Latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, rhomboids, biceps
Single-arm dumbbell rows are very lower back-friendly, but chest supported rows are even more so.
As an added advantage, they also work both arms at the same time, making them a little more time-efficient.
How to do it:
- Set your exercise bench to about 30-degrees.
- With a dumbbell in each hand, lie face-down on your bench, with your head uppermost.
- Let your arms hang down from your shoulders, palms facing inward.
- Bend your arms and pull the dumbbells up and into your ribs.
- Keep your shoulders pulled down and back throughout.
- Extend your arms, lower the weights, and repeat.
Chest Supported Dumbbell Row Tutorial
#9. Incline dumbbell curls
Target muscles: Biceps brachii
While all pulling compound exercises work your back, they also involve your biceps.
However, if you specifically want to strengthen or build your arms, some biceps isolation exercises may be useful.
Incline dumbbell curls are one of the best options.
How to do it:
- Set your bench to a 45-degree angle.
- With a dumbbell in each hand, sit and lean back on the bench and let your arms hang down and back, palms facing forward.
- Bend your arms and curl the weights up to your shoulders.
- Lower the weights and repeat.
- You can also do this exercise using an alternating arm action if preferred.
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#10. Dumbbell skull crushers
Target muscles: Triceps brachii
Skull crushers are so-called because, if you aren’t careful, you could end up hitting yourself in the head!
Thankfully, dumbbell skull crushers are a whole lot safer, and you are very unlikely to hurt yourself doing this exercise.
How to do it:
- Lie on your exercise bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Hold the weights at arms’ length over your chest, palms facing inward.
- Plant your feet firmly on the floor, pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your abs.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, bend your elbows and lower the weights down to the side of your head.
- Extend your elbows and repeat.
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Dumbbell and Weight Bench Full-Body Workout
While there is nothing to stop you from doing a few random exercises and calling it a day, you’ll get better results from your time and energy if you follow a more structured workout.
This weight training circuit is designed to tone and strengthen all your major muscle groups and burn fat at the same time, using most of the exercises outlined above.
Before you start, spend a few minutes warming up by doing some light cardio, such as jump rope, and then a few dynamic stretching and mobility exercises for your major muscles and joints.
Fit Apprentice® Weight Bench Exercises Home Workout Circuit
* Plank on your left side for 20-40 seconds, do a front plank for 20-40 seconds, and then plank on your right side for 20-40 seconds to work your core muscles from all sides and different angles.
Recommended Gear
Needless to say, if you’re going to do this workout at home, you’re going to need a weight bench and some dumbbells.
Here are a few of our favorite products!
1. FLYBIRD Adjustable Workout Bench
- 【Weight capacity is 800 pounds】; Designed a unique frame with triangular...
- 【Fast adjustment with automatic lock】; Designed with 7 back positions and 3...
- 【Good 2 inch soft foam padding】; 10.6 inch upgraded backrest and seat made...
- 【Save 80 percent space】; FLYBIRD foldable bench, easy to carry and no...
- 【No worry buying】; For all FLYBIRD Bench, the measurement and capacity is...
One of the best weight benches on the market, this FLYBIRD bench is ideal for home dumbbell workouts because it folds flat for easy storage.
It’s fully adjustable, very cushioned, light, sturdy, and serves good value for your money.
2. Figolo Adjustable Weight Bench
- 【Figolo Patented Weight Bench】 Especially Designed for people lives in...
- 【Easy installation & Adjustable】Simply plug in the PULL-IN that comes within...
- 【365 Days Replacement service】Figolo promise each customer a 1 year...
- 【Foldable & Comfortable 】Customers can easily put away the bench by pull out...
- 【Warm Tips】For your safety, please try your best to follow the instruction...
This budget-friendly FIGOLO weight bench is solid and stable but also folds flat for easy storage.
It has numerous anchor points, so you can use it with resistance bands instead of free weights if preferred.
As well as having lots of incline settings, this bench declines too.
3. Amazon Basics Adjustable Dumbbell Set
- Adjustable 38-pound weight lifting set; great for daily workouts, including...
- Includes (2) 2.7-pound barbells, (4) 0.5-pound collars, and (4) 2.5-pound and...
- Includes a durable black plastic storage case with carry handle for compact...
- Quick weight adjustments: simply slide plates on and off the barbells and secure...
These Basics budget dumbbells are easy to use.
They have spin-lock collars to make changing weights a quick, painless procedure.
Because they use standard-sized plates, you can always add more weights if necessary.
4. FLYBIRD Adjustable Dumbbell
No products found.
These FLYBIRD dumbbells feature a dial mechanism for changing weights.
Sold singularly, these dumbbells aren’t cheap, but they are very stylish and easy to use.
Plus, each one is the equivalent of five different dumbbells, ranging from five to 25 pounds.
5. CAP Barbell 150-Pound Dumbbell Set with Rack
If you are serious about dumbbell training, you’ll probably enjoy using this CAP hex dumbbell set.
Each dumbbell is perfectly balanced, has a comfortable handle, and looks great stored on the supplied rack.
This is a very professional dumbbell set, with weights ranging from five to 25 pounds.
Best Weight Bench Exercises – Wrapping Up
You really don’t need a whole lot of fancy home gym equipment to get fit, burn fat, and build muscle.
While there is nothing wrong with using expensive strength training machines or joining exclusive gyms, you can achieve the same results at home.
So long as you train hard and often enough, you will get the results you want – even from very low-tech training methods and tools.
Resistance band and bodyweight exercises are great, but these effective weight bench exercises with an adjustable bench and dumbbells will make your workouts more varied and interesting.
What’s Next
As you progress with these weight bench exercises, your entire body will change, and so too should your workouts.
It’s quite common to find that what worked initially loses its effectiveness after a few months.
Therefore, use the information in this article – How Many Exercises, Sets, + Reps Per Workout Should You Do to design additional circuit training workouts based on your fitness goals.
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Rich is a NASM-CPT (Certified Personal Trainer),