Why Are Adjustable Benches Perfect For Full-Body Workouts?

A key piece of equipment in any home or commercial gym is a weight bench. They provide essential support when lifting free weights, particularly dumbbell exercises. 

Most modern workout benches are hinged for an adjustable angle, allowing the user to switch between flat, seated, inclined and declined positions. 

But many beginner weight lifters only use them in a flat position for bench pressing, missing out on the full potential. 

So we’re going to explore why adjustable workout benches are the underrated hero of gym equipment and how you can use them for a whole body programme. 

Why does changing the bench angle matter?

Repeated movements along the same angles and planes will only build muscles in those areas and increase the risk of fatigue and injury. 

By angling the adjustable weights bench into either incline or decline, the planes of action change, and different muscles are recruited to lift the weight. 

It means you can target different areas of the same muscle groups, for example, upper, lower, or mid pectorals. This can give you a better physique and all-around development. 

What are the benefits of using an adjustable workout bench?

Compared to a flat, static bench, an adjustable bench can provide a stable platform for a variety of lifts and accessory exercises. 

This means more variety in your workouts, too, so you won’t get bored with repeating the same exercises. 

What upper-body exercises can you do with a workout bench?

The most obvious exercise to do with a bench would be the bench press. However, an adjustable workout bench is far more versatile than that. Upper body exercises listed below use dumbbells rather than a bar. 

Inclined bench press

Halfway between a shoulder press and a flat bench, an incline bench press recruits shoulders and back as well as chest muscles. Spice up your bench by lifting the back support to 45 degrees. 

Shoulder press

A seated shoulder press provides more stability and, therefore, puts less strain on your back while lifting. Set the angle of the back rest so it isn’t quite vertical, use a knee kick to get your dumbbells up and overhead one at a time. 

Once there, lock into position and lower into your first shoulder press of the set. 

Seal row

Wrestler and muscle-bound action star, Dwayne Johnson, is a big fan of an adjustable workout bench for honing his back muscles with a variation on a seal row. 

Adjust the bench so that when your chest is supported, your arms can be fully extended. Use this position for a dumbbell row with a weight in each hand.

Incline bicep curls

A seated bicep curl reduces the urge to throw your back and shoulders into a too-heavy curl, allowing for better isolation of the muscle. The incline of the backrest at 70 degrees will give full extension, recruiting the entire length of the muscle. 

Y-raise

Another chest-supported lift, but this one recruits traps, delts, and rhomboids. Ideally, this one should use a much lighter weight, so have a set of adjustable dumbbells to hand.

Lift the backrest of the bench to approximately 70 degrees, rest your chest on it with your feet firmly on the floor. Raise the dumbbells slowly and simultaneously from a hanging position into a Y position above your head. 

Lower them again and repeat for three sets of 10 or raise and pulse at the top. 

What lower-body exercises can you do with a workout bench?

The exercises below can be completed using dumbbells or just bodyweight, depending on your strength. 

Bulgarian split-squats

There’s no denying the split-squats results for quads, glutes and overall balance. Take a dumbbell in each hand and use the bench to raise your back leg as you complete a single-leg squat. 

There are, of course, alternatives to the Bulgarian that claim to cause fewer embarrassing wobbles. 

Weighted step-ups

Holding a pair of dumbbells by your side, step up onto the bench slowly and fully extend your legs at the top before stepping back down. Repeat on both sides over several sets for a quality quad burner. 

Pistols onto the bench

Try a single-leg squat by raising one foot off the ground in front of you and lowering onto the bench. It activates balance and accessory muscles around the joints and sets you up for doing full pistols to the floor in the future. 

Seated squats

Great for those coming back from injury when a full squat might not be comfortable or possible. Use the long side of the bench to squat onto, using dumbbells held at your shoulders or use it in combination with a rack. 

Glute bridges 

An elevated bridge raise with a pause at the top will strengthen glutes and hamstrings. Completed without weights, it is an excellent activation exercise and is included in prehab work for sprinters. 

With heels resting on the bench and knees at 90 degrees and upper back on the floor, raise your hips so that they are in-line with thighs and torso, then lower your butt slowly to the floor. 

There are many, many more exercises you can do with an adjustable workout bench; these are only a few.

The key is to find the workouts that fit your programme and level of experience, so both you and the humble workout bench can fulfil your potential.