By Mitch Rice
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” — Mahatma Gandhi.
When it comes to building strength an adjustable weight bench is one of the most underrated tools in a home or commercial gym. Versatile, compact and incredibly effective it opens up an entire world of exercises that can transform your training. From upper body presses to lower body movements, a weight bench allows you to target multiple muscle groups with precision while maximizing your strength.
Let’s get into 10 powerful exercises you can do with a weight bench to take your strength training to the next level.
1. Bench Press: The Foundation of Upper Body Strength
Muscles Worked: Chest, triceps, shoulders
One of the most effective compound lifts the bench press develops upper body strength and power. A proper bench press engages the pectoral muscles, activates triceps and provides essential pressing strength for functional and athletic performance. An adjustable bench allows you to adjust the angle and shift the emphasis to different parts of the chest.
Pro Tip: Keep your feet planted and controlled tempo to prevent unnecessary shoulder strain.
2. Incline Bench Press: Build Upper Chest Definition
Muscles Worked: Upper chest, shoulders, triceps
By setting your weight bench to an incline you shift more emphasis to the upper chest and shoulders. This exercise is essential for a well developed chest that looks balanced and powerful.
Pro Tip: Engage your core and focus on a slow controlled descent to maximize muscle activation.
3. Skull Crushers: Triceps Mass Builder
Muscles Worked: Triceps
Lying on a bench with a barbell or dumbbells skull crushers isolate the triceps better than most pressing movements. They’re a great way to build arm strength and size.
Pro Tip: Don’t let your elbows flare out. Keep them tight to keep tension on the triceps.
4. Dumbbell Pullover: The Overlooked Chest and Back Exercise
Muscles Worked: Chest, lats
A classic movement for both chest and back development the dumbbell pullover stretches and strengthens the ribcage muscles while hitting the lats and pecs.Pro Tip: Engage your core and don’t overextend your arms to prevent shoulder strain.
5. Incline Bicep Curl: Build Bigger Arms
Muscles Worked: Biceps
Sitting on an incline bench allows your arms to extend further behind your body creating a greater stretch on the biceps and leading to better growth.
Pro Tip: Focus on controlled movements and don’t use momentum to swing the weights up.
6. Incline Barbell Curl: Strengthen the Long Head of the Biceps
Muscles Worked: Biceps
Performing barbell curls on an incline bench emphasizes the long head of the biceps which contributes to overall arm thickness.
Pro Tip: Keep your torso pressed against the bench to prevent cheating.
7. Shoulder Flies: Improve Posture and Rear Delt Strength
Muscles Worked: Rear delts, traps
This exercise targets the rear deltoids an often neglected muscle group essential for balanced shoulder development and posture.
Pro Tip: Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement for maximum engagement.
8. Dumbbell Rows: Build a Stronger Upper Back
Muscles Worked: Upper back, lats, shoulders
By supporting yourself on a bench dumbbell rows provide a stable position for isolating your back muscles while maintaining good form.
Pro Tip: Pull the dumbbell toward your hip rather than straight up to better engage your lats.
9. Cross-Body Mountain Climbers: Core Stability and Endurance
Muscles Worked: Core, shoulders
Placing your hands on a weight bench adds an extra challenge to mountain climbers making it an effective core strengthening and conditioning movement.
Pro Tip: Move deliberately instead of rushing—slower reps increase core activation.
10. Bulgarian Split Squats: Single-Leg Strength and Stability
Muscles Worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings
Placing one foot behind you on the bench forces your front leg to do most of the work helping to improve balance, coordination and unilateral strength.
Pro Tip: Keep your torso upright and push through your front heel for maximum quad engagement.
Bench Workout Tips
- Warm up properly before starting your session to prevent injuries.* Progressively overload—increase the weight over time.
- Form over weight—focus on proper form rather than just lifting heavier.
- Change up your angles by adjusting the bench to target different muscle groups.
Why You Need an Adjustable Weight Bench
An adjustable weight bench gives you an entire range of exercises to choose from and allows you to tailor your training to your goals. Whether you want to build size strength or endurance, a weight bench offers flexibility few other pieces of equipment can match.
SuperStrong Fitness provides top quality strength and fitness equipment for athletes and enthusiasts. If you’re serious about taking your training to the next level check out our range of high performance benches and accessories.
Conclusion
A good bench workout can completely change your training. With these 10 exercises you’ll hit every major muscle group and build a stronger more balanced physique. Whether you’re training at home or in a gym an adjustable weight bench is a must have for serious gains.
Ready to get stronger? Start bench training today!
Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.