Reddit mentions: The best weight benches

First off, you two rock seriously. I am amazed by the generosity, and wish I had the means to do the same. Just know, even if its not me thats selected, the gratitude and appreciation is there.

That being said. The item that I want/need that is on my WL is this here (Its in my random stuff list, first page): http://www.amazon.com/Competitor-729-Olympic-Weight-Bench/dp/B00245LJX6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=GZ23EIUTDBK0&coliid=I1BHEALAEBYP80 I have finally cleared out the space in my spare room and will be turning it into a workout room. I really want to, and need to get healthy. This is part of my plan to do so.

And onto part two (its in my camping gear list).... C'mon...gimmie.
http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Trunk-Ultralight-Hammock-Forrest/dp/B001AIHB76/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3MBIYM75BTZOF&coliid=I1457MYHZJCKIR&psc=1

And last but not least...while I can not see what you two look like at this current moment, your beautiful souls are shining through and making you two look amazing, seriously.

A gym membership at a place that has power racks, or if you're working out at home, a power rack / squat rack with safeties, a flat bench, a barbell and some weight (don't spend more than ~1k in total if you're just starting out).

Everything else is luxuries.

You can get by without those things too, but having them makes things a lot easier.

If you have a half-decent gym nearby I would go with that first for a few months, just so you figure out if you are going to keep lifting weights long term.

If I was doing a basic garage gym setup and didnt want to buy second hand I would grab these things:

https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B00GHNLK9E/

https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Fitness-Weight-Capacity-Handle/dp/B01M31YT3M

https://www.roguefitness.com/bravo-bar-bumper-set

They aren't the cheapest option (craigslist is the cheapest, and you can also get new things cheaper) but it strikes a good middle ground of getting things that have been tested and has an ok reputation (so should resell ok) while still being on the cheaper side.

I'd also get some exercise bands for like 20 USD from somewhere to do things like band pullaparts, facepulls and assisted pullups if you can't do full ones yet, and some microplates wherever they are cheap.

With those things, plus running/walking, you can do a full workout.

The next addition I'd get after that would be two dumbbell handles and some more small plates to do dumbbell exercises, but that is luxury. :)

I personally have a modest bench with an olympic bar and 300lbs of weight (cast iron) that cost me around 400$ a few years back. The bench I use is similar to this one. You can raise the supports and use the olympic bar to do chin ups and pull ups (and it serves as a squat rack), so with a similar set up you could do mostly everything but pulley exercises and leg presses.

If you're open to something different you could try a bodyweight program (/r/bodyweightfitness). I've been doing one for a year or so before moving to weights, with a good diet you can still reach an impressive level of strength and volume.

Purchasing a barbell pad is 100% worth it. Here's a good one, but Amazon has a lot. Just make sure you get one that's at least 1.25" thick per side. Some cheaper ones are more like 0.75" and they are pretty pointless.

I don't like how the bench is attached to the rack.

You might like something like this that adds the possibility of doing squats:

http://www.amazon.com/Golds-Gym-XRS-Olympic-Bench/dp/B009PA1KJG/

I have one of these for my home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Chrome-Safety/dp/B004UMM4QC/

I like it a lot since I can do pretty much any compound exercise and having the safety pins is a huge plus. Im not sure how I would feel benching heavy weight with the adidas bench when there is no safety mechanism.

My initial set up when I didn't want to spend a huge amount, but wanted the capability to do any major lift was as follows:

Bench and Rack


Barbell and weights


Plate Rack


Mats


Plate compatible dumbbells



I highly recommend buying a few extra plates if you plan to go heavier, I picked up 2 more 45's, 2 25's, 2 10's on top of what that set comes with. I was happy with it until I upgraded the rack and bench as my gym grew.

• Adjustable Bench ($129.45)
  
  
• Squat Rack ($119.07)
  
  
• Barbell + Clamps ($67.89)
  
  
• Treadmill ($379.99)
  
  
• Dumbbell Set ($119.97)
  
  
• Plates Set ($369)
  
  
• Another set for a really good deal ($49.99)
  
  Total cost of all that is 1235.36 dollars. Then you save up for..
  
  
• This bad boy with all the parts ($1280.10)
  
  And you're all done. :-) That is all you need for the gym. You cover everything there. Start from there and keep working forward. You can toss in a yoga mat or two. It shouldn't be too hard to get + his clients would most likely love to workout in a private space where they pay less & get a free training session or two.

I have a TINY studio apartment, but I hate going to the gym, so I wanted a home setup. These have served me GREAT. I'm not super buff or anything, but I've definitely made major improvements, plus easy to fold up and put against the wall, out of sight.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019DGMUPY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041G3ZK6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Due to a strict budget I've had to cancel my LA Fitness membership a while ago and I found this bench and a good barbell and weights for a good price. Anyways, I've been doing SS as my program for a while and it seems that everyone is advising against it and I do want to switch up my routine. So I'm wondering if I can do some variation of PPL with only that bench and a pull up bar? I see that PPL requires lots of machines and dumbbells for it's workouts and I just don't have that available right now, so I'm wondering if I can substitute some exercises for others. If not is there any good routines that fit what I have available?

whole wishlist

I'm entering both and might I saw both of you look as nice as rain in a desolate desert :)

Dreaming Big with this is the want/need

C'mon...gimme


You are amazing

Just keep it simple. I would suggest getting a generic weight bench (something like this from Amazon for $100) and looking on craigslist for a set of weights. With that you can do bench press, incline bench (or overhead press, which doesn't require a bench), deadlift (just go light if you're worried about an injury), curls, leg extensions, etc. Just be sure to do compound movements and you'll be well on your way to gaining muscle and losing fat.

And yeah, you have to count your calories if you want to lose weight. Eat foods that you can measure the caloric amounts of and keep track of them in either a journal or an app like MyFitnessPal(this is the one I use and I've dropped 100 lbs). Put in your physical information, your goals, and it'll give you a number of calories you should be eating every day to reach your goals. If you don't want to use an app, you can figure out your daily caloric needs on a site like http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ .

Blasphemy! You'll learn to love them. Like someone else said, use a bar wrap.

I think the power rack would take up just as much (usable) room as most benches like this anyway. Not sure how much a DIY cage would cost you though. Search around on google if you want to go this way, here is a good example of a wooden cage, I'd make the hooks out of something else but other than that it looks pretty sturdy.

Hip thrusts are by far the best by a mile, and it sounds like you just need a better bar pad. They can be very very painful with any amount of weight on the bar if you don't have a good pad.

Try any variation of pad like:https://www.amazon.com/BEAR-Strength-Conditioning-Barbell-Squat/dp/B016LG88AU/ref=as_at?imprToken=ZBpJUv0f.Pq7Yx-22OiSEA&slotNum=1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=kahg-20&linkId=9937c9db546d1fc5690e3ced11957f92

Another poster posted a very similar pad. I've used similar pads up to 3 plates on each side without discomfort. Should fix your problem :)

Get horse stall mats from Tractor supply or from your local farm supply store. Probably will cost you around $400 for the size you need. They are great.

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That bench is probably perfect for you too. Its the same as the reebok and adidas bench. The reebok is slightly cheaper right now.

https://www.amazon.com/Reebok-FM-RE003-Performance-Training-Bench/dp/B06XTLHZTF/ref=pd_sbs_200_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B06XTLHZTF&pd_rd_r=c58eb56d-d6c7-11e8-ab07-4145956c2bee&pd_rd_w=95Fud&pd_rd_wg=Mb9LE&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=763ccc93-bfa2-47be-85ae-0cdd7e00b3da&pf_rd_r=GRD2KA913M0H5ZJWYY72&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=GRD2KA913M0H5ZJWYY72

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I have seen the adidas branded one for as low as $60 on sale is your willing to wait.

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I bought this bench and I am happy with how sturdy it is. Granted...it is a tad more expensive, but I like it. I had to buy the weights separate which is fairly common.

I have this one! I still get some pressure bruises from hip thrusts (to be expected when doing two plates I suppose) but it's way better than using a rolled up mat or some of the thinner pad options. I got mine in November 2016 and use it 1-2x a week and it's still in tip top shape!

My gym's barbell pads are so worn, I ended up buying my own!
I purchased this and I've had it for two years, using it two - three times a week! It's still in great shape.

Weight bench: http://amzn.com/B00245LJX6

Dumbells: http://amzn.com/B0000ASC40

Barbell: http://amzn.com/B00AZAGPNG

Additional plates (45 lb): http://amzn.com/B00306YI1I

Pull up bar: http://amzn.com/B001EJMS6K

I actually bought the dumbells at Walmart. They had a better price at the time.

That was enough equipment to get me up and running for all the exercises that I like to do.

Yup. The bench has like a squat rack on the back, the link below shows it better.


http://www.amazon.com/Marcy-Diamond-Olympic-Surge-Bench/dp/B003LQSXSG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411412367&sr=8-1&keywords=marcy+weight+bench

This bench is great for spotterless lifting.
http://www.amazon.com/adidas-Olympic-Bench/dp/B013TH4MMM

I really need to get the production prototype of my LFE chair finished.

The 'racing cockpit' chairs are ridiculously overpriced for what you get. And any 'racing chair' (and I've owned several) that is decently priced has a lifespan of a few months before it falls apart.

I am working as fast as I can here to produce a good VR LFE chair with the optional add-on cockpit accouterments. I think you guys will be impressed with the feature set once I've got it together and get some butts in it to test.

There is no reason that This Right Here should only cost you 170 dollars and This Right Here should cost 900 dollars. (before any add-ons) It's roughly the same amount of materials and engineering.

I've been fabricating race-sim cockpits as a hobby for years. I promise to deliver far more for far less to the VR/Sim community compared to what is currently available today.

Well I guess i should just have waited till next month to get this bench then, i was eyeballing this sexy beast from the beginning. Just wanted to start benching at home immediately, and the Marcy bench gave me that flexibility.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M31YT3M/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1UMJD02VNELDF

Dicks currently has their 300lb weight and barbell set for $220. That means you would be paying $130 for that bench thing. I think you can do better than this buying used. Considering you can buy it new for $180 here

https://www.amazon.com/Marcy-Olympic-Piece-Weight-Bench/dp/B0090OKF52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473880202&sr=8-1&keywords=marcy+pro

I would pass on this setup or at least ask the guy to come down on price. All of this can be had new for $400.

I would suggest looking for something like this. The bench and the posts are separated so it can also be used for squats. In my area these things go for $50 to $100 all the time on Craigslist. You also may want to consider standard weights, 1” hole instead of 2”. They’re usually cheaper on the secondary market and the bar isn’t as heavy.

The benches at my gym are kind of like this. The rack and then a set of hooks halfway down. On all my failures I've made it to the halfway point pretty easily.

I do this exact thing for seated calf raises. The squat pad is definitely required. I use this one, it's extra squishy and makes it comfortable for my knees. Try and get the weight as close as possible over your Tibias, without risking the bar falling off your knees.

For extra RoM (extension), put your feet on an additional plate lying on the floor.

The olympic bar and weight set was sold separately from that bench. You should know that I think it's a waste of money unless you never plan to squat more than 200#. As far as room goes, it probably took up just a little less space than the cage does. I couldn't fit it inside the cage for instance (this was before I had a simply bench to put inside the cage). The CAP brand Olympic bar is also a cheap piece of equipment as it uses a hex bolt see this site for info on barbells. I am waiting for it to inevitably break before I go and buy a good one. The dead lifting and power cleaning have taken their toll on it. If you still want something like that bench though, they was an online only Marcy bench that was like an upgraded version of that one and it looked like it may actually hold up under long term use. Let me see if I can find it.

Here it is and I would've spent the extra $20 on it if I had known about it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003LQSXSG/ref=pd_aw_sim_sbs_200_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=S9WXBV1YGD1900TCE3XE

I started doing hip thrusts with the barbell and 35lb weight on each side. I was small enough that I could sit on the floor and roll the bar over myself into place. My gym was rather small and equipment was crammed together, so I used to stick a bench against the wall or in the only squat rack if it wasn't busy. Eventually I switched to using the Smith Machine because I hated taking up the only squat rack.

Now I exclusively use the Smith Machine for hip thrusts because of the convenient set up. We have two styles of free bench, and if I'm using the one with wheels I just stick a plate behind it to keep it in place. I also purchased a bar pad to help with bruising/discomfort as I moved up in weight. I started at 115 last year and I'm currently at 285 for reps.

Probably could (I used to do that) but the ease depends on if he has the bench stands that you can take out and spin around like this or are short enough to clear when taking it off backwards. If it is one that you can only really unrack from the bench side like this. Because the second one would be a bitch to walk out all the way backwards down the bench.

I have a feeling you could construct that cage around that bench, but it may be a bitch to get it in/out if you want to squat in the cage. I would just buy a straight up bench like this and roll it underneath the cage when needed.

• Buy this Marcy OPP Bench and 80-Pound Weight Se $150.00
  
  
• And this Dumbbell Weight Set $27
  
• Extra Dip Station $81

This is my bench


Pullup bar


EZ Curl bar


Tricep bar


Tricep pull down rope

Dip station

Is there a way to do normal barbell parallel back squats with a barbell bench without a squat/power rack (I have this bench in particular)?

I DO!

I have this one:

Marcy Adjustable Olympic Weight Bench with Leg Developer and Squat Rack MD-879

Not as MUCH a social place as it is a place where you get to atleast see a few other peeps with similar interests. I may have made atleast 5 or so friends but no one I would keep in touch with post-quitting.

I guess there was a lot less maintenance too. Ultimately I never really ventured beyond the squat rack and the bench. If anything I'll miss the rows and rows of dumbbells... and of course the eyecandy.

What do you use at home? I bought this... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LQSXSG/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

really wanted a proper squat rack though.