Weights, Bench & Power Racks: Choosing the Best for a Lean, Ripped Body!
by John Carter
Filed under Featured Exercise Equipment, Most Popular Featured Articles
Weights, Bench & Power Racks are an essential component of an effective and future-proof home-gym. It doesn’t matter if you’re wanting to really get into top physical shape, or simply looking for the secrets of how to lose weight, strength training is an essential part of your workout regimen. Whether you are new to weight lifting, or a weight room veteran—and whatever your goals—let me show you how to choose the best weights, bench and power rack to get fit fast.
Benefits
If your goal is to lose excess body fat fast, weight training will help you accomplish that. If you want to get leaner or stronger, or even—eventually— take up serious body building, a good set of weights will help you get there. Strength training can even make your bones healthier, at almost any age; and, when used as part of a circuit training routine, can even improve hearth and lung health. You know that investing in weights will do your body good. Now you just need to find the perfect set.
For Overall Fitness
There’s just something about lifting solid weights that feels good. For those of you just starting out, free weights are easy to learn to use, and have tremendous power to help you increase lean muscle mass all over your body. The more lean muscle mass you have, the stronger you will be, and the faster you can burn unwanted fat and calories.
A set of dumbbells, an adjustable barbell set, and a sturdy weight bench are all you need to get started on sculpting a leaner, fitter body immediately. With this basic weights setup at your disposal, there will be no limit to how strong, big, or toned you can get.
For Significant Size and Strength Gains
If you have been lifting weights for awhile, then you already know what a tremendous impact strength training can have on the way your body looks, feels, and functions. You also know that free weights offer a great deal of flexibility and versatility; and can keep up with your physical gains. The options that go along with a solid set of weights allow huge potential for expansion and ever-increased challenge, meaning that your home gym can grow and develop right along with your muscles.
If you’re an expert lifter, you’ll want to start out with the best setup you can afford. A few sets of dumbbells are a must; as is a good quality barbell set with a range of plates. A power rack and fully adjustable bench (with a moving seat, back, and weight rack) will have you working out as intensely as you could in any gym; and will help you make the biggest gains in the least amount of time.
For details on how to choose the proper pieces to fit your space and workout needs—and for the best possible strength training experience at home—read on.
The Bench
A sturdy, adjustable bench, will let you get the best chest, shoulders, and back workout
A sturdy, adjustable bench, will let you get the best chest, shoulders, and back workout
A good weights bench is the single, most valuable accessory to a set of weights. In fact, it is an accessory that soon becomes the heart of any free weights setup. Different benches are made specifically for seated dumbbell workouts or flat barbell workouts; but many can accommodate a range of positions and crossover exercises. A sturdy, adjustable bench, on which you can change the angle of both the seat and back, will let you get the best chest, shoulders, and back workout allowed by your weights.
A barbell-specific bench will have an integrated support stand on which to rest your weights between sets. This feature is huge if you’re going to be lifting heavy. Also consider the amount of padding and the type of upholstery and construction (sewn versus stapled) will give you the most comfortable workouts and last the longest. Though your bench may well be the heart of a smaller home gym, you may also want to consider whether it can one day fit into a power rack, for increased support and versatility.
Even if you don’t currently have room for an in home power rack, a bench with extra equipment and exercise options can provide a great deal of room for expansion and versatility. Many models come standard with leg rollers and preacher curl pads, and offer add-ons like leg press or extension units and lat pull down systems.
The Weights
Dumbbells
A good set of dumbbells will let you perform a whole host of exercises, with the option of working both sides of your body at once (as with the chest press) or isolating one at a time (as with a single arm biceps curl). Dumbbells can take up very little space, and are manufactured in a huge range of weights, sizes, and materials, so that anyone should be able to find a perfect fit.
If you are just getting into weight lifting, a few sets of lighter end dumbbells—somewhere in the 10-25 pound range—should set you up for a variety of different exercises. When I first started lifting, a few years ago, I used 7-10 lb weights for almost everything. But I progressed so fast that within a matter of weeks those “baby weights” were too light for most of my upper body exercises.
Do keep in mind that as you progress and gain strength, you’ll need to invest in some larger weights to keep your muscles challenged. The great thing about dumbbells, though, is that you can invest in heavier sets as you need them.
More experienced lifters should have a pretty good idea of what size dumbbells they’ll need to get a good, full body workout. Heavier weights will be necessary for performing lower body exercises like squats, lunges, and step-ups; while upper body workouts generally utilize a range of weights.
Adjustable Dumbbells
An Adjustable Dumbbells Set is a Smart Choice
An Adjustable Dumbbells Set is a Smart Choice
If you don’t have the funds or space for a full set of dumbbells, an adjustable dumbbell set may be a smart choice. Some sets let you change the weight with a simple movement of a lever; while others require the more involved approach of securing loose plates to a bar. Whether you opt for self-adjusting dumbbells, or a set of short bars that will be compatible with your barbell set; make sure that your weights let you start out comfortably and offer plenty of room to grow.
Barbells
The other mainstay of most weight room junkies’ workout, the barbel, is a great tool for training both sides of the body at once, and sculpting balanced, symmetrical muscles. Barbells can take up a bit more space in your home gym than a beginner dumbbell setup, but the ability of a good, adjustable barbell system to keep up and continually challenge your muscles as they grow is a huge benefit.
You can start with a single bar and a few, appropriately sized plates, and invest in heavier weights as needed. Coupled with a bench, and possibly even a power rack, a barbell setup offers unmatched potential for growth and expansion. Just make sure you take the time to lock on your weights with collars (threaded versus clip on will be one of your barbell set decisions) before beginning any exercise: plates sliding off of a bar in motion can make for a home gym disaster!
KettleBells Are Gaining In Popularity With Home Gym Users
KettleBells Are Gaining In Popularity With Home Gym Users
Kettlebells
Russian kettlebell training is a strength training method with a long, rich history that has only recently begun to gain popularity with the general fitness-minded crowd in the U.S. If you’re looking for a way to train your whole body with big moves that are always very demanding of the core muscles, kettlebells may be a great addition to your home gym.
Kettlebells can be used to perform common free weight exercises, like curls or overhead presses, but there is also a whole collection of specific kettlebell training moves. Find a weight that will make it challenging (but not impossible) to perform these traditional moves as well as typical strength training exercises, and you’ll be set.
Weight Range
While you can buy dumbbells as light as 1 or 2 lbs, barbells and kettlebells tend to start a bit heavier. To be honest, the only time I would consider or recommend using weights any lighter than 5-7 lbs would be for rehabilitation or physical therapy purposes. At the same time, many serious lifting bars weigh in at 45 lbs or more, unloaded: which is an important thing to keep in mind if you’re just starting out with strength training.
Raw Material
Though 10 lbs is 10 lbs no matter what it’s made of, barbells, dumbbells, and even kettlebells are manufactured from a few different materials; and your choice here can certainly impact the feel of your workouts. Cast iron dumbbells and plates look and feel quite solid, and are easy to grip. However, if you’re into the power lifting trick of throwing or dropping heavy weights onto the floor after a tough set, it might behoove you to look for plates coated with a plastic or rubber outer layer.
An EZ-Curl Bar Will Help Blast Your Biceps To The Max!
An EZ-Curl Bar Will Help Blast Your Biceps To The Max!
Different Bars
When I first began lifting, I could do everything I needed to do with some dumbbells, a standard, adjustable bar, and a flat bench. These days I wouldn’t consider my gym complete without some supplemental pieces. Look for specialized bars that can load with the same plates as your standard bar, for easy exercise variety.
For single side isolation work, you can get shorter than standard bars to make a set of adjustable dumbbells. The preacher curl bar (which is bent to slightly resemble a “W,” is a good option for biceps or triceps specific lifts. If you perform heavily weighted deadlifts, a trap bar or other exercise specific bent bar can help keep a load closer to your center of gravity than a standard bar, resulting in less stress on your low back.
Power Racks
A Power Rack Setup Will Give You The Ultimate Free Weight Training System For Your Home Gym
A Power Rack Setup Will Give You The Ultimate Free Weight Training System For Your Home Gym
If you have the floor space to accommodate it, a power rack could be the most important part of your new home gym. A power rack will build on the potential and versatility of nearly any adjustable weights system, allowing you to perform heavier lifts with a greater degree of structure and support.
Basics
When you’re shopping, pay attention to the dimensions of different power racks, to make sure that the one you choose will allow a comfortable workout, and that it will be compatible with your weights set. Also look for a sturdy, solid construction, as this piece of equipment should be able to support a lot of weight; even if you don’t need it at full capacity right now.
Most power racks have special weight plate holders to keep your workout area compact and efficient. A power rack that allows you to slide the barbell up and down a track can be a huge help in keeping good form during heavy lifts.
Extras
Like weight benches, power racks can come with a number of add-on options, including padded bars (for squats and lunges), a pull up bar, roman chair and dip apparatus, lat pull down equipment, and more. Some even have cable attachments to really add another dimension to lifting workouts at any level of strength or fitness. A fully loaded power rack is as close as you can get to having a full free weight gym in your own home.
Regardless of your current fitness level or weight room experience, a good set of weights with bench and power rack can help you quickly get your body to the next level. Whether your goal is to add lean, fat-blasting muscle, or perform powerful body building moves, your weights setup will be the heart and powerhouse of your home gym.
