Benches – Page 2 – Home Gym Resource

Weightlifting benches are an important piece of equipment for many exercises but they can also be quite large. Which ones are good and compact? Here's what you want to know. The 6 best compact weightlifting benches: Fitness Reality 1000 Super Max Fitness Reality 2000 Bowflex 5.1S Marcy Flat Utility Bench Steelbody Deluxe DoePlex Flat Bench To know why these benches are the best options, keep reading down below. Top 3 Compact Adjustable Weightlifting Benches The ones listed below are not necessarily the absolute smallest benches. These are the benches that are still compact but also have the right features and load limit. Some benches might be very compact but also wobbly and fall apart quickly. I wouldn't call that a good piece of equipment and I couldn't recommend them. Do you need a fixed or adjustable bench? Read this to learn more. These are adjustable benches. They are larger than simple fixed benches although I would recommend going for an adjustable one if you possibly can. It just adds so many exercise options. That’s why the ones below are not the absolute smallest but they are good while also not being big and I can comfortably recommend them. Suggested: Do you need a bench in a home gym? 1. Fitness Reality 1000 Super Max This Fitness Reality bench is my favorite compact weightlifting bench. It’s very affordable, versatile has a good load limit and on top of everything it’s foldable. A foldable bench is a massive benefit if you’re trying to save space. When you don’t need it, fold it up and lean it against a wall. That way it doesn’t take up much space when not using it. Dimensions: 59”L x 23.5” W Load limit: 800 lbs. Foldable Backrest is adjustable in 12 angles It's a cheap yet dependable choice for a small home gym. Check it out on Amazon. 2. Fitness Reality 2000 The Fitness Reality 1000 is my favorite but the same brand (Fitness Reality) has another option. The 2000 is a good option for people that want an upgrade over the 1000. The differences are small but you get a slightly shorter and better built bench with a few more features for a slightly higher price. The full length is actually 69.5" which is long. However, that includes the leg lockdown rollers which can be detached. With that attachment removed the length is only 53.5" which is quite short but still long enough for average height people. Dimensions: 53.5” L x 21” w Foldable Load Limit: 850 lbs. load limit Detachable leg lock-down No gap between the backrest and seat You get better build quality than the number one as well as a better looking bench. It costs a bit more so if you've got the budget, it's an upgrade that's well worth the extra money. Take a look for yourself and pick the one that fits in your budget the best. Check the current price on Amazon. 3. Bowflex SelectTech 5.1S Don’t care so much about load limit and care more about quality, a well know, reliable brand and looks? This Bowflex 5.1S bench is a great option. It’s foldable like the first two benches but the build quality is on another level. That doesn’t translate into load limit but that quality is immediately apparent when you look at this bench. The fit and finish is much better than the first two and it just looks the part. It doesn’t fold up as compact as the other two benches but still small enough to get it out of the way pretty easily. The folding process is a bit easier as well with a simple push of a button. When unfolded, it's on the large side: 61.3" L x 28.1" W x 49.5" H (155.6 x 71.3 x 125.8 cm). However, when folded it is quite compact: Folded Dimensions: 23.9" L x 28.1" W x 52.3" H 600 lbs. load limit Foldable Wheels for easy moving around Great fit and finish Check the 5.1S out on Amazon. Example of an adjustable bench ImageBrandModelBuyFitness Reality1000Buy on AmazonFitness Reality2000Buy on AmazonBowFlex5.1sBuy on AmazonMarcyFlat benchBuy on AmazonSteelbodyDeluxe FlatBuy on AmazonDoePlexFlat benchBuy on Amazon 3 Best Compact Fixed Weightlifting Benches Fixed weightlifting benches are generally smaller than adjustable benches. So if you’re really looking for the smallest weightlifting benches possible a fixed bench is an option. You do sacrifice the folding capabilities and quite a few exercise options with a fixed weightlifting bench. 1. Marcy Flat Utility Bench (SB-315) A small and cheap bench from a well known brand with a solid build and good load limit. If you just want a simple bench, it’s hard to go wrong with this Marcy utility bench. 43”L x 14”W 600 lbs. load limit Powder coated black 2 Year Manufacturer warranty Comfortable padding The construction is sturdy and will serve you well for a long time. It’s very affordable and for the price it’s hard to go wrong. Check the current price on Amazon by clicking here. 2. Steelbody Deluxe Flat Bench If you want something stronger, the Steelbody Deluxe Flat bench is a good option. It’s not much bigger than the Marcy but the load limit is 200 lbs. higher. It also looks better and has a sturdier construction overall. 43.5” L x 26” W 800 lbs. load limit Wheels for easy moving Thick vinyl upholstery As you can see, it’s quite a bit wider than the Marcy although that’s only in one spot, the rear legs. This extra width does create a lot of extra stability though. I will be much harder to tip over than the Marcy bench. As a result you have a higher load limit of 800lbs. It does cost more than the Marcy but it’s much sturdier as well. Get it on Amazon by clicking here! 3. Doeplex Flat Bench Need a weightlifting bench that can handle everything you can throw at it? This bench is what you need. It costs a bit more than the previous options but you get something that will survive the apocalypse while still being pretty compact. 47.5" L x 19" W 1200 lbs. load limit Super heavy duty 3" thick memory foam padding Check it out for yourself here on Amazon Weightlifting Benches Dimensions and Load Limits BrandModelTypeLength (Inch)Width (Inch)Load limit (lbs.) MarcyFlat UtilityFixed4314600 MarcyDeluxeFixed4319600 SteelbodyDeluxeFixed4317800 DoeplexFlat weightFixed47.5191200 AmazonBasicFlatFixed4111.2385 TitanFlatFixed52171000 DD-homeFlatFixed4412.5500 RageFlatFixed48161000 MaxKareFlatFixed4211.8600 ECHANFITFlatFixed55.714.4500 YESJOYFlatFixed4625600 TTCZFlatFixed43.310.11000 SynergeeFlatFixed46201000 RuggedFlatFixed52241500 CAPFixed4319600 CAPFlatFixed46.518500 BalanceFromFixed4015.5600 POWERBLOCKTravelFixed40.59.75550 SteelbodyDeluxeAdjustable4725.5300 FlybirdAdjustable42.112.6500 CapDeluxeAdjustable5327500 MarcyMulti-positionAdjustable5419400 MarcyImpexAdjustable6516600 LifelineAdjustable5728.5600 Fitness Reality1000Adjustable5923.5800 XmarkXM-7604Adjustable62.225.81500 BowflexSelectTech 5.1Adjustable5626480 BowflexSelectTech 3.1Adjustable5626480 BowflexSelectTech 5.1SAdjustable49.528.1600 Fitness Reality2000Adjustable53.524850 Yes4AllAdjustable5520400 WeiderXR 5.9Adjustable53.518.25410 Types Of Weightlifting Benches There are different types of weightlifting benches. It’s important to know the difference before buying one. The main types are; Fixed Adjustable Fixed benches are as the name suggests, fixed in one position. Most of the time that position is flat. Many exercises require a flat bench like the bench press. So with a flat bench, you can do plenty of exercises. At the same time there are also tons of exercises that require a bench where the backrest isn’t flat. An adjustable bench has a backrest that is adjustable, usually from flat to upright. So for that reason, an adjustable bench is a great choice for most people. It just opens up so much more exercise options. If you want to know more about how to select a weightlifting bench, check out this post. Or check out my recommendations below. Example of a fixed weight bench.