A weightlifting bench opens up a ton of exercise possibilities in your home gym. Some very popular lifts require you to have one. However, there’s so much choice. Which one is good for you?
Best home gym adjustable bench: Fitness Reality 1000 Super Max. Despite the somewhat cheesy name, this is a solid bench and a very good product especially if you look at the price. It’s adjustable in plenty of positions, folds for easy storage and has an 800 lbs. load limit. This is perfect for most home gym users. The construction and functionality you get for your money are very hard to beat. Check the current price on Amazon. (affiliate link)
Best Alternative: XMark XM-7630: For the people that need a higher load limit, this is a good option. This is a super sturdy bench with a 1500 lbs. load limit. If you’re benching that much, let me know because I want to see that. It has thick padding for extra stability on heavy lifts. Buy it now on Amazon. (Affiliate link)
Keep reading for a more in depth explanation why I recommend this bench. For more information about weightlifting benches, read this huge post that covers everything you want to know.
Why I chose the Fitness Reality 1000 Super Max adjustable bench
There are a few good reasons why I chose the Fitness Reality bench over some other (pretty good) competition. Allow me to go into more depth than I have above.
- Grippy fabric pad upholstery. This material will last a long time and also provide grip while you’re on the bench.
- Small pad gap. While there is a small gap between the seat it’s small enough not to be a problem.
- Foldable. Easy to get out of the way when not needed.
- Strong construction. Rated for 800 lbs.
- As a result of the strong construction it’ll last for a long time.
- Adjustable in 12 position incline to decline. All the adjustability you need for your workout. The addition of a decline setting helps give you even more exercise options.
- Long enough for the vast majority of people.
- The seat and backrest is wide enough to provide good support at 12”.
Drawbacks
There might be a ton of pros to this bench but there are also a few drawbacks. Let’s take a look at what they are.
- Customer service might not be the best if you need it.
The construction and functionality you get for your money are very hard to beat. Check the current price on Amazon. (affiliate link)
- 800 lbs. Load limit
- Incline and Decline adjustable
- Folds for compact storage
- 10 wide back rest
- Cheap
Not sure what to look for in a weightlifting bench? I’ve written a whole post that covers everything you need to know. Here are the requirements for a home weightlifting bench I’ve outlined in that post.
Alternative: XMark XM-9010
For most people the bench above is enough. However, you might want an upgrade. This bench is sturdier, has a higher load limit and better build quality. That does come at a higher price though. But if you need something that can handle bigger weights, this is the bench for you.
The construction is super solid. Just taking one look at it will tell you it’s very strong and can handle anything you could throw at it (as long as you can lift it)
Check out what it looks like here on Amazon (affiliate link)
- 1500 lbs. Load limit
- Incline and Decline adjustable
- Double-stitched, sweat and tear resistant vinyl
- 3” firm padded cushions
What to look for in a weightlifting bench
- Adjustable. From 0 to 85 degrees or more.
- At least 6 steps of adjustability (including flat and upright.)
- Safe and simple adjustment mechanism.
- Small pad gap. Max about 5cm/2”
- Sturdy construction. Shouldn’t wobble under load
- Minimum 500lbs load capacity, more if you lift heavy or are a heavy person.
- Long enough (long enough to fit your butt and head on the bench at the same time)
- Seat/backrest 11” to 12” wide
- Small enough for your home gym
- Wide footprint for stability.
As you can see, the recommended Fitness Reality ticks all these boxes. Buy it here on Amazon (affiliate link) for a great price and with free shipping.
