Folding or Adjustable Bench: Which One to Choose?

When choosing a bench for your home gym, you always have the doubt of whether to choose a flat bench or an adjustable bench . Today we are going to try to show you the characteristics of each of them and the things you should look for when buying the perfect bench for your home gym.

First of all, you should consider what you are going to use the bench for , since there are common exercises for both options, and other exercises that are not feasible to do safely on either of them.

Regarding the exercises , we must also take into account our future projection and the number of times we use them. Here we must try to be realistic, and not base ourselves on what we think we will do but on what we will be most likely to do.

Without a doubt, the budget is an important variable, since the differences between flat and adjustable benches in this aspect are quite large.

Let's see what features each model has and then we can better assess which one to choose.

Flat Bench

The flat bench is a piece of sports equipment that has been with us for many years, and it is a basic item as it is used to perform one of the most famous exercises, the bench press.

Flat benches are characterized by having a robust and stable structure. There are some with a frame made in one piece, or in several welded or screwed pieces. This structure must be heavy and consistent to ensure robustness and stability. This is the reason why many benches have wheels and a handle to facilitate their mobility around the gym due to the weight they have.

Types of flat benches

There are 2-legged ones, both with a T-shaped fork, or 2-legged ones with a T-shaped fork and another simple one as a tripod.

The 2 T-legs provide greater stability, but can also hinder some athletes when placing their feet. The "tripod" leaves less of a footprint.

A flat bench should have a flat surface, as its name suggests, and a sturdy padding that adapts to us but does not sink and regains its shape after use.

What exercises can I do with a flat bench?

Some exercises you can do with a flat bench are: bench press, Bulgarian squats, support for climbing dips on the floor and handstand dips, triceps dips, support for squats and pistols, sit-ups, triceps dips... And well, if you step on it, which is not recommended because you could damage the fabric, you can do step ups or box jumps, for example.

Adjustable Bench

The adjustable bench is present in almost all gyms due to its versatility, as it allows you to perform the same exercises as a flat bench and also add variations by allowing you to change the angle of the backrest and sometimes the seat as well.

When it comes to varying this angle, there are different options: some have plates in which some type of pin is inserted, and others have toothed structures that do not require a pin and the weight of the bench itself secures the position.

There are reclining benches that have more or less positions, and some even have the angle marked, which is ideal.

Features of the adjustable bench

There are two characteristics that we can take into account when choosing an adjustable bench. The first is that it should be as vertical as possible. It doesn't have to be at a strict 90º angle, since that would be like working on a wall, but it should be close to that margin. And then we must take into account when the space between the backrest and the seat is flat, since if that gap is too large it could be somewhat uncomfortable, which is why benches with the so-called Zero Gap, or without a gap, are coming out.

And there are benches that even allow you to decline, that is, put the backrest in negative, below parallel, and that offer extra versatility.

Adjustable bench material

The fabric and the backrest filling, as well as the flat surface, must be resistant, high-density and made of hypoallergenic fabric that prevents moisture (which is where bacteria and bad odors are generated).

Adjustable benches are heavier due to the adjustment system, and transport wheels and a handle are even more necessary.

Conclusion on folding or adjustable bench

With all this information you will have seen that there is no bench that is better or worse than another, but rather a very useful flat bench and another adjustable bench, which you would not need if you do not perform exercises that require it.

That's why we said at the beginning that we should think very carefully about the exercises we do to buy what we need. If budget is not a problem, we would recommend an adjustable one because it is more versatile, but only if that premise is met.

Finally, remember that the bench is not an item that is used every day and that if you have the option, you can buy accessories to hang it on the wall and leave much more free space to work when you are not using it.

And you, which one do you choose based on your needs?