What’s the best adjustable dumbbell set to buy?

One of the most useful items that we purchased for the dungeon was an adjustable dumbbell set.  This is definitely one of those scenarios when you could learn from our experiences and save some money.  I didn’t start out researching for the absolute best adjustable dumbbells on the market, in fact, I skimped in this area and ended up paying for it in the long run.  Here is an overview of my experiences with adjustable weight dumbbells and what to look for when purchasing.

Who needs adjustable dumbbells?

After purchasing our Rogue SML-1 rack and bench set along with a texas power bar and 700+lbs of weight I thought our home gym was basically complete.  I knew that we would need to do some dumbbell movements as accessory work but I didn’t really place enough importance on the type of dumbbells necessary for our home gym.  I figured that with all of the olympic plates we just bought a simple set of Olympic dumbbell handles would be all that we needed.  If we wanted to do any dumbbell work they would be there and it would be simple to set up and use.  Boy was I wrong.

In theory, this should have worked really well but theories almost never work really well in my experience.  This held up to be completely true.  I should have done a bit more shopping around and pricing when looking at dumbbells because I ended up purchasing two sets… One that we actually use and one that just takes up space.

Do I need dumbbells?

I will say this, you could have a very good home gym and train pretty effectively and efficiently with a good set of dumbbells and an adjustable weight bench.  As powerlifters, my first concern was a power rack and a decent bench so that we could practice the competitive lifts.  If we couldn’t take care of those needs first then having a home gym wouldn’t have even been an option in my opinion.  If you look around on the site you will see that we did a pretty good job setting up our home gym with those pieces of equipment.  I greatly underestimated how important dumbbells would be to our accessory work and pushing up our bench press training.  If you are asking if you need dumbbells, I will firmly say that yes you do.  Can you train without them? Absolutely.  We did for months.  However, once we purchased a good set of dumbbells, I can’t even understand how I neglected such an important piece of equipment.

Olympic Dumbbell Handles vs. Adjustable Weight Dumbbells

Here’s the deal, I am not going to go over any cheesy reviews of all the popular adjustable dumbbells on the market.  Why? I only have used one set, therefore I can only review something that I have experience with.  This article will focus solely on the reasons why you should be getting a set of adjustable dumbbells compared to dumbbell handles.

Saving Money? Think again

I thought I was saving money by purchasing dumbbell handles to go with all of our plates, but if you take a look at all the purchases that I had to make you can see that it wasn’t really that cost effective either.  Here is the break down of what I purchased as well as my experiences:

• Purchase Olympic Handles

So for basically $50.00 dollars, I thought that I had solved my home gym dumbbell issue. WRONG! Here is what I discovered (disclaimer: These could be perfect for you, I have no complaints on construction etc….this is just my experience)

1. • The collars are a pain to get tight.  I used a small pipe as leverage to really torque the collars down to the point that I felt safe using them.  Regardless of what I did, the question of whether or not my teeth would be rearranged by a plate falling off was something I couldn’t escape.  I bought new collars to solve this and my “price” on my dumbbell solution just increased by 19.99…
   • I underestimated the number of small plates that I would need to buy to make the right adjustments for each exercise.  I only had two 10’s, two 5’s, two 2.5’s and two 25’s….You need at least DOUBLE that if you want to be able to go above 50lbs on exercises.  Looks like I need to buy more plates
   • I realize that I hate using these things.  When my girlfriend trains with me I STILL don’t have enough plates for her to do barbell exercises while I use the dumbbells.  This is a problem as I am not buying any more small plates, I refuse to.  What’s worse, any exercise that requires you to warm up with lighter weights (AKA ALL OF THEM) means you are constantly taking off weird increments of plates and changing.  In short….THIS SUCKS
   • We completely stopped using dumbbells altogether without really voicing our reasoning.  Neither of us wants to admit that this was just a poor purchase.
   • Months go by and then I finally say “we need to do more dumbbell work”.  Girlfriend agrees.  Days later we find a set of powerblock dumbbells (all the way up to 90lbs!) for 300.00 cash.  I purchase them and we live happily ever after.

My solution and advice

I was already out 178.99 for a set of dumbbells that essentially didn’t work for me.  I didn’t realize how much everything ended up costing until it was all said and done.  I felt pretty foolish at this point and I can see how this can happen to anyone.  Take a look at your budget and see if you can afford to sink the money in for a set of adjustable dumbbells.  The ones that you see pictured are the power block dumbbells.  We got a super deal off of craigslist for these (300.00) and they are actually the upgraded set that goes from 5-90lbs.

Some of the paint is chipped on this set and the actual weight amounts are rubbed off so we don’t know how much each set really weighs.  Instead of saying “25lbs” we just call those the “whites”.  As long as you keep track of what you do it really doesn’t matter what they weigh.  Simple as that.

Realistically, this set of Powerblock dumbbells cost me close to 500.00 which is right around where they would’ve cost had I bought the set new (not including the 90lb upgrade).  If you are thinking about getting a set of adjustable dumbbells like ours then I would scout out craigslist first.  You will be able to get a discounted rate and not have to pay shipping.  If this isn’t an option for you then your next stop will probably be amazon.  There are numerous styles of dumbbells that can be purchased online so it really comes down to

1. Your budget
2. How much weight you need

Find the set that works with your price range and provides enough weight to challenge your flat dumbbell bench press (strongest mechanical advantage) and you will be good to go.

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Getting Stronger With The PUSH Band 2.0

How Real Time Bar Speed Can Influence Your Training

I recently received an email from train with push asking for feedback on how we liked the product so far.  One of my main suggestions was to allow real time data when using the PUSH band so that the lifter is allowed instantaneous feedback during a set.  I didn’t realize that PUSH was working on a BETA version that utilizes real time data as you train.  I feel this is probably the ultimate form of feedback and something that we will be using a lot moving forward.  How will you adjust training based on live bar speed data you ask?  Let’s find out.

Are you REALLY being explosive and fast?

We always pay attention to bar speed while training and have been doing so for a while.  Our only form of feedback prior to purchasing the PUSH band was video analysis and how things “felt”.  Moving sub maximal weights as fast as possible (compensatory acceleration training) has long been something that I have viewed as important and there is plenty of information to back that up.

Sam Byrd is a big advocate of CAT training with a 5×5 rep scheme.  He likes to train with around 60% of his max with a focus on decreasing rest periods as well as becoming more explosive.  Check out his training articles here

http://ift.tt/2xvyHGSsquatting-big/

http://ift.tt/2h0RDWZ

When doing a 5×5 squat workout, the focus is always on moving that last rep as fast as the first.  Once you get tired, it is extremely easy to slack off and not be as explosive as possible.  The first workout that I utilized the real time data a lightbulb went off.  I was doing a 5×5 raw squat workout with a fairly light percentage of weight, with the goal of trying to make the bar move as fast as possible.  I set up my iPhone directly in front of me at eye level so that I could see my data after each rep.  Immediately my mindset changed.  I now was focusing a lot harder to beat my bar speed from my previous rep and rather than simply “trying to be fast”,  I was getting immediate feedback as to whether or not I was doing so.  Believe it or not, I achieved my highest velocity of the session on the last rep of the last set.

Point: When training with sub maximal weights it is easy to slack off when fatigue sets in, the weight is light enough that you can coast through a set.  The Push Band keeps you focused and is brutally honest about your efforts.

AMAP Sets

I understand that it is easy to become a slave to bar speed.  It is just ONE way to measure progress, with another way being rep PR’s.  Sooner or later, you need to struggle against some weight, especially if you are a competitive powerlifter.  There are two ways to go about struggling against weight, max effort singles or AMAP sets (As Many As Possible).  The problem with AMAP sets is when to shut the work set down.  Is getting that rep PR the most important thing, or is maintaining good form throughout the set?  Regardless, when you get into that land of uncharted territory doing more reps than you ever with a given weight, it’s realistic to say that your form probably isn’t going to be pretty on those last few reps.

Example: I recently was training my squat with knee wraps and AMAP sets.  Taking a set to near failure with knee wraps can be tough, especially if you are hitting 8-10 reps.  Everyone is different, but I know that personally if I keep training AMAP sets till failure I start to break down after a few weeks.  It can be difficult to keep hitting rep PR’s week after week when those last few reps are complete grinders.  What I have learned is that it is far better to be selective with the day’s that you really get after it and go all out vs. the days that you leave a bit in the tank and live to fight another day.

Squatting while alone brings some added pressure into those sets, you start to question “Do I have one more rep in me?” and then “I’m not sure, what if I can’t make it”.  In my opinion, this is the LAST thing you want to be thinking while doing those sets.  Any time that I had those thoughts I would usually shut it down because I didn’t want anything negative racing through my mind or take my focus elsewhere.

What I found after the set was finished and I reviewed my data was that I usually had one or two more reps left in the tank.  On a set of 8-10 squats the bar speed will decrease significantly from the first to the last rep.  It becomes hard to tell when you are actually grinding reps vs just fatigued and slowing down especially when your lungs are on fire and you are struggling to hold your air.

Point: Had I used the real time data while doing these sets I would know instantly based on the speed of the previous rep whether or not to stop the set or to keep going.  Using the PUSH band and real time data can help you to make smart decisions while training and literally know when to “push” and when to shut it down.

Form Adjustments On The Fly

Training partners are great, especially knowledgeable training partners that can analyze and give proper cues to help your form on the fly.  I’m not talking about the usual cues that everyone says “big breath, chest up” I am talking about things that actually will help you improve and make adjustments.

EXAMPLE: In the case of squatting, I tend to sit back too much at times as well as have the bar drift forward over my toes.  In each instance, a less than optimal rep is performed and the bar moves much slower than intended.  A training partner can witness this and then give specific cues, but what if you don’t have that luxury? I mean this IS homegymaddict.com and those of you that train at home can be assumed you sometimes train alone.  I know when things feel off, but seeing the bar speed after a rep that feels off confirms that something did indeed go wrong.  Likewise, if I groove a good squat, I get the positive reinforcement that I performed a good rep based on the speed.

I’ve always been a very kinesthetic person, relying on feel more than anything to improve in various sports.  Getting instant feedback after a good rep reminds me to try to recreate the same feeling for the next rep.  What does this mean? If I am focusing on dropping straight down in a squat while forcing my knees out then I get rewarded with what usually is higher velocity rep than if I do not execute those cues.  What you “feel” and what you actually do are two different things.  Some days, you just can’t seem to get comfortable at all.  This is when the push band can help you before the mental berating begins.  Even when feeling uncomfortable, if you are able to generate the right bar speed then you know that the training session was worthwhile and there is no need to panic and try to revamp your form.

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What’s the best adjustable dumbbell set to buy? https://t.co/ScOf0d8WPY

What’s the best adjustable dumbbell set to buy? https://t.co/ScOf0d8WPY

— Home Gym Addict (@homegymaddict) September 12, 2017

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September 12, 2017 at 05:50PM

Getting Stronger With The PUSH Band 2.0 https://t.co/14Ys17UbQj

Getting Stronger With The PUSH Band 2.0 https://t.co/14Ys17UbQj

— Home Gym Addict (@homegymaddict) September 12, 2017

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September 12, 2017 at 05:50PM

How We Added 40lbs to Our Squat in 4 Months Using The PUSH Band https://t.co/wfTF9HaOZ1

How We Added 40lbs to Our Squat in 4 Months Using The PUSH Band https://t.co/wfTF9HaOZ1

— Home Gym Addict (@homegymaddict) September 12, 2017

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September 12, 2017 at 05:50PM

Adjustable Cap Barbell Deluxe Utility Bench Review https://t.co/IqBE5cz97U

Adjustable Cap Barbell Deluxe Utility Bench Review https://t.co/IqBE5cz97U

— Home Gym Addict (@homegymaddict) September 12, 2017

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September 12, 2017 at 03:50PM

Best Weight Bench Buyer’s Guide https://t.co/767VJzsr3I

Best Weight Bench Buyer’s Guide https://t.co/767VJzsr3I

— Home Gym Addict (@homegymaddict) September 12, 2017

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September 12, 2017 at 03:50PM

How We Added 40lbs to Our Squat in 4 Months Using The PUSH Band

An Intro to Velocity Based Training and PRs

As I previously stated in our review of the PUSH BAND we have stumbled across what I feel is a bit of a unique training style that resulted in Jillian adding 40lbs to her squat in 4 months.  I wanted to give an overview of the exact training that we implemented with the help of the PUSH band.

Training Overview

I have long been a fan of utilizing percentage based programming that revolved around the idea of a training max or an everyday max.  This is nothing new to many of you that have been training a while and for good reason, it works.  I felt that we were leaving a bit on the table when training and I also had a few things that I disliked in regards to percentage based programming.  The aspects that I didn’t like were:

• The idea of an “everyday” or “training max” can vary greatly from day to day
• Some days are a lot harder than others, we could be pushing either too hard or not enough but you really don’t know for sure
• If you are training for the sport of powerlifting the only thing you should be concerned with is the ability to hit one single rep, a perfect rep under near max or maximal weights.  To sum it up…..we needed more practice with heavy weights, but HOW HEAVY should they be?

Background Info

Jillian completed her first powerlifting meet in late February and it was a great experience.  Her peaking cycle resulted in her hitting a 225lb squat at her meet.  We based the peaking cycle around a 250lb squat and to be honest, I think that we programmed it too high.  The cycle utilized a lot of rest pause work which I feel was really beneficial and we learned a lot.

Fast forward a month

After recovering from the meet and doing a bit of hypertrophy we finally had the PUSH band in our possession.  I stated before that I reviewed a lot of Chris Duffin’s training methods that resulted in his world record squat.  One of the ideas that I really liked was his heavy speed work.  We trained with CAT methods but I felt that heavy singles and doubles really needed to be practiced as they had direct carry over to the meet.  I know that you can get a lot stronger utilizing 60-70% and training explosively, I have been doing it for a while….but in Jillian’s case, she needed more practice with the heavy stuff.

Phase 1: Rest Pause Raw Work

First things first, we needed to fix some technical issues in the squat.  We needed weights that were heavy enough to cause a break down in form and would allow us to fix problems during the lift or during the next rep.  The goal of this phase was to really practice how we played.

We started out with the PUSH Band and worked up to a max for that day, paying specific attention to bar speed.  This gave us a baseline of data to work with and establish our training protocol.  We found that when working up to a number that would be our max for that day the bar speed was between .25m/s and .2m/s.  I feel that as the bar speed gets closer to .2 vs .25m/s then we are really approaching weights that could be missed if something wasn’t right with the rep.

Rest Pause Sets

I read a lot of the writings by Josh Bryant and how he utilizes rest pause training.  It makes sense and it’s Josh Bryant.  If some of the strongest people around go to him for advice than the average person like you and I should probably take notice.

We started to perform rest pause sets with a weight that we could hit a speed between .4m/s and .3m/s

This was done in a wave of 3 weeks that looked like this

1. Work up to a weight of .3m/s-.25m/s (trying to beat velocities of the previous week on way up.  After this, we performed 10×1 with 60s rest aiming for velocities between .4m/s-.3m/s.  If the speed dropped to .25m/s twice in a row then the set was over
2. Work up and try for 10lbs heavier than the previous week but pay attention to bar speed, if it’s not there then it’s not there…..for us we always were able to add 10lbs with the appropriate speed.  add 10lbs to the 10×1 and aim for the same bar speeds
3. Same as above, add 10lbs  to each and complete the workout.

*This ended up with us taking the highest weight worked up to in week 1 (.25m/s) for 10×1 with bar speeds up around .4m/s.  Stronger? Absolutely.

Phase 2: Rest Pause with Reps

I blatantly stole this idea from Josh Bryant and his “Jailhouse Strong” Book.  We decided that we needed more time under tension and we needed more reps to grow and get stronger.  This was another 3 week wave based on rest pause reps on the final set.  Here is the break down by each week

1. Work up to a weight that was around .3m/s-.25m/s (this ended up being a lot more than in phase 1 and is the “training max for the next 3 weeks) and then take 80% of that number for 5×3.  After this, the final set (set 6) was a rest pause set where we hit for AMAP rest 20 sec AMAP rest 20 sec AMAP.   The reps were usually around 5,3,1 for that last set
2. No working over the weight for reps, you will get plenty of work in without it.  This week was 87.5% of that weight that we worked up to in week one (training max) for 5×2 with another final set of rest pause work with 30 secs rest between each set.
3. 90% for 5×1 with a rest pause set at the end in the same manner as week 2.  As we worked up to that weight we started to notice the increase in bar speed with every rep.  We knew we were definitely getting stronger because the lighter weights were getting obnoxiously fast.

Phase 3: Knee Wraps

We compete in the “raw with wraps” division so it was time to see how everything we had done so far carried over to competition style squats.  I really liked Chris Duffin’s idea of heavy speed doubles and we started to train with those same heavy doubles.  He mentioned .3m/s as the sweet spot and we already knew based on our data that this would also apply to us.  Basically, this is heavy enough that we need a perfect rep but not so heavy that you can’t make adjustments.  Again, the week by week break down

1. Work up to a heavy double that results in the last rep being around .3m/s-.28m/s.  After this, we shut it down.  It was very close to that same training max used in phase 2.
2. Work up to a single above the weight in week 1, stopping when we approach .25m/s.  After that 2×2 with same weight used for double in week 1.
3. Work up to another single ( a bit higher than week 2) followed by 3×2 with the double weight used in both weeks 1&2

Deload- After this we were feeling a bit banged up and thought it would be a good idea to work in 3-week waves with a deload in between.  We worked up to something light in the 60% range for 5 and shut it down

Phase 4: More of the same

Again, work up to a new single with hopefully more weight than in the previous phase.  We found a great deal of bar speed after the deload.  It’s nice to see previous weights moving faster and faster.  At this point Jillian was hitting PR’s left and right.  Every week she would work up to something in the .28m/s speed and it was always more weight than she had ever had on her back before.  Not only that, she was SMASHING the reps.  The week by week break down is very similar but I will add it in any way.

1. Work up to PR (leave some in the tank-bar speed is the guideline here) Then add 10lbs to the doubles in phase 3 and hit 1×2 (setsxreps)
2. Work up again, same weight as week 1 for 2×2
3. Work up, doubles with same weight for 3×2

Why Does This Work?

I think there are a few things to take away from our training blocks from the last 4 months or so.  The first is that we never, ever hit a grinder.  This really isn’t possible without the help of something like the PUSH band to gauge speed.  We realized that things that “felt” heavy really weren’t in terms of bar speed.  We could make educated decisions without pushing too far.  I equate this to getting stuck in the mud.  Push too hard too often and everything starts to slow down.  We wanted to straddle that thin line between too heavy and heavy enough to elicit a training response.

Live to fight another day

The phases also built upon each other (progressive overload) but we kept the training incredibly fluid.  If something didn’t feel right we weren’t afraid to shut it down.  “Live to fight another day,” was a phrase used over and over in our squat sessions.  We were constantly dipping a toe into the heavy stuff and then getting right back out.  This was testing the water and allowing us to get acclimated to heavier weights and more importantly practicing singles with heavier weights.  Powerlifting is a sport and the skill is hitting a single heavy rep.  Just like any other sport, this needs to be practiced.  Jillian’s heavy singles and the improvement that she displayed was the direct result of practicing the skills.  Hitting something at .4m/s vs .25m/s is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FEELING.

We stopped worrying about numbers and started to just practice the feeling of heavy weights, getting into the .3m/s speed means we are in the right area for training.  I really don’t care if this is 80%, 92.5% or 102%….. the number just simply doesn’t matter.  What does matter is that come meet time we are prepped to be comfortable with that speed.  This took me a little while to wrap my head around and I will say it again.  I really think the sport is more about not panicking with 95%+ and completing the rep.  Regardless of how strong you are, it will feel the same to everyone whether that is 135lbs or 600lbs.  The push band allows us to zero in on the weight that will give us that feeling.

Similar to RPE??

This methodology closely resembles the RPE scale and style of training with one key difference, you don’t have to know your body to make it effective.  It’s really hard to tell whether you have another rep or set based on feel, especially if you are new to training.  Using the data from the PUSH band let me know whether or not Jillian needed to do more or shut it down.  I think more important than letting me know what weight to call, it gave her the confidence to know that she could hit the next weight.

Final Thoughts

The progress made in the last 4 months was without a doubt a tribute to the effectiveness of the PUSH band as another tool to combine with smart programming.  Just like any other tool, you need to experiment with the PUSH band a bit and get a handle on the bar speeds that you are able to generate and their association with a percentage of a max.  Looking at the data from our first training session with the PUSH band to last week it is clear how much progress was made.

The data on the left is the analysis from the first training session where 215 was pretty much a max effort.  The screen shot from the PUSH app on the right shows the bar speed with 215 as a warmup to the rest of the training session.  Both are raw with sleeves.  By my calculations that is an increase of 143% bar speed!  This is something that pretty much everyone can use to their benefit to get stronger.

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Adjustable Cap Barbell Deluxe Utility Bench Review

One of the best purchases that I have made since starting our own home gym was finally breaking down and buying an adjustable bench.  I looked for months before purchasing a 0-90 bench and every time that I did, I decided that it was just too much money at the time and that I could work around not having an incline or seated military press station.  It seemed like the only option would be for me to save up 500+ dollars for something from either Rogue or Elitefts and until I had the money, I would just keep saving.  All the other benches on the market were either too flimsy looking or just didn’t have a good weight capacity.  On the other hand, instead of a 500+ dollar 0-90 bench (more than my Rogue SML-1squat stand) I honestly would have much rather bought a deadlift or safety squat bar.

Cap Barbell Deluxe Utility Bench Review Specs

I happened to stumble upon the Cap Barbell Deluxe Utility Bench one day on amazon and was surprised that it was the #1 ranked Best Seller in adjustable benches.  I had some how over looked this bench and I am really glad that I took the time to check out the details.  Here are the details that stood out to me and got my attention

1. Recommended maximum weight capacities for the bench are 500 lb (flat position, including user) and 400 lb (inclined positions, including user).
2. Full-size utility bench; Assembled specifications are 53″L x 27″W x 45″H (in upright position)
3. Price: 124.83 + FREE SHIPPING

The number one spec that I would look for when reviewing adjustable weight benches was the max weight capacity.  This bench had one of the higher weight capacities that I have found online in an economical price point.  You can definitely bet that there is a positive correlation between weight capacity and price.  I needed something that I wouldn’t be questioning if the bench would support me while training.  I have to say, I think the bench is rated a bit low, as I have exceeded the incline position weight capacities with ZERO problems.

Check Price On Amazon

Other Key Points

I hate to assemble things.  I really hate it.  Especially junk.  The assembly was extremely easy with the Cap Deluxe Utility Bench, like the other products that I have purchased it took less than an hour.  The bench is extremely stable, if it weren’t for me being extremely anal about bench width then I would consider benching with this as a flat bench.  Another nice touch to the bench is the band pegs.  This allows for numerous exercise variations that you won’t find with other benches.  Not something that I was looking for initially but it is a really nice option.

 

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for the best adjustable bench out there for your money, I firmly believe you won’t find anything better than the Cap Barbell Deluxe Utility Bench.  It is in a totally different class compared to the other, lower quality benches that you find littered through amazon.  This is by far one of the best purchases that I have made for my home gym.  After getting this bench I really don’t know why I waited so long on this piece of equipment.

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Best Weight Bench Buyer’s Guide

The Best Weight Bench: Buyer’s Guide

The goal of this site is to give you information on the best adjustable benches and the best weight benches on the market so that you can make educated decisions before purchasing.  There are a few factors to consider when looking at the right weight bench for your situation such as:

• Max Weight Capacity
• Reviews
• Cost
• Style (flat, adjustable, olympic)

We have taken this information from some of the best and highest rated adjustable weight benches and put it into one easy to use table that allows you to sort the information based on what you believe to be important.

Types of Weight Benches

The first thing to decide when purchasing a weight bench is what kind of bench do you need exactly.  The term “weight bench” which you searched for is a bit vague.  Here are the most common types of weight benches

Flat Bench

The flat bench is used mainly to do flat bench press movements and accessory work.  This is the perfect option if you have a home gym with a power rack already set up so that you can now bench/squat from the same station.  If you are looking for a flat bench or a utility bench then you will mainly be looking at the dimensions of the bench pad and the reviews of the pad to influence your decisions.

Pro tip: The wider the better with a flat bench, it helps to save shoulders and is more comfortable.  Stay away from anything that is too narrow

Adjustable Bench

The adjustable bench is similar to the flat bench in its purpose, however it is much more versatile.  This bench can also be used to perform bench presses from within a power rack, however it can also be used for a variety of dumbbell movements at different angles.  Many benches will offer varying degrees of incline positions or decline positions for you to train from.  Weight capacity is one of the biggest issues when looking at adjustable benches.  Have an idea of your weight + how much you can lift for various exercises before making a decision.  The adjustable bench also has a huge price range so this is something to keep in mind.  The price is largely reflected by weight capacity, the heavier you train the more you will be looking to pay for support.

Olympic Bench

The Olympic bench is what most people think of when they think “bench press”.  This bench will come with support stands that hold a barbell and may or may not have adjustable options. If you are in the market for an olympic bench then you will need to consider whether or not you want the optional accessories (leg extension/curl attachments, incline/decline options) and the type of barbell that you will be using.  Rack width varies greatly with these types of benches.  Buyer beware.

How to Use The Best Weight Bench Interactive Buyer’s Guide

This buyer’s guide is set up so that you can sort each bench by the information that you feel is most important in making your decision.  Click on each individual column to sort by that specific category.

Product	Capacity	Rating	Style	Price
Ironmaster Super Bench Adjustable weight-lifting Bench	600lbs	4.7	Adjustable	Check Price
Bowflex 3.1 Adjustable Bench	600lbs	4.5	Adjustable	Check Price
Bowflex SelectTech 5.1 Adjustable Bench	600lbs	4.4	Adjustable	Check Price
Body-Solid Powerline Flat/Incline/Decline Folding Bench	500lbs	4.3	Adjustable	Check Price
CAP Barbell Deluxe Utility Bench	400lbs	3.9	Adjustable	Check Price
PowerBlock Travel Bench (Silver)	550lbs	4.7	Flat	Check Price
Marcy Utility Flat Bench	300lbs	4.4	Flat	Check Price
Cap Barbell Flat Weight Bench	300lbs	4.5	Flat	Check Price
Valor Athletics BF – 48 Olympic Bench Pro with Spotter	500lbs + User	4.2	Olympic	Check Price
Marcy Diamond MD 857 Olympic Surge Bench	600lbs	4.1	Olympic	Check Price
XMark International Olympic Weight Bench Attachment XM-4424	700lbs	4.2	Olympic	Check Price

Our Top Choices

Best Adjustable Bench: Bowflex 3.1Adjustable Bench

Our choice for the number one best adjustable bench on the market goes to the Bowflex 3.1 Adjustable Bench.  This bench balances a great price point (145.29) with excellent features.  Bowflex is a reputable company with great customer service that has been producing quality products for years.  Some of the features included with this bench are

• 300lbs capacity (including user)
• Removable leg brace
• 2 yr warranty on frame 30 day warranty on upholstery
• 4 total positions (Incline, upright, flat and decline positions)

Check Price On Amazon

Best Flat Bench: PowerBlock Travel Bench

The PowerBlock Travel Bench is our number one choice for a flat utility bench as well as a top pick in the folding weight bench guide.  While this bench is a bit more pricey than other similar rated benches in amazon (almost double in price) I firmly believe that you get what you pay for.  If you are looking for a flat bench then you most likely are going to be doing accessory work in the confined spaces of a home gym type set up. Here are some specs

•  FREE Shipping
  • Removable detainer pins let you fold legs into travel position
  • 550lbs capacity (including user)

Check Price On Amazon

Best Olympic Bench: Valor Athletics Inc. BF – 48 Olympic Bench Pro with Spotter

Our top choice for an olympic bench is simple, when choosing an olympic bench you want a product that is going to do one thing and one thing well.  Half assed leg curl stations with various attachments have no purpose if you are trying to push big weights.  The Valor Athletics bench offers these features

• Adjustable spotter arms for safety
• 500lbs + user weight capacity (highest we have found)
• Diamond steel plate spotter stand for your workout partner

Check Price On Amazon

Final Thoughts

We have covered a lot of information about weight benches within this buyer’s guide.  Here are a few tips when trying to choose the best weight bench for your needs.  First, consider shipping costs into the pricing that we have provided.  All prices are directly from amazon and can change due to sales etc.  There are definitely some products that will fall into “free shipping” and could save you some money overall.  Second, consider what type of training you are going to be doing and what you NEED vs what you WANT.  If you plan on training with dumbbells than a simple adjustable bench such as the Bowflex 3.1 is all that you really need to get the job done.  In fact, if you want to save a few dollars then check out the CAP Barbell Adjustable Deluxe Bench as well.  Here is a review

Lastly, when in doubt, READ THE REVIEWS.  Pay attention to products that may sound good but have very few reviews compared to those that may receive a lower rating but have hundreds of reviews.  Amazon customers don’t lie, if there is something wrong with the product they will surely let everyone know.

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The Definitive Guide To Strength Training At Home Part 2 https://t.co/j6uBcFt5dl

The Definitive Guide To Strength Training At Home Part 2 https://t.co/j6uBcFt5dl

— Home Gym Addict (@homegymaddict) September 11, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/homegymaddict

September 11, 2017 at 05:51PM

How to Select A Power Rack https://t.co/WpDCpyVRce

How to Select A Power Rack https://t.co/WpDCpyVRce

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September 11, 2017 at 05:51PM

The Definitive Guide To Strength Training At Home – Chapter 1 https://t.co/nyXrTyrslu

The Definitive Guide To Strength Training At Home – Chapter 1 https://t.co/nyXrTyrslu

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September 11, 2017 at 05:51PM

The Definitive Guide To Strength Training At Home Part 2

In part one of this series, we discussed some very basic ideas about gaining strength while training in the comfort of your home.  Part two will be a bit more in depth discussion of the “why’s” and “how’s” when it comes to approaching getting stronger at home.

The first part of touched upon the idea of CAT training and utilizing the overload principle to continually make progress.  With all that being said, there are a few reasons why I feel that this is one of the best ways to train at home.  CAT training allows you to basically get the most out of the weights that you select.  If you can make progress with 60% of your max and not get beat up…what is the point of stressing your system with heavy weights?

With all that being said, here are some recommendations of programs to follow for when you embark on your strength training journey.

Beginner Strength Trainer

Mark Rippetoe has probably the best book available when it comes to learning to either teach or perform basic barbell movements.  Why is this important? Because those will be your bread and butter in a home gym.  Performing big, compound movements gives you the most bang for your buck because you are training economically.  Why do 4 exercises when you can get away with 1?

Starting strength lays everything out in a way that is manageable for beginners and intermediates to understand and follow.  Do yourself a favor and just purchase this book and learn/refer to it when your form feels off.

While there are some criticisms of the form and basic positions discussed in both the squat and deadlift, I will argue this.  If you are a beginner then LEARN what he is teaching and then adapt what works for you.  The elbow position for an absolute beginner is the least of your worries so keep things simple and do what he says.  Once you can repeat the movement then you can work on pinching the elbows down and together.

Intermediate Trainer

After you have exhausted the plans provided in Starting Strength, you can begin to look to a new program.

At this point you should be able to perform each movement with a decent amount of skill and also need to look into a new style of programming to get results.  At this point, I am going to recommend two programs that provide a bit of leeway into those of you that want to experiment with your own programming yet still follow a plan.

These two programs are  5/3/1 and Paul Carter’s Base Building.  Each program works on very similar principals while still offering enough variations to keep you interested.

5/3/1 overview

5/3/1 is the brain child of Jim Wendler and a way that I had trained for YEARS.  Essentially, you start with a three-week wave based on percentages of a training max (READ: SOMETHING YOU CAN HIT EVERY DAY)

1. Week 1:  5 reps @ 85%
2. Week 2: 3 reps @ 90%
3. Week 3: 1 rep @ 95%

After this, the training max is bumped up and the wave restarts.  While there is more to the program than this that is a general overview.  A lot has changed since the creation of the program but it allows for the pursuit of rep maxes and really anything else that you would want to add in.  Jim does a fantastic job of answering questions on multiple forums should you want some free info

http://ift.tt/1RWd1qa

Base Building overview

Paul Carter and Jim Wendler are close friends that have been bouncing ideas off each other for quite a while.  When you read through  Base Building,  you will begin to see similarities between systems.  The difference is that Base Building recommends you stick with certain percentages and adds more volume than you are used to.  If you haven’t trained this way, it might be a bit boring until you test and see the progress made.   An example workout for a squat might look like this:

5×5 @ 60% in under 9 minutes

Doesn’t look like much on paper, but trust me, it’s PLENTY of work.  Base Building offers a nice piece of mind and a change of pace after you have been hammering away at REP PRs for a long time.  It’s nice to be able to go in the gym (or downstairs) load up your squat rack with fairly light weight, put the work in and leave.   There are also a few great options for meet prep in the book as well if you are interested in competing.  Regardless, there is a ton of information to be gained through reading Paul’s thoughts.

Final thoughts

While each book is slightly different, they both have similarities and that is where the strength of each program lies.  Using a training max ( Lighter than you think) and pushing weights as hard as possible through each set gets results.  If you focus on those two things then you can’t NOT make progress.

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How to Select A Power Rack

In our best power rack for home guide I touched on our process for purchasing a power rack for home.  I was extremely limited with my options for a rack due to training in a basement with low ceilings.  I have been thinking for a while, “What if I could start over from the beginning and select a power rack again?”  “Would I go with the Rogue SML-1?”  The answer is no, I wouldn’t.  The Rogue SML-1 squat stands are simply the only product that fit my criteria AND would fit in a small space with low ceilings.  Here is how I would go about setting up a lifting rack again without restrictions of space.

Step 1:  How do you train?

This is probably the most important question that will determine what you need in a rack or cage.  For example, as of late I have been experimenting with the conjugate method of training.  What I am finding is that there are definitely exercises that cannot be performed SAFELY without a cage vs squat stands with support arms.  The few exercises that come to mind are anything reverse band, and concentric only exercises from straps.  I would love to add these into the rotation but there just is not a safe way to rig that up that I have come up with at the moment.

Step 2: Safety arms and other options

I really like the idea of Rogue having straps as a safety catch vs. your bar landing on another bar.  Less jarring and saves the bar, works for me.  This wouldn’t be a deal breaker if I couldn’t find something that offered this feature but it definitely is nice, especially if you are looking at Rogue.  The westside hole pattern is still something that I think is necessary.  I don’t care if you have your own bench, at some point you will probably be using your rack for accessory work and will need the adjustment.  If you have the choice (and you do) between purchasing a rack with or without a westside hole pattern then why wouldn’t you just save yourself the time and get the right hole pattern?

Step 3: Price

This is the one thing that can go either way.  It is the most important part of your home gym, but you also need other equipment.  There are a few racks that I really think are the best option for the price.  For a basic rack without the frills mentioned above,  the Power Rack from Atlas is pretty hard to beat at just under 300.

If you are looking at some better options with at least a westside hole pattern then I think the best place to start looking is Rogue.  The R-3 Rack is everything that you need and more, however at this price point (700.00) you also bring elitefts into play.  Here for almost the same price (700.00) you can get a 2×2 rack from elitefts that are essentially the same product.  It just depends on who you prefer to support.

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The Definitive Guide To Strength Training At Home – Chapter 1

I’ve thought long and hard about how I wanted to approach the topic of weight training at home.  It’s such a difficult subject because there are numerous variables.  Sure, you have taken my advice on how to set up the best home gym and snatched up the best power rack, got plenty of plates and you are ready to go……now what?  Well, good question.

I’ve used a ton of methodologies in my years of training.  I’ve also seen a lot of things come and then go only to come back again.  When you start to look at a lot of programs, especially for raw training, you see some glaring similarities and then a few tweaks here and there.  It is when you start looking at what is the same that you get closer to finding out the best way to improve your strength vs. the few different things that stand out in each program.

This guide is based on MY experiences using different methods for training as well as my education.  If you are just starting out then this information will definitely get you pointed in the right direction.  It’s this type of information that I wish I had known when I was 14-15 years old as it would’ve been invaluable and saved me from wasting a lot of time.

For this guide, we will be assuming that you have a few basic things:

• Squat rack
• Some way to bench (power rack or bench)
• Deadlift platform or a place to pull
• Adjustable dumbbells or some sort of dumbbells for accessory work

Weight Training At Home Concepts

First, if you are training at home you do may or may not have some limitations with spotters etc.  I trained for years solo (no spotters) and still do the majority of my training by myself.  There are definitely times that having someone spot you give added confidence but aside from that, you SHOULD be able to muster up enough intrinsic motivation to make progress.  If you will be training solo, the use of spotter arms will be a necessity as well as a way to record video.  This is the only way to gauge form and progress by yourself.  You don’t need to plaster every video of yourself online, but it definitely helps to review form and technique between sets.

The overload principle

In order to make progress, the biggest concept that needs to be understood is the overload principle.  You must continuously improve from training session to training session.  This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to add weight to the bar.  Some easy ways to make continuous progress are:

1. Adding weight to the bar
2. Adding volume (more reps/sets or both)
3. More/same amount of work in less time (density)

What I have found is that each of the above-mentioned styles of training above work until they don’t work anymore.  This basically means that you need to plan your training in blocks. Some blocks will be focused on adding weight until you can’t add weight anymore.  At that point, you need to change gears and make progress with another method.

Compensatory acceleration training (CAT)

This will be your best friend when combined with volume training and density training.  CAT style training is by far the most beneficial way to train that I have found.  Compensatory acceleration training is trying to push each rep of each set as fast as you possibly can while maintaining form.  Bar speed and velocity trackers (Push Band) have really taken this approach and added some great data for this training style.  What this all means is that you can take sub-maximal weights and push them with the strength needed to push maximal weights to elicit a training effect.  In short, you don’t need heavy weights to get stronger, push each rep as fast as possible and you will be fine.  The sweet spot for percentages are all over the place but a good start is generally found in Prilepin’s Table

I have found that each lift has a different sweet spot and that those percentages can change from individual to individual.  Virtually every program that you find online (conjugate training, 5/3/1, Cube, etc) is based off some form of this table.  There are some broad ranges for both sets and reps that are recommended and this is where it is up to you to test, track and see what happens.

With that all being said, chapter 2 will take a look at what I feel is the best way to implement these concepts if your goal is to increase your strength while at home.

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