Home-friendly equipment

Bench exercises

Flat, incline or a sturdy chair. Needed for pressing, supported rows and step-ups; a hard bed or a low table covers many of them.

What this kit can actually load

49MOVEMENTS

Covering 15 muscle groups as prime movers and 6 of the 9 movement patterns — all of it usable in a front room.

ಮೂಲ.ಪ್ರಕಟಿತ ವ್ಯಾಯಾಮ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಗಳು.COVERAGE COUNTED FROM PRIME MOVERS ONLY.ಪರಿಶೀಲನೆ ಜುಲೈ 2026

How the bench list is built

Start from the joint action, not the sensation. A muscle is credited when the action it produces is the one being resisted.
Credit exactly one role per exercise: prime mover, or synergist and stabiliser. Nothing is listed twice.
Rank by technical demand on a 1–5 scale — how much practice the movement needs to be done safely, not how hard the set feels.
Credit a movement to a piece of kit only when that kit supplies the resistance — a bench you lie on is not the load.
Attach the published MET category so the energy figure on every card traces back to the same table.

The attribution rules in full →

ಮೂಲ.ಪ್ರಕಟಿತ ವ್ಯಾಯಾಮ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಗಳು.ATTRIBUTION BY JOINT ACTION.ಪರಿಶೀಲನೆ ಜುಲೈ 2026

All 49 bench movements

Exercises using bench, easiest first.REVIEWED · JUL 2026
Exercise	Primary muscle	Pattern	Level
Barbell Wrist Curl	Forearms	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Concentration Curl	Biceps	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Dumbbell Triceps Kickback	ಟ್ರೈಸೆಪ್ಸ್	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Dumbbell Wrist Curl	Forearms	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Incline Push-Up	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Reverse Wrist Curl	Forearms	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise	Side deltoid	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Bench Dip	ಟ್ರೈಸೆಪ್ಸ್	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row	Upper back	Pull	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Decline Crunch	Abs	Brace	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Decline Dumbbell Fly	Chest	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Decline Dumbbell Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Dumbbell Bench Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Dumbbell Fly	Chest	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Dumbbell Hip Thrust	Glutes	Hinge	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Dumbbell Skull Crusher	ಟ್ರೈಸೆಪ್ಸ್	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Incline Dumbbell Curl	Biceps	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Incline Dumbbell Fly	Chest	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Incline Dumbbell Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Incline Dumbbell Row	Upper back	Pull	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Incline Rear Delt Raise	Rear deltoid	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Lying Dumbbell Lateral Raise	Side deltoid	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Lying Triceps Extension	ಟ್ರೈಸೆಪ್ಸ್	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Preacher Curl	Biceps	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Prone Y Raise	Trapezius	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press	ಮುಂಭಾಗದ ಡೆಲ್ಟಾಯ್ಡ್	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row	ಲ್ಯಾಟ್ಸ್	Pull	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Smith Machine Bench Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Smith Machine Incline Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Smith Machine Shoulder Press	ಮುಂಭಾಗದ ಡೆಲ್ಟಾಯ್ಡ್	ಪುಶ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Spider Curl	Biceps	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಆರಂಭಿಕ
Arnold Press	ಮುಂಭಾಗದ ಡೆಲ್ಟಾಯ್ಡ್	ಪುಶ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Barbell Bench Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Barbell Hip Thrust	Glutes	Hinge	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Barbell Pullover	ಲ್ಯಾಟ್ಸ್	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Bulgarian Split Squat	Quadriceps	Lunge	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Close-Grip Bench Press	ಟ್ರೈಸೆಪ್ಸ್	ಪುಶ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Decline Barbell Bench Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Decline Sit-Up	Abs	Brace	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Dumbbell Pullover	ಲ್ಯಾಟ್ಸ್	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Incline Barbell Bench Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Seated Barbell Overhead Press	ಮುಂಭಾಗದ ಡೆಲ್ಟಾಯ್ಡ್	ಪುಶ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Single-Arm Dumbbell Bench Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Single-Leg Hip Thrust	Glutes	Hinge	ಮಧ್ಯಮ
Copenhagen Plank	Adductors	Brace	Advanced
JM Press	ಟ್ರೈಸೆಪ್ಸ್	ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್	Advanced
Paused Bench Press	Chest	ಪುಶ್	Advanced
Seated Good Morning	Lower back	Hinge	Advanced

Muscles you can cover with bench

Chest 15 ಲ್ಯಾಟ್ಸ್ 3 Upper back 2 Trapezius 1 ಮುಂಭಾಗದ ಡೆಲ್ಟಾಯ್ಡ್ 4 Side deltoid 2 Rear deltoid 1 Biceps 4 ಟ್ರೈಸೆಪ್ಸ್ 6 Forearms 3 Quadriceps 1 Glutes 3 Abs 2 Lower back 1 Adductors 1

Not covered: ಹ್ಯಾಮ್‌ಸ್ಟ್ರಿಂಗ್‌ಗಳು, ಮೀನಖಂಡ, ಓರೆ ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಸ್ನಾಯುಗಳು, ಸೊಂಟದ ಫ್ಲೆಕ್ಸರ್‌ಗಳು, rotator cuff. That is the honest gap — fill it with another implement or with bodyweight work.

Programmes that run on this alone

Push Pull Legs (PPL)Full gym · 3 days a week (one cycle) or 6 days a week (two cycles). Both work; the six-day version needs the recovery to match.Upper / Lower splitFull gym · 4 days a week — upper, lower, rest, upper, lower, rest, rest.Full-body, 3 days a weekFull gym · 3 non-consecutive days — Monday, Wednesday, Friday or equivalent.Beginner gym plan (first 8 weeks)Full gym — machines and dumbbells · 3 days a week, with at least one rest day between sessions.Bro split (one muscle a day)Full gym · 5 days a week.5x5 barbell strengthBarbell, rack, bench · 3 days a week, alternating A and B sessions.

Other equipment

Barbell 54 ಡಂಬೆಲ್‌ಗಳು 68 Kettlebell 17 Cable machine 36 Machine 42 Smith machine 8 Resistance band 31 Bodyweight 121Pull-up bar 17 Medicine ball 3 Suspension trainer 5 EZ bar 5 Dip bars 3 Ab wheel 2 Weight plate 11 Box or step 10 Landmine 6

The questions that come up on the floor

What can I train with bench?

49 exercises on this site use bench, covering 15 muscle groups as prime movers and 6 of the 9 movement patterns. 26 of them are compound movements, which is the number that decides whether a piece of equipment can carry a whole programme on its own.

Is bench enough to build muscle?

Yes. With 49 exercises across 15 muscle groups, bench covers enough of the body to run a complete programme. Muscle growth responds to effort, load progression and volume — not to which brand of resistance supplied them.

Can I use bench at home?

Yes — this is home-scale equipment. Flat, incline or a sturdy chair. Needed for pressing, supported rows and step-ups; a hard bed or a low table covers many of them.

How do I make bench exercises harder over time?

Add weight in the smallest increment available whenever you reach the top of the target rep range with clean technique, and keep the range of motion and the tempo identical as the load climbs.

Muscle roles follow standard kinesiology references and are described by joint action rather than by gym convention — see how this site is built. Energy figures are derived from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. Every reference is named and dated on the ಮೂಲಗಳು page. General information only — not medical or coaching advice. Load, form and progression should be adjusted to your own experience and any injury history. When in doubt, get coached in person.

ಮೂಲ.ಪ್ರಕಟಿತ ವ್ಯಾಯಾಮ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಗಳು.MUSCLE ROLES ASSIGNED BY JOINT ACTION.ಪರಿಶೀಲನೆ ಜುಲೈ 2026

The people behind these sites

Follow the build

This site and nine others like it are built and photographed by two people: Amit Sharma — behind the build; Geeta Patel — the poses, demonstrated. New work goes up on Instagram and Facebook before it reaches a page here.

Amit Sharma @amitsharmaofficial Instagram

Geeta Patel @geetapatelnz Instagram

Geeta Patel GeetaPatelYoga Facebook

Following changes nothing here — every page stays open, with no account and no wall.