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.

ஆதாரம்·வெளியிடப்பட்ட உடற்பயிற்சிக் குறிப்புகள்·COVERAGE COUNTED FROM PRIME MOVERS ONLY·மறுபரிசீலனை ஜூலை 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 →

ஆதாரம்·வெளியிடப்பட்ட உடற்பயிற்சிக் குறிப்புகள்·ATTRIBUTION BY JOINT ACTION·மறுபரிசீலனை ஜூலை 2026

All 49 bench movements

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

Muscles you can cover with bench

Chest 15 Lats 3 Upper back 2 ட்ரெப்பீசியஸ் 1 Front deltoid 4 பக்க டெல்டாய்டு 2 Rear deltoid 1 Biceps 4 Triceps 6 Forearms 3 Quadriceps 1 Glutes 3 Abs 2 Lower back 1 Adductors 1

Not covered: ஹாம்ஸ்ட்ரிங்ஸ், calves, ஒப்லீக்ஸ், இடுப்பு மடக்கும் தசைகள், 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 Dumbbells 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 ஆதாரங்கள் 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.

ஆதாரம்·வெளியிடப்பட்ட உடற்பயிற்சிக் குறிப்புகள்·MUSCLE ROLES ASSIGNED BY JOINT ACTION·மறுபரிசீலனை ஜூலை 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.