If you're not looking to spend a fortune on exercise equipment and only invest in one item, a set of free weights is a superb choice. They don't cost a huge amount of money and take up much less space than a treadmill, cross trainer or exercise bike. Any form of weight lifting is good for toning up your body and boosting your metabolism, which in turn helps burn body fat efficiently. A weight bench can be a good addition to a set of dumbbells as it lets you perform a wide range of exercises safely and effectively.
Free Weights
There is a good range of Free Weights (Dumbbells) on the market for you to choose from. It all depends on what you are looking to spend, your ability and what you want to get back from them.
No Assembly: Most dumbbells are ready to use straight out of the box and require no assembly. Dumbbells are easy to store and come in a variety of weights to suit your goals. It is usually best to start off with a light set up Dumbbells and build up.
Durable: Metal dumbbells are very durable and are built to last, but they may damage your floor, or your foot if you drop them. Chrome weights may need a polish now and again to prevent rust. Gold's Gym Dumbbells are mainly created from solid chrome.
Easy Handling: Weights coated with rubber or plastic are easy to handle and won't scratch or damage wood floors like some metal weights may do. There are a huge range Marcy Dumbbells available in a rubber coating.
Selector Dumbbells: There are now a few models of selector dumbbells available on the market. They usually range from 5kg to 25kg in weight and mean you will only have to ever buy one set. They are great for saving space and money as the unique design lets you select how much weight you want to lift. See our Dumbbells selection for more details particularly the Gold's Gym Transformer Dumbbells.
Benches
It is recommended to look for a bench that is comfortable and can be easily adjusted into different lifting positions.
Weight: You need to choose a bench according to the amount of weight you think you will be lifting on it now and in the future. Don't forget to include your own body weight when looking at how much a bench can hold. The majority of benches will take more than enough weight for the average user.
Incline: Most benches are adjustable so you can set them to an incline or decline. This helps you perform a wide range of exercises with free weights, or even abdominal exercises on some benches.
Storage
Free weights and benches don't tend to take up a lot of room. This is a great benefit of using them for home weight training if you have limited space. Many weights benches will also fold flat so they can easily tuck away under a bed, for example.
Overview
Weight training equipment for home use has really progressed in the UK recently. You can now set up your own comprehensive weight training gym at home without spending a fortune. Using free weights in combination with a bench can give you excellent results as there are a wide range of exercises you can perform to build muscle.