Kayla Young
If you are looking into building strength, you are going to want to head right to the weight area. One of the pieces of gym equipment that you should look for is a bench press.Â
Some gyms have bench presses, others use combination machines, and some don’t have them at all. So does Anytime Fitness have a bench press? The great news is most branches of Anytime Fitness have a bench press. But note that there is still a possibility that some don’t.Â
In this article, we’ll explain the common issues surrounding bench presses at gyms. We’ll also give you more information about using the bench press at Anytime Fitness.
Contents
Does Anytime Fitness Have a Bench Press?
Anytime Fitness hits a variety of demographic and stylistic targets, and doesn’t have the same focused theme as, say, an OrangeTheory or a Planet Fitness. They don’t just have those beloved cardio machines, Anytime Fitness have a good selection of strength training machines too.Â
Apart from that, they also have other Crossfit-style equipment. That can help them attract people with various fitness goals to work out in their gyms.
Anytime Fitness is a great gym for beginners as well as for those who are more experienced in working out.Â
Those who are looking into building muscle will spend a great deal of time on a bench press. Just take note that even if many of the Anytime Fitness gyms have a bench press, there are still some that may not. They may have Smith Machines or other systems that cover similar movements.
That will depend on the local gym management or franchise.Â
The Anytime Fitness Bench PressÂ
If you are still unsure if your local Anytime Fitness gym has a bench press, you’ll just have to call them up or go to confirm. Unfortunately, there’s no online list of equipment at each AF location.
The Bench Press Bar
When it comes to bench press bars, there are two main types. The first one is the Olympic size which weighs 45 pounds. It has a length of 7 feet.Â
To make it more challenging, you can add weight plates to them. If you do, you have to make sure to secure the plates on the bar by using collars on each end.
The other type of bench press is the pre-loaded type.
Usually, these are shorter than the Olympic size. And their bar weight varies from 20-120 lbs. Those who still can’t carry the initial weight of 45 lbs of the Olympic size can start with the pre-loaded 20 lb bench press bar.Â
With the length of the standard bar, more stability is required. This also initiates more muscles to be used.
This is also one of the reasons why it is best for beginners to start with the pre-loaded bench press bars until they get used to them or are comfortable using them.Â
Weight Bench
The other part of the bench press is the weight bench. There are two different types of weight bench, the flat bench or the adjustable bench.Â
Either of them works great if you are planning to do a conventional bench press. However, if you want to do an incline or decline press, the adjustable bench is what you need.
The Bench Press Form
Anyone can try to do a bench press. But it is very important to understand proper form while doing the movements. If you don’t them correctly, you can easily strain your wrist, shoulders, or back.
You may even drop the barbell and cause a more severe injury.Â
The first thing you should do is to load the barbel and make sure that the plates are secure. Then position yourself beneath the barbel, on the bench.
Check your grip on the bar and make sure that it is correct to avoid accident.Â
When gripping the bar, do so in an overhand position. In this position, the thumbs are placed underneath the bar. This helps make sure the bar is stabilized, so don’t tuck it.Â
There are a vareity of hand placement options. The most basic position is to place the hands shoulder-width apart, but variations allow you to work with different upper body parts.
Aside from the hand placement, you need to properly position your body. The feet should be shoulder-width apart and on the ground. If your feet don’t reach the floor, you have to adjust the bench and lower it down.Â
Your butt should be planted on the bench and your lower back should only be slightly arched. Note that if you over-arch your back, you can strain it. So be cautious with this.
