Weider Weight Bench 🏋️ (Guide!)
What is a Weider Weight Bench?
A "Weider" weight bench is a famous piece of gear. It is a "home gym" staple. It is a "legacy" brand in fitness. (From "Joe Weider," a pioneer of bodybuilding). ( Weider is a "mass-market" brand. It is a "budget" brand. It is an "entry-level" brand. You will find these benches at stores like:
- Walmart
- Sears
- Amazon
- Dick's Sporting Goods
The #1 CRITICAL Trap (Standard vs. Olympic) 🚫
This is the most important part of this guide. You must read this before you buy anything. You must. This is the #1 mistake Weider buyers make. It is a very expensive mistake. There are two systems of "weight sets." They are 100% incompatible. They do not work together.
1. "Standard" Sets (The 1-Inch Trap) 🚫
This is the "cheap" set. The "beginner" set. You find it in department stores. (Like Walmart or Target). ( The "Standard" system uses bars and plates... ...with a 1-inch center hole. This is the "small hole." The bar is thin. It is often light (10-15 lbs). It cannot hold much weight. It is not safe for heavy lifts. This is a dead-end system. Do not buy it. You will outgrow it in 6 months. And your 1-inch plates will not fit... ...on the 2-inch "real" bars at the gym. You are wasting your money. 💸
2. "Olympic" Sets (The 2-Inch Standard) ✅
This is the "pro" system. This is the system you must invest in. The "Olympic" system uses bars and plates... ...with a 2-inch (50mm) center hole. This is the "big hole." This is the global standard. It is strong. It is safe. It is what all real gyms use.
The "Weider" Problem
This is the core "Weider" problem. Many (or most) "all-in-one" Weider benches... ...are built for the 1-INCH "STANDARD" system. The "rack" uprights are too narrow. They will not fit a 7-foot Olympic bar. The "leg developer" peg is 1-inch. It will not fit your 2-inch Olympic plates. You are locking yourself into the "cheap," "dead-end," 1-inch system. This is a massive, expensive trap. You must check the "specs" before you buy.
The "Pros" (Why People Buy Weider) ✅
This is the "sales pitch." Why does everyone buy these? The "value" seems amazing.
Pro 1: The Price (It's Affordable) 💰
This is the #1 reason. The brand is affordable. A "real" pro-level setup... ...(a Power Rack + FID Bench)... ...can cost 1,000 to 2,000. A Weider "all-in-one" bench... ...can cost 150 to 300. This is an amazing price. It is a very low "barrier to entry." It gets people started in fitness. And that is a good thing.
Pro 2: The "All-in-One" System
This is the #2 reason. It is "everything" in one box. It is a "full gym" (in theory). It is not "just a bench." It is a system. The "system" usually includes:
- The Bench: (Often an "incline" bench). (
- The "Rack": (The uprights to hold a barbell). (
- The "Extras": (The attachments). (
Pro 3: The "Extras" (The "Gimmicks") 🤸
This is what sells the bench. The "bells and whistles." These "extras" make you feel... ...like you are getting an amazing deal. The "Extras" (The "Gimmicks"): 1. The Leg Developer: This is the #1 attachment. It is the foam-roller pad... ...at the end of the bench. It lets you do two exercises:
- Leg Extensions (for your quads)
- Lying Leg Curls (for your hamstrings)
The "Cons" (The 4 HUGE Drawbacks) 🚫
This is the "buyer beware" section. This is the reality of a Weider bench.
Con 1: The "Rack" is a "Widow-Maker" 🚨
This is the #1 MOST IMPORTANT DANGER. Please read this. This is the SAFETY warning. The "rack" (the uprights)... ...is fixed to the bench. It is an "all-in-one" station. This design has a FATAL FLAW. It has NO SAFETIES. No "spotter arms." No "pins." No "catch" system. It is only for lifting with a human spotter. If you fail a rep on this machine... ...while you are alone... ...you are TRAPPED. The bar will be on your neck or chest. This is the #1 cause of "lifting death." People die on these benches. Every year. The Rule: Do NOT buy this for a home gym... ...if you plan to lift alone. It is not a "maybe." It is a "deathtrap." It is 1000x safer to buy a separate... ...Power Rack (Cage) and Bench. A "cage" has safeties. It is 100% safe to use alone.
Con 2: Low Quality & Low "Weight Capacity" ⚖️
This is the "budget" problem. You get what you pay for. A 150 bench is a 150 bench. 1. The Quality: These are cheap benches. They are made of thin steel. They are wobbly. They are not stable. A "wobbly" bench is a dangerous bench. You do not want to "wobble"... ...when you are holding 150 lbs... ...over your face. The vinyl is thin (it will rip). The padding is thin (it will flatten). You will outgrow it. 2. The "Weight Capacity" (The Other Danger): This is the other hidden danger. Read the "specs" on the box. A Weider bench might have a "300 lb limit." This is not a "300 lb lift." This is a "TOTAL" limit. This means: Your Body + The Weight. Let's do the math. If you (the lifter) weigh 200 lbs... ...you can only lift 100 POUNDS. Total. If you (200 lbs) try to bench press 150 lbs... ...you are now at 350 lbs. You are over the limit. The bench can buckle. It can collapse. This is a 10/10 injury risk. A "real" bench (like a "Rogue" bench)... ...has a 1,000+ lb capacity. This is the "safety" you pay for.
Con 3: The "Extras" are Bad (The "Gimmick" Trap)
This is the "con" to the "pro." The "extras" are bad. They are "gimmicks." The Leg Developer: It is also for 1-inch plates. (The "trap"). (The "range of motion" is bad. It is "clunky" and "short." It also puts huge "shear" stress... ...on your knee joint. It is a "knee-killer." (Pro lifters do not use these). ( The Preacher Curl Pad: It is always too small. It is wobbly. The "ergonomics" (the angles) are bad. It is not a good tool.
Con 4: The "Standard" (1-Inch) Trap (Again!)
This is the final con. It is worth repeating. You are buying a "Standard" 1-inch system. You are buying into a "dead" ecosystem. You must buy the 1-inch plates. When you (inevitably) get stronger... ...you will need to "upgrade" to an Olympic bar. (A 2-inch bar). ( And none of your 1-inch plates... ...will fit on your new, 2-inch bar. You must sell all your old gear. And buy all new gear. You have to buy everything twice. This is the "expensive" part of buying "cheap." Do it right the first time. Buy Olympic (2-inch) gear.
The "Good" Weider Benches (The Exception) ✅
This is the "good" news. Weider also makes "good" benches. But they are not the "all-in-one" traps. The "good" Weider benches... ...are "standalone" benches. It is just a bench. It is NOT a "bench-and-rack-in-one." Weider makes some very good... ...Standalone FID Benches. ("Flat / Incline / Decline"). ( These are often "Olympic" width. (i.e., normal width). ( These benches are designed... ...to be used INSIDE a Power Rack (Cage). This is the 100% SAFE setup! A "standalone" Weider FID bench... ...is often a great budget choice! It is a good "starter" bench. The bench is fine. The "all-in-one rack" is the trap.
Conclusion: Who Is It For? (And Who Is It NOT For?)
So, should you buy a "Weider Weight Bench"? Specifically, the "all-in-one" system? Who is it FOR? ✅
- A 100% total beginner. (e.g., a teenager). (
- Someone on an extreme budget. (Under 200). (
- Someone who will only lift 1-inch "Standard" plates.
- Someone who will never lift more than 100 lbs.
- Someone who will always have a spotter.
- Anyone who is "serious" about lifting. (You will outgrow it in 3 months). (
- Anyone who lifts ALONE. (It is a "deathtrap." It is too dangerous). (
- Anyone who wants to use "Olympic" (2-inch) plates. (It is incompatible). (
- Anyone who weighs over 150-200 lbs. (The weight capacity is too low. It is an injury risk). (