So you decided between weight benches and broke down and bought one, now your using it and sweating all over it (that is a good thing), and you want to know how to clean your bench without damaging the cover.

It’s pretty easy really, most benches come with a vinyl (fake leather) cover which is safe to clean with Clorox wipes. You will want to wipe your weight bench set down after every use. This inhibits bacteria growth.

If you have stubborn spots on your bench than you will want to use warm water and dish soap to scrub them off.

Both of these methods are safe on the vinyl padded seats and also on the metal parts as long as the metal is coated.

A few other tips for keeping your exercise area clean and neat.

Baking soda works wonders. Have you ever used baking soda in your refrigerator to soak up stinky smells?  If so then you know how well it works.  Just take a fridge box (or a regular box) and open it up and place it in the corner of the room where you will be working out.  It will help to absorb the body odor and keep your work out area smelling good.  Just be sure to put it somewhere you won’t knock it over.

Only buy what you need. It can be very easy to go crazy with workout equipment.  But really a good set of dumbbells and a flat or adjustable weight bench is all you need to get a good resistance training workout.   You may want to add a treadmill or elliptical as well, but don’t go too crazy.  Buy what you need and your stuff will be much easier to keep track of.

Use a white board to track your progress. This is a trick I use all the time, in nearly every aspect of my life.  What I do is write down a goal at the top of the white board.  For instance, lift for 20 minutes 3 x this week.  Then I mark off each time I do the task.  I find more than anything this keeps me on task - which in turn keeps my exercise area from becoming a clothes hanger.

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You may be looking at weight benches and wondering where you are going to put it once it gets in your house.  There are several good options depending on your personality and what type of living situation you have.  I’ll outline them briefly and you can decide which is best for you.

Put it where you will see it.

For me personally, I need to either do my working out with a friend, or put my work out equipment right where I will see it every day.  That way I am more likely to use it.  So this is my first rule of thumb.  Weight training benches are only good if you use them, and seeing them goes a long way towards that.   That being said here are some common areas that people use.

The garage.

Putting an adjustable or incline weight bench in a garage is a great location, especially if you have a friend who will work out with you.  Of course, the more stuff you put in a garage, the less chance you have of actually parking cars in it, but if that doesn’t bother you, the garage is a good option.

Your bedroom.

You will definitely see your weight bench every day if it is in your bedroom.  No doubt about it.  Putting it in your bedroom is a great option if you still live with your parents or a room mate and they don’t want weight benches all over the house.

The only downfall to having a weight bench in your bedroom is that it often will become a clothes hanger, so you will have to be careful about that.

Your Living Room

If you are single (or have a very tolerant significant other) you can put your weight bench in your living room.  That way when you watch TV you can also lift weights.

Your Yard. Unless you have a shelter, you may not want to keep your weights in your yard, BUT many people find that spending time outdoors is a great way to stay motivated, if that is you than a weight bench in your yard may be the perfect solution for you.

A guest room.

A lot of people will make the guest room into a mini workout facility.  This is a good option if you are very self motivated.  For me personally this doesn’t work well, because I close the door and never thing about the workout equipment again, and then never work out.

A basement.

If you have a dry basement, then it can make an ideal workout center/ rec room.  A basement is also a great place to work out with other people and has the added benefit of having the most room out of  all of these options.

Wherever you decide to place your weight bench set, be sure that you put aside time in your schedule to use it.  Resistance training with weight benches and weights is one of the best possible ways to get in shape fast.

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