Other Options. While the standard weight of a bench press bar is 45 pounds, there are options for those who are not able to complete the exercise with the standard bar. Another bar that is commonly seen in fitness gyms is 33 pounds and offers a thinner grip section for those with smaller hands.hoto Credit Barbell image by Semfamily from Fotolia.com. The bench press exercise is a very common choice for those who are interested in effectively developing their chest, shoulders and triceps muscles, and the exercise is usually performed with a barbell.