For Men: How much can you bench?

[Iraqi_guy]

And For Women to...


yes....I mean bench press.

yes....I mean in good ol' pound measurements.

[ZenLefty]

1. 315 n/t

[Iraqi_guy]

8. Thats quite alot

how big are you?
how much can you shoulder press?

[ZenLefty]

10. Been working at that for a while

Like 20 years. Started in my teens.

The secret is to not cheat. Back flat on the bench. Feet on the floor. Pronated grip, one or two handspans wider than shoulder width. Don't bounce the bar off your chest. Get a spotter.

If you cheat, you really don't get much stronger, and you can hurt yourself the heavier you go. If you don't cheat, then you're actually working the muscles you intend to, and they really do get stronger over time.

A good press like that - one set, one rep - is very Zen. A focus of all your core strength, all your energy, into one good push. Your mind is empty, the world is composed of you and the iron.

I don't know my one rep max with shoulder press. I work with either 115 (on days that I do bench) or 135 (on days that I don't bench), three sets of eight. I read somewhere to do these without pausing at the top or the bottom, and to not hyperextend the arms at the elbow, for best effect. Leaves the shoulders feeling like balls of flame.

[THUNDER HANDS]

2. lets see

about 75 - 100 lbs

I was never good at the bench press. My power is more in my lower body, I have big, thick legs.

[BiggJawn]

3. Ohhhh.....THAT "bench"...

I was getting ready to say "3 VCR's 2 TV's a WHOLE RTS intercom system, 1 Sony monitor...."

My bench is FULL...

I'm like Rat, my legs have it all. Can't bench press hardly anything, but before I blew my back I once squatted 750 2X....

[GOPisEvil]

4. Hmm...I don't know...I haven't maxed out in a LONG time.

Most of the time, when I do bench press, it is with one plate on each side of the bar. So, that's 90lbs plus whatever the bar weighs. :shrug:

I do 3 sets of 10-12 reps each.

Come to think of it, today is chest, triceps and shoulders day...

[ZenLefty]

9. Bar is 45

So you work out with 135 - 3 sets of 10-12. If you went up to 185-205 you could probably do it. :thumbsup:

[meegbear]

5. I can approach 200 ...

But I have a bad left shoulder. Depends on the day, warm-up, etc.

[Blue_Chill]

6. Great.....

....now you made me want to go to the gym and find out. If I hurt myself it's your fault!

[SmileyBoy]

7. I can do over 200. I can leg press about 600 lbs.

I used to play HS football a couple years ago.

[jayfish]

11. When I Was In College My Last Max Was 345lbs..

If I was forced to do it now I might get 250-280 up. It's been a long time. For any who are interested here is a good way to increase your max.

1. Find out what your max is
2. Set a goal of turning three sets of eight reps. with 80% of your
max IE; if your max is 200 you would shoot for three sets of
eight at 160lbs.
3. Once you are able to complete all 24 reps in all three sets it is
time to find your new max and start again at step one.

Worked like a charm for me.

Jay

[nuxvomica]

12. The short answer: I don't know

The long one:

On heavy days, I usually do 250 for 10-12 reps. I've pushed it to 280 for 5 reps. But it's on this machine...

...so it's not real weight. Plus I didn't include the bar weight, which is aroung 30 pounds.
I'm sure that with free weights it would take me a while to press more than my own weight(205).

[Best_man23]

13. My Bench

I do 225 for reps, up to 275 on heavy days.

I haven't maxed in awhile, could probably do around 315 if I set my mind to it.

My highest, 345 in High School.