How much weight did you have to benchpress before you noticed a significant change in you physique?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Landroval

Platinum Member
Feb 5, 2005
2,275
0
0
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Crazyfool
250-300 for 10 reps. :beer:
Stop showing off :) By the time a person can do 250 or 300 for reps they have well above average muscle mass.

There are a lot of specific biomechanics involved. I read that people with short limbs can do more proportionately than those who are really lanky, but not sure how much of a difference it makes. My little brother outmuscled me on his first attempt a few years ago, although males obviously can lift much more on bench and he looks like he is going to be a really buff guy.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Landroval
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Crazyfool
250-300 for 10 reps. :beer:
Stop showing off :) By the time a person can do 250 or 300 for reps they have well above average muscle mass.

There are a lot of specific biomechanics involved. I read that people with short limbs can do more proportionately than those who are really lanky, but not sure how much of a difference it makes. My little brother outmuscled me on his first attempt a few years ago, although males obviously can lift much more on bench and he looks like he is going to be a really buff guy.
True, but anyway you look at it the average male can't come close to 250 lbs for even one rep!
 

EmperorIQ

Platinum Member
Sep 30, 2003
2,003
0
0
Originally posted by: theNEOone
hard to tell really. unless you're taking pictures and keeping close track of your progress, you might not even notice a change because you slowly get used to your 'new' body. if you're already fit, it becomes even more difficult to monitor.

since we're posting bench stats...225x2 (legs raised on bench)

i weigh 138.

does leg raised make it easier or harder? I see people do it at the gym, but i've never personally tried it.
 

Toastedlightly

Diamond Member
Aug 7, 2004
7,213
6
81
Hmm... with all this masculinity around.. what do you guys reccomend for a general purpose bench? I am thinking of lifting weights to build some muscle (I am teh fatness now).
 

SVT Cobra

Lifer
Mar 29, 2005
13,264
2
0
325 SL

its all about weight and cardio if you want to get looks......

if you are powerlifting then its a lot of weight, less reps

if you are going for endurance/toning and not strength you go for more reps

its a good mix of cardio and lifting

back in HS when i played football i did this:

weightroom monday wednesday friday...powerclean, bench, squat, maybe some circuit.....one week 3 sets of ten, next week 3 sets of 5, next week 3 sets of 4, then 3, then 2...using the college football weight charts to determine weight....

then i would do some pro agility work afterwards...sprints, hills, bleachers, and special stuff that the team did in the gym...

thursdays and tuesdays i went for long runs of 3-8 miles....

weekends i let my body recover
after 4 yrs of that i was pretty proud of my body...

i also stuck to a very stirct diet and still do...determined by which stage i am in my training

*to last poster...a smith machine is good for a nice home workout machine
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,330
1,841
126
I think I was in shape after swimming 6K yards daily, and weight training 3 days per week. I was benching about 250 or so, and squatting just over 300. Also, I was thin at the time, only weighed 220 pounds. Of course that was back in 96-98. Now I probably could only bench half of that, and I weigh nearly 60 pounds more.
 

DVad3r

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2005
5,340
3
81
Weight makes no difference...it's how you do the exercise...muscle stimulation...I'm 6 foot and 242 pounds and I can do 80 pound bench press and still gain muscle mass.
 

Rudee

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
11,218
2
76
I've been lucky to have good mesomorphic genes thus it was only a matter of a few weeks before I noticed changes in my muscles, back when I first started lifting in high school in the mid 80's.