What is your bench weight to body weight ratio?

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

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Argo
Depends what you consider bench weight.

If by bench weight you mean that you can do at least 6-8 reps then it's:

265/190 = 1.39

If you mean my absolute max then it's:

315/190 = 1.65
He'd mean one-rep max! You can use one rep max calculators (search on google) to estimate.

 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
17,090
2
0
Interesting some of you guys dont' dare max out now. How old are Whisper?

Amused why not max out at 36? Just warm up properly and you should be alright.

Me I hit 209 @ 167lbs = 1.25x

1.5x is the bench mark for non PL folk!

You will rarely see a guy bench 1.5x bodyweight. I'll hit it someday and more eventually.

Some impressive stats from you guys here!

Koing
 

Argo

Lifer
Apr 8, 2000
10,045
0
0
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Argo
Depends what you consider bench weight.

If by bench weight you mean that you can do at least 6-8 reps then it's:

265/190 = 1.39

If you mean my absolute max then it's:

315/190 = 1.65
He'd mean one-rep max! You can use one rep max calculators (search on google) to estimate.

In that case it's 315/190. I usually never do one rep max (what's the point, other than to show off?). I've only done it once a couple of months ago just to find out what it is.

I have a better chest strength exersice for ya all, though. It's an NFL style workout - bench 225 pounts (2 45s on each side) on a bench press (not smith machine) and bench it as many times as you can. This is what NFL scouts use to judge strength. I could do 16 reps but I was absolutely depleted and had to cut my workout short.

P.S. Can't sress this enough - make sure you have a spotter. Towards the last few reps you get so weak you can easily drop the bar.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
55,826
13,869
146
Originally posted by: Koing
Interesting some of you guys dont' dare max out now. How old are Whisper?

Amused why not max out at 36? Just warm up properly and you should be alright.

Me I hit 209 @ 167lbs = 1.25x

1.5x is the bench mark for non PL folk!

You will rarely see a guy bench 1.5x bodyweight. I'll hit it someday.

No need to site other things like leg strength and such in this thread as this dudes asking bench press ratio.

Some impressive stats from you guys here!

Koing

Because I don't even want to RISK an injury. Any time I go too heavy, I end up hurting myself. I guess I'm just a pussy.

BTW, I guess my theoretical ratio is 1.75. We'll call it 1.7 to be fair since I'm a pussy. :)
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
55,826
13,869
146
Originally posted by: Argo
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Argo
Depends what you consider bench weight.

If by bench weight you mean that you can do at least 6-8 reps then it's:

265/190 = 1.39

If you mean my absolute max then it's:

315/190 = 1.65
He'd mean one-rep max! You can use one rep max calculators (search on google) to estimate.

In that case it's 315/190. I usually never do one rep max (what's the point, other than to show off?). I've only done it once a couple of months ago just to find out what it is.

I have a better chest strength exersice for ya all, though. It's an NFL style workout - bench 245 pounts (2 45s on each side) on a bench press (not smith machine) and bench it as many times as you can. This is what NFL scouts use to judge strength. I could do 16 reps but I was absolutely depleted and had to cut my workout short.

2 45 lb plates on each end of a standard 45 lb bar is 225, not 245.
 

Argo

Lifer
Apr 8, 2000
10,045
0
0
2 45 lb plates on each end of a standard 45 lb bar is 225, not 245.

Sorry typo. NFL style workout is 225, not 245. 245 is the weight I normally workout with, hence the mistake.
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
17,090
2
0
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Koing
Interesting some of you guys dont' dare max out now. How old are Whisper?

Amused why not max out at 36? Just warm up properly and you should be alright.

Me I hit 209 @ 167lbs = 1.25x

1.5x is the bench mark for non PL folk!

You will rarely see a guy bench 1.5x bodyweight. I'll hit it someday.

No need to site other things like leg strength and such in this thread as this dudes asking bench press ratio.

Some impressive stats from you guys here!

Koing

Because I don't even want to RISK an injury. Any time I go too heavy, I end up hurting myself. I guess I'm just a pussy.

BTW, I guess my theoretical ratio is 1.75. We'll call it 1.7 to be fair since I'm a pussy. :)

lol. I see.

Me I max as it is good to know what I can do at best for 1. Then build and improve that later. I generally test a max in all of my lifts every few months for judgement and to see what weight I should be training at. Also it checks out which of my body parts is weak compared to the rest and I can spend a bit more time working it or not.

I don't go with theoretical lifts either :p. If you didn't lift it, it doesn't count no matter how you split it :p. Dam it why did I not get the dam 92.5kg in comp?!! Oh well next comp hopefully :cool:
 

Whisper

Diamond Member
Feb 25, 2000
5,394
2
81
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Argo
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Argo
Depends what you consider bench weight.

If by bench weight you mean that you can do at least 6-8 reps then it's:

265/190 = 1.39

If you mean my absolute max then it's:

315/190 = 1.65
He'd mean one-rep max! You can use one rep max calculators (search on google) to estimate.

In that case it's 315/190. I usually never do one rep max (what's the point, other than to show off?). I've only done it once a couple of months ago just to find out what it is.

I have a better chest strength exersice for ya all, though. It's an NFL style workout - bench 245 pounts (2 45s on each side) on a bench press (not smith machine) and bench it as many times as you can. This is what NFL scouts use to judge strength. I could do 16 reps but I was absolutely depleted and had to cut my workout short.

2 45 lb plates on each end of a standard 45 lb bar is 225, not 245.

Heh, agreed. In the latter case (225), I can do that around maybe 12 times (?) or so on an average day. The former (245) I usually do 6, depending. It's the third set of my routine, and I've never tried it first, so I have no idea how many I could do fresh. Probably not a lot more, though.

As for why I don't max regularly: because it hurts. My right wrist was shady about two years back, and my right elbow wasn't far behind. My shoulder doesn't give me too many problems anymore (I think it's FINALLY healed from that contest I mentioned), but I really don't want to risk it. I mean, with proper form you technically shouldn't get an injury, but hey, anything can happen. Maybe you hoist the weight wrong, maybe you just come up bad, or maybe it just isn't your day. I prefer to judge my strength/progress based on my reps rather than max. Makes it easier on me that way.

Edit: I'm 24, btw
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
I haven't done max bench in YEARS. I've gone no less than 4 reps to failure in years in fact. There is no need to frequently test it.
 

drewdogg808

Golden Member
Oct 1, 2000
1,513
0
71
sorta strange, but i've always been able to bench a decent amount for my weight/size. back in undergrad, i was able to max 245. i was about 145-150 pounds then. but then i'm just average on everything else, and i have semi chicken legs. i'm about 5'7", pretty slender build. i weigh about the same now, but i'm packing a gut. :D
so ratio: ~1.63


i stopped working out for the past 4 years and just started again for the past 4 weeks, and i'm up to pushing 4 reps of 195 on my 4th set (i start with 135 and add 10s on each side for each set).

but anyone can probably kick my ass, so bench doesn't mean that much. ;) :)
 

Darien

Platinum Member
Feb 27, 2002
2,817
1
0
never tried to max...

maybe i should hit up a gym and try, but i haven't lifted weights in a while...

i'd probably get < 1
 

josphII

Banned
Nov 24, 2001
1,490
0
0
my best bench ratio: 1.54
my best squat ratio: 2.07

my current ratio's? lets just not go there!
 

Gravity

Diamond Member
Mar 21, 2003
5,685
0
0
At my age I no longer go for max bench. I try to get 8 reps, and failure on the 8th. If I can get 9 or ten, I move the weight up. If I have a spotter, I'll move it up anyways and work through failure to get 8.

Powerlifting is a different sport and isn't included in my fitness goals.

 

jinduy

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2002
4,781
1
81
Originally posted by: Gravity
At my age I no longer go for max bench. I try to get 8 reps, and failure on the 8th. If I can get 9 or ten, I move the weight up. If I have a spotter, I'll move it up anyways and work through failure to get 8.

Powerlifting is a different sport and isn't included in my fitness goals.

i think that's the more proper way to increase strength for all types of weight lifting :). if you do 10 just to get to that number, but you can still do 5 more, you're not really helping yourself much.
 

Sluggo

Lifer
Jun 12, 2000
15,488
5
81
Never really tried to max out in recent memory. In my current workout we are doing high reps.

Monday was 240 for 16 reps, need about 50% help from my spotter on 17th rep. Wednesday was 185 on the incline bench for 20 reps, tonight was dumb bell flies 50lb dumbbells for 19 reps.

5-8 200 lbs.
 

Nutdotnet

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2000
7,721
3
81
All I can say is some of you guys are WAY too concerned with your bench weight...

You shouldn't be.

My guess is the most of you guys who workout are doing it because you want to look good, right? Well, if you REALLY want to look your best focus on the big compound exercises. This includes bench, but also squats, deadlifts, and to a lesser extent..military press.

And really, the KEY is DIET...DIET...DIET. Trust me on this. You want to get big and strong? Then get your diet in order. Mine USED to be superb, not not so much..and it shows!
 

2cool4u

Senior member
Sep 19, 2001
478
0
0
last year i maxed out a few times but have stopped lifting since. best was 190/130 so a 1.46. I'd be lucky if i could put up 150 now :(