Advice on Bench-Press Standards

iSpeak SG · 2007-04-26T21:27:53+00:00

Hmm, i disagree to a certain extent.I did 5 proper pushups after training with some barbell work.That time i was some scrawny little 14 yr old kid. But i pr...

iSpeak SG

Hi. Abit paiseh to be posting in this forum lah - I'm a total newbie when it comes to pumping iron. I only started going gym this month! 17 years old this year.

Anyway, my question is what are the bench press standards for the average gym-goer? I glanced through Men's Health and I read in an article how a truly fit individual should be able to bench one and a half times his weight.

I'm 60kg and I can bench maybe 4-5 reps of 40kg? That's only two-thirds of my own weight sia. One and a half times my own weight is 90kg. Embarassed

I'm interested in training up my upper body strength. I hope through strength comes shape.

My personal target right now is to eventually bench 1 set of 8 reps of 60kg.

When it comes to bench-pressing, what I'm doing right now is :

1 Set
12 reps x 20kg
12 reps x 30kg

I don't really bench 40kg - not much point right now because I can only knock out a few reps only? Usually do them just to gauge my strength once a while cuz when I do it I feel like there's a sixth sense warning my body what I'm doing is dangerous.

I know the pros here will laugh at me lah but spare a newbie some face. What should my work-out be to eventually reach my aim?

pierre^^ SG

i am 73 kg and i can oni bench 8 x 40kg x 4 reps

animore i will have a problem to put the bar back on the rack
or my wrist will break

pierre^^ SG

anyway usually in gym i mostly see really fit people bench at most 60kg +

bar 20kg + 2 pcs of 20 kg

unless u toking abt benching in the rack when the barbell was attached to the wire

iSpeak SG

8 x 40kg x 4 reps?

Whoa, you can do 8 sets of that? Respect.

I'm also tempted to do something like that.. maybe just 2 or 3 sets? But I admit that's just my ego speaking; showing off in front of my friends (who are even skinnier and weaker than me haha). But I'm keeping my ego in check for fear of snapping a shoulder blade or two. Laughing

pierre^^ SG

thanks

actually when i first started out i do the empty bar oni, but i find too light

so i go on 5 kg at either side which is 30kg, den slowly move on to 40 kg

actually i tink i can do more till 45 but my wrist just took too much pressure when i trying to lift back to the rack ( me do incline bench press)

and got a couple of time when i was doing till no 7 or 8 i got no more strength to lift back and have to rely on some one who saw me struggling to save me hurhur

so start with light weights first and see how much u can go
it also helps if u can have a training partner to minimise injury

Marco_Simone SG

That's NOT a rack,its like calling a WW2 fighter plane a 21st century Stealth jet

Marco_Simone SG

The true gauge of upper body strength is to be able to military press your own bodyweight.

the flat bench press is grossly overrated...

ArdusKane SG

i.e. Handstand push-ups?

Marco_Simone SG

military press=overhead barbell standing press

Simon Dean SG

I am transiting to pullups as my main upper bod strength slowly..

That's NOT a rack,its like calling a WW2 fighter plane a 21st century Stealth jet

Laughing

manyu882 SG

heard that military backpress isn’t good for your arm joints.

borntolive SG

wad do u mean by bench maybe 4-5 reps of 40kg? 20kg each side for 4-5 reps or 40kg each side

Marco_Simone SG

I also heard that crunches and bicep curls will make your penis shrink.... Rolling Eyes

Simon Dean SG

cant be 40kg a side, he just started..unless he got inhuman strength

borntolive SG

even if its 20kg per side, its already very good for someone new.

i have pathetic strength when i started out. when i 1st lift the barbell up while doing bench press, my hands were already trembling very badly. this goes to show how weak i am..i then slowly add 2.5kg, 5kg, 7.5kg, 10kg, 12.5kg, 15kg , 17.5kg plates per side

even now i m still doing 20kg per side for 8-10 reps.

IMO dont compare how heavy u can bench with others. I think this depends on yr overall build n strength ba. Just do wad u can do with proper form

I have seen those freakly fat guys doing very heavy bench but for wad? their too fat!!! can they do pullups and dips? I have seen fit,lean and muscular guys who bench much lighter than those fat guys but they can do pullups n dips with amazing form

Simon Dean SG

Those fat guys you see could be powerlifters.Not everyone aim is to be a bodybuilder you know.

And dont think that fat people(defined as people with bulging bellies in this case i suppose?)cant do pullups, you obviously havent mixed around with enough rugby players or shot-putters before.Its harder for people who are overweight to do pullups/dips generally but doesnt mean they cant do it.

No anger directed at all.

Wink

borntolive SG

perhaps, i go to those regular clubfit gyms ba where mostly teens, nsfs, working adults exercise. seldom see ppl with fantastic physique.

i seldom see those heavyweight guys doing pullups n dips though. yes they can do a few but those that i saw are half pullups

Marco_Simone SG

I am almost 90kg and an arm span of over 190cm... I can knock out 10 solid reps of pronated grip pull ups.

Simon Dean SG

You still sceptical?One of the top rugby players in SG whom many would define as morbidly obese can knock out 12 solid slow reps.

My PE teacher who looks like a panda bear(short and chubby) can knock out 15 reps at 98kg bodyweight.

iSpeak SG

Hi guys. Just a little update. Looking for further advice.

My standard is now 40kg! Haha. But I'm not entirely sure how intense my bench-presses should be?

Hit the gym yesterday and I did 3 sets of 40kg with 8 reps per set.

I can do a set of 45kg x 4 reps? Tried to bench 50kg for 1 rep but arms just couldn't it, so I'll just take it that my current max is 45.

45 is 3/4 of 60kg! Still a long way to go but progressing I guess.

I do however, feel alot of strain around my chest and shoulders after the work-out. I feel that it's firstly because of my lack of proper stretching (I did 10 reps of 20kg on the bench press as warm-ups only) and also probably because I'm biting off more then I can chew. I was doing bicep curls and chest presses along bench presses, overall alot of emphasis on the upper body.

What is a proper warm-up for an upper bod workout?

What should my regime be to hit my target of 60kg?