Ladies how much do you bench press?

[nvrstopworking]

I was inspired by this thread and added 5kg to my bench this morning so now 30kg. I think I could actually do more but I don't have a spotter! I've been a bit complacent adding weight lately. Time to amp it up again I think!

BTW... Is full ROM is from arms extended to bar hitting chest?

Yep. You got it.

I have been able to do 2x135 lbs, no help. Not a smith machine. Spotter only there to watch but does not help or touch the bar. I cannot for the life of me get one at 140lbs and I do keep trying. Also worried that as I go down in body weight, I won't be able to keep the 135. But oh well. Body weight need to go.

Do you do the same progression every time up to that 2 x 135?

You could always try moving down in weight to 115 (or even 95) and trying a 5 x 5 with that (5 sets of 5). That's a popular program for strength.

You could also work on "support" exercises to help the bench... Seated DB Press, Dips, DB Rows... those all help with strengthening shoulders, triceps and lats.


EDIT: Or what Wakechica suggested. That could work too.

[DeCoors]

Yep. You got it.



Do you do the same progression every time up to that 2 x 135?

You could always try moving down in weight to 115 (or even 95) and trying a 5 x 5 with that (5 sets of 5). That's a popular program for strength.

You could also work on "support" exercises to help the bench... Seated DB Press, Dips, DB Rows... those all help with strengthening shoulders, triceps and lats.


EDIT: Or what Wakechica suggested. That could work too.

Yeah.. I am doing sets at 115 5x5 with those. Also doing the support exercises too. I haven't tried to do a bench in about three weeks but working supports. Might try to see if the 140 comes tomorrow.

[Ma110W]

For months I was stuck at benching 105lbs for about 4-6 reps. I got frustrated and added weight and decided that either I was going to get it up or I'd fail in front of the whole gym.
I got it up.

Currently I'm benching 115 for 3 reps. I've tried 135 a couple of times, but I've never been able to get it up all on my own. I get stuck about two inches off of my chest, and my husband has had to help me past the sticking point, but then I push it up fine with out him helping. I"ll get 135 soon.

[nvrstopworking]

Yeah.. I am doing sets at 115 5x5 with those. Also doing the support exercises too. I haven't tried to do a bench in about three weeks but working supports. Might try to see if the 140 comes tomorrow.

In that case get yourself a good spotter and tell them that you want just a LITTLE bit of help past your sticking point.

Sometimes once you see yourself push the weight once (even if it's with a little help) it gets you past that mental block and gets easier from that point on.

Good luck!


EDIT: Lulz. Pretty much what Ma11OW said. Imma just STFU up now let the ladies take over.

[Botika]

Yep. You got it.

Ok great. That's what I've been doing.

[sonti]

77lb tested today

[BEEvon]

70 measly lbs.

[cejanuary]

My ORM is 85 lbs. I do my working sets with 75.

[rebeckyt]

77lb tested today

70 measly lbs.

To both of you: This is NOT measly!! This is still SO much better than most women can do, or will EVER be able to do. Be proud of how far you have come and know that you will always get stronger!

[yummycow]

To both of you: This is NOT measly!! This is still SO much better than most women can do, or will EVER be able to do. Be proud of how far you have come and know that you will always get stronger!

Pretty much what I was thinking when I read their posts.

If you gals want to improve you bench press I bet you could google "bench press routine" or something similar and there would probably be about a million programs dedicated to improving bench press strength.

[thehobbes]

^^^Lift heavy and eat a lot, that solves 99.9% of life's problems srs. There's no big secret to bp, just keep doing it and it will improve.

[bggreat]

i can bench 200

[beatha]

Interesting thread.

[LaDonnaMF]

I don't know what my max is but have worked up to 12lbs on each side on bench after barely being able to do 5 reps with just the bar. Is it 45lbs!? So that's almost 70lbs for 10 reps. Wee.

Interesting thread.... learned I'm benching wrong (been at the nipples, lol)

[descartesmorals]

In.

Around 187lb for 15 reps... Sounds about right..
That was when I was 14, hasnt increased since then

[CathyVee]

i can bench 200

In.

Around 187lb for 15 reps... Sounds about right..
That was when I was 14, hasnt increased since then

Interesting. Just a reminder, the thread title is Ladies how much do you bench press?.

[girlsagymaholic]

I am pretty sure all the serious guys that come to the gym around my time frame bench 300 and up, a few who are 400 and up. I'd say the average for my gym though is 225-275.
There are only three girls at my gym that I know bench lol, one of them being myself :P

I started doing chest a month ago and I'm up to 75lbs for reps and 100 for 1rm.

I can totally believe the low % of women benching 135, easily believable. As for men and only 1% doing 300lb, I can't believe that.
I'd say if you're only counting the people who lift seriously and constantly [the committed few] and not just the population in general then that percentage is a lot higher than 1.

However, the population in general... those stats are believable with all the lazies out there.

[cellardoor04]

Whoa, loads of strong ladies on here.

My ORM is about 44kg, but after reading the responses on here, I'm inspired! After my current programme is done I'm gonna get to work becoming a strong lady too

[kimm4]

interesting thread.

lol! :P

[sonti]

To both of you: This is NOT measly!! This is still SO much better than most women can do, or will EVER be able to do. Be proud of how far you have come and know that you will always get stronger!

Pretty much what I was thinking when I read their posts.

If you gals want to improve you bench press I bet you could google "bench press routine" or something similar and there would probably be about a million programs dedicated to improving bench press strength.

^^^Lift heavy and eat a lot, that solves 99.9% of life's problems srs. There's no big secret to bp, just keep doing it and it will improve.

Thx... tbh I think 77lbs is not terrible for me, it's just that I'm not allowed to flat bench press when pregnant (some sort of oxygen restriction???) so it's been about 3 years since I have done any benching. So, 77lbs after 3 years off, is not bad.

I have my sights set on 100lbs and then will move on from there!

[Corbi]

Interesting thread.

Best post so far


My wife loves to talk about she used to be so tough and strong when she was younger...of course I have remind her she's no longer that 20 yr old person she may think she is. So I got her on the smith machine just so she would feel safe and wanted to see what she could bench, 50 lbs was it and that was only for 3 or 4 reps.

[srfnglover]

I am up to 3x135, I am slowly getting it back up. Before I did my contest prep I was able to get 145 for 5.

[Big_Dip]

I am up to 3x135, I am slowly getting it back up. Before I did my contest prep I was able to get 145 for 5.

Damn. I am at 135 for 1 rep. Gotta step it up!

[Melina81]

Wow, I can't believe this thread is still alive! Good job ladies Well changes since my last post with weight loss and all ... 115x6.

[dogetta]

In smith 50lb plus what bar weights 4x8-12 reps. I have some work to do. Ladies I am really impressed by you all!!

[Corbi]

In smith 50lb plus what bar weights 4x8-12 reps. I have some work to do. Ladies I am really impressed by you all!!

Most commercial gym smith machines the bar is counter weighted so it pretty much weighs nothing. Couple lbs at most is all the force required to move it.

[nvrstopworking]

Most commercial gym smith machines the bar is counter weighted so it pretty much weighs nothing. Couple lbs at most is all the force required to move it.

Not too sure about that Corbi..... I really think it depends on the gym.

All the ones I've ever gone to have weighted their smiths so that there's at least 25lbs of resistance or so... some even go up to 45ish.

I certainly noticed a difference in my old gym.... they had 2 smiths there and one was MUCH more difficult than the other.

[dogetta]

I do different chest presses as above on smith 50lb but db I can use 35's and press machine70lb all sets 4 x8-12 but why pushup boy style seem harder?

[thehobbes]

Smith machine?? You mean dat contraption I hang up my belt and towel on at the gym? That thing is only useful if you're injured or mix it in on ocassion IMO. If you used the Smith exclusively for a long period and actually got pretty strong then your main muscle groups are going to be much much stronger than your stabilizers, you'll eventually end up doing a free weight exercise or just lifting something that requires 100% effort from your chest/tris then BOOM - tearing up all kinds of rotator cuff parts. Would be a more extreme case I'm sure but if you want to get a good bench then just freaking bench!

/mini rant, sorry I'm all jacked up on ham and eggs

[yummycow]

I do different chest presses as above on smith 50lb but db I can use 35's and press machine70lb all sets 4 x8-12 but why pushup boy style seem harder?

Do you mean pushups from your feet? because pushups from your feet are always going to be harder than pushups from your knees.

Personally I don't use smith machines so I don't know about that and I find the weights on a most pressing machines don't seem very accurate or don't carry over well to free weights, but the last time I did DB bench I could only use 35's in each hand just like you.

I weigh more than you and I can do 10 pushups from my feet pretty easily, and I can do 15 if I'm really determined I think if you want to get good at pushups you just need to do them more often. For the past three weeks I've been doing them 3-4 times a week and if I'm going to do any type of pressing at the gym I always do 3-5 sets of pushups starting on my knees to warm up.

The more you do them the better you get at them.