Average Female Strength

[Renee839]

I'm not a bodybuilder. I'm 30 years old and I've always been active. In 2003/2004 I lifted weights and was 5'2", 98 pounds with 13 percent body fat. I could do about 290 on a leg press and I'd use up to 20lb db's. I never used less than 12lb db's.

I've been out of the gym a few years, had a baby and such. I'm 5'2" and 115 pounds. I've been going to a coed gym and I have yet to see any women working out. I can't judge myself by what men are lifting. Right now I do 20 lb overhead db's, and I can bench press lying flat 40lb's unassisted and 55lb's with a spotter. He spots me using one finger on the bar so it's not that much.

As for the assisted pullup machine I set the weight at about 80lb's to do pull ups. My goal was to cut body fat and to increase upper body strength and finally be able to do pull ups again. I've been working out for about two months so far this time and have seen a lot of progress. Can someone tell me what the average woman may do in the gym that's about my height/weight? Lower body is not a problem for me, each week I increase my strength remarkably. But upper body is just so hard to strengthen for me.

[Renee839]

why do other peoples numbers matter?

I'm trying to judge myself against the norm to see possibly what percentile I'm in. It's like taking a test in college. You know, when you take it and you get a C you want to know what the rest of the class did. If the class average is about a 78 percent then you actually didn't do so bad. Does this make sense? It's just for personal judgement. Why do you ask? You never want to know where you lie along a bell curve?

[Renee839]

Flat bench - 45lbs
Squat - 135 lbs
DL - 155lbs
OHP - 45lbs

those are generally what i see women start with for their 1-3rep maxes

Thanks. I do 8 rep max and 6 rep lows. That helps a lot. To be honest I haven't even found my max. I should actually do 1-3 reps to see what my max actually is.

[ilovethe80s]

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLi...Standards.html

[womanoid]

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLi...Standards.html



I wouldn't recommend doing max or near max lifting after only 2 months, after a few years break. At your condition it's high risk, not necessarily accurate, not necessary to know & will require ~twice as many days of recovery. Imo, why bother? You can use a 1RM calculator for estimates instead.

[discdoggie]

You know why I don't like these threads OP? Because anyone can SAY anything, and maybe not you but other noobs or lurkers can read these other lifting claims and get discouraged.


You'll hear, "Oh I squat 235" or "I can do 20 pull-ups" but in actuality the form and ROM is utter donkey ****. Without an accompanying vid, claims are useless.

You lift what you lift. Others lift what THEY lift. Hopefully we're all improving each time we go to the gym.

[tacdgb]

I agree that you lift what you can and work on lifting heavier as you go along. I do not recomend measuring yourself against anyone else. That is when discouragement sets in. I do squats of 50 lbs. and I am so proud of that. I do calf raises of 66 lbs. and that is good for me too. It's all about being proud of what you are doing and work twards doing more.

[foresail]

Can someone tell me what the average woman may do in the gym that's about my height/weight?

The average woman doesn't touch weights. Of those who do, the average woman sticks to machines without a progression scheme. Of those who lift free weights, the average woman goes no higher than ~30 lbs. Unless your goal is to compete against strongwomen or powerlifters, I don't see the point in comparing yourself against the tiny percentage who can or claim to lift heavier.

[Renee839]

You know why I don't like these threads OP? Because anyone can SAY anything, and maybe not you but other noobs or lurkers can read these other lifting claims and get discouraged.


You'll hear, "Oh I squat 235" or "I can do 20 pull-ups" but in actuality the form and ROM is utter donkey ****. Without an accompanying vid, claims are useless.

You lift what you lift. Others lift what THEY lift. Hopefully we're all improving each time we go to the gym.

I understand that. What I do in my eyes isn't anything to brag about. I feel pretty weak so this thread wasn't trying to boast or whatever. It was an honest run down of my history and what I'm capable of at the moment. If other people want to lie to boast that's all them.

[Renee839]

The average woman doesn't touch weights. Of those who do, the average woman sticks to machines without a progression scheme. Of those who lift free weights, the average woman goes no higher than ~30 lbs. Unless your goal is to compete against strongwomen or powerlifters, I don't see the point in comparing yourself against the tiny percentage who can or claim to lift heavier.

True, I'm already trying to compare myself to a minority of women who will lift free weights. And I'm not a machine person. I do love to use a leg press but that's the only machine I touch. I personally see myself going over 30 pounds. I at least need to get back to the strength I had in the military which would allow for more than that.

TY for the answers and the links.

[yummycow]

The average woman doesn't touch weights. Of those who do, the average woman sticks to machines without a progression scheme. Of those who lift free weights, the average woman goes no higher than ~30 lbs. Unless your goal is to compete against strongwomen or powerlifters, I don't see the point in comparing yourself against the tiny percentage who can or claim to lift heavier.

This is so true.

OP there are actually a fair number of women who use free weights at my gym and I don't see many of them pushing themselves. There are a few who do for sure, but not many. When I first started back I also tried to compare myself to the other girls, but I didn't find it particularly useful.

Anyway if you want more upper body strength find a work out that focuses on that, obviously don't ignore your lower body, but make it second priority. I even found that doing bodyweight stuff like pushups 3 times a week really helped me gain strength in the beginning.

[wakechica]

why do other peoples numbers matter?

This. Lifting is a competition with yourself. Even at powerlifting meets... You're main competition is YOU.

[AshTraer]

This. Lifting is a competition with yourself. Even at powerlifting meets... You're main competition is YOU.

Agreed. Repped

[Lioness27]

You know why I don't like these threads OP? Because anyone can SAY anything, and maybe not you but other noobs or lurkers can read these other lifting claims and get discouraged.


You'll hear, "Oh I squat 235" or "I can do 20 pull-ups" but in actuality the form and ROM is utter donkey ****. Without an accompanying vid, claims are useless.

You lift what you lift. Others lift what THEY lift. Hopefully we're all improving each time we go to the gym.

This...
Just do you, don't worry about what other women can lift. Lift what you can lift, and improve yourself.

[sSimon204]

Lifting is definitely a competition against yourself, like others have said. But I understand why you'd want to see what other women can do to see how you relate. For guys there's plenty to compare from, but for women...not so much.
So this is what I can do:
5 pullups fresh with full ROM. Can usually do this for a few sets before reps go down.
Incline DB Press - 35 lb dumbbells, 2/3 sets of 6-8, then I have to drop down to 30s. Been wanting to try for 40s but I don't have a spot so worried about it lol
Squat - 120 lbs, a few sets of 8? I can do more weight but then I don't go as low...gotta work on that.
Shoulder press - I think I usually use 25 lb DBs, 2/3 sets of 6-8, then drop down to 20s

[oregonchick76]

I get what you are looking for, but it seriously doesn't matter. Start with 1lb, and move up over time. Continually reach, strive to do more - more reps, or more weight. Just make it your goal to improve. It doesn't matter where you are starting or reaching a particular number, it only matters that you put 100% effort in to what you are doing TODAY.

[cmg1976]

You know why I don't like these threads OP? Because anyone can SAY anything, and maybe not you but other noobs or lurkers can read these other lifting claims and get discouraged.


You'll hear, "Oh I squat 235" or "I can do 20 pull-ups" but in actuality the form and ROM is utter donkey ****. Without an accompanying vid, claims are useless.

You lift what you lift. Others lift what THEY lift. Hopefully we're all improving each time we go to the gym.

What she said.

[Middlewt]

If you want to find estimates of all your 1R maxes, there IS a calculator on this site that will do it for you. Not sure that doing between 1 & 3 reps will tell you your max. Search for 'one rep max calculator.'

[5more]

I can bench 350 and squat 400. Deadlift 500. Serious.





























Not serious.

[tacdgb]

It's all about lifting what you can now....working towards lifting more as you go along. It's all about your personal best for you and no one else.



























Not serious.[/QUOTE]