Bench press to bodyweight ratio

[5F5]

I'm at about 155 as of today, about 10-12% bodyfat. Is 200lbs an average bench? My goal is 250lbs by July. What is a good Bench to Bodyweight ratio?

[davisj3537]

1.5 is respectable, 2 is very good and 2.5 is incredible.

Edit: Ok so this is certainly on the high end of things and not generally accepted. 2xbw or above is certainly elite.

[wesleysh21]

1.5 is respectable, 2 is very good and 2.5 is incredible.

Aside from body weight ratio's, I've found 225 lbs to be a good benchmark as well, regardless of body weight. It seems to be a good break point (in my experience) between those that are strong/have trained seriously for a little bit vs everyone else.

As far as ratio's are concerned, I think anyone that can bench twice their body weight has done something remarkable and should pat themselves on the back. To get above that, I believe you are either freakishly strong or training specifically for bench instead of it just being part of a bigger overall routine.

[davisj3537]

Aside from body weight ratio's, I've found 225 lbs to be a good benchmark as well, regardless of body weight. It seems to be a good break point (in my experience) between those that are strong/have trained seriously for a little bit vs everyone else.

As far as ratio's are concerned, I think anyone that can bench twice their body weight has done something remarkable and should pat themselves on the back. To get above that, I believe you are either freakishly strong or training specifically for bench instead of it just being part of a bigger overall routine.

For sure. 2xbw without gear is really good.

[Forumite]

1.5 is respectable, 2 is very good and 2.5 is incredible.

Benching body weight is respectable. The average person isn't going to do that.

According to you I would have to bench over 300 lbs at my weight in order for it to be a respectable lift.

Also would like to see OP actually complete his lift at his age/weight. OP don't be like 90% of people here and fraud lifts.

[TakeEverything]

Prsonally I believe...

High reps @ BW (7-10+)
Strength reps @ 1.5 BW (3-6)
Maxing just under or @ 2 BW

[MuscleMorse]

depends how big you are. The smaller you are the better your ratio should be IMO.

So someone who weights 145 and benchs 150% of BW will bench 217.5, meh.

Someone who weights 300 and benchs 150% of BW will bench 450, **** yeah.

[davisj3537]

Benching body weight is respectable. The average person isn't going to do that.

According to you I would have to bench over 300 lbs at my weight in order for it to be a respectable lift.

Also would like to see OP actually complete his lift at his age/weight. OP don't be like 90% of people here and fraud lifts.

As a shrimpy kid when I was growing up I could always bench my body weight. It is much easier for smaller guys for sure though. Measuring by bw is flawed anyway. Bigger guys like 275+ typically don't hit bench/bw ratios even close to smaller guys.

So if I changed my descriptions to great, incredible and legendary for the same ratios and then throw in a decent for body weight would that change things? I simply can't give a bw bench anything better than decent. The "average" person doesn't lift. You can't compare someone that doesn't lift to someone that does and then give the person that lifts a ribbon for having a higher bench.

depends how big you are. The smaller you are the better your ratio should be IMO.

So someone who weights 145 and benchs 150% of BW will bench 217.5, meh.

Someone who weights 300 and benchs 150% of BW will bench 450, **** yeah.

Exactly. This is why they have wilks and other calculations. BW ratios are flawed.

[Madevilz]

1.5 is respectable, 2 is very good and 2.5 is incredible.

i see, is this internet standard.

[magic15]

i see, is this internet standard.

2 meh, 2.5 so so, 3 respectable

[ama828]

If your not going to use bodyweight as a factor in comparing smaller guys bench to larger guys, then what can you use?


If you can hit 1.5x your bodyweight I think you're doing pretty well. 2x body weight is very impressive and a rare occurrence. (natty)

[davisj3537]

Alright, my first post was biased and no good. I admit defeat.

[5F5]

1.5 is respectable, 2 is very good and 2.5 is incredible.

Edit: Ok so this is certainly on the high end of things and not generally accepted. 2xbw or above is certainly elite.

Alright, I'll be adjusting my goal to 310lbs for 2x bodyweight, although I,m hoping to gain a few lean pounds before then.

[davisj3537]

Alright, I'll be adjusting my goal to 310lbs for 2x bodyweight, although I,m hoping to gain a few lean pounds before then.

I'm not saying you can't do it, but that is a SUPER high goal bro. I wouldn't focus on your weight so much and more on how much you are lifting. If you aren't going to be a powerlifter then it doesn't matter how much you lift in relation to your weight. What is the purpose of staying small and lifting a bunch? Just eat, gain size and your lifts will increase much faster.

For the record I set the same 2xbw goal when I was your age and didn't reach it till I went single ply and that still took years of work. I wasted a bunch of time trying to stay small and increase my strength and I was sorry down the road that I didn't just eat to gain size.

[Forumite]

Alright, my first post was biased and no good. I admit defeat.

Saying a 150 lb person benching their weight isn't good is silly IMO.

You want to know why most 270 lb men can't bench their weight? It's because they are fat and in horrible shape. Have you never heard of a person being measured in pound for pound strength? I just think you have pretty high e-standards.

[ShortBrah3030]

I 3x5 my bodyweight as of today and that puts me at intermediate on strstd.com so I guess if you rep your bodyweight it's good, anything more is above avg.

[Forumite]

Alright, I'll be adjusting my goal to 310lbs for 2x bodyweight, although I,m hoping to gain a few lean pounds before then.

Not trying to be a dick but I doubt you are even benching what you said in the OP.

[davisj3537]

Saying a 150 lb person benching their weight isn't good is silly IMO.

You want to know why most 270 lb men can't bench their weight? It's because they are fat and in horrible shape. Have you never heard of a person being measured in pound for pound strength? I just think you have pretty high e-standards.

Well I'm a powerlifter so that skews my opinion certainly. I do think most people that have 6 months of weight training under their belts can lift their own weight. Do you disagree with this? My gf almost lifts her own weight.

You simply can't compare lb for lb between 160 and 260. They have different calculators for things like that. Wilks for instance.

[ShortBrah3030]

I've been lifting for 5 weeks now and I 3x5 my bodyweight... But I'm at a fairly average bodyfat (not exactly sure but I'll say like 18%). If you have someone who is 270 and 35% bf, they're not going to be able to bench their bw. But if someone is 270 and 18% bf they probably will be able to.

[Forumite]

Well I'm a powerlifter so that skews my opinion certainly. I do think most people that have 6 months of weight training under their belts can lift their own weight. Do you disagree with this? My gf almost lifts her own weight.

You simply can't compare lb for lb between 160 and 260. They have different calculators for things like that. Wilks for instance.

I'll agree that they can if they are training the lift.

We're going to have to agree to disagree on the last point. You are going to find far more people who can @160 over 260 because of the average person, like I said before a 260 lb person who is in the same physical shape as that of a man 100 lbs lighter should easily be able to bench his weight. You are basically saying that a person who weighs more but benches slightly less is strong than the guy who weighs less but benches slightly more.

Excuse me if I'm not understanding but are you saying that if I'm benching 225 @ my current 180 and another guy is benching 250 @bw he is going to be stronger?

[davisj3537]

I'll agree that they can if they are training the lift.

We're going to have to agree to disagree on the last point. You are going to find far more people who can @160 over 260 because of the average person, like I said before a 260 lb person who is in the same physical shape as that of a man 100 lbs lighter should easily be able to bench his weight. You are basically saying that a person who weighs more but benches slightly less is strong than the guy who weighs less but benches slightly more.

Excuse me if I'm not understanding but are you saying that if I'm benching 225 @ my current 180 and another guy is benching 250 @bw he is going to be stronger?

I agree that more 160lbs people can lift their weight than heavier counterparts. Since, like you said, most people that weigh 260 are out of shape. I wasn't trying to insinuate one person being stronger than the other, but just that a bw ratio isn't necessarily the best way to determine their strength in every scenario. Height also plays a big factor.

[Pairunoyd]

e stats i guess, but i used to have a good bp got a slight and unrepaired pec tear. I benched 425 at 210 and at that time 225 for 35 reps. I have slightly short arms and very strong triceps. I just benched for the first time in for yrs the other day and did, safely i hoped, 135x20, 155x20, 175x20, 200x20. I have to be careful on all chest stuff but even that workout became to put a strain on my arm-pec. I have to stay with 20 reps on flat db press, smith press, universal press, dips.

Do yourself a favor and dont flair your upper arms out at 90 degrees to your torso. That was how i benched because i wanted what i thought would be more pec action and less tricep. I think thats what lead to the tear. I was warming up, bar, 135, 185, 225 and on my 8th rep...rip. Did a slight strain again a yr later doing what i call flye-press, where id turn the db when coming down on db bp to get a better stretch. Mere 50 lb db's strained it. Had to start over with 30-50 rep sets weeks afterward.

Avoid the awkward bp. Learn to do it more safely or youll be like me, telling people what you USED to do.

[Concat]

It all depends on what your measuring stick is. The average man can only bench like 135 lbs or something which isn't even a 1:1 ratio.

I'd say your stats are quite good. You're 16, 150 lbs and can bench 200. If you can bench 250 by July you get some serious kudos from me... and I think progression is more impressive than sheer numbers. If you up your bench by 25% in 5 months, you're gonna do well in this lifting thing.

[5F5]

I'm not saying you can't do it, but that is a SUPER high goal bro. I wouldn't focus on your weight so much and more on how much you are lifting. If you aren't going to be a powerlifter then it doesn't matter how much you lift in relation to your weight. What is the purpose of staying small and lifting a bunch? Just eat, gain size and your lifts will increase much faster.

For the record I set the same 2xbw goal when I was your age and didn't reach it till I went single ply and that still took years of work. I wasted a bunch of time trying to stay small and increase my strength and I was sorry down the road that I didn't just eat to gain size.

I'll take that to heart, lift big eat big, but there's nothing wrong with a super high weight goal, I wont be crushed if I loose a bet against myself.

[5F5]

It all depends on what your measuring stick is. The average man can only bench like 135 lbs or something which isn't even a 1:1 ratio.

I'd say your stats are quite good. You're 16, 150 lbs and can bench 200. If you can bench 250 by July you get some serious kudos from me... and I think progression is more impressive than sheer numbers. If you up your bench by 25% in 5 months, you're gonna do well in this lifting thing.

I've been increasing my lifts fast enough to make my friends question my supplementation habits, so if I don't reach a plateau I'm sure I can make it.

[davisj3537]

I'll take that to heart, lift big eat big, but there's nothing wrong with a super high weight goal, I wont be crushed if I loose a bet against myself.

That is a good attitude. You'll go far if you stick with it.

[nrowles]

Maybe the factor should be based on lean body mass. For example a person at 160 12% bf at 1.5 factor is benching about 210. A person at 225 12% bf at 1.5 factor is benching about 295. I believe that would be more comparable???? Too hard for people to accuratly calculate though.

For me personally, I don't feel like I am that strong and I am 160 16% bf and I 1RM at 215. That's a 1.3 factor (or 1.6 by lean body mass), and like I said, I don't feel like I'm overly strong.

[Runner4]

e stats i guess, but i used to have a good bp got a slight and unrepaired pec tear. I benched 425 at 210 and at that time 225 for 35 reps. I have slightly short arms and very strong triceps. I just benched for the first time in for yrs the other day and did, safely i hoped, 135x20, 155x20, 175x20, 200x20. I have to be careful on all chest stuff but even that workout became to put a strain on my arm-pec. I have to stay with 20 reps on flat db press, smith press, universal press, dips.

Do yourself a favor and dont flair your upper arms out at 90 degrees to your torso. That was how i benched because i wanted what i thought would be more pec action and less tricep. I think thats what lead to the tear. I was warming up, bar, 135, 185, 225 and on my 8th rep...rip. Did a slight strain again a yr later doing what i call flye-press, where id turn the db when coming down on db bp to get a better stretch. Mere 50 lb db's strained it. Had to start over with 30-50 rep sets weeks afterward.

Avoid the awkward bp. Learn to do it more safely or youll be like me, telling people what you USED to do.

Not to derail the conversation, but I'm very injury paranoid (since it put an end to my running career). I'm still kind of new since I've only been working out 6 months. About 2 months ago I adjusted my bench press from ring fingers on the rings to entire hand about 1 cm within the rings and I try to keep my arms at about a 45 degree angle. Do you think this is safe enough, or should I move my hands in even further?

Also for evaluation: my warm-up consists of 7x95 (then 1 min rest), 3x115 (2 min rest), 2x135 (3 min rest) and then I do my 3x5 working sets at 160 (4-5 min rest).

And I didn't really think much about it, but I've been doing flat dumbbell flys and I guess this puts a ton of strain directly on the pecs. I've seen great results from this, but should I find something else to do for pecs?

[Runner4]

Bump bump

[davisj3537]

Not to derail the conversation, but I'm very injury paranoid (since it put an end to my running career). I'm still kind of new since I've only been working out 6 months. About 2 months ago I adjusted my bench press from ring fingers on the rings to entire hand about 1 cm within the rings and I try to keep my arms at about a 45 degree angle. Do you think this is safe enough, or should I move my hands in even further?

Also for evaluation: my warm-up consists of 5x95 (then 1 min rest), 5x115(1 min rest), 5x135 (1 min rest) and then I do my 3x5 working sets at 160 (1 min rest).

And I didn't really think much about it, but I've been doing flat dumbbell flys and I guess this puts a ton of strain directly on the pecs. I've seen great results from this, but should I find something else to do for pecs?

I changed your warmup a bit. I'd say your grip is most likely fine. Keep your elbows at 45 and you should be fine.