trying to find out my maximum bench

[G.R.H.]

i was just curious and feeling more energetic today, so i was at the gym and i loaded up the weights to try to fin out what my maximum bench is, and i wasn t to pleased.  i do not know for sure what your standard bar weighs now, but i was only able to put up about 140lbs, plus the weight of the bar. (so all together about 160?!)  not too impressive! i wanna join the "2 plate plus" club!

[The Squadfather]

that's not bad at all, keep working at it you'll get there, that's what makes lifting so fun, always room to improve.

[Eric2]

Try to add 2.5 to 5#'s to the bar on each and every set, every week. You could see a 60# increase in as little as 12 weeks. Seem's impossible to the novice trainer I know, but the biggest gains are usually in the trainers first 3 months.
    Try to do a few sets of bench from the chest up starting. This can be done in the power rack with pins position right at the chest level. Pressing from the chest allows for true pressing power to come into play. You will see your bench go up fast with this one.

[slaveboy1980]

i was just curious and feeling more energetic today, so i was at the gym and i loaded up the weights to try to fin out what my maximum bench is, and i wasn t to pleased.  i do not know for sure what your standard bar weighs now, but i was only able to put up about 140lbs, plus the weight of the bar. (so all together about 160?!)  not too impressive! i wanna join the "2 plate plus" club!

are you a female or a woman?















 

[G.R.H.]

no! i'm a man!    thanks squadfather for the encouragement! ) someone told me the bar usually weighs about 45lbs. if that's the case, then i benched about 185 for 1 rep. and i weigh about 185.

[PANDAEMONIUM]

Like SF was saying, don't get too discouraged if you're not where you want to be now.  The joy is in the journey.  Assess your rate of progress and set reasonable goals for yourself. 

[mitchyboy]

And dont forget to eat

[Cap]

Like Eric2 said, stick with a 5x5 routine.  So your last set in this scheme would be working to 185x5 reps.  Once you get that, add 5lbs total to the bar and work to 5 reps, and so on.  It is helping my bench go up and adding little increments helps your mind overcome the weight increase.  Depending on what you are comfortable with, you might try altering grips every once in a while or include heavy CG benches and military presses to aid in that pressing power. 

[jpm101]

Not sure if your really that concerned about increasing the BP or just curious. Even if you say you want to join the 2 plate (225lb) club. Also get the impression that you use DB's or machines on just about every exercise. Judging that from the fact that you did not know the weight of a standard Oympic bar. If you do want to increase the bench than you have to train the motor units involved in doing the actual BP. That means more reps on the lift it's self. The lift should go up fairly fast once you get use to doing it. Suggest also that you try the 3 hand position from time to time, all in the same workout. Wide grip, nearest the collars as you can. Middle, a little wider than shoulders. And Close grip, about 10 to 12 inches apart. 2 sets each. Seen a lot of guy's make good progress this way.

5X5's has been the standard for decades, producing both strength and muscle mass. If you gym has 1 1/4 plates (2 1/2 lbs total) than try adding them every other bench workout. Every workout if you can.

If you want a different approach than you might consider GVT (10X10's) for 6 weeks or so on the BP it's self. Will increase strength (motor units again...100 reps total workout) greatly and also mass. Should also expect a muscular weight gain. This would be the only chest exercise done for that 6 week period. Do a search on GVT or go to T-nation.com and search there. Good Luck.

[G.R.H.]

thanks bros! 

[SamoanIrishman]

Try this site...they seem to have the answers..

criticalbench.com