How much do you bench?

[Roger Bacon]

Getbiggers in the second half:

[nasum]

I've been working on my bench hard.

I hit 140kg x 8 on monday.

Last competition I hit 150kg with a pause (which felt ridiculously easy).

6'1 and about 228lbs atm. I am fat though, prob 14% body fat (want to cut down but I want to hit 300kg deadlift first). My strength drastically tails off once my bodyfat is sub 10%.

Which leaves me with a conundrum; either chase strength gains at 12-15% body fat (which I must admit is more enjoyable than pure bodybuilding). Or focus on titrating calories down and becoming sexy once again.

[Melkor]

Just so happens tonight was my heavy bench day.

I worked up to 415 ... and some guys from my work (who were there) started saying, So-and-so from work can press 400, and, Yeah, so-and-so from work can shoulder press 400 ... And then, towards the end of my session, this juiced "physique competitor", who says he's prepping for a contest in six weeks, says, When I am heavy in the off season at around 245, I do about 450 for six.  

I know the first two guys from work for whom my workmates make those claims. The first is some 170-pound dude who is muscular but would get buried under 400. The second is a husky-looking fellow who'd suffer a crushed cranium if he attempted shoulder pressing 400 (the guy who made the claim says it was on a machine ... oh, brother). And the third guy, with the 450 for six claim? I SERIOUSLY doubt this.

Just another wank talking out his ass.

Why is it when someone who has a decent bench is lifting, all these claims come out of the woodwork from those in the peanut gallery?

Yeah, my uncle's best friend's cousin can bench 650 for eight, dude!  

Totally pisses me off.

It downplays their embarrassment and shame at being the subordinate male in that situation. They can't say "oh yeah I bench 450 for reps" because you can ask them to prove it on the spot. They can however claim that they know others who bench such numbers to make it seem as if a 415 bench is no big deal.

I used to play on my university rugby team and when we trained at the college gym there were some VERY strong, large athletes. Most of these big guys played on the rugby team but there were some large bodybuilders and even strongmen competitors who trained at that gym also. The simple fact is that I can count with one finger the number times I ever saw somebody in the gym doing a legit bench press with 405. I can count on one hand the number of guys who did a legit bench with over 315.

Unsurprisingly, in the real world, most people have no idea what strong is. This might be partly because of equipped lifting (i.e. 1200 pound bench press etc) but it is also simply highlights the fact that people don't actually train with heavy weights - if they did they would know that a 405 bench press is waaaay above average.

[ProudVirgin69]

397# @ 106 BW ... Strictest judging in the world, strictest drug testing in the world.

You're bragging about 405 @ 275...You fat weakling scum.

Pfft that's not even 400... nice "lift"

[SuperTed]

It downplays their embarrassment and shame at being the subordinate male in that situation. They can't say "oh yeah I bench 450 for reps" because you can ask them to prove it on the spot. They can however claim that they know others who bench such numbers to make it seem as if a 415 bench is no big deal.
I used to play on my university rugby team and when we trained at the college gym there were some VERY strong, large athletes. Most of these big guys played on the rugby team but there were some large bodybuilders and even strongmen competitors who trained at that gym also. The simple fact is that I can count with one finger the number times I ever saw somebody in the gym doing a legit bench press with 405. I can count on one hand the number of guys who did a legit bench with over 315.

Unsurprisingly, in the real world, most people have no idea what strong is. This might be partly because of equipped lifting (i.e. 1200 pound bench press etc) but it is also simply highlights the fact that people don't actually train with heavy weights - if they did they would know that a 405 bench press is waaaay above average.

Another one I often hear is when someone says "I used to be able to do X amount of weight but injuries have taken their toll”. The “X amount of weight” is always something way above what they are currently doing and is almost certainly a weight that they’ve probably never gone close to lifting.

Great post overall and agree with every word.

[Grape Ape]

Another one I often hear is when someone says "I used to be able to do X amount of weight but injuries have taken their toll”. The “X amount of weight” is always something way above what they are currently doing and is almost certainly a weight that they’ve probably never gone close to lifting.

That's actually a real situation with me, but I don't feel the need to say what I used to do.  Nobody's ever given me a trophy or money because I used to bench more.

[SuperTed]

That's actually a real situation with me, but I don't feel the need to say what I used to do.  Nobody's ever given me a trophy or money because I used to bench more.

Not saying that it isnt always the case.
Just more that whenever I'm training in the gym, some random guy will sometimes start chatting to me and give me a briefing about the weights he "used" to lift. Sometimes its believable but sometimes its straight up horseshit.

[Grape Ape]

Not saying that it isnt always the case.
Just more that whenever I'm training in the gym, some random guy will sometimes start chatting to me and give me a briefing about the weights he "used" to lift. Sometimes its believable but sometimes its straight up horseshit.

Totally agree.  Everyone's been a powerhouse at some point, apparently.

[wes]

Just so happens tonight was my heavy bench day.

I worked up to 415 ... and some guys from my work (who were there) started saying, So-and-so from work can press 400, and, Yeah, so-and-so from work can shoulder press 400 ... And then, towards the end of my session, this juiced "physique competitor", who says he's prepping for a contest in six weeks, says, When I am heavy in the off season at around 245, I do about 450 for six. 

I know the first two guys from work for whom my workmates make those claims. The first is some 170-pound dude who is muscular but would get buried under 400. The second is a husky-looking fellow who'd suffer a crushed cranium if he attempted shoulder pressing 400 (the guy who made the claim says it was on a machine ... oh, brother). And the third guy, with the 450 for six claim? I SERIOUSLY doubt this.

Just another wank talking out his ass.

Why is it when someone who has a decent bench is lifting, all these claims come out of the woodwork from those in the peanut gallery?

Yeah, my uncle's best friend's cousin can bench 650 for eight, dude! 

Totally pisses me off.

Every skinny fuck that ever lived has benched at least 405 for reps minimum at one time or another.

They only stopped training because they didn`t want to get too strong.

[anabolichalo]

Every skinny fuck that ever lived has benched at least 405 for reps minimum at one time or another.

They only stopped training because they didn`t want to get too strong.

lol


people need to stop bullshitting so much and let the body do the talking

[Hulkotron]

I used to bench 500 for reps but now I'm going for the health look and just do 135.

[T-REX007]

A 315 bench is still impressive, you don't see it that often , yes it happens, but not all that often generally speaking. If you train at a serious gym then it's probably everyday occurrence, but at most "regular" gyms with regular gym rats, 315 is still a big deal. Take a walk down the mall or go out to eat and look around, MOST of those people would be crushed with 315, I have said nothing new I know but it surprises me how many people laugh at a 3 wheel bench

[headhuntersix]

Totally agree.  Everyone's been a powerhouse at some point, apparently.

I've got partners that try to reset to their biggest bench when we lay down a new cycle of programming...no dude...what did u bench on the platform, that's how much u bench period, especially if its what everybody has seen in training and you didn't get dinged for an early rack or something. People will come out of their way to say how much their cousins brother benches....never had anybody say that about a deadlift..or squat. 

[Darren Avey]

I actually do know a guy who reckons his dad could bench 800lbs in their garage!

[Tedim]

how do you embed this?

[doriancutlerman]

I've been working on my bench hard.

I hit 140kg x 8 on monday.

Last competition I hit 150kg with a pause (which felt ridiculously easy).

6'1 and about 228lbs atm. I am fat though, prob 14% body fat (want to cut down but I want to hit 300kg deadlift first). My strength drastically tails off once my bodyfat is sub 10%.

Which leaves me with a conundrum; either chase strength gains at 12-15% body fat (which I must admit is more enjoyable than pure bodybuilding). Or focus on titrating calories down and becoming sexy once again.

You could always compromise, m'man.  I don't think you'd lose a ton of strength if you slowly came down a bodyfat percentage, or even two; it's all about planning and how you burn it off.  With a decent lifting regimen you should at LEAST be able to maintain during/after that.

Regardless, you're keen to hit that big pull first.  Do that, then think about fricking about with your diet.  Otherwise, I reckon you'll never forgive yourself.

[Fortress]

It downplays their embarrassment and shame at being the subordinate male in that situation. They can't say "oh yeah I bench 450 for reps" because you can ask them to prove it on the spot. They can however claim that they know others who bench such numbers to make it seem as if a 415 bench is no big deal.

I used to play on my university rugby team and when we trained at the college gym there were some VERY strong, large athletes. Most of these big guys played on the rugby team but there were some large bodybuilders and even strongmen competitors who trained at that gym also. The simple fact is that I can count with one finger the number times I ever saw somebody in the gym doing a legit bench press with 405. I can count on one hand the number of guys who did a legit bench with over 315.

Unsurprisingly, in the real world, most people have no idea what strong is. This might be partly because of equipped lifting (i.e. 1200 pound bench press etc) but it is also simply highlights the fact that people don't actually train with heavy weights - if they did they would know that a 405 bench press is waaaay above average.

Good points.

[eldoradospandex]

how do you embed this?

Take the s out dumass.

[Tedim]

works out at my gym

402 RAW MF'ers @142 Natty (and don't start crying cause you cant push up heavy weight)

[wes]

The bench itself never hurt me, but since I tore my pec muscle STRETCHING (yes, crazy huh) I cant bench pain free anymore. I benched elbows in, tuck, 1 second pause etc but its still no good anymore. Thankfully incline and DB is pain free.

agree on the weight numbers, even when I was training at Gold's Venice there was usually only one or two other guys who would go over 4 plates with me on the bench and they were 260+ NPC superheavy monsters. 405 is something you hardly ever see done properly in any gym outside of PLing gyms.

that was using the slingshot... I could do 405 for 5 without it at the time, and for 3 with a pause. It was a complete waste of time imo.

Slingshot or no Slingshot,that was fucking impressive Mawse.

[Henda]

Every skinny fuck that ever lived has benched at least 405 for reps minimum at one time or another.

They only stopped training because they didn`t want to get too strong.

so true
ive lost count of the amount of 400-500 pound benches ive heard about during an otherwise fine evenings drinking down my local working mans club.

[Fortress]

works out at my gym

402 RAW MF'ers @142 Natty (and don't start crying cause you cant push up heavy weight)

Amazing, yes. However, if he had any legs whatsoever, he might weigh a little more.

[wes]

so true
ive lost count of the amount of 400-500 pound benches ive heard about during an otherwise fine evenings drinking down my local working mans club.

I hear you bud.....you hear about them constantly,but never see them.

I wonder why ? 

[Fortress]

I hear you, bud ... You hear about them constantly, but you never see them.

Exactly. Been going to gyms without pause for well over 25 years and I can count on two hands the legit 400-pound benches I have witnessed (full rep, controlled, paused, no bounce ... ).

(Only one 500-pound press, raw. And this was at a gym bench-off and the competitor was a naturally-strong bencher who was popping Anadrol like Tic Tacs. His rep was clean and even but painfully slow to lock out.) 

And I have lifted at some VERY serious/hardcore/famous gyms.

 

[Mawse]

Exactly. Been going to gyms without pause for well over 25 years and I can count on two hands the legit 400-pound benches I have witnessed (full rep, controlled, paused, no bounce ... ).

(Only one 500-pound press, raw. And this was at a gym bench-off and the competitor was a naturally-strong bencher who was popping Anadrol like Tic Tacs. His rep was clean and even but painfully slow to lock out.) 

And I have lifted at some VERY serious/hardcore/famous gyms.

 

545 raw touch n go was the most I've ever seen in person in a 'normal' gym ( a Goodlife in London Ontario) from a huge 350lb block of farm boy jello who would always claim to be natural.

and 455 for 4 in Golds venice - with a terrible loose setup and flared elbows from a huge black gentleman who I believe won the NPC cali SHW a few years back