Strength Standards for the general population
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Bret Contreras has a chart based on women who he has trained. His article, which includes a reminder about how many people don't lift at all, explains it a bit:
http://bretcontreras.com/female-strength-levels/
This^^ was an interesting read actually!
I need to find out if i can do a chin up!
Lol
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No clue about men, but for the general population, the women chart is completely nonsense OP, sorry. Just a collection of random numbers. From my personal experience.0
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LolBroScience wrote: »is this on a bowflex or barbell
wait- I thought we were using resistance bands?0 -
I like how Bret Contreras has a range in his chart. If you read his explanation with the chart, he does say that your environment can skew your perspective of strength. I also agree with him that it is likely that an untrained woman, which I'm equating with your 5%, could even bench an empty bar. This is just based on what I have seen at my gym.0
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I like how Bret Contreras has a range in his chart. If you read his explanation with the chart, he does say that your environment can skew your perspective of strength. I also agree with him that it is likely that an untrained woman, which I'm equating with your 5%, could even bench an empty bar. This is just based on what I have seen at my gym.
The average completely untrained woman most definitely cannot bench press an olympic bar.0 -
ExRelaySprinter wrote: »Bret Contreras has a chart based on women who he has trained. His article, which includes a reminder about how many people don't lift at all, explains it a bit:
http://bretcontreras.com/female-strength-levels/
This^^ was an interesting read actually!
I need to find out if i can do a chin up! Lol
Man, this chart makes me really happy! But, I as well need to work up to a chin up... Trying to get there with TRX assistance!0 -
I'm not sure why it should really matters unless you get into some kind of competition maybe. But then it only matters where you're at for that competition.Cherimoose wrote: »ForecasterJason wrote: »
You do have a point. But since the bench press is often regarded as being one test of upper body strength in general, I think it does have some relevancy for people who are just starting out. That being said, I'm debating whether it'd be worth it to develop charts for adults over 40 or even for squats and deadlifts.The numbers seem like ballpark at a glance, but what's the point if I may ask? If 90% of the population doesn't work out at all then why does it matter what they can bench press? That's why I'm generally curious where I stand among the population of lifters, not random people who've never seen the inside of a gym.
Newbies shouldn't be doing 1-rep max tests, due to the high risk involved.
Besides, newbies shouldn't worry about how they compare with other newbies - they should just follow a good strength program.
Yeah, there's little reason to shoot for a 1-rep max as a new lifter. Injury potential aside, the person is untrained and not going to be very strong which should be understood. The only real relevance of knowing an untrained individuals absolute strength would be in a study comparing an intervention to untrained individuals for before and after results; they'd likely take a 6RM anyway.0 -
Since it puts me in the top 1 or 2 percent of my weight bracket, I will say it's accurate.
Can't dog on something that makes me look good...lol. 0 -
The numbers seem like ballpark at a glance, but what's the point if I may ask? If 90% of the population doesn't work out at all then why does it matter what they can bench press? That's why I'm generally curious where I stand among the population of lifters, not random people who've never seen the inside of a gym.
You're not familiar with OP, are you?0 -
The numbers seem like ballpark at a glance, but what's the point if I may ask? If 90% of the population doesn't work out at all then why does it matter what they can bench press? That's why I'm generally curious where I stand among the population of lifters, not random people who've never seen the inside of a gym.
You're not familiar with OP, are you?
Justifying his mediocrity.0 -
I like how Bret Contreras has a range in his chart. If you read his explanation with the chart, he does say that your environment can skew your perspective of strength. I also agree with him that it is likely that an untrained woman, which I'm equating with your 5%, could even bench an empty bar. This is just based on what I have seen at my gym.
The average completely untrained woman most definitely cannot bench press an olympic bar.
eh- it's only 45 pounds. I know a number of women who can't- but I know a number of newbs who can. I feel remiss and writing off the average untrained woman not being able to bench press the bar- but that's completely out of my own shock that someone couldn't- not out of any sort of real educational/scientific basis.0 -
Ok, fair enough. That being the case though, I suspect the standards chart from Rippetoe and Kilgore is off as well. According to that chart, any untrained woman weighing more than 160 pounds should be able to bench at least 80 pounds. But from what's been said here, it seems like that figure is a lot lower.No clue about men, but for the general population, the women chart is completely nonsense OP, sorry. Just a collection of random numbers. From my personal experience.
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The figures in this chart are for intermediates from what I understand, not for the untrained.0
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