How much can a girl bench?

Dofflin
Dofflin Posts: 127 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Bench presses are one of the five exercises I'm doing as part of the stronglifts program I'm currently following, and while I feel strong in my squats, deadlifts, etc, bench presses and overhead presses just seem very hard to make progress on. Is it because I'm a girl and don't have as much upper body strength as guys? Or just weak?
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Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Is it because I'm a girl and don't have as much upper body strength as guys? Or just weak?

    The answer to both questions is yes. But so what, as everyone has to start somewhere. Don't compare yourself to anyone else, male or female. Just compare this month's lifts with last month's and be proud of any bit of progress made. Your personal progress is the only thing that matters, even if it's just one extra rep or a 2.5 pound plate
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    I'm a guy and also find that my bench doesn't progress as well as other lifts. And overheads are a pain (a great lift though). Part of it might be the girl thing where you supposedly have less upper body strength, but remember that squats and deads are going to be the big numbers for everyone. Bench is a lot less and OHP is even lower than that. Don't get discouraged, just keep on with whatever program you have and you'll see improvement over time.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    just make your progress and dont compare like dav said.

    if your gym doesnt have them, them maybe invest in your own 1.25 pound plates and take them with you or bug your gym to get some smaller plates. just keep at it and you will progress.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    just make your progress and dont compare like dav said.

    if your gym doesnt have them, them maybe invest in your own 1.25 pound plates and take them with you or bug your gym to get some smaller plates. just keep at it and you will progress.

    All of this... also if you can't get smaller plates and/or the gym won't get any, you can use cuffs to increase the weight if you can't with 2.5 plates. The cuffs in my gym are 1.5lbs each.
  • ssaraj43
    ssaraj43 Posts: 575 Member
    Is it because I'm a girl and don't have as much upper body strength as guys? Or just weak?

    The answer to both questions is yes. But so what, as everyone has to start somewhere. Don't compare yourself to anyone else, male or female. Just compare this month's lifts with last month's and be proud of any bit of progress made. Your personal progress is the only thing that matters, even if it's just one extra rep or a 2.5 pound plate

    ^^^^ This
    I went out and bought 1.25 plates. BOOM...progress :drinker:
  • Dofflin
    Dofflin Posts: 127 Member
    Thankyou, this makes me feel a lot better. My bar is almost empty for both and I only add 1.25 to each end. I feel stupid doing it sometimes, but I am making progress, so I guess I'll just keep going! :)

    *1.25 each time I add to it
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    Thankyou, this makes me feel a lot better. My bar is almost empty for both and I only add 1.25 to each end. I feel stupid doing it sometimes, but I am making progress, so I guess I'll just keep going! :)

    *1.25 each time I add to it

    Don't feel stupid. We all start somewhere. Like everyone else said, strive to do a little bit better every time, and you'll be just fine. :flowerforyou:
  • lemurianstar
    lemurianstar Posts: 9 Member
    I understand about feeling weird but remember that it's as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. Small steps are still steps and progress is always progress.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I know a girl who benches 90kg(200lbs) at 48kg BW (105lbs). She is a powerlifter and obviously that is not "regular" strength levels for most.

    Also, technique matters a LOT!

    Google so you think you can bench on youtube by elitefts
  • SrJoben
    SrJoben Posts: 484 Member
    overhead presses just seem very hard to make progress on.

    In my experience after some fast initial gains OHP becomes very hard to progress on. Partly I think it's out of the 4 or so major compound lifts it's everyone's weakest. Adding 5 pounds to the press is a big deal % wise.. Even one more rep is a pretty big deal. In contrast, 5 more pounds on the deadlift....you might not even notice.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    If you compare it to your squat say, and everyone will be different, but generally for women, bench is often 50 - 60% of their squat and OHP 40 - 50%. Deads are often higher than squats - but not for everyone.

    My 1RM bench is 60% of my squat, my OHP is 41% of my squat and my deadlift is 120% of my squat. Big difference between them all!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I know a girl who benches 90kg(200lbs) at 48kg BW (105lbs). She is a powerlifter and obviously that is not "regular" strength levels for most.

    Also, technique matters a LOT!

    Google so you think you can bench on youtube by elitefts

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XRmd3a8_0

    This is a good one too...ETP FB group...I much prefer this to the so you think you can bench...found it has improved my bench.

    And I agree with the smaller plates and weighted cuffs...I use 2.5lb plates and my cuffs are 3.5lb together...that helps a lot too.
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    I have the same problem.

    I bench 75lbs, and squat 225 (@ 115 lbs). Trying to close that margin a little but it's really slow going.

    My upper body just can't keep up, but as long as I'm not comparing myself to the men I workout with I think it's still pretty good!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I have the same problem.

    I bench 75lbs, and squat 225 (@ 115 lbs). Trying to close that margin a little but it's really slow going.

    My upper body just can't keep up, but as long as I'm not comparing myself to the men I workout with I think it's still pretty good!

    See mine is almost the opposite...i have never done RM testing...but I know my squat got to 185 before I deloaded for form...but my bench is 130...OHP is 98.5 for 3 reps...which is odd as women typically can squat a lot in comparison to their weight...
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    My squat and bench are pretty much the same (115lbs) but I know my squat sucks and I'm just weird.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    My bench sucks at 50kg. Really hoping to see a nice improvement come Saturday in platform performance
  • Unknown
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  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    I know a girl who benches 90kg(200lbs) at 48kg BW (105lbs). She is a powerlifter and obviously that is not "regular" strength levels for most.

    Also, technique matters a LOT!

    Google so you think you can bench on youtube by elitefts

    Damn! this both dissapoints and motivates me :drinker: Just when you think you bad, somebody badder than you! Yup, das right!

    @ 108 my 1rm is 135
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    I know a girl who benches 90kg(200lbs) at 48kg BW (105lbs). She is a powerlifter and obviously that is not "regular" strength levels for most.

    Also, technique matters a LOT!

    Google so you think you can bench on youtube by elitefts

    Damn! this both dissapoints and motivates me :drinker: Just when you think you bad, somebody badder than you! Yup, das right!

    @ 108 my 1rm is 135


    apparently i need to work on my bench :cry:
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    oh and levers make a MASSIVE difference. So there are general %'s of what you can do between S/B/DL but not always the case e.g. someone with long arms and femurs is probably going to have a pretty good DL but average SQ and very average B.

    Someone with short arms/femurs is probably going to have a good SQ & B and average DL.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    I have the same problem.

    I bench 75lbs, and squat 225 (@ 115 lbs). Trying to close that margin a little but it's really slow going.

    My upper body just can't keep up, but as long as I'm not comparing myself to the men I workout with I think it's still pretty good!

    See mine is almost the opposite...i have never done RM testing...but I know my squat got to 185 before I deloaded for form...but my bench is 130...OHP is 98.5 for 3 reps...which is odd as women typically can squat a lot in comparison to their weight...

    I'm the same way.

    Squat is my weak link actually. I think everyone has a lift or two that the struggle with for whatever reason.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    I have the same problem.

    I bench 75lbs, and squat 225 (@ 115 lbs). Trying to close that margin a little but it's really slow going.

    My upper body just can't keep up, but as long as I'm not comparing myself to the men I workout with I think it's still pretty good!

    See mine is almost the opposite...i have never done RM testing...but I know my squat got to 185 before I deloaded for form...but my bench is 130...OHP is 98.5 for 3 reps...which is odd as women typically can squat a lot in comparison to their weight...

    I'm glad I read this, I was starting to think there was something wrong with me lol I actually bench 10lbs more than I squat and OHP the same as I squat, but deadlift more than all of them. I can squat more if I only go parallel but I'm trying to get lower so I have to do less weight, I kind suck at squats lol
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
    My bench and OHP are severely lacking in comparison to my other lifts on the SL program. I have to use the really small fractionals to be able to move up. Like the others have said, only compare your #s to your previous ones and not to others. There are so many factors that allow people to lift more or less. Just keep on lifting :wink:
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    Just keep progressing - add a 1 lb each workout and you are + 100 in a year
    Males have stronger upper bodies and can press more
    on that note check this video out --- Kara Bohigian benching 402 @ 148lbs
    Eastcoast Jim

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpw-NcYXDIQ
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
    Hi there! I started lifting 6 months ago and could barely do one set on the bench with just the bar (40 lbs). I can now almost do my full 4 sets with 70 pounds! I might not be able to bench as much as the boys, but I am getting stronger little by little. Don't give up and just do what you can do and add on that weight once the current gets easy (if you have a spotter, feel free to push yourself a little above that as well). Good luck! :drinker:
  • geek23ka
    geek23ka Posts: 38 Member
    Just keep progressing - add a 1 lb each workout and you are + 100 in a year
    Males have stronger upper bodies and can press more
    on that note check this video out --- Kara Bohigian benching 402 @ 148lbs
    Eastcoast Jim

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpw-NcYXDIQ

    i admire kara more than just about anyone else out there. she is *strong*!

    but for anyone who doesn't understand she has been lifting for years and years, *and* she is using a bench shirt. it's called geared lifting and it gives a big boost to numbers. there is lots of technique to geared lifting, but a novice raw (unequipped) bencher should not compare herself to one of the best geared lifters out there.

    on that note, here is laura phelps sweatt. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
    520 at 172
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-UJZ6H7ubI

    and here is laura benching 280x5 raw.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6pRso1OsMc

    BEAST!!!!

    if anyone is interested in powerlifting style benching this video is amazing...
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XRmd3a8_0

    jennifer thompson is a raw bencher who benched 308 at 132.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Just keep progressing - add a 1 lb each workout and you are + 100 in a year
    Males have stronger upper bodies and can press more
    on that note check this video out --- Kara Bohigian benching 402 @ 148lbs
    Eastcoast Jim

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpw-NcYXDIQ

    Just to note however - she is lifting with a bench shirt which add a lot to the weight you can lift.
  • geek23ka
    geek23ka Posts: 38 Member
    here is jennifer thompson getting the 308 bench. she is so flippin powerful pound for pound. simply amazing.

    found the right one....
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYEOQCW-O-Q
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    here is jennifer thompson getting the 308 bench. she is so flippin powerful pound for pound. simply amazing. (it says 309 here, but i thought it was recorded at 308....)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep0S9JwuOgk

    Jennifer Thompson rocks imo.

    Lifts RAW in drug tested meets (which, while the drug testing is not that good, its better then nothing imo) and is tiny...plus now 40 years old.
  • geek23ka
    geek23ka Posts: 38 Member
    omg she's AMAZING and so friendly seeming.

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