How much do you bench?

jg627
jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
in Chit-Chat
How much do I hate answering that question? It seems to me that flamingos and peacocks seem to enjoy lying on their backs more than being in any other position. A male acquaintance of mine, who I might have viewed as 'competition' asked me this question. I don't like sharing my lift numbers and, if I did, I don't really think the bench press makes for a very good benchmark of strength, whereas the military press, squat or deadlift would do better. How would you answer that question? Would you even answer it? Have you asked someone that before? For me, if you want to see how much I lift, then you're more than welcome to come to the gym and lift it with me, but entering a pissing contest isn't my cup of tea.
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Replies

  • fraser112
    fraser112 Posts: 405
    A few years ago i manged 98 for 1 rep thats with the olimpic bar and a few months of lifting before i stopped.
    i plan to start again within the next week.

    I find the people who have the highest reps tend to do 40 kilo deadlifts with straps and bench/squat for a quarter of the rom.:laugh:
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    A few years ago i manged 98 for 1 rep thats with the olimpic bar and a few months of lifting before i stopped.
    i plan to start again within the next week.

    I find the people who have the highest reps tend to do 40 kilo deadlifts with straps and bench/squat for a quarter of the rom.:laugh:
    So you don't have any problem answering that question? Maybe it is just me then, or maybe it was the person who asked.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    I don't mind answering the question because I'm small and I get the "WOW" look from men and women when I tell them how much I can lift.

    With that said my recent PB was 95lbs/5 reps.

    I also caught (and held for at least 5 seconds) my 225 lb (solid muscle) male friend who thought it would be fun to run and jump on me (he was playing the trust game and since I trusted him enough to catch me he figured he'd do the same).

    I'm proud of my personal bests when I reach them and I like to tell people how much I can lift.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    I answer all the time...not a big deal.

    I usually ask a qualifier though:

    How much CAN I or how much DO I. Two different things.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I answer all the time...not a big deal.

    I usually ask a qualifier though:

    How much CAN I or how much DO I. Two different things.
    I agree with that. I asked the guy in a nice way to come to the gym with me. I do need a spotter. He wasn't interested. He's brainwashed by those fanatics at planet fitness.
  • pawnstarNate
    pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
    Back in High School and college...it was the thing to ask your buddies...."how much you lifting now?" I'm 43 and don't even measure how much anymore. Besides Elliptical, my workout consist of dumbell butterfly, dumbell laterall raises, shoulder presses, pull ups, push ups, pull-up bar ab crunches. I have two sets of dumbells and a pull up bar. I could care less about how much I'm doing as long as I'm doing it right and feeling/seeing improvment. just my opinion
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    Back in High School and college...it was the thing to ask your buddies...."how much you lifting now?" I'm 43 and don't even measure how much anymore. Besides Elliptical, my workout consist of dumbell butterfly, dumbell laterall raises, shoulder presses, pull ups, push ups, pull-up bar ab crunches. I have two sets of dumbells and a pull up bar. I could care less about how much I'm doing as long as I'm doing it right and feeling/seeing improvment. just my opinion
    I meticulously log everything in my workout journal, I just don't share the contents very often, but yeah, I do it to track my progress.
  • Williamj
    Williamj Posts: 199 Member
    I usually just tell people I haven't maxed since high school, and then what I work out with.
  • Embooya
    Embooya Posts: 222 Member
    In order to increase your bench press max you also need to have strong Lats for balance and your triceps and deltoids work as stablizers and your pressing force. A couple years back my Lats were huge and my shoulders were strong as death and I was putting up 365 lbs 10 times..I took a break and now I am getting back into the power lifting but I have to fine tune everything else around me before I would even get close to that weight again, I havent maxed out lately but I am back to 250 lbs x 10 again after a couple months back at it.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I usually just tell people I haven't maxed since high school, and then what I work out with.
    I've actually never maxed out. I wish I had gotten more into athletics back in high school now. Hindsight's always 20/20 I guess.
  • WeekndOVOXO
    WeekndOVOXO Posts: 779 Member
    Not enough.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    Just went back into the weight room this morning after 3 months off. Benched 55# (5x5). woo hoo! (haha kinda sad). Also did 5x5 55# pendlay rows and 95# squats.
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    I don't mind telling anyone. Its not a secret or a big deal i think!
  • mavrick7
    mavrick7 Posts: 1,607 Member
    This is not a good measurement of strength and heavy benching can lead to injuries..... but I can bench press 350 pounds...
  • Mathguy1
    Mathguy1 Posts: 207 Member
    For me it depends on how they ask the question. If they look at me with eyebrows raised and ask "PFFF(trying to make a sound of disgust), how much do you bench?" (sorry, hard to convey in print) as if it's the start of a pissing contest, I just say it depends on how I'm feeling and that I'm sure you can bench more than I do. I tell them that I've only been lifting for a few months and I'm more concerned with form than the total weight.

    However, If someone is interested in beginning a workout routine and they are roughly my size and weight, and are just curious and wanting information regarding work out routines. I'll tell them how much I used to lift and roughly what I currently lift. I'll then tell them to join a gym, do research online, or hire a trainer in order to learn correct form, etc.

    Perhaps I'm fortunate to have friends who do not view life as a contest. At a certain point one no longer cares about how much money their friends make, what car they drive, how expensive their wardrobe is, etc.
  • SVCat
    SVCat Posts: 1,483 Member
    I've never been able to bench a lot...not sure if it's my long arms, my form or if I'm just weak. What I do know is that when doing hand to hand combat training, I am almost always stronger than those benching upwards of 300.
  • steve1686
    steve1686 Posts: 346 Member
    in on e-stat thread
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    in on e-stat thread
    I'm not really concerned with e-stats. I was just wondering how other people handle that particular question when asked by someone (in real life) they view as competition in one way or another.
  • KiltFuPanda
    KiltFuPanda Posts: 574 Member
    My bench is disproportionate to my overall strength - I'm working on it, but I get tired of the question as well.

    So I just say "don't know - never fully tested. I throw telephone poles, though." That usually shuts people up pretty quick.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I don't mind answering the question because I'm small and I get the "WOW" look from men and women when I tell them how much I can lift.

    With that said my recent PB was 95lbs/5 reps.

    I also caught (and held for at least 5 seconds) my 225 lb (solid muscle) male friend who thought it would be fun to run and jump on me (he was playing the trust game and since I trusted him enough to catch me he figured he'd do the same).

    I'm proud of my personal bests when I reach them and I like to tell people how much I can lift.
    I think it's more of a guy thing. I have noticed a lot of women... wait a minute... where is your shirt?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i agree with you, the bench press is not the end all be all for weight lifting.

    i'll tell them i don't know my "1Rep Max" if that is what they are asking, and that my bench is my worst lift at 200lbs, and my dead lift is my best at 325lbs.
  • statefunction
    statefunction Posts: 1
    Yup. Two words. Not Enough.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    How much do you bench?

    Twice a week DUH.
  • elprincipito
    elprincipito Posts: 1,200 Member
    i did 275lbs for two reps once with a spotter.
  • superchunk17
    superchunk17 Posts: 36 Member
    I get that alot... I always respond with "I don't know, I stopped caring when I graduated from high school"
  • TexasTroy
    TexasTroy Posts: 477 Member
    Ive never paid much attention to it as I hardly ever do barbell bench...I use dumbells- they give a much better range of motion. I have used as high as 105 pound dumbells so does that mean I have a 210 bench?? Prolly not -I know this because when I was a junior in high school and benched during off-season football, I benched 215 weighing in at a whopping 135 pounds, lol and I know for a fact I wasnt using 105 dumbell's way back then. Doesn't matter to me, as long as it is functional muscle, at my age, im happy:)
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    I always answer, because as a female, the people asking are always impressed with the number no matter what. LOL.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    i get this question asked sometimes and i honestly dont know how much and i hate when people ask becasue usually they think thats all i do to workout, never ask how much i deadlift, squat, or how many pullups i can do... i have an idea of what i can do but since i use dumbells almost exclusively for benching and dont strength train often i just dont really answer...

    when someone asks "how much do you bench?" i usually give some douchy but kidding answer of "enough" or "more than you."

    in the end its an ego thing and maxing on lifts without a specific strength training purpose is pointless and ur just asking to get hurt.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    How much do you bench?

    Twice a week DUH.
    That is clever. I might just use that next time. Lol
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    How much do you bench?

    Twice a week DUH.
    That is clever. I might just use that next time. Lol

    No really how much?


    "Oh Im sorry I misunderstood. I bench a lot, like 4 sets of 8-12"


    .

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