women bench pressing

135

Replies

  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    it's not how much, but how WELL you do it ;)


    Definitely both..not an either/or if you ask me.
  • Annaruthus
    Annaruthus Posts: 301 Member
    I don't typically have a spot, but when I bench, the heaviest I've gone alone is 135lbs for 6-8 reps.

    I'm 5'3"
    Competition weight 115 lbs
    Off Season weight: 125-130lbs

    I've been weight training for a little over 2 years now.
  • mmckee10
    mmckee10 Posts: 405 Member
    I usually DB bench 60lbs (total of 120lbs) at about 6 reps for 4 sets... I haven't tested my max on traditional BB bench in awhile but I think the last time I did 135lb for 4 on 2 sets... I'm now curious to find out what my max actually is... :smile:

    wow! love the arms! i can't wait until i start benching ^_^ you ladies really inspired me! :flowerforyou:
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    I only started lifting in April, and didn't do bench press until July, but my heaviest with the barbell is 65 lb. for 8 reps. With dumbbells I've done 70 lb. (35 lb./hand) for 4 reps.

    (I'm 5'5" and weigh 180-185, so not even half my body weight - yet!)
  • koshkasmum
    koshkasmum Posts: 276 Member
    Good grief. We are talking health and fitness here not boobs, I hope. As boobs are just tiny glands protected by fat deposits, do you also thing girls should be fat to maximize their boobage?

    There was a time that men said women shouldn't run marathons (or read) because it would strain their delicate selves and make them less feminine. Sounds like old boy thinking to me!
  • koshkasmum
    koshkasmum Posts: 276 Member
    PS> I am a lot older now but in my 30's I benched over 100lbs. (I'm 5'1")
  • Ras_py
    Ras_py Posts: 129 Member
    It really depends on the the barbell. For some reason they market 35 lb bars as bars for women. My gym has a couple and it always weirds me out because they're thinner.

    prob bc our hands are smaller and its easier to grip
  • caseythirteen
    caseythirteen Posts: 956 Member
    I'm having serious issues with bench press and I don't know why. Just can't seem to make any progress! I'm currently at a measly 65 lbs for 3 sets of 6. It's 56% of my body weight. Starting to take a more structured approach now though so hopefully I will see some improvement soon.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    Good grief. We are talking health and fitness here not boobs, I hope. As boobs are just tiny glands protected by fat deposits

    Thousands of years of human sexuality says you're wrong.
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    I only read the OP. That is a decent amount of weight for a woman. It is pretty low for a man who has been lifting for 2-3 months. It is probably around average for a man that doesn't lift regularly (assuming 100-105) 3x10x115-120 would probably be hard for a man that doesn't lift.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/BenchStandards.html

    The relevance of the chart in the link has been debated in body building circles. But I think it would be a good general guide for what we're discussing. Note this is on a bench, not a Smith's Machine.
  • Angie__1MR
    Angie__1MR Posts: 388 Member
    My 1RM is 145
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    I'm 5'2, weigh 56 kg (123 lbs.) and right now I just upped my bench press to 35.5kg (80 lbs.) coz my shoulders are my weakest part although I can squat, deadlift & lunge a 65.5kg (144 lbs.) barbell.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    1. Stay away from the smith machine

    2. This is the internet, if it looks like a troll, smells like a troll, it probably is a troll

    3. My wife is limited to the bar at the moment, by her fears and zero training. I'd be surprised at the average guy off of the street that couldn't press 50kg with adequate coaching.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/BenchStandards.html and http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html are interesting.

    I'm 134# and did 95# for 5x5 last week.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    Bench Press is unfortunately my weakest lift. I can manage 90lbs for a couple of reps. Could possibly do more if I had a spotter (I workout alone @ home). I'm 125lbs FWIW. My goal is to bench my weight - I'll get there...eventually.
  • palmerig88
    palmerig88 Posts: 623 Member
    I work my way up to one rep max and lower back down (not all the way to my warmup) to continue the workout. If the bar on the smith machine counts as 30 pounds then my one rep max is still only 100 pounds but I think that is okay, I will get stronger! :)
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    FWIW - The bar on a Smith Machine may weight 45lbs, but it's counter-balanced so it's in reality it's more like moving 15lbs. I can bench press an empty Smith Machine bar with my fingers; no way I could do that with an empty Olympic Bar (which DOES weigh 45 lbs).

    Yet another reason NOT to use a Smith Machine...
  • svgarcia
    svgarcia Posts: 592 Member
    Wow- that puts me to shame????
    I just started lifting by myself at home- no spotter. I'm only doing 50 lbs dumbbell (25/hand). Hopefully I'll get there slowly
  • belladonna786
    belladonna786 Posts: 1,165 Member
    I started lifting 2 months ago I can only bench 82lbs right now 3 sets of 6
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
    Holy smokes, I am WEEEAAK! I just started this benchpressing business and heavy lifting stuff, so I'm sure it will get better. Last week, I benched 75lbs, 8 reps 3X. I thought that was good. Ha! :sad:
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    Thanks all..However the bar I use is not an olympic bar (I have one of those too) the bar I use is "attached" to my weight bench. the kind that slides up and down...I weighed it one time I just can't remember if it was 30 or 35 lbs.

    Bench my weight??? I guess I have more weight to lose than I thought ! :)

    So it's a Smith machine? I think you'd have to go down in weights to do a normal bench press.

    ^^^Yup. It's a lot harder to bench with a free bar because there's much more stabilization required. I started on a Smith machine, but I like to do the free bar because there's more of a challenge, but I can lift a lot more if I use the Smith. And btw, the bar on the Smith at my gym is 15lbs. Not sure if that's standard or if they differ
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    Bench Press is unfortunately my weakest lift. I can manage 90lbs for a couple of reps. Could possibly do more if I had a spotter (I workout alone @ home). I'm 125lbs FWIW. My goal is to bench my weight - I'll get there...eventually.

    Yeah, mine sucks, too. It's my worst area, I personally hate training chest. I have to force myself to do it.
  • tripn404
    tripn404 Posts: 109 Member
    4x8 95lbs currently... maybe i just have to strive to beat you now sorry :flowerforyou:

    5'6 135lbs
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    It would be interesting to see what people bench percentage wise, in terms of their body weight.

    my one rep max is currently 79% of my body weight.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    Wow- that puts me to shame????
    I just started lifting by myself at home- no spotter. I'm only doing 50 lbs dumbbell (25/hand). Hopefully I'll get there slowly

    DBs are harder even than a bar! Be proud of what you're doing :)
  • VeganZombie13
    VeganZombie13 Posts: 297
    -
  • sammyneb
    sammyneb Posts: 257
    I know very little about weight equipment..so this whole Smith Machine is confusing me..I weighed the bar by standing on a scale and holding the bar, and it was not 15 lbs it was 30 or 35. It is not a free weight (there is a place on the machine I can put the Olympic bar, but I don't often have someone to spot..so that doesn't seem like a good idea.) but I don't understand what everyone is saying about the counterweight....The machine I have is "Marcy Diamond Home Gym Smith Cage with Linear Bearings Home Gym"
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Good grief. We are talking health and fitness here not boobs, I hope. As boobs are just tiny glands protected by fat deposits, do you also thing girls should be fat to maximize their boobage?

    There was a time that men said women shouldn't run marathons (or read) because it would strain their delicate selves and make them less feminine. Sounds like old boy thinking to me!

    I am confused by the relevance and the point you are trying to make.
  • keith0373
    keith0373 Posts: 2,154 Member
    I started about a year and a half ago. I started @ 80-90 lbs for 3 sets of 10. Now @ 225 for 3 sets of 10 + a converging chest press @ 175 for a set of 10. 5'8 194 right now :)

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