What percentage body weight are you actually lifting?

Seekerman
Seekerman Posts: 58 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My GF part time trainer told her you must consider your half your body weight when comparing upper body exercises to squats. In terms of raw weight lifted. Kind of makes sense I guess. Where in a bench press or shoulder press you are only lifting the weight. She tells me then effectively I am squatting 240 pounds or 1.26 my body weight (145 squat plus 190/2). I don't think that is right though and I am squatting only .77 of my body weight. I bench 1.66 my body weight which does not sound as impressive as the raw number of weight lifted lol

She wants to bench 1/2 her squat which is at 205lbs but if you add half her body weight then the number is 272 pounds. Her bench is up to 85 pounds. I like to think she squats 1.53 times her body weight and not 2.03 x her body weight and she benches .63 her body weight.

Feel free to post your numbers. I want to get a idea of normal percentage of body weight numbers.
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Replies

  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    That's a lot of unnecessary math. in my opinion. You lift was will get your muscle to fatigue in 6-20 reps, depending on your needs. I actually only leg press 240, but I do it high reps for stamina training.

    I duuno.
  • Seekerman
    Seekerman Posts: 58 Member
    I agree it would be dependent on whether one was power lifting, body builder, casual lifting, stamina lifting etc. or injuries, how much time a effort one puts into a particular exercise.
    I hate squat and rarely do them so it explain my numbers. I rather do alternate body weight lower body or weighted lunges.
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
    This seems arbitrary. You can only lift what you can lift. I am progressively lifting so what I am lifting now is not what I will be lifting next week.

    Unless you are talking about the assisted dip and chin up machine where you are totally lifting your body weight (minus the weight you add on the machine), what is the point of factoring this into your lifting?
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Sites like this one:

    http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

    Can give you an idea of your strength level for your body weight.

    Its really only important that you try to improve from the last time you lifted while maintaining good form.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    Technically correct, but totally unnecessary and you won't have a like to like comparison if you start comparing to other lifters like this.

    Count the bar, and what's on the bar, and nothing else. Or be prepared to be embarrassed when someone asks you to demonstrate your 240 pound squat and you proceed to load 145 pounds on the bar and then waffle about the weight of your body.
  • facecrack
    facecrack Posts: 2
    You must look like Johnny Bravo, lol. Seriously, nobody adds their own weight to the numbers for a squat. Whats the point? Do you say you carried half your body weight when you go for a walk??
  • Nikkisfitblog
    Nikkisfitblog Posts: 149 Member
    I walk press 100% BW all day every day...
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    Totally unneeded; point your browser to http://strstd.com and http://wilkscalculator.com/ to see how your lifts are stacking up.
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    You forgot to adjust for gravitational differences & barometric pressure.
  • SarahxApple
    SarahxApple Posts: 166 Member
    I feel you (or the trainer) is unnecessarily complicating this?

    I had to read it twice to understand what you were saying and agree with other posters you don't calculate that you are carrying your bodyweight when you walk, or it is calculated in caloric burn. What about if it's raining or windy? Why is it important to stretch your numbers this way, just lift progressively.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Technically correct, but totally unnecessary and you won't have a like to like comparison if you start comparing to other lifters like this.

    Count the bar, and what's on the bar, and nothing else. Or be prepared to be embarrassed when someone asks you to demonstrate your 240 pound squat and you proceed to load 145 pounds on the bar and then waffle about the weight of your body.

    This.

    Totally unnecessary and outside industry standard.

    And honestly it's a different weight you are lifting- because it's an integrated weight. It's not full dead weight. Sure it's weight- but it's not the same as a 300 pound obese man trying to do a pull up with 150 pounds of dead weight hanging. I could see factoring that in just because- but jumping through mental hoops for weight squatted it's totally undeeded. The bar and the weight on it.

    If you really want to get into weight per pounds moved and body weight- go through something like the wilkes formula and compare that way.
  • Seekerman
    Seekerman Posts: 58 Member
    Johnny Bravo. I had no idea who he was. Naa I think he could bench 600 and squat 200 just because his legs are so short.

    Oh " gravitational differences & barometric pressure" damm ya I forgot

    To those who actually replied respectfully THANK YOU
  • shmerek
    shmerek Posts: 963 Member
    I walk press 100% BW all day every day...
    lolz
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    You forgot to adjust for gravitational differences & barometric pressure.

    :laugh:
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    My GF part time trainer told her you must consider your half your body weight when comparing upper body exercises to squats. In terms of raw weight lifted. Kind of makes sense I guess. Where in a bench press or shoulder press you are only lifting the weight. She tells me then effectively I am squatting 240 pounds or 1.26 my body weight (145 squat plus 190/2). I don't think that is right though and I am squatting only .77 of my body weight. I bench 1.66 my body weight which does not sound as impressive as the raw number of weight lifted lol

    She wants to bench 1/2 her squat which is at 205lbs but if you add half her body weight then the number is 272 pounds. Her bench is up to 85 pounds. I like to think she squats 1.53 times her body weight and not 2.03 x her body weight and she benches .63 her body weight.

    Feel free to post your numbers. I want to get a idea of normal percentage of body weight numbers.
    Are you saying my forearms and hands weigh nothing? Do they contain helium or something? Why can't I add that amount to my bench numbers?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    My GF part time trainer told her you must consider your half your body weight when comparing upper body exercises to squats. In terms of raw weight lifted. Kind of makes sense I guess. Where in a bench press or shoulder press you are only lifting the weight. She tells me then effectively I am squatting 240 pounds or 1.26 my body weight (145 squat plus 190/2). I don't think that is right though and I am squatting only .77 of my body weight. I bench 1.66 my body weight which does not sound as impressive as the raw number of weight lifted lol

    She wants to bench 1/2 her squat which is at 205lbs but if you add half her body weight then the number is 272 pounds. Her bench is up to 85 pounds. I like to think she squats 1.53 times her body weight and not 2.03 x her body weight and she benches .63 her body weight.

    Feel free to post your numbers. I want to get a idea of normal percentage of body weight numbers.
    Are you saying my forearms and hands weigh nothing? Do they contain helium or something? Why can't I add that amount to my bench numbers?

    Dear Pizza,

    It has come to our attention that your hands and forearms are indeed made of helium.
    As such, please stop fudging your bench press.

    Thanks for your cooperation,
    Everyone on MFP








    (Srs how else do you think he could lift ALL the pizzas?)
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I move the weight twice as far for squats as I do for bench press...so for equal weight, I'm doing twice the work for squats as bench.

    My question is, to make these comparable, do I double the weight for squats or do I halve the weight for bench press?
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    My GF part time trainer told her you must consider your half your body weight when comparing upper body exercises to squats. In terms of raw weight lifted. Kind of makes sense I guess. Where in a bench press or shoulder press you are only lifting the weight. She tells me then effectively I am squatting 240 pounds or 1.26 my body weight (145 squat plus 190/2). I don't think that is right though and I am squatting only .77 of my body weight. I bench 1.66 my body weight which does not sound as impressive as the raw number of weight lifted lol

    She wants to bench 1/2 her squat which is at 205lbs but if you add half her body weight then the number is 272 pounds. Her bench is up to 85 pounds. I like to think she squats 1.53 times her body weight and not 2.03 x her body weight and she benches .63 her body weight.

    Feel free to post your numbers. I want to get a idea of normal percentage of body weight numbers.
    Are you saying my forearms and hands weigh nothing? Do they contain helium or something? Why can't I add that amount to my bench numbers?

    In my humble opinion, you can definitely add that weight. Just amputate your arms at the shoulders, weigh them, then re-attach. You may need an assistant for this. However, make sure you perform this surgery on a platform or it doesn't count.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    I move the weight twice as far for squats as I do for bench press...so for equal weight, I'm doing twice the work for squats as bench.

    My question is, to make these comparable, do I double the weight for squats or do I halve the weight for bench press?

    You just reminded me, who was that guy who was hassling Sara about her being able to out-squat him? Something about he was taller and therefore his bigger ROM meant he was actually stronger than her? That was a good time.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I move the weight twice as far for squats as I do for bench press...so for equal weight, I'm doing twice the work for squats as bench.

    My question is, to make these comparable, do I double the weight for squats or do I halve the weight for bench press?

    You just reminded me, who was that guy who was hassling Sara about her being able to out-squat him? Something about he was taller and therefore his bigger ROM meant he was actually stronger than her? That was a good time.

    <----aware and loling. That dude is a riot. Pretty sure it's the same dude with the shrug video.
  • felonebeats
    felonebeats Posts: 433
    My bodyweight is 192lbs(87.1kg)
    I bench 90kg
    deadlift 190kg
    squat 120kg
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    My bodyweight is 192lbs(87.1kg)
    I bench 90kg
    deadlift 190kg
    squat 120kg
    So you're squatting 120 - (87.1/2) or 76.45kg?

    Or are you squatting 163.55kg and then subtracting half your body weight?

    Did you carry the one?
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member
    I weigh 125 my body weight comparative lifts are:

    Squat - 1.9x for 1rm, 1,65x for 5x5
    Bench 1,0 for 1rm, 0.9x 5x5
    deadlift - 2.5x 1rm, 2.0x 1x5

    I believe that someone was trying to factor in their range of motion. I've been a meet director for several meets and have had new competitors ask if there is any adjustment for range on motion. Uh. No.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Squat and Deads are both around 2.26xbw, bench is at 1.62xbw.


    Deads.....*cry*
  • felonebeats
    felonebeats Posts: 433
    My bodyweight is 192lbs(87.1kg)
    I bench 90kg
    deadlift 190kg
    squat 120kg
    So you're squatting 120 - (87.1/2) or 76.45kg?

    Or are you squatting 163.55kg and then subtracting half your body weight?

    Did you carry the one?

    They're not my %s they're just the weights I'm lifting atm
  • version45
    version45 Posts: 35 Member
    Sites like this one:

    http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

    Can give you an idea of your strength level for your body weight.

    Its really only important that you try to improve from the last time you lifted while maintaining good form.

    Totally agree with mr. mustgetmuscle here. Thanks for the website ... great targets!
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    My bodyweight is 192lbs(87.1kg)
    I bench 90kg
    deadlift 190kg
    squat 120kg
    So you're squatting 120 - (87.1/2) or 76.45kg?

    Or are you squatting 163.55kg and then subtracting half your body weight?

    Did you carry the one?

    They're not my %s they're just the weights I'm lifting atm
    But does that include the weight of the limbs you're using to lift it?

    Hmm, if you shave your arms can you increase your bench press?
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    Honestly, I don't understand the explanation of the math in the original post. Maybe what the trainer was talking about was your theoretical 1 rep max? Here's a site that I use sometimes: http://www.strstd.com/

    For deadlifts, I pulled 200lbs (once), and my body weight is about 125lbs+. So that's about 1.58 x body weight.
    For squats, I did 5x5 at 95lbs, which is .75 of my body weight.
  • SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish
    SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish Posts: 831 Member
    Erm, how about don't fudge the numbers and just track what you do?

    Maybe this is a weight loss encouragement method? If you track by percent of bodyweight instead of the weight you can do, you could say "I'm stronger today!" every time you lose a pound :P
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Seems like a lot of effing around to make you feel like you're stronger than you are.

    Just record what's on the bar. That's what everyone else does and it's what everyone else understands.

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