Strength Testing, Bench Press.
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ForecasterJason wrote: »
Well, considering I got this machine earlier this year free (from a friend), I'd rather not go out and buy more equipment right now.ForecasterJason wrote: »
I have a home gym. I do have a pair of dumbbells, but they only go up to 20 lbs each, so those would have only been useful for benching the first few workouts.Wheelhouse15 wrote: »ForecasterJason wrote: »I don't know how different these tests would be using a weight machine with a pulley system. I'm using that, but my starting condition was so weak it would be considered "worse than untrained". Even now, after training for two months, I'm still a long way off from benching my body weight once.
Does your gym have free weights? Bench press on a machine doesn't require the use of stabilizer muscles so it's not as hard to perform in general and when you move to a barbell you will lose some weight until your stabilizers come up to speed.
Can you pick up a barbell, some plates, and a power cage?
Hell, instead of a power cage, even a Johnny Cage would help. Just something to let you do some workouts safely.
That means you should have even more money to spend!!!0 -
1.40 x last time I checked back in September.0
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »There has to be a booty shorts girl too.
it's not really a fitness add without her a@@ in there somewhere.
You all fail at this game. I'll donate my services for filling the position of the producer/generally agitated over caffeinated person on set with to many ideas.
I was just offering my (perfect) vision of the main activity. There totally needs to be some mean girls too. lol.
As director you should have really been more specific there since that is such an important element to the story line. Maybe that's why they couldn't count!
I'm producing this pile of rubbish, good sir.
Don't forget craft services. Very important to any shoots success.0 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »My numbers paused versus touch and go are very close right now - 62.5 (137.5) platform versus 66 (145) touch and go. Should see an increase on max bench as long as I can break through my mental block this week.
Good luck on your training this week. Mental barriers can be a pain to break but once you get past them you can often make some serious progress for a while.
Don't I know that! Last time I broke the block I saw an 11kg increase in one max testing session. And if I don't break it myself, my coach will break it for me.
lol lack of progress is often due to lack of yelling as we all know.
Lol. No yelling, just the knowledge that if I mentally quit on a rep I will not be saved.
As for tut, as mentally tough as paused rep sets are, nothing is worse then lowers with a tempo of 10-1-0 under a supermaximal load.0 -
Yeah, 1.5x is a good target, I'm about 45lbs away. I'm actually focused more on BW Press right now, 205lbs, need 15 more lbs. This time next year I should be there for both lifts barring injury and what-not.0
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End of March next year will be the completion of one year back for me. Likewise, I looked at where I wanted to be in a year's time.Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »Yeah, 1.5x is a good target, I'm about 45lbs away. I'm actually focused more on BW Press right now, 205lbs, need 15 more lbs. This time next year I should be there for both lifts barring injury and what-not.
It's not quite been what I expected.0 -
civilizedworm wrote: »
End of March next year will be the completion of one year back for me. Likewise, I looked at where I wanted to be in a year's time.Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »Yeah, 1.5x is a good target, I'm about 45lbs away. I'm actually focused more on BW Press right now, 205lbs, need 15 more lbs. This time next year I should be there for both lifts barring injury and what-not.
It's not quite been what I expected.
Ha yeah, this year taught me to establish more conservative goals and if you do better then you do better. I figure if I can't put 15lbs on my Press in one year then I might as well pack-up and go teach Zumba.
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Just under 220lb currently.redfisher1974 wrote: »redfisher1974 wrote: »So After looking at a bunch of online info I see a common goal for Men is to bench 1.5 times body weight for one rep and I like to think 10 reps at your body weight is also a great goal.
They say only 1 in 100 men can do 1.5 times body weight.
Seems like a cool challenge to see where you sit with your strength(Not that it matters a whole lot as weight is a means to no ends)
Not sure what it should be for Women, Maybe 1x body weight and 10 reps at 50% of BW?
I am going to give it a try today, At 189lbs now so I will try 10 reps at that weight then next week I will try the 1.5 BW which is 283.5
interested to see how others do with this. Give it a try and post your efforts. Cheers.
1.5BW definitely favors the lean and/or short. 1 in 100 seems pretty far fetched, it seems 1 in 100 even bench at all in the first place. 1.5BW can be very, very difficult for a bigger, natural lifter so I'd put it at a way lower percentage than that.
For example, I attended a powerlifting competition this weekend (push/pull) and the winner benched only 1.33xBW. 400lb bench and 635 deadlift to take home the trophy. He is 6'5" 300lbs and a beast.
I concur, I'm 6'3" and I'm hoping to hit the 1.5x in 6-7 months. My arm span is crazy long and makes it tough.
That's a stud bench there Dope...
Whats your body weight?
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Just under 220lb currently.redfisher1974 wrote: »redfisher1974 wrote: »So After looking at a bunch of online info I see a common goal for Men is to bench 1.5 times body weight for one rep and I like to think 10 reps at your body weight is also a great goal.
They say only 1 in 100 men can do 1.5 times body weight.
Seems like a cool challenge to see where you sit with your strength(Not that it matters a whole lot as weight is a means to no ends)
Not sure what it should be for Women, Maybe 1x body weight and 10 reps at 50% of BW?
I am going to give it a try today, At 189lbs now so I will try 10 reps at that weight then next week I will try the 1.5 BW which is 283.5
interested to see how others do with this. Give it a try and post your efforts. Cheers.
1.5BW definitely favors the lean and/or short. 1 in 100 seems pretty far fetched, it seems 1 in 100 even bench at all in the first place. 1.5BW can be very, very difficult for a bigger, natural lifter so I'd put it at a way lower percentage than that.
For example, I attended a powerlifting competition this weekend (push/pull) and the winner benched only 1.33xBW. 400lb bench and 635 deadlift to take home the trophy. He is 6'5" 300lbs and a beast.
I concur, I'm 6'3" and I'm hoping to hit the 1.5x in 6-7 months. My arm span is crazy long and makes it tough.
That's a stud bench there Dope...
Whats your body weight?
Yeah that makes a 1.5x tougher.. I could never hit it when I was 230lb but now that I have cut to 189lb I can hit the 1.5x0 -
redfisher1974 wrote: »redfisher1974 wrote: »BW - 170
1RM - 210
I'm only a part time lifter, so progress is slow for me. I'd love to hit 2 plates by the start of race season, but that's pretty aggressive/optimistic, especially considering my higher-priority body comp goals.
Not too shabby, Your goal is a good one. How many reps at BW?
Looking back at my log... 10 @ 175.
Thats good, I would peg you for a 1RM of 250 going by those numbers. Everybody is different tho...
Na. For whatever reason, I have an easier time pushing through perceived fatigue (reps) than I do perceived weakness (weight). I can do 175 x 10, but only 200 x 1. I don't know if it's my triathlon training (lots of pushing through fatigue there), or if it's something about my genetic makeup.
Honestly, and I don't mean this in a derogatory fashion, it's most likely just a mental thing. If you can do 175x10 with full ROM (no bouncing and half reps) then I guarantee you can do a lot more than 200. Probably 225 bare minimum, if not 230 or 235. It's just a matter of:
1) Keeping good technique when the weight gets heavy
2) Being mentally WILLING to do it
Some work in the heavier weights for 2-4 reps will help acclimate and prepare you for a true 1RM. Even throwing in some heavier singles (say, 90-95%) here and there (at the end of a workout for example) will go a long way to mentally preparing.0 -
redfisher1974 wrote: »redfisher1974 wrote: »BW - 170
1RM - 210
I'm only a part time lifter, so progress is slow for me. I'd love to hit 2 plates by the start of race season, but that's pretty aggressive/optimistic, especially considering my higher-priority body comp goals.
Not too shabby, Your goal is a good one. How many reps at BW?
Looking back at my log... 10 @ 175.
Thats good, I would peg you for a 1RM of 250 going by those numbers. Everybody is different tho...
Na. For whatever reason, I have an easier time pushing through perceived fatigue (reps) than I do perceived weakness (weight). I can do 175 x 10, but only 200 x 1. I don't know if it's my triathlon training (lots of pushing through fatigue there), or if it's something about my genetic makeup.
Honestly, and I don't mean this in a derogatory fashion, it's most likely just a mental thing. If you can do 175x10 with full ROM (no bouncing and half reps) then I guarantee you can do a lot more than 200. Probably 225 bare minimum, if not 230 or 235. It's just a matter of:
1) Keeping good technique when the weight gets heavy
2) Being mentally WILLING to do it
Some work in the heavier weights for 2-4 reps will help acclimate and prepare you for a true 1RM. Even throwing in some heavier singles (say, 90-95%) here and there (at the end of a workout for example) will go a long way to mentally preparing.
That may well be the case, too. Been doing 5/3/1, so I have heavy/low programmed in. I'll keep plugging away.0 -
I think a lot of it is mental. I know right now I'm fighting my mind at getting over 245. I get a little "scared" that I'll get stapled with such a heavy weight. although I'm comfortable at 225 and 235. Spend some time teasing yourself with the weight and it will get more comfortable to put up.0
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redfisher1974 wrote: »All this bench talk makes me remember looking at a BB mag where they had the office on the main street of a big city and they sent a reporter out to the street asking guys what they could bench, And when they answered they by surprise brought them into the building and had a bench setup and made them try the weight they said... Was funny as many could not come close to the weight they said!!!
Yeah, the old ego does kick in when asked but when the rubber hits the road...0 -
Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »My numbers paused versus touch and go are very close right now - 62.5 (137.5) platform versus 66 (145) touch and go. Should see an increase on max bench as long as I can break through my mental block this week.
Good luck on your training this week. Mental barriers can be a pain to break but once you get past them you can often make some serious progress for a while.
Don't I know that! Last time I broke the block I saw an 11kg increase in one max testing session. And if I don't break it myself, my coach will break it for me.
lol lack of progress is often due to lack of yelling as we all know.
Lol. No yelling, just the knowledge that if I mentally quit on a rep I will not be saved.
As for tut, as mentally tough as paused rep sets are, nothing is worse then lowers with a tempo of 10-1-0 under a supermaximal load.
I'll have to pass on the 10-1-0 negs, tried them before and they really work getting over a stick point but I don't lift in a good gym like that anymore.
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I think a lot of it is mental. I know right now I'm fighting my mind at getting over 245. I get a little "scared" that I'll get stapled with such a heavy weight. although I'm comfortable at 225 and 235. Spend some time teasing yourself with the weight and it will get more comfortable to put up.
I've been there. Just get a good spotter and you'll be miles a head of my boneheaded move. Actually, if you get a couple good spotters negs will work wonders here because you will get comfortable with the weight and that will make a huge difference.0 -
In my case, I would say "strong" is relative. As I indirectly stated in my hamstring/quad thread, just getting to a novice level of full body strength would be huge for me. If I can get to the equivalent of benching .75 times my bodyweight for 10-12 reps on my machine (or .9 times bodyweight for one rep), that would make me very strong in comparison to when I started using it.you haven't bought any equipment, lol. You got it free! heh.
You'll want to get some free weight equipment if you want to get strong.
Except that I'm a college student with no job.That means you should have even more money to spend!!!0 -
ForecasterJason wrote: »
In my case, I would say "strong" is relative. As I indirectly stated in my hamstring/quad thread, just getting to a novice level of full body strength would be huge for me. If I can get to the equivalent of benching .75 times my bodyweight for 10-12 reps on my machine (or .9 times bodyweight for one rep), that would make me very strong in comparison to when I started using it.you haven't bought any equipment, lol. You got it free! heh.
You'll want to get some free weight equipment if you want to get strong.
Except that I'm a college student with no job.That means you should have even more money to spend!!!
So don't you have access to a campus gym for your fees? If so I encourage you to take advantage of it.0 -
I forgot that my old school does. Maybe at some point I'll look into it. If I didn't have the comfort of a home gym, however, it would definitely be more appealing right now.Wheelhouse15 wrote: »ForecasterJason wrote: »
In my case, I would say "strong" is relative. As I indirectly stated in my hamstring/quad thread, just getting to a novice level of full body strength would be huge for me. If I can get to the equivalent of benching .75 times my bodyweight for 10-12 reps on my machine (or .9 times bodyweight for one rep), that would make me very strong in comparison to when I started using it.you haven't bought any equipment, lol. You got it free! heh.
You'll want to get some free weight equipment if you want to get strong.
Except that I'm a college student with no job.That means you should have even more money to spend!!!
So don't you have access to a campus gym for your fees? If so I encourage you to take advantage of it.
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dope, wheelhouse and mata... Thanks for the tips. I'll try to incorporate pauses/negatives moving forward and see what happens.
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I think if you're working with a spotter and a power cage, you could get some negative work in, just be kinda goofy to do. I wish there was some sort of machine that would make it easier.
Jason - don't set your goals too high bro.0
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