Benching more than I squat?
Schwiggs
Posts: 222 Member
Always heard you should be able to squat more than you bench, but right my work sets are 3x8 of 115 lb. for Bench and 3x8 of 95 lb. for Squats. I've looked at what other people seem to have for their work sets, and this seems to be opposite of that, and I thought I remembered reading you want your squats to be heavier as well, but don't recall why. Anyone if there's actually any problems with squats not being heavier than bench presses?
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What kind of warm up are you doing? Also, just my opinion, 8 reps is a bit high for working sets.0
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It just means you need to train your legs harder.Always heard you should be able to squat more than you bench, but right my work sets are 3x8 of 115 lb. for Bench and 3x8 of 95 lb. for Squats. I've looked at what other people seem to have for their work sets, and this seems to be opposite of that, and I thought I remembered reading you want your squats to be heavier as well, but don't recall why. Anyone if there's actually any problems with squats not being heavier than bench presses?0 -
Are you male or female? My husband's benches MUCH more than he squats. I squat about 2x what I bench. You can thank genetics for that. Everyone is different - there is no "typical" other than men *typically* have more upper body strength and can bench more than women whose strength is *generally* concentrated in our lower body.0
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I bench more than I squat or deadlift. Is this okay, or is this weird?
Yes, it is weird, but it is not all that uncommon. The bench and curl jockey mentality that pervades the typical youth culture certainly lends itself to greater development of that associated musculature despite the inherent relative weakness of the pectoral girdle and elbow flexors/extensors when compared to the hips and legs. I mean, when people say "make a muscle", they don't mean "flex your hamstrings".
Evenly developed people have a stronger deadlift than squat, and their deadlift and squat is much higher than their bench press. If you can bench more in skivvies and a t-shirt than you can deadlift or squat, then you have some serious muscular imbalances. This program will help you correct your weirdness.
via http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ:The_Program
Based on what I read in the Starting Strength book, your squat should improve faster than your bench. You may be able to add, say, 10 lbs to your squat every week, but only 5 to your bench, so the squat should catch up and eventually overtake the bench press.
Kind of curious where your deadlift is in relation to your bench and squat.
Also, IIRC, you are doing front squats now, and I am fairly sure people people front squat less weight than squats with the bar on the back. So maybe this is actually normal.0 -
Free weight squat? If so, then you are probably a beginner and don't have the technique down yet. Squats are pretty technical. Doing them wrong can really stress your back and knees. And steal alot of weight from your lift potential. Bench isn't as technical so you are probably benching closer to your current max.
Ie.. try the leg press machine and see how much you can push out. I bet you can double your current amounts easily0 -
Are you male or female? My husband's benches MUCH more than he squats. I squat about 2x what I bench. You can thank genetics for that. Everyone is different - there is no "typical" other than men *typically* have more upper body strength and can bench more than women whose strength is *generally* concentrated in our lower body.
Not sure I agree with you there. I think men 'typically' have more upper body strength because there is a tendency for people to neglect working out their lower body when lifting.
If you bench more than you squat, work your legs harder.0 -
You should really be stronger on squats than bench but it wouldn't be a problem, just means you need to work more on your legs.
I do more on squats but only just. 10 reps on 50kg squats, 6 reps on 47.5kg bench. I've been doing bench alot longer than I have squats. I hope to increase the gap between the two over time.0 -
You can tell which guys in the gym work legs. They're the ones that don't look like lightbulbs.0
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It may also be an issue with form. I see a lot of people at the gym with poor form and they aren't able to lift very heavy.0
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You can tell which guys in the gym work legs. They're the ones that don't look like lightbulbs.
^ This. There's this dude at my gym who basically is the poster-child for "bro". Worst form I have ever seen (I got some on video for lulz) and he looks like a Dove bar. His upper body is slightly larger and more cut than mine but his legs are about the size of my WRISTS, and I'm not kidding. Peg legs.0 -
Yeah this is a weird one (speaking from experience). I can squat much more than I can bench, like most people.
But when I tried Body Pump recently (basically very light weights, but hundreds of reps - miles away from what I usually do), I found I was squatting less than I could bench. Why that should be the case I don't know - maybe it's the nature of doing, like 100 rep sets that makes things different, but I was quite surprised by that.0 -
There's difference in muscular in endurance and muscle power. Sprinters can run fast, but may not be able to run long distances. Same with NFL linemen. Quick bursts of power and speed, but would suck in a 5K.Yeah this is a weird one (speaking from experience). I can squat much more than I can bench, like most people.
But when I tried Body Pump recently (basically very light weights, but hundreds of reps - miles away from what I usually do), I found I was squatting less than I could bench. Why that should be the case I don't know - maybe it's the nature of doing, like 100 rep sets that makes things different, but I was quite surprised by that.0 -
Yes, I suspect the limiting factor was actually my cardio endurance. Lifting a 30lb barbell for five minutes (seriously, that's what they get you doing in body pump) is a lot easier on the heart and lungs than doing the same with squats. Even bodyweight squats for that amount of time are going to get you winded. I was just annoyed at the regulars who were half my weight who were squatting away with heavier weights and getting nowhere near as pooped.
And thinking about it, while my legs were on fire, it was the breathlessness that made it so hard.0 -
Here's the thing, my legs aren't weak. However, my balance and hip flexibility are ****. That's one of the main problems with my squats.
Kind of curious where your deadlift is in relation to your bench and squat.
Also, IIRC, you are doing front squats now, and I am fairly sure people people front squat less weight than squats with the bar on the back. So maybe this is actually normal.
Actually, I am doing regular squats for now. Got a new PR, so I'm liking them again. I just didn't want to be stuck with certain exercises for all of my weight training. Also, idk what happened but I can't seem to maintain my form with DLs anymore, so I haven't been doing them really.0 -
Actually, I am doing regular squats for now. Got a new PR, so I'm liking them again. I just didn't want to be stuck with certain exercises for all of my weight training. Also, idk what happened but I can't seem to maintain my form with DLs anymore, so I haven't been doing them really.
Not being able to hold form isn't a very good reason to stop doing an exercise, drop weight and work on your technique.
As for squats, just keep doing them and the flexibility will come.0 -
stretch! If your form goes odd because of your flexibility, you might get hurt.0
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My squat is just lingering over the weight of my bench. but before my squat was super weak, and with a piss poor technique.
There is only one true definition of a squat in my book, and that's when you hit the bucket. I'm into Full range of motion these days, but before I was that terd with elaborate weight on a bar and only squating about 6 to 10 inches at a time. we all see these people in the gym every day, but the moment they attempt even a box squat with moderate weight for their size they seem to topple.
For this reason of improper squat technique it's very hard for me to take someone seriously about their squat unless I saw it for myself. My only goal in the squat rack is to hit a perfect 300 lb bucket squat. sigh....it's comming, and i'm patient. everytime I recover from one injury, I get a new one...lol0 -
Doesn't matter if you're male or female...you should ALWAYS be able to squat more than you bench. If you can't, you need to either reevaluate your squat form, push yourself harder, or lower your rep range to 4-6 and see if your weight progresses.
Benching more than you squat is not a good thing....0 -
When I lifted, even though I didn't care much for lifting legs I still did. I didn't go super heavy on squats, and I could bench a lot for my weight, but when it came down to it, I could still squat more than I benched. Which is how it should be.0
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Doesn't matter if you're male or female...you should ALWAYS be able to squat more than you bench. If you can't, you need to either reevaluate your squat form, push yourself harder, or lower your rep range to 4-6 and see if your weight progresses.
Benching more than you squat is not a good thing....
And why is that?0 -
Doesn't matter if you're male or female...you should ALWAYS be able to squat more than you bench. If you can't, you need to either reevaluate your squat form, push yourself harder, or lower your rep range to 4-6 and see if your weight progresses.
Benching more than you squat is not a good thing....
And why is that?
It's not "good" or "bad". Again, a free weight squat is fairly technical vs a bench press.
But the leg muscles are the biggest in the body and therefore should be able to push more weight.
If you are that worried about it, compare your bench press to the LEG PRESS. something that takes most of the technical aspect out of the free weight squat.0 -
Doesn't matter if you're male or female...you should ALWAYS be able to squat more than you bench. If you can't, you need to either reevaluate your squat form, push yourself harder, or lower your rep range to 4-6 and see if your weight progresses.
Benching more than you squat is not a good thing....
And why is that?
It's not "good" or "bad". Again, a free weight squat is fairly technical vs a bench press.
But the leg muscles are the biggest in the body and therefore should be able to push more weight.
If you are that worried about it, compare your bench press to the LEG PRESS. something that takes most of the technical aspect out of the free weight squat.
What would be the ratio for this? I'm able to put up a decent amount of weight (much more than I bench) on the 45 Degree Leg Press, but I'm unsure if that it being a machine on a fixed track may change the comparison to the Bench Press.0 -
Doesn't matter if you're male or female...you should ALWAYS be able to squat more than you bench. If you can't, you need to either reevaluate your squat form, push yourself harder, or lower your rep range to 4-6 and see if your weight progresses.
Benching more than you squat is not a good thing....
And why is that?
It's not "good" or "bad". Again, a free weight squat is fairly technical vs a bench press.
But the leg muscles are the biggest in the body and therefore should be able to push more weight.
If you are that worried about it, compare your bench press to the LEG PRESS. something that takes most of the technical aspect out of the free weight squat.
What would be the ratio for this? I'm able to put up a decent amount of weight (much more than I bench) on the 45 Degree Leg Press, but I'm unsure if that it being a machine on a fixed track may change the comparison to the Bench Press.
I don't think that matters too much. The fixed track might be a bit easier relatively but how else are you going to do it? You can't lay on your back and put hold a barbell in your feet.
For reference sake: When I was at my best, I could leg press 3x my bench pretty easily. But I could never bench that much. ie.. free weight bench is about 225lbs and my leg presses were well into the 700-800 range. While my non-wrapped free weight squats were about maybe 350lbs.0 -
Doesn't matter if you're male or female...you should ALWAYS be able to squat more than you bench. If you can't, you need to either reevaluate your squat form, push yourself harder, or lower your rep range to 4-6 and see if your weight progresses.
Benching more than you squat is not a good thing....
And why is that?
It's not "good" or "bad". Again, a free weight squat is fairly technical vs a bench press.
But the leg muscles are the biggest in the body and therefore should be able to push more weight.
If you are that worried about it, compare your bench press to the LEG PRESS. something that takes most of the technical aspect out of the free weight squat.
What would be the ratio for this? I'm able to put up a decent amount of weight (much more than I bench) on the 45 Degree Leg Press, but I'm unsure if that it being a machine on a fixed track may change the comparison to the Bench Press.
I don't think that matters too much. The fixed track might be a bit easier relatively but how else are you going to do it? You can lay on your back and put hold a barbell in your feet.
For reference sake: When I was at my best, I could leg press 3x my bench pretty easily. But I could never bench that much. ie.. free weight bench is about 225lbs and my leg presses were well into the 700-800 range. While my non-wrapped free weight squats were about maybe 350lbs.
Ok that's about where I'm at then, so I think I don't need to worry too much about upper body/lower body disparity. My work sets when I do the leg press hover around 400 lbs.; My bench is a little over 1/4 of that.0 -
You should really work on getting into a free weight squat though. The whole body is working to stabilize for the lift. Just don't lift too heavy to compromise your form. This is where I don't BS anyone. Form FIRST.0
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i'm just like you, i can bench about 225 for 4 times but I could not do that on squat without going all the way down i would stay down lol
my squats going all the way down are like 185lbs fml0 -
Free weight squat? If so, then you are probably a beginner and don't have the technique down yet. Squats are pretty technical. Doing them wrong can really stress your back and knees. And steal alot of weight from your lift potential. Bench isn't as technical so you are probably benching closer to your current max.
Ie.. try the leg press machine and see how much you can push out. I bet you can double your current amounts easily
He is correct. Take it from a college power-lifter!! I still got back leg press because it tones and build your strength, but doesn't run a risk of hurting your back. Just remember on a squat, chest out, butt out and push from the heels, not the spine! Work a few months on the leg press and your strength will increase! Also just go in and test your single rep max one day. It gives you a great idea of where you actually are.0
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