Ladies, how much do you bench?

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Replies

  • SolarLibra
    SolarLibra Posts: 19 Member
    In high school softball, I maxed at 190, so I benched 130ish...now that I've let myself go and am trying to gain my strength back, I max at 80 and bench 60.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    2 sets of 15 reps @ 60lbs. If I were to lift heavy (more weight, less reps), I'm guessing I'd probably max out around 90-100lbs.
  • tracy1031
    tracy1031 Posts: 36
    5 reps of 95, then I'm pooped =-)
  • Theresafinallygetsitright
    Theresafinallygetsitright Posts: 157
    60 lbs (4 sets, 8-10 reps) yes I touch my chest with the bar, flat bench. I started with just the bar about a month ago so I am happy with it :)
  • hnsaunde
    hnsaunde Posts: 757 Member
    I bench 70 pounds, 3 sets of 8. No incline and touching my chest. I started at 45 pounds a month ago so I think I'm making good progress.
  • SFbarmaid
    SFbarmaid Posts: 117 Member
    =today I did the bar. sets of 20 on the bench, not smith, and yes, down to the chest.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I pulled out my older logs to check out my progression to answer this- I started with the bar, 45x5x5 in April. I'm now stuck at 75-80#x5x5. My chest is the slowest progression :grumble: but- I was able to do 70 (7x10) standard pushups the other day- which made me feel pretty good about what's been going on with my chest press!

    ETA: touching the chest, obviously. Not that I think any of you ladies are posting half-rep stats!
  • cPT_Helice
    cPT_Helice Posts: 403
    Please don't use the Smith for a bench press, it is terrible for your shoulders because as you move the bar it forces you to go in a straight line which is not the natural line when you do a bench press. You may not feel it now but trust me if you continue to use it you will eventually. I commend you for lifting, but don't let anyone tell you that ANY machine is better than the free weight exercise it is "trying" to duplicate. Hang in there!

    ^agreed^ plus.... using the smith machine will not allow you to strengthen the stabilizer muscles. You have to use dumb bells or barbell free weights to be able to see how much (smith machine is always much higher) plus you really want to look at someone of equal size for comparison.... not that you should ever compare yourself to anyone else.
    I bench 35 lb dbs for 3 sets of 12 or 6x6. I would like to go higher but i don't have a spotter and i have a bad rotator cuff that i am careful not to reinjure. As far as bb bench press - currently 3 sets of 12 with 65. (Again... no spotter) I don't know my 1rm.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    i use 2 40lb dumbells, so 80lbs 3 sets of 10, down to the chest and straight up...my spotter makes sure my arms are correct form.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    lmao not one of us is doing half reps...I didn't even thing to question that!
  • DaveRCF
    DaveRCF Posts: 266
    To be fair ladies, you should probably state whether your benching is true touch the chest stuff or the half benches I see all the time in the gym (women and men). Not saying anything wrong but if you are going to be strutting your 1RM, best to compare apples with apples!

    I touch my chest. :grumble:

    Me TOO!

    So do I. :angry: :angry: :angry:

    I didn't realize so many people were allowed to touch Rae's chest! :laugh:
    LOL! Best post of the day!!!:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :drinker:

    LOL. What can I say? I'm kind of a "free spirit".

    Wow ladies. Sincere apologies. I guess I'll go crawl back into my cave now. :sad:
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Men are just as guilty as women with bad form. Every time I see somebody benching with their feet in the air, half pressing on a flat bench, or a spotter doing 1/2 the work for them I die a little inside.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Men are just as guilty as women with bad form. Every time I see somebody benching with their feet in the air, half pressing on a flat bench, or a spotter doing 1/2 the work for them I die a little inside.

    If you read New Rules of Lifting - the original, not the women's version (I think, I've read both) the authors postulate that women have generally better lifting form than men, because there's less of the ego-driven desire to lift way too much weight!
  • MogwaisGrandma
    MogwaisGrandma Posts: 195 Member
    I have only just started and I am on 30kg 8x5 with 6 press ups ( full ones not on your knees) in between each rep. On a proper bench with no incline.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    To be fair ladies, you should probably state whether your benching is true touch the chest stuff or the half benches I see all the time in the gym (women and men). Not saying anything wrong but if you are going to be strutting your 1RM, best to compare apples with apples!

    I touch my chest. :grumble:

    Me TOO!

    So do I. :angry: :angry: :angry:

    I didn't realize so many people were allowed to touch Rae's chest! :laugh:
    LOL! Best post of the day!!!:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :drinker:

    LOL. What can I say? I'm kind of a "free spirit".

    Wow ladies. Sincere apologies. I guess I'll go crawl back into my cave now. :sad:

    Apology much appreciated :)
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    I wouldn't dare try and compete with the guys on here, but I'm seriously thinking of joining in with this. My training partner's a pro boxer and benches serious weight; he says I bench like a girl, so I think that qualifies me
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Men are just as guilty as women with bad form. Every time I see somebody benching with their feet in the air, half pressing on a flat bench, or a spotter doing 1/2 the work for them I die a little inside.

    If you read New Rules of Lifting - the original, not the women's version (I think, I've read both) the authors postulate that women have generally better lifting form than men, because there's less of the ego-driven desire to lift way too much weight!

    Yeah, one trainer I read said that men and women each have one prominent issue when it comes to weight lifting, generalized of course.

    Men: In general we try to emphasize weight and will forego form in favor of weight.
    Women: Generally place so much emphasis on form that there is reluctance to progress in weight which leads to slow progression.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    Men are just as guilty as women with bad form. Every time I see somebody benching with their feet in the air, half pressing on a flat bench, or a spotter doing 1/2 the work for them I die a little inside.

    If you read New Rules of Lifting - the original, not the women's version (I think, I've read both) the authors postulate that women have generally better lifting form than men, because there's less of the ego-driven desire to lift way too much weight!

    Yeah, one trainer I read said that men and women each have one prominent issue when it comes to weight lifting, generalized of course.

    Men: In general we try to emphasize weight and will forego form in favor of weight.
    Women: Generally place so much emphasis on form that there is reluctance to progress in weight which leads to slow progression.


    that makes sense, and I never know how much heavier to go, so I do 5 pound increments and have yet to max out
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Men are just as guilty as women with bad form. Every time I see somebody benching with their feet in the air, half pressing on a flat bench, or a spotter doing 1/2 the work for them I die a little inside.

    If you read New Rules of Lifting - the original, not the women's version (I think, I've read both) the authors postulate that women have generally better lifting form than men, because there's less of the ego-driven desire to lift way too much weight!

    Yeah, one trainer I read said that men and women each have one prominent issue when it comes to weight lifting, generalized of course.

    Men: In general we try to emphasize weight and will forego form in favor of weight.
    Women: Generally place so much emphasis on form that there is reluctance to progress in weight which leads to slow progression.

    Good observation! Seems generally true to me.

    Sidenote: I hate saying anything is "generally" true on here because it seems to invite the angry exceptions to the rule to b*tchslap me with a personal anecdote "proving" me wrong.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Men are just as guilty as women with bad form. Every time I see somebody benching with their feet in the air, half pressing on a flat bench, or a spotter doing 1/2 the work for them I die a little inside.

    If you read New Rules of Lifting - the original, not the women's version (I think, I've read both) the authors postulate that women have generally better lifting form than men, because there's less of the ego-driven desire to lift way too much weight!

    Yeah, one trainer I read said that men and women each have one prominent issue when it comes to weight lifting, generalized of course.

    Men: In general we try to emphasize weight and will forego form in favor of weight.
    Women: Generally place so much emphasis on form that there is reluctance to progress in weight which leads to slow progression.


    that makes sense, and I never know how much heavier to go, so I do 5 pound increments and have yet to max out

    Incrementing weight can be tricky and can actually be key to setting you up for each subsequent set. I know when I'm warming up for benching I'll make 10 - 20 lb jumps but when I'm working towards my true 1RM i'll usually do 30lb jumps until I get close and then dial it back down to 10 or 20 as I get closer. If I'm working on a 3 to 5 RM I'll go 20lbs a set.

    Squats and DL's are a different animal. When working on my true 1RM I usually go 50lbs a shot after my warm-up.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Men are just as guilty as women with bad form. Every time I see somebody benching with their feet in the air, half pressing on a flat bench, or a spotter doing 1/2 the work for them I die a little inside.

    If you read New Rules of Lifting - the original, not the women's version (I think, I've read both) the authors postulate that women have generally better lifting form than men, because there's less of the ego-driven desire to lift way too much weight!

    Yeah, one trainer I read said that men and women each have one prominent issue when it comes to weight lifting, generalized of course.

    Men: In general we try to emphasize weight and will forego form in favor of weight.
    Women: Generally place so much emphasis on form that there is reluctance to progress in weight which leads to slow progression.

    Good observation! Seems generally true to me.

    Sidenote: I hate saying anything is "generally" true on here because it seems to invite the angry exceptions to the rule to b*tchslap me with a personal anecdote "proving" me wrong.

    I think you have to make such statements as generalizations because they're not true for everybody, I know it's not for me. I'm very conscious of form but I'm also very progression driven, so I take both into account.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    My max is 57.5kg (126.5lbs). I train on 50kg (110lbs).

    Yes I touch my chest, and I get annoyed if the spotter touches it even in the slightest. A good spotter IMO will not touch it unless it either starts going back down, or you call them in.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    My max is 57.5kg (126.5lbs). I train on 50kg (110lbs).

    Yes I touch my chest, and I get annoyed if the spotter touches it even in the slightest. A good spotter IMO will not touch it unless it either starts going back down, or you call them in.

    Or in my case, an anguished squeal of "HELP!"
  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
    It's so nice to see all the strong ladies, it's quite inspiring.


    1RM 95lbs
  • xerotolerance
    xerotolerance Posts: 58
    55lb working sets currently. Trying to work my way up slowly, but it's definitely my weakest lift.
  • Erisad
    Erisad Posts: 1,580
    I don't bench. :(

    At least not the flat barbel thing. I do weight training (although I haven't in the past couple weeks because of my physically demanding job) but not the tough stuff because I'm a weakling. :(

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