What was your bench when you first started lifting ?

[Weekend Warrior]

Ok so what did you bench when you first started lifting weights? Im curious because I lifted weights in high school and i was up there with the stronger guys in school. Now 5years later I have finially got back in the gym. After 3months I feel really weak compared to everyone in there and for my weight. So im just looking for some insperation. What kind of improvments did you guys make and over what time frame? Any replys are appreciated

[SprinterOne]

Damn man, I first benched like 15 years ago. I would guess it was probably like 60 pounds or so, lol.

[Weekend Warrior]

Lol that makes me feel a lil better jk. I mean not when you were like 12 or anything but when you started lifting seriously.

[LoneLifter]

My bench when I first started lifting was about 115, that was 8 or 9 years ago. I am not sure what my bench is today as I am just returning to the gym after recovering from some long term injuries...(took about 1 1/2 years off) but before the injuries my bench was at 335. I have not yet used AAS but am looking to in the near future.

-LL

[Weekend Warrior]

Im benching 235-240 i guess which isnt that bad i guess. I would love it to be in the mid 3s. Well who knows in a couple of years maybe it will be

[Impitious]

I used to max out with a 10 and a 5 on the side of the bar.

So what is that? 75 pounds? Haha.

[LoneLifter]

Im benching 235-240 i guess which isnt that bad i guess. I would love it to be in the mid 3s. Well who knows in a couple of years maybe it will be

If thats your goal, you can definitely acheive it in a a couple of years....even sooner. I stopped lifting for strength gains and am now more focused on body composition changes. Naturally I will get stronger and be able to lift more as my muscles grow but thats not the focus. Becareful with your shoulders if you are going to always go heavy!

On a side note...When I decided I wanted to hit the 300lb mark, I started right around where you are at and it took a lot less than a year. What seemed to really benefit me was heavy dumbell press.

Good luck!

-LL

[Weekend Warrior]

Thanks for the help man. I was only using dumbells for the last month or so because I had surgery on my wrist. Its taking me awhile to get back into the barbell. I use dumbells for inclines but dont feel like im getting anywhere with them on the flat bench so I started getting back into barbells with decline and flat

[matt23]

about 2-3 years ago i maxed around 50 or so on bench lol. now my raw max is about 240. 300 is right around the corner if you train hard with the right routine and have a good diet. It wont take nearly as long as you think.

[Dally]

I had the plastic covered concrete weights and the skinny non olympic bar...I could put up 30 pounds and the bar....



I was 6 foot 120 when I started.....many moons ago.

[SMYL_GR8]

I maxed out at 155 when I was 17. 240 at 19.

[Squatman51]

i remeber i started when i was 13 and about 125-130lbs...i maxed at 75-85lbs

[Velkar182]

I benched 100 lbs at 125 (I was chubby) in the 4th grade and I must have been about 10 years old. When I actually started lifting about nine years ago (14 yo at the time) I did 225 @ 119 and it took me 12 months to make it to 315, but I wasn't really training like a powerlfiter. But I am a freak of nature. (My high school bench record before me was 350).

[Lavinco]

the bar, litterally.

45lbs is what it weighs and that is what i benched for my workout earlier this year.

i'm not shittin'

205lbs now though

[RJstrong]

in 9th grade... 145

[Weekend Warrior]

So what are alot of you guys benching now the didnt post. I wouldnt feel so bad about my number if I didnt weigh 240. But im dedicated so hopefully it wont take long to hit the 300 mark

[RJstrong]

So what are alot of you guys benching now the didnt post. I wouldnt feel so bad about my number if I didnt weigh 240. But im dedicated so hopefully it wont take long to hit the 300 mark

Oh No... Doc Sust. is gonna hate this if you turn this into a "how much do you bench" thread... but I will say mine in hopes to inspire you... touch and go max 545... shirted max 665... @ 235-240lbs. that 145 was about 16 years ago and about 100lbs less in body weight... good luck bro... lift big and make it happen!

[Weekend Warrior]

lol not trying to turn it into one of those threads im sure there is enough of them already. Just looking for some insperation here and to see some big improvments. Im gona go for 250 this sunday. If I do it that will be a 40lb increase in 10weeks

[inspector_injector]

I started at like 130llbs. maxing 75lbs. I'm 155lbs. now benching 185lbs. max on the flat bench. I'm maxing my squats at 210lbs. And my deadlift is 350lbs. I'm always breaking barriers though, especially with the squats and deadz. My chest is my biggest freakiest and ripped muscle next to my quads, yet I can't do heavy weights for the bench?? Who cares though when you have a huge chest.

[Weekend Warrior]

Yeah man I feel you my chest is getting pretty big and i really cant put up numbers ethier

[NYGIANTS21]

I had the plastic covered concrete weights and the skinny non olympic bar...I could put up 30 pounds and the bar....



I was 6 foot 120 when I started.....many moons ago.

LMFAO I remember the plastis concrete weight. so damn big you couldn't put a lot of wieght on the bar. oh wait i couldn't put a lot on because i could not lift it what was i thinking....Damn going off again on some random rant...sorry

[AnabolicBoy1981]

in 9th grade... 145

same here.

its so weird that we were that weak at one point isnt it?

[AnabolicBoy1981]

I started at like 130llbs. maxing 75lbs. I'm 155lbs. now benching 185lbs. max on the flat bench. I'm maxing my squats at 210lbs. And my deadlift is 350lbs. I'm always breaking barriers though, especially with the squats and deadz. My chest is my biggest freakiest and ripped muscle next to my quads, yet I can't do heavy weights for the bench?? Who cares though when you have a huge chest.

wow dude thats weird. yuor dead is way high in relation to your squat and bench.
Now when you say your max bench and squat is 185 and 205, your saying for one rep right?

Only reason i askk is cuz i had a convo with my cousin a few weeks ago, and he said "I maxed out on my bench last week with new weight" and i said "cool, what'd you hit?"
He said "I did 225 and i got 7 reps"
i said "Well, you didnt max out then. You repped seven dude. Max outs are one rep. But kudos anyway! good job.haha."
i was kinda shocked that he didn know maxing out meant just for one rep, given that he was lifting for 3 years at this point.
I was just wondering if maybe that was the same thing goin on here. Its just your dead is so high, but your squat is way low if thats your 1 rep max. I have little borther who is deadlifting about 350ish for 1 rep, but his squats are like 320 for one rep max. I know he does 300 for 10 reps on squat.
just curios, thas all.

[inspector_injector]

Well it's natural to have your bench the weakest, squat second, and deadz the highest. But yeah it's 1RM (1 rep maximum) and my max squat is 210lbs. I was doing deadz on last friday and pulled 360. I'm a beast with deadz and that's my special little area. I know guys that bench 240, and can't dead what I can. But I guess it's just genetics for certain lifts. Like bone structures, height and leverage and so on.

[power65]

Very interesting post. I started working out when I was about 13 yrs old I guess. We lifted weight for football when I was in the 8th grade. At the end of the school year in 8th grade we had a bench press contest. Not really like a powerlifitng meet though. There was no pause....just touch and go. I won the contest w/ a 205 lb. bench. I was 5' 10" and weighed 155 lbs. I matured really early. By the time I was 15-16 yrs. old I could bench 300 lbs. and weighed about 190 lbs. I've always been muscular but lean. I diid't actually start to powerlift until my Senior year of high school. By then I think my bench was at about 330. These lifts were all done raw. I never wore a bench shirt unitl I was out of college. I thought bench was my worst lift because I focused mainly on Squats and Powercleans because I was playing football. And all honestly...a bench press Max really isn't that important to playing football bc explosive strength rules over one rep max type of strength. If that makes any sense.

[Doc.Sust]

60lbs in 6thgrade. now i can do between 4 to 500lbs18 years later. i guess i did pretty good.

[Weekend Warrior]

I can rember in 6th grade I did 135 I was tied for the stongest in the school lol. Well I went for 250 today and let me say not having a spotter blows. I was locked out on my left side and about a half inch off on my left. So I had to put the one side up and let the weights slide off "pretty embarasing" but there was nobody in the gym to laugh hint no spotter lol. Anyway If I hadnt done a couple of sets be4 that I could have pushed it out with no prob. So I have been lifting 10weeks now, started out at 264 benching 215 and now im 238 benching 250. Not to bad 4 10 weeks I guess. 300 here I come

[Doc.Sust]

keep up the good work! fck dumping the weight, i have done it before too. it happens. how old are you now?

[Weekend Warrior]

Thanks alot doc im 21

[Doc.Sust]

Thanks alot doc im 21

wait unitll you se how much stronger you get in the next ten years!!hahah you will hit 400lbs plus if you work hard and don't quit.

[Weekend Warrior]

Yeah man I love to lift so much. While at work all I can think about is getting into the gym its wierd. If only I could make this cardio a lil more fun lol

[Kärnfysikern]

I started at 110 when I was 15 and Im not at 315 and Im 21.