in your guys/girls opinion what do you consider to be a respectable bench press

**mass junkie** · 12-01-2003, 05:58 PM

Lets face it..... I know your not supposed to judge somebody by what they bench....but in the back of my mind......I always seem to go back to judging my progression on by what im benching..........how much weight on a bar makes you think (****).....im impressed!!!

**cb25** · 12-01-2003, 06:19 PM

I'd say anytime I see 3 plates or more (per side) impresses me. That's not to say that less isn't good...I'm just saying I'm taken aback a bit when I see 3 or more per side...

that being said...i feel like a pansy...my bench sucks ass

**HOLLYWOOD** · 12-01-2003, 06:46 PM

over 400

**bornbad71** · 12-01-2003, 07:14 PM

I would have to say it depends on the person going the bench press.....I'm more impressed with a 200lb person doing 350lbs, than a person 280lbs doing the same weight.......but regardless at my weight I would be impressed with anybody that can press 405.

We have 2 people in our gym that struggle to press equal to their own body weight......maybe a certain % over body weight would be a good way to measure how one stacks up.....say like 2x your body weight....that would be impressive.

**BigGreen** · 12-01-2003, 07:26 PM

I agree, I'm most taken aback when someone is pressing a weight that, by rough estimate of their look, appears to be twice their bodyweight or **** close (maybe 185% and up??)

**Juggernaut** · 12-01-2003, 07:31 PM

When you see a guy's nut go shooting across the room, I don't care what weight it was he was lifting, I happen to think that's impressive. hahahaha

I'm a weakling, I was never really a strong person and I happen to think my bench is the worst of my lifts. With that said, I'd say anything over 300 lbs impresses me.

**bermich** · 12-01-2003, 08:27 PM

I watch A LOT of these jar heads bench. Sure it is a lot of weight but, there back is all arched up in the air and they slam it off of their chest to get that extra bounce. To me, that is not benching. That is ****ed up form.

I look for the guys who have 350 lbs and use STRICT form. Back stays on the bench, maybe even feet held up to prevent cheating.
Slow going down, no touching the chest to prevent bounce and slow going up.
350lbs with that form 6-8 times is impressive.

**saboudian** · 12-01-2003, 08:44 PM

405 is when you seperate yourself from everyone else.

**bermich** · 12-01-2003, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by saboudian

405 is when you seperate yourself from everyone else.

LET ME GUESS: You bench 405. Right?

I figure if you bench 395 then you would say 395 seperates the rest.

**HOLLYWOOD** · 12-01-2003, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by bornbad71

I would have to say it depends on the person going the bench press.....I'm more impressed with a 200lb person doing 350lbs, than a person 280lbs doing the same weight.......but regardless at my weight I would be impressed with anybody that can press 405.

We have 2 people in our gym that struggle to press equal to their own body weight......maybe a certain % over body weight would be a good way to measure how one stacks up.....say like 2x your body weight....that would be impressive.

i agree to this too !

**Danielle** · 12-01-2003, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by bermich

I watch A LOT of these jar heads bench. Sure it is a lot of weight but, there back is all arched up in the air and they slam it off of their chest to get that extra bounce. To me, that is not benching. That is ****ed up form.

I look for the guys who have 350 lbs and use STRICT form. Back stays on the bench, maybe even feet held up to prevent cheating.
Slow going down, no touching the chest to prevent bounce and slow going up.
350lbs with that form 6-8 times is impressive.

i agree...........form is very important........i just know i see way too many people in the gym doing their sets the wrong way.....working every muscle besides the one they are suppossed to be working...........just to get thur the set so they can say they benched all this weight meanwhile they are doing it so wrong.........

**RoNNy THe BuLL** · 12-01-2003, 09:37 PM

If I see a guy do 225 for 12 reps, that's impressive.

**palme** · 12-01-2003, 09:44 PM

Good form is always a pleasure to watch. Weight dosent really mather since it´s individual.

**chicamahomico** · 12-01-2003, 10:19 PM

Hard to say. Depends on the size and build of the person, the nuber of reps and the form used. There is some FOOL at my gym who beches 4 and a half plates( ~= 460) for a few reps......here's the kicker. This guy puts a squatting shoulder pad on the olympic bar when he benches.......he bounces that much! No kudos to him, he sucks IMO!

**PurePower** · 12-01-2003, 11:06 PM

i say around 500 and it starts to get interesting........but hell i dont even like bench press anyways

**bigol'legs** · 12-01-2003, 11:12 PM

800 lbs.. now thats IMPRESSIVE!

**bermich** · 12-02-2003, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by bigol'legs

800 lbs.. now thats IMPRESSIVE!

You were watching me work out again?

**scottninpo** · 12-03-2003, 06:09 AM

impressive would be 4 plates, a lot of guys in my gym get three plates for reps, i look more to see what a guy inclines to guage his upper body strength, i'd say 365 on incline is pretty impressive

**Diesel** · 12-03-2003, 07:41 AM

I don't judge by the number of plates on the bar.

I am impressed by ratio's. If someone can put up 1.5 times their bodyweight I am impressed.

2 times is very impressive. Anything above 2X is incredible.

D

**slamd097** · 12-03-2003, 10:15 AM

impressive is seeing the guy that has no neck pound 400 lbs a couple of times, get up and still have both nuts intact, then grabs the dumb bells at the end of the rack and smash out a couple of sets on those!!

**hoss827** · 12-03-2003, 10:46 AM

155!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Dude-Man** · 12-03-2003, 03:59 PM

depends on the guy. I get a lot of glances when i do reps with 225.. given that at 168 with clothes on i don't look impressive at all. hell, even with clothes off i don't look impressive, lol.

**Gilster** · 12-03-2003, 05:08 PM

What impresses me is the one guy at my gym that "warms up" with 225 for 20-25 reps 2x before climbing up to the 450+ mark, then goes on to do inlcine with almost as much..I have spotted for him many times, and it scares the crap out of me when he gets up there in weight and goes for 10-12 reps with me spottin. If he gets hurt I got curl most of that weight . I don't think I can ever do that. I have hit 405x2 before my car accident, while on a ton of tren and other goodies, but nothing like that recently, or for a long while to come.

**mfenske** · 12-03-2003, 05:47 PM

What impresses me the most... The guy/girl who makes continual progress. I see a lot of guys lifting what I consider to be pretty impressive amounts, but they seem to stay there. I think it's cool when someone makes progressively heavier lifts. As someone on here once said "Don't ask the biggest guy in the gym for advice, ask the one who's made the most progress.". I like that. Mark

**ddoublevision** · 12-09-2003, 03:19 AM

i am impressed by somebody benching more than i can do

**temperoath** · 12-16-2003, 07:18 AM

my partner is a short, ripped 148. Benches 265, thats pretty impressive to me!

**microphobia** · 12-16-2003, 11:02 AM

The guy that comes in week in week out trying his hardest and finally gets to put on the big wheel for the first time,thats cool.
then the guy that reps 4 of those wheels 10-12 times

**Heinzanova** · 12-16-2003, 08:53 PM

I am not impressed by how much anyone benches. I am impressed by dedication and progress. I only started lifting seriously for about a year now, and when I stared I was a fat sissy who could only bench 95; but I did it with great form and control. Now I am up to 205 and still slowly climbing, constantly pushing myself. I have nothing to prove to anyone but myself, that I can come in day after day and make something of that hour-two hours of my life.

FYI I weigh in between 195-205 depending on how nice of **** I took.... My goal is to one day rack on like three plates, and get just one good rep out, no cheating, no half assing. Then I will be happy.