1.5 Bodyweight Bench

If you can improve 6% in 2 weeks it isn't an impressive achievement

I can always bench 225 lbs., at least. If you give me two or three weeks, I'd just lose fifteen pounds of fat instead of stressing to get back to benching 250 lbs.

BrashBraggart wrote:

Who here can do it? I just hit 250 weighing in at 174 so I’m at 1.44 times bodyweight.

Another 2-3 weeks and i think I can hit it.

Yeah, I bench around 1.80 times my bodyweight currently. I've done over 2 times bodyweight in past. I am not a good runner. (Prob run 21 flat ish 5K at moment).

It's interesting to me how many people on here think benching 1 or 1.5 times bodyweight is something noteworthy. It's not. Conversely, they think a 21 flat 5K for a 40 year old is rubbish. So much comes down to what a person was training for when they're in teens/early 20's. A runner background when younger developed that huge aerobic engine. They could slough off, put some lbs, resume running light miles and clean the clock of an adult onset runner putting in the mileage.

Conversely, if someone was lifting when young, took time off. When they resume they will likely reach lifting goals a runner background person could never reach.

800m runners should be able to be above average strong and above average at all distances, 200m through 3000m.

My best event is 800m

Current bench 230 @ 149 1.543 times BW. According to age graded factor it is a 298lb. Bench press for me. Haven't lost any strength- consistent 230 or so last 27 years.

Ine important factor in bench that is overlooked is the BMI factor. Sure two athletes could both be 150lbs, but one is 6 foot and the other 5'

Much easier for shorter lifter even if they have a bit more bodyfat.

I never said it was super noteworthy, but I think most everyone would agree that it's a pretty solid (and realistic) fitness benchmark for a healthy, fit male. Guess we can't all be an internet adonis like you!

Furthermore there is a massive different between benching 1 and 1.5 times your body weight.

could bench 275 for 8 reps at 160# when I was in college.

BrashBraggart wrote:

I never said it was super noteworthy, but I think most everyone would agree that it's a pretty solid (and realistic) fitness benchmark for a healthy, fit male. Guess we can't all be an internet adonis like you!

Furthermore there is a massive different between benching 1 and 1.5 times your body weight.

A 1.5 BW bench with strict form is respectable for a natural lifter with average genetics. Obviously, if you are 5’5” with T-Rex arms, it is going to be a lot easier. I have lifted 240 at 160, but I am 6’0” with a 74 inch wingspan. Forget 2.0 BW, I could never get close to 1.75.

weigh 140

bench max 1 rep 185

1.0 BW BP = 25 minute 5k

1.5 BW BP = 22 minute 5k

2.0 BW BP = 18 minute 5k

All 3 are absolutely no big deal one little bit for someone who lifts 3 or 4 times a week.

Never believe online lifting numbers. Benches are usually butt a foot off the bench or not coming close to their chest or bouncing off like a trampoline. Just saying, I've seen enough people in the gym lift and brag about it.

Squats are usually not near parallel.

Deadlifts....no one deadlifts. Cuz everyone lacks cajones.

Alan

My lifts > your 5k prs wrote:

1.0 BW BP = 25 minute 5k

1.5 BW BP = 22 minute 5k

2.0 BW BP = 18 minute 5k

All 3 are absolutely no big deal one little bit for someone who lifts 3 or 4 times a week.

Without being on the sauce, bench pressing x 2 body weight is more rare than an 18 minute 5K. 5'6" 150lbs. guys benching 300lbs., maybe those guys can race 18 minutes 5K. 225lbs. guys bench pressing 450lbs. are not racing 18 minutes 5K.

you're full of it! wrote:

My lifts > your 5k prs wrote:

1.0 BW BP = 25 minute 5k

1.5 BW BP = 22 minute 5k

2.0 BW BP = 18 minute 5k

All 3 are absolutely no big deal one little bit for someone who lifts 3 or 4 times a week.

Without being on the sauce, bench pressing x 2 body weight is more rare than an 18 minute 5K. 5'6" 150lbs. guys benching 300lbs., maybe those guys can race 18 minutes 5K. 225lbs. guys bench pressing 450lbs. are not racing 18 minutes 5K.

Never said a guy who benches 2x BW COULD run an 18 minute 5k, I am merely saying that it is the lifting equivalent. Meaning a guy who trains to lift 2x BW is training their lifts probably about as hard as an 18 minute guy is training cardio. Neither are that impressive for a young dude training for to reach their potential and everybody on the internet lies about their lifts and prs anyway.

Depending on the high school, there will be six to twelve guys on high school XC team who are racing sub-18 5K and maybe two girls on XC who are racing sub-18 5K. Are there over ten guys in a high school with 1500 students who are bench pressing x 2 their weight while in high school? I do not want to get into a potential debate. If we go into a potential debate, there are at least 50 guys in a high school with sub-18 5K potential.

When you reach your 20s, a much higher percentage of males can do 2x BW than race an 18. The only reason 2xBW seems sooooo impressive to a lot of people here is because you’re all used to being around very skinny 15 year olds hanging out on a track but trust me, once you mature out of high school sports and your body starts developing muscle, you will find yourself getting tired of the diminishing returns of competitive XC racing (slaving over knocking seconds off your times and being borderline underweight, not exactly a mentality you shjould adapt into adulthood unless you have a chance at becoming pro, the benefits are minimum) and find that you will get many more women and permanent health benefits from muscle building, you will also find that lots of guys(men, not hs boys) are capable of benching much more. Once you step out of your HS gym and enter a public gym you will find at least 3 big guys in the weight room at any given time who could bench 2xBW and although the treadmills will be a lot more of a popular attraction, you will be hard pressed to find one person who is even capable of a sub 24 minute. 5k, let alone an 18.

2x BW Bench isn't very common. I would imagine most college football players couldn't do that. That's only because they are going to be north of 200lbs. I'll look up stats on it later.

Alan

+1

In college, I took Advanced Physical Conditioning. Varsity athletes were encouraged to take that course or similar courses over the summer. Most, not all tight ends, outside linebackers, running backs, receivers, defensive ends and defensive backs could bench press x 2 their weight and with good form. Most guys on D-1 football team over 275lbs. could not bench x 2 their body weight. There are a lot of lot of guys on a D-1 football team over 275lbs. 2 x body weight bench is rare amongst general public.

I don't understand the logic of posting one's bench press max or max-to-bodyweight ratio on a running forum. Nor do I understand the logic of putting others down who may not be as strong. Just be happy with who. Lifting/Bro culture is a diseased mess of a thing, combining the heighth of narcissism with a pathological insecurity. I would posit that most people who either run really fast or bench a lot without chemical help don't post about it at all.

It sounds pretty impressive to me, my best was about 1.3x (haven't really done bench for years due to shoulder issue).

I'm in my mid-30s now so do mostly light weights and body weight exercises, feel pull-ups are the best and just did a workout of 20-13-10-8-7-7-8-8-7-8 this week (less than 20 mins total). Former sub-15 guy who can still dunk, so try to take a pretty balanced approach to fitness.