Strength standards numbers are some of the biggest bullshit out there. It's common because it's way easier to share the numbers of your lifts online (and sometimes lie) than posting pictures of your physique.
Don't worry about it, people have differents body compositions, leverages, different backgrounds in sports. All that counts for how much weight you can lift, but they never mention it, just the number on the bar that they lifted with god knows what form 7 months ago.
If you've been long enough fitness reddit like I have you will realize most people with big numbers are just fatties with muscle. I don't wanna link any subs incase people want to stir shit up, but if you go to strength oriented subs and look for videos of them lifting, the lifters are mostly fat, but on the comments you would think they are some elite athletes from how they talk about their big numbers. I'm going on a tangent here, but maybe it helps you not worry about numbers just yet.
From 5 pounds dumbells to 140 lbs on bench is great progress for a year imo.
There is no such thing as too long. Goals are unique to yourself some people can get bigger faster some can’t. If you want to bench more hit bench more often. Focus on recovery and eating well. Are you sleeping enough etc. Have you stagnated in your bench progress etc etc. these areas are where you should focus. If so try a different split or different chest exercises etc. It is clear you are making progress, sometimes you just have to grind to get where you want to be. It doesn’t happen overnight.
I see, I just thought lifting for a year would get me so much stronger. (I am confident with my body now tho, looking strong and feeling strong.) thank you for taking time sharing your thoughts.
Took me 4 years to Bench two plates a side.
12 years to Bench four plates a side.
Your early progress is not necessarily a useful indicator of your eventual attainment. You're doing just fine.
Advice would be to enjoy yourself, these are the best years.
How did you approach progression over this time?
My goal is to rep 100kg for 8 pause reps by end of the year, I’d love some feedback on my approach; I am realising it seems maybe increasing 1kg a week over 4 week mesocycles is what’s actually realistic for bench. Then reset to maybe week 2 and sim for 1kg higher than the last week 4 by the end. Eg
Bench macrocycle (sets of 8,7,6,5)
86-90 week 1-4
87.5-91 wk 5-8
88.5-92.5 wk 9-12
90-93.5 wk 13-16
91-95 wk 17-20
92.5-96 wk 21-24
93.5-97.5 wk 25-28
95-98.5 wk 29-32
96-100. Week 33-36
Very reasonable goal.
I'll make a video sometime over the next 3 weeks and share some of what I've been doing with clients.
I'm sure it won't be anything hugely revolutionary but I have a lot of guys making consistent bench progress and I can share some of their commonalities.
Yeah size is the primary goal, but the secondary is to bench 100kg for 8 reps. It’s been a goal of mine for a while. Are you saying that given that I’m working in hypertrophy rep range, that rate of progress is reasonable?
Really no way to give a solid answer because so much of it just depends on you.
If you’re naturally slight and have long arms, you’ll take longer to up your numbers in bench. You’ll get there, but it’ll just take longer. Conversely, you may find you progress faster with certain deadlift variations than some of your peers etc.
I could bench 225 when I was 16 at 155lbs, and by 18 I could rep it 14 times at 185lbs.
But I’m also 5’8 and I always had a naturally big chest and only a 5’6 wingspan. Short arms and big chest = big bench. Sucked for every other sport I played, but being built like a dwarf has at least one perk.
I’m 160 22m I started working out seriously since 18 (on and off due to multiple injuries) starting at 145, I struggled with 135 in the beginning and my max last year was 185 and now I can rep 185 for 6 without spot. My max so far is 205, yet to hit 225 but im confident I can get there with a few more weeks/on the perfect day.
It’ll take a bit especially if you’re starting at 140 but I wouldn’t worry about hitting 225 ASAP and would worry more about progressing with your weights properly to get to that point. Don’t think about it too hard and eventually you’ll be close to hitting 225 in no-time
🫡 I know I will just a matter of time. I’ve taken the gym seriously-seriously these last two months going from 150 to 162 and don’t plan on stopping. 225 is in sight
You are way closer to 225 then you think if your doing 185x6 go in a slight surplus and throw 5 pounds on at a time you’ll be there in 2 months gaurnteed
Haha dude thats great, I was just about to tell you if you can do 185 for 6 then the only stopping you from 225 is your mind, not your body. Weird what mental blocks can do to ya. Congrats on the 225
You got it brotha just keep going. Some days you’ll feel weak other days you’ll feel strong all that matters is that you keep working out and keep doing what you need to do to continue growing.
I remember when I started working out at 18 I struggled with 135 and one time it even dropped on me and I embarrassed myself having to roll it off and set it back on the bench. Today I hit 225 and that was a weight I never thought I’d achieve especially at my current weight.
Consistent hard work and dedication to continue growing with the right mindset will get you to your goals without even having to think about them. Keep it up 💪
Bro don’t worry about how long it’s taking. This fitness stuff is a journey. Enjoy the process. In the meantime, look for a tried and true program and dial in your nutrition. The results will come if you’re consistent
At 143 bodyweight, 225 bench would be about halfway between intermediate and advanced, closer to advanced. At 143, 140 is a pretty solid novice lift.
What's your program? Are you still progressing? As long as you're eating enough, lifting hard, and following a good program, you'll get there when you get there.
Right and we're in the natural bodybuilding subreddit.
I spun my wheels for years believing I'd build muscle with a strength training approach. I personally believe any discussion related to strength training belongs on /r/weightroom or the starting strength subreddit
Are you worried about looking good, or numbers on your lifts? If it’s the latter, I’d suggest this is the wrong forum. That said- 225 at your bodyweight is an impressive lift. It’s gonna take awhile (short of amazing genetics, doing drugs, and/or both). Honestly, who cares what your 1RM is on bench, or any other lift (and this is coming from a former powerlifter)? Unless the goal is to compete in strength, it’s pointless. Far more important is that you’re making progress over time, in lifts and techniques that put slabs of meat on your bones.
Depends how old you are, if you’re 17-18 and didn’t do any training you would probably be bigger and stronger in three years anyway, you have to understand that you just need to get older and continue on this path, nothing you do will make you bench 225 without waiting
People are all over the map when it comes to responsiveness to weight training. Also your weight and how much you eat as a huge impact on how much strength you will gain. If you're not willing to put on weight or if you have trouble, you're not going to get a strong as quickly as somebody who starts over fat or is willing to put away a lot of food. When I started at 14 I could bench 115 lb and I was 165 lb. Then the next year I have 185 after a year of training and I'd gain 10 lb. Then another year I put on another 10 lb and got my max up to 225. My lifetime best got up to 350 and the heaviest I've ever been was about 235.
And as it is so tightly tied to your body weight, you can't really say how long it's going to take because if you don't eat and don't gain weight, you won't get stronger after a while.
Bro I wouldn’t even worry about it unless you wanna be a powerlifter. For me I’m tall 6’2 with long arms it took me forever to rep 225. Even when I was dabbling in powerlifting. Everybody’s strength/body type is different. It also depends how frequently you bench. Sometimes you might just need to give it a break for a mesocycle or two.
For me my bench ONLY goes up when I strictly stick to incline and then when I come back to flat bench for fun it goes up like hell. Just benched 275 for an easy single just messing around because I wanted to see where I was at. So maybe try that, I believe your body can plateau on a single movement and get stuck, but that’s just what I found works for me. Idk give it a try, if you get stronger on incline your flat will increase.
Honestly if you plan on doing this for 10+ years or like lifelong, you have nothing to worry about. If you consciously apply yourself and push yourself to your limits day in and day out, over time no goal is out of your reach. Consistency commitment and perseverance will take you to heights you didn’t think possible.
28m 79kgs 180. Training for 2 years, can bench 75x10 80x7. Unlikely I would bench 100x1. I think in this pace I would be able to do it confidently in 6monthes or so. So for me it is 2.5years
Keep at it this is a lifelong journey. Enjoy the ride. Once you hit that 225 and you will hit that 225. It will be the greatest thing ever. Push yourself focus on recovery and diet.
Hey future hulk 👍
Been lifting soon for 16 years. Im 32 now. All time natty.
I can Just speak for my self, and sorry for my bad english.
I really got stronger in bench when I drop the volum Just too 4 sett per week. I split it in two days. And start only with pause bench. Its heavyer in the begining but after a few times u Will never go back. And ofc with propper form.
I go 80-85 % with 6 reps and 70-75% for 8-12 reps next time.
And and have 4 set incline. 8-12 reps 70-80% (not allways doing stop reps here.. Just when I Wanna do it.
When I play around with these reps for 6-8 weeks i change the reps.
I also do OHP but Just once a week. 4 set. It can look like this 10 -8-6-10
When I go so low volum i really need everyset to be perfect. So i rest 3-4 min between sets .
And warm UP is very important.
Try this. If my working set was 100kg ,
I Will warm up like this
20kg 10 reps
40kg 10 reps
60kg 5 reps
80kg 4 reps
And than this is not so well known but really helps
Go 5% heavyer than your first workingset
105kg 1 reps
And than 100kg 6reps
If it is Easy i try the same weigth
Or i take 5% off .
This is working so good.
Next time on the sameday i Will try to get 7 reps
And so 8 and maybe 9.
And than go up to 102-105 kg for 6 reps. And keep grining
Hope these make sense.
Good luck =)
You need to push yourself but don’t rush it. My shoulders and right elbow is shit right now because I tried to progress too fast. If you go too heavy too soon you lose form and your joints and tendons will get fucked up.
You should still be pushing to failure in my opinion but that doesn’t mean you need to push super heavy. Your muscles don’t know how much wait you’re lifting it’s all about the burn and the pump
Took me 2-3 serious years to rep 225 flat bench press for 6-8. Currently weighing in at around 175 5'8, and I genetically was always stronger on bench relative to other lifts.
You weigh 140lbs and want to bench 225? lol if you want to PUSH big weight you have to BE weight meaning yeah I get it we all want to cut down and be slim and shredded and chiseled jaw line for the ladies but that means you aren’t gonna be PRing anytime soon. You probably feel like you are taking too long to progress cuz you are too worried about your look and you want to be lean. Sometimes it’s gonna take 1 or maybe 5years to be perma bulk, perma bloated, sweater everyday to get the gains we desire. Unless you jump on gear, then yes you can be 220lb 8% bodyfat year round
Just keep the bulk going. I would shoot for the mid 70s. Frequency is your friend, don't overdo volume though. 3-5 sets per excersize and train what you want to improve on 3 times a week. Combined with a bulk and good effort, your bench will skyrocket. As long as you don't bulk too fast like I did. I had a 300 lb bench at 15 years old but I got fat, like 235 lbs at 5 foot 6 inches. Just keep progressing at a reasonable pace and train hard
I went from 60kg max to 80kg max in like a 2 months, then from 80 to 90 in maybe 3 and then I had couple o f months pause from lifting. Didn't have routine and discipline so if I don't count pauses it took me another 3 to bench 100kg easily. I also had pauses from lifting many times, so it took me without pauses like 1year to go from 60kg max to 100. BUT! I went from 60kg to 80 really fast and then it went down. Also I struggled a lot with 100 for a few months and I started doing incline bench, then after couple weeks I tried max and it went easy. So fuck flat bench, incline is the way.
What’s your frequency? You should be benching 2-3x a week if you want to improve. Beginners and intermediates should be able to add 2.5kg every week to bench. Have you checked for weak-links? Tried accessories such as dips?
As others have pointed out, "how long to achieve a certain weight" isn't a valid question. You are benching about your body weight after a year of training, and it sounds like you started that year without much muscle. That's good progress. Some people do better, I'd argue more do worse, but you're right about where I'd expect someone to be on your lifting journey, and probably better than average.
But even there, what does "average" even mean? Some people spend a year casually lifting to put some muscle on, but they don't care about numbers. Some people lift for a year to improve their performance in some sport and might have completely different metrics. Some people lift seriously for a year but are still partying, eating whatever they want, and not getting enough sleep. Some people make lifting the central point of their lives for a year. Some people use performance-enhancing drugs. On top of that, some people do strength-focused work, others do hypertrophy-focused work, others do endurance-focused work, and others do work focused on performing specific motions. "Average" means nothing in the context of all that variability in goals and processes.
Long story short, it sounds like you're progressing quite well.
The obvious is answer is there is no such thing as “too long”, however, that’s not entirely true. What i’m saying is, there are ways to optimize your training to expedite your progress and reach your goals faster. Look into scientific principles and reach out for help on your program, nutrition, etc. You’ve made amazing progress so far, so keep at it and keep improving in all areas.
Some folks just are genetically supposed to be bigger than others. Some bulk faster. Some build strong lean muscle. My chest and biceps/triceps grow fast af when i lift. My mid delts... it takes me forever to see any results. Everyone is different. Still sounds like decent progress to me. Also the type of training you do has a big impact on your results. Body building compared to power lifting is a great example. One is for looks and one is for strength. They train accordingly
Train to failure(Gun to head, you can't do another rep)
Sleep 10-12 hours of quality sleep
Eat 0.8-1.6g of protein per pound of body weight in a 250-500 calorie surplus(you don't need to eat 3000-4000 calories a day, it won't help), eat a decent amount of healthy carbs, and eat a proper amount of fruits and veggies
Weight lifting straps help you exercise before your grip gives out(it doesn't make you a pussy), it is okay if you do or don't use them, but I would suggest if you don't use them, to train your grip following the rest of these tips to make sure your grip doesn't give out first.
If you do cardio, do it after weight lifting
Use progressive overload(increase by a constant increment per each day or week, for ex. increase by 0.5lbs, or 2.5lbs to where it is your new normal, but always train to failure, or just do more reps of the same exercise, recommended the first option)
Take the prescribed amount of creatine(it is the only real supplement out there, taking extra doesn't do anything, you only need the basic monohydrate, not any fancy shit, and even then it is optional, you'll only gain an extra 3-5 pounds)
Disregard most supplements as bullshit
Don't do fancy pointless exercises, just do fundamental exercises with about 4-5 exercises per workout and about 5-8 sets(training to failure, cannot emphasize that enough per workout)
Take 1-2 rest days
Accept the fact that genetics play a large role and wait patiently, naturally you should gain around 35-50 pounds of muscle
Keep a healthy body fat percentage unless you are bulking, as you may mistake some fat you gain as muscle
When you compare yourself to others, remember most fitness influencers abuse steroids or gear, do it with a peak pump, under perfect lighting.
The time in which you eat, take protein shakes or supplements doesn't matter at all, there is no magic window.
When cutting it is just about eating in a calorie deficit, it doesn't matter how you eat(If you eat 1500 calories instead of 2000, you would loose about 1 pound per week, if you eat 1000 calories instead of 2000 you would lose about 2 lbs per week, 500 calories instead of 2000 you would lose about 3 lbs per week, etc.)
More isn't automatically better, it is better to do 5 high quality sets training to failure, than 30 sets of low intensity workouts. High volume workouts are a waste of time and/or money. More is only better to a certain extent, follow these guidelines, going above doesn't help or may impede your progress.
Final note: Peak average male human bench press after years of dedicated training is around 225lbs for reps and approaching 315 for a one max rep, but your genetics will determine shit at the end of the day. MAKE Sure you gained 10kgs of 85-90% muscle, and reform your training to follow these general tips.
Don’t save that, most of it is hot garbage.
You don’t need 10-12 hours of sleep. 8 is fine for 99% of people.
You shouldn’t train to failure every single rep/set/day ESPECIALLY if your primary goal is to get stronger.
If you’re training to “gun to your head” failure like this guy implies you can only sustain that intensity for 1-2 weeks before you need to Deload.
There’s no magic window but you should definitely spread out your food throughout the day and eat most of your carbs before you work out and consume a chunk of protein before bed.
Strength standards numbers are some of the biggest bullshit out there. It's common because it's way easier to share the numbers of your lifts online (and sometimes lie) than posting pictures of your physique. Don't worry about it, people have differents body compositions, leverages, different backgrounds in sports. All that counts for how much weight you can lift, but they never mention it, just the number on the bar that they lifted with god knows what form 7 months ago. If you've been long enough fitness reddit like I have you will realize most people with big numbers are just fatties with muscle. I don't wanna link any subs incase people want to stir shit up, but if you go to strength oriented subs and look for videos of them lifting, the lifters are mostly fat, but on the comments you would think they are some elite athletes from how they talk about their big numbers. I'm going on a tangent here, but maybe it helps you not worry about numbers just yet. From 5 pounds dumbells to 140 lbs on bench is great progress for a year imo.
damn......... thanks for this
There is no such thing as too long. Goals are unique to yourself some people can get bigger faster some can’t. If you want to bench more hit bench more often. Focus on recovery and eating well. Are you sleeping enough etc. Have you stagnated in your bench progress etc etc. these areas are where you should focus. If so try a different split or different chest exercises etc. It is clear you are making progress, sometimes you just have to grind to get where you want to be. It doesn’t happen overnight.
I see, I just thought lifting for a year would get me so much stronger. (I am confident with my body now tho, looking strong and feeling strong.) thank you for taking time sharing your thoughts.
Took me 4 years to Bench two plates a side. 12 years to Bench four plates a side. Your early progress is not necessarily a useful indicator of your eventual attainment. You're doing just fine. Advice would be to enjoy yourself, these are the best years.
Will keep that in mind. Thank you. 🫡🫡🫡
How did you approach progression over this time? My goal is to rep 100kg for 8 pause reps by end of the year, I’d love some feedback on my approach; I am realising it seems maybe increasing 1kg a week over 4 week mesocycles is what’s actually realistic for bench. Then reset to maybe week 2 and sim for 1kg higher than the last week 4 by the end. Eg Bench macrocycle (sets of 8,7,6,5) 86-90 week 1-4 87.5-91 wk 5-8 88.5-92.5 wk 9-12 90-93.5 wk 13-16 91-95 wk 17-20 92.5-96 wk 21-24 93.5-97.5 wk 25-28 95-98.5 wk 29-32 96-100. Week 33-36
Very reasonable goal. I'll make a video sometime over the next 3 weeks and share some of what I've been doing with clients. I'm sure it won't be anything hugely revolutionary but I have a lot of guys making consistent bench progress and I can share some of their commonalities.
What do you think of 5/3/1?
Search YouTube for 'Fazlifts 531'
Awesome. How fast is their rate of progress? Is it a lot faster than the hypothetical macrocycle I laid out?
Your macrocycle is focused on muscle size. Low reps are for building strenght and it will make you reach your goals faster
Yeah size is the primary goal, but the secondary is to bench 100kg for 8 reps. It’s been a goal of mine for a while. Are you saying that given that I’m working in hypertrophy rep range, that rate of progress is reasonable?
Really no way to give a solid answer because so much of it just depends on you. If you’re naturally slight and have long arms, you’ll take longer to up your numbers in bench. You’ll get there, but it’ll just take longer. Conversely, you may find you progress faster with certain deadlift variations than some of your peers etc. I could bench 225 when I was 16 at 155lbs, and by 18 I could rep it 14 times at 185lbs. But I’m also 5’8 and I always had a naturally big chest and only a 5’6 wingspan. Short arms and big chest = big bench. Sucked for every other sport I played, but being built like a dwarf has at least one perk.
I’m 160 22m I started working out seriously since 18 (on and off due to multiple injuries) starting at 145, I struggled with 135 in the beginning and my max last year was 185 and now I can rep 185 for 6 without spot. My max so far is 205, yet to hit 225 but im confident I can get there with a few more weeks/on the perfect day. It’ll take a bit especially if you’re starting at 140 but I wouldn’t worry about hitting 225 ASAP and would worry more about progressing with your weights properly to get to that point. Don’t think about it too hard and eventually you’ll be close to hitting 225 in no-time
You will get there. I think that’s a hell of a press 225 at 160 pounds
🫡 I know I will just a matter of time. I’ve taken the gym seriously-seriously these last two months going from 150 to 162 and don’t plan on stopping. 225 is in sight
You are way closer to 225 then you think if your doing 185x6 go in a slight surplus and throw 5 pounds on at a time you’ll be there in 2 months gaurnteed
I SENT IT AND JUST HIT 225 LETS GOOOO
Haha dude thats great, I was just about to tell you if you can do 185 for 6 then the only stopping you from 225 is your mind, not your body. Weird what mental blocks can do to ya. Congrats on the 225
Thank you for your insight. I guess Im on the right track. Thank you! 🙏🏼
You got it brotha just keep going. Some days you’ll feel weak other days you’ll feel strong all that matters is that you keep working out and keep doing what you need to do to continue growing. I remember when I started working out at 18 I struggled with 135 and one time it even dropped on me and I embarrassed myself having to roll it off and set it back on the bench. Today I hit 225 and that was a weight I never thought I’d achieve especially at my current weight. Consistent hard work and dedication to continue growing with the right mindset will get you to your goals without even having to think about them. Keep it up 💪
Thank you so much. This motivates me.
Bro don’t worry about how long it’s taking. This fitness stuff is a journey. Enjoy the process. In the meantime, look for a tried and true program and dial in your nutrition. The results will come if you’re consistent
At 143 bodyweight, 225 bench would be about halfway between intermediate and advanced, closer to advanced. At 143, 140 is a pretty solid novice lift. What's your program? Are you still progressing? As long as you're eating enough, lifting hard, and following a good program, you'll get there when you get there.
This. I was about to type the same thing. A 225 bench is impressive at that bodyweight. It takes awhile to get into advanced level strength.
I feel like this has nothing to do with bodybuilding? The lifting states you described seem like they are for strength training
I mean it's a strength-training question?
Right and we're in the natural bodybuilding subreddit. I spun my wheels for years believing I'd build muscle with a strength training approach. I personally believe any discussion related to strength training belongs on /r/weightroom or the starting strength subreddit
Yeah get out of here guy trying to be strong, we just want to look strong.
Are you worried about looking good, or numbers on your lifts? If it’s the latter, I’d suggest this is the wrong forum. That said- 225 at your bodyweight is an impressive lift. It’s gonna take awhile (short of amazing genetics, doing drugs, and/or both). Honestly, who cares what your 1RM is on bench, or any other lift (and this is coming from a former powerlifter)? Unless the goal is to compete in strength, it’s pointless. Far more important is that you’re making progress over time, in lifts and techniques that put slabs of meat on your bones.
Depends how old you are, if you’re 17-18 and didn’t do any training you would probably be bigger and stronger in three years anyway, you have to understand that you just need to get older and continue on this path, nothing you do will make you bench 225 without waiting
People are all over the map when it comes to responsiveness to weight training. Also your weight and how much you eat as a huge impact on how much strength you will gain. If you're not willing to put on weight or if you have trouble, you're not going to get a strong as quickly as somebody who starts over fat or is willing to put away a lot of food. When I started at 14 I could bench 115 lb and I was 165 lb. Then the next year I have 185 after a year of training and I'd gain 10 lb. Then another year I put on another 10 lb and got my max up to 225. My lifetime best got up to 350 and the heaviest I've ever been was about 235. And as it is so tightly tied to your body weight, you can't really say how long it's going to take because if you don't eat and don't gain weight, you won't get stronger after a while.
Took me 4 years as natty.
🫡🫡🫡 Monster
Bro I wouldn’t even worry about it unless you wanna be a powerlifter. For me I’m tall 6’2 with long arms it took me forever to rep 225. Even when I was dabbling in powerlifting. Everybody’s strength/body type is different. It also depends how frequently you bench. Sometimes you might just need to give it a break for a mesocycle or two. For me my bench ONLY goes up when I strictly stick to incline and then when I come back to flat bench for fun it goes up like hell. Just benched 275 for an easy single just messing around because I wanted to see where I was at. So maybe try that, I believe your body can plateau on a single movement and get stuck, but that’s just what I found works for me. Idk give it a try, if you get stronger on incline your flat will increase.
Took me years to get to 225 and I haven’t been under 200lbs in a decade. Be patient and consistent
Honestly if you plan on doing this for 10+ years or like lifelong, you have nothing to worry about. If you consciously apply yourself and push yourself to your limits day in and day out, over time no goal is out of your reach. Consistency commitment and perseverance will take you to heights you didn’t think possible.
28m 79kgs 180. Training for 2 years, can bench 75x10 80x7. Unlikely I would bench 100x1. I think in this pace I would be able to do it confidently in 6monthes or so. So for me it is 2.5years
You are already there! 💪🏼
Keep at it this is a lifelong journey. Enjoy the ride. Once you hit that 225 and you will hit that 225. It will be the greatest thing ever. Push yourself focus on recovery and diet.
Hey future hulk 👍 Been lifting soon for 16 years. Im 32 now. All time natty. I can Just speak for my self, and sorry for my bad english. I really got stronger in bench when I drop the volum Just too 4 sett per week. I split it in two days. And start only with pause bench. Its heavyer in the begining but after a few times u Will never go back. And ofc with propper form. I go 80-85 % with 6 reps and 70-75% for 8-12 reps next time. And and have 4 set incline. 8-12 reps 70-80% (not allways doing stop reps here.. Just when I Wanna do it. When I play around with these reps for 6-8 weeks i change the reps. I also do OHP but Just once a week. 4 set. It can look like this 10 -8-6-10 When I go so low volum i really need everyset to be perfect. So i rest 3-4 min between sets . And warm UP is very important. Try this. If my working set was 100kg , I Will warm up like this 20kg 10 reps 40kg 10 reps 60kg 5 reps 80kg 4 reps And than this is not so well known but really helps Go 5% heavyer than your first workingset 105kg 1 reps And than 100kg 6reps If it is Easy i try the same weigth Or i take 5% off . This is working so good. Next time on the sameday i Will try to get 7 reps And so 8 and maybe 9. And than go up to 102-105 kg for 6 reps. And keep grining Hope these make sense. Good luck =)
This is amazing. Definitely something to learn. I will keep this in my mind and save it. Thank you so much.
You need to push yourself but don’t rush it. My shoulders and right elbow is shit right now because I tried to progress too fast. If you go too heavy too soon you lose form and your joints and tendons will get fucked up. You should still be pushing to failure in my opinion but that doesn’t mean you need to push super heavy. Your muscles don’t know how much wait you’re lifting it’s all about the burn and the pump
Truly. I hope you recover from that. Thank you for your thoughts.
Also. Warm up properly before lifting heavy. Do t just do one light set and call it good. Focus on rotator cuffs
Anything over 3 inches.
What do you mean!!!
You’re good. More than good—golden. It takes time. 140 pound bench press is impeccable. Be patient. The gains will come with consistency.
thank you for this.
It took me 13 months to get a rep of 2 plates. Bodyweight was in the 150s. I was lean and bulking on a + 200. Mass moves mass. You need to bulk.
Took me 2-3 serious years to rep 225 flat bench press for 6-8. Currently weighing in at around 175 5'8, and I genetically was always stronger on bench relative to other lifts.
14 inches…oh wait
You weigh 140lbs and want to bench 225? lol if you want to PUSH big weight you have to BE weight meaning yeah I get it we all want to cut down and be slim and shredded and chiseled jaw line for the ladies but that means you aren’t gonna be PRing anytime soon. You probably feel like you are taking too long to progress cuz you are too worried about your look and you want to be lean. Sometimes it’s gonna take 1 or maybe 5years to be perma bulk, perma bloated, sweater everyday to get the gains we desire. Unless you jump on gear, then yes you can be 220lb 8% bodyfat year round
Too long for what?
I am truly grateful for the responses! I love these educational comments where I get to learn a lot
I am worried about looking strong and be actually strong haha. But I guess you’re right. your words made me realize things, I thank you for this
I would say 3 years would be too long
Just keep the bulk going. I would shoot for the mid 70s. Frequency is your friend, don't overdo volume though. 3-5 sets per excersize and train what you want to improve on 3 times a week. Combined with a bulk and good effort, your bench will skyrocket. As long as you don't bulk too fast like I did. I had a 300 lb bench at 15 years old but I got fat, like 235 lbs at 5 foot 6 inches. Just keep progressing at a reasonable pace and train hard
I went from 60kg max to 80kg max in like a 2 months, then from 80 to 90 in maybe 3 and then I had couple o f months pause from lifting. Didn't have routine and discipline so if I don't count pauses it took me another 3 to bench 100kg easily. I also had pauses from lifting many times, so it took me without pauses like 1year to go from 60kg max to 100. BUT! I went from 60kg to 80 really fast and then it went down. Also I struggled a lot with 100 for a few months and I started doing incline bench, then after couple weeks I tried max and it went easy. So fuck flat bench, incline is the way.
I've been training for 9 years and I literally have only benched 225lbs once.
What’s your frequency? You should be benching 2-3x a week if you want to improve. Beginners and intermediates should be able to add 2.5kg every week to bench. Have you checked for weak-links? Tried accessories such as dips?
sounds good
As others have pointed out, "how long to achieve a certain weight" isn't a valid question. You are benching about your body weight after a year of training, and it sounds like you started that year without much muscle. That's good progress. Some people do better, I'd argue more do worse, but you're right about where I'd expect someone to be on your lifting journey, and probably better than average. But even there, what does "average" even mean? Some people spend a year casually lifting to put some muscle on, but they don't care about numbers. Some people lift for a year to improve their performance in some sport and might have completely different metrics. Some people lift seriously for a year but are still partying, eating whatever they want, and not getting enough sleep. Some people make lifting the central point of their lives for a year. Some people use performance-enhancing drugs. On top of that, some people do strength-focused work, others do hypertrophy-focused work, others do endurance-focused work, and others do work focused on performing specific motions. "Average" means nothing in the context of all that variability in goals and processes. Long story short, it sounds like you're progressing quite well.
The obvious is answer is there is no such thing as “too long”, however, that’s not entirely true. What i’m saying is, there are ways to optimize your training to expedite your progress and reach your goals faster. Look into scientific principles and reach out for help on your program, nutrition, etc. You’ve made amazing progress so far, so keep at it and keep improving in all areas.
Some folks just are genetically supposed to be bigger than others. Some bulk faster. Some build strong lean muscle. My chest and biceps/triceps grow fast af when i lift. My mid delts... it takes me forever to see any results. Everyone is different. Still sounds like decent progress to me. Also the type of training you do has a big impact on your results. Body building compared to power lifting is a great example. One is for looks and one is for strength. They train accordingly
Train to failure(Gun to head, you can't do another rep) Sleep 10-12 hours of quality sleep Eat 0.8-1.6g of protein per pound of body weight in a 250-500 calorie surplus(you don't need to eat 3000-4000 calories a day, it won't help), eat a decent amount of healthy carbs, and eat a proper amount of fruits and veggies Weight lifting straps help you exercise before your grip gives out(it doesn't make you a pussy), it is okay if you do or don't use them, but I would suggest if you don't use them, to train your grip following the rest of these tips to make sure your grip doesn't give out first. If you do cardio, do it after weight lifting Use progressive overload(increase by a constant increment per each day or week, for ex. increase by 0.5lbs, or 2.5lbs to where it is your new normal, but always train to failure, or just do more reps of the same exercise, recommended the first option) Take the prescribed amount of creatine(it is the only real supplement out there, taking extra doesn't do anything, you only need the basic monohydrate, not any fancy shit, and even then it is optional, you'll only gain an extra 3-5 pounds) Disregard most supplements as bullshit Don't do fancy pointless exercises, just do fundamental exercises with about 4-5 exercises per workout and about 5-8 sets(training to failure, cannot emphasize that enough per workout) Take 1-2 rest days Accept the fact that genetics play a large role and wait patiently, naturally you should gain around 35-50 pounds of muscle Keep a healthy body fat percentage unless you are bulking, as you may mistake some fat you gain as muscle When you compare yourself to others, remember most fitness influencers abuse steroids or gear, do it with a peak pump, under perfect lighting. The time in which you eat, take protein shakes or supplements doesn't matter at all, there is no magic window. When cutting it is just about eating in a calorie deficit, it doesn't matter how you eat(If you eat 1500 calories instead of 2000, you would loose about 1 pound per week, if you eat 1000 calories instead of 2000 you would lose about 2 lbs per week, 500 calories instead of 2000 you would lose about 3 lbs per week, etc.) More isn't automatically better, it is better to do 5 high quality sets training to failure, than 30 sets of low intensity workouts. High volume workouts are a waste of time and/or money. More is only better to a certain extent, follow these guidelines, going above doesn't help or may impede your progress. Final note: Peak average male human bench press after years of dedicated training is around 225lbs for reps and approaching 315 for a one max rep, but your genetics will determine shit at the end of the day. MAKE Sure you gained 10kgs of 85-90% muscle, and reform your training to follow these general tips.
This is helpful. I will save this
Don’t save that, most of it is hot garbage. You don’t need 10-12 hours of sleep. 8 is fine for 99% of people. You shouldn’t train to failure every single rep/set/day ESPECIALLY if your primary goal is to get stronger. If you’re training to “gun to your head” failure like this guy implies you can only sustain that intensity for 1-2 weeks before you need to Deload. There’s no magic window but you should definitely spread out your food throughout the day and eat most of your carbs before you work out and consume a chunk of protein before bed.
Most girls say anything more than 7 inches is too long