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Bench Press Max

Started by HogimusMaximus, October 06, 2015, 02:11:07 pm

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Ragnar Hogbrok

Next time I have a shoulder injury I'll just point my orthopedic surgeon to your post for guidance, Benny.
"Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." ― H.L. Mencken

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3b.  Act like you're relieved you're wrong and celebrate with everyone else.

clutch

I've used this method, and it's helped me a lot. I've had 2 rotator cuff surgeries on my right shoulder and have a bone spur pressing against my rotator cuff on my left shoulder. So needless to say, I have shoulder problems. Using this method, it hasn't aggravated my shoulders at all.

https://www.t-nation.com/training/bench-press-grip-the-magic-number

 

bennyl08

Quote from: clutch on November 10, 2017, 08:17:17 am
I've used this method, and it's helped me a lot. I've had 2 rotator cuff surgeries on my right shoulder and have a bone spur pressing against my rotator cuff on my left shoulder. So needless to say, I have shoulder problems. Using this method, it hasn't aggravated my shoulders at all.

https://www.t-nation.com/training/bench-press-grip-the-magic-number

I'd caution against everybody using exactly the 1.5 factor, but yeah, that's basically what I was describing. The wide grip puts more strain on our shoulder, a fully tucked puts more strain on your triceps, so  you want somewhere around that 30-40 degree angle out from your body for your angles which is right around where your link describes.

If your doctor says your shoulders are too far gone to do such an exercise, by all means, go with your doctor. However, if your shoulders are healthy enough, using proper form you will not risk further injury.
Quote from: PorkSoda on May 05, 2016, 09:24:05 pm
damn I thought it was only a color, didn't realize it was named after a liqueur. leave it to benny to make me research the history of chartreuse

JoeyGym65

All time max was 345 at 220lbs.

beachhawg

50 years old and hit 345, 225 23 reps
Work those triceps and helps push the weight
Dont see this lasting long though, gonna have to increase cardio to get ready for beach season in next two or three weeks.  With that happening the weight will fall off me and my lifts

jkstock04

Quote from: jacketsting on October 06, 2017, 01:41:45 pm
I had just started getting into heavy bench the last couple years and I think that is the reason I have issues because of my age.  I did hit 350 back in the summer of 2015 then I would change my eating habits and drop 15 to 20 lbs and lift moderately to let my shoulders and tendonitis heal a bit.  I got back into heavy bench last summer after a long break and ended up doing 365 at a body weight of 210 which was 5 lbs lighter then when I benched 350.  I also started experimenting with the keto diet earlier this year and dropped back down to 195 and felt awesome with the way my energy levels would be constant with the high fat intake.  I then got back to carb loading and lifting heavy this spring and within 3 months I could bench 380 at a body weight of 207.5 which is lighter then when I benched 365.  I have come to a conclusion that every time I hit a new bench press personal record I could diet down for a few months and comeback stronger each time at a lower body weight and I am considering starting heavy again early next year to see if I can hit 400 at a lower body weight then 207.5 and believe me I do not take any anabolic steroids lol.
Interesting stuff. So basically sounds like body weight cycles when hitting a peak or personal record seem to push you to a new level. I've never heard of anything like this but sounds pretty cool.
Thanks for the F Shack. 

Love,

Dirty Mike and the Boys

Randy Beaver

I do not bench press.  All body weight exercises.  However, I can pass the Presidential Physical Fitness Test at my age.  Saw neighborhood elementary school doing it.  Thought I would take on the challenge too

#1 STUNNA

Im 5'7 150..lbs and best so far is 205... My baby brother is 5'9 205 and benching 465... was a national champ powerlifter in high school.

HognotinMemphis

Quote from: Grag T on October 08, 2015, 11:44:03 am
405 for one rep max at bodyweight of 202.

225 for 36 reps at bodyweight of 225. 

Bench has always come pretty easy for me which is ironic because I have pretty long arms.
bench or any other lift for that matter, does not mean much without knowing the lifter's body weight. My sophomore year of college, I lifted in the spring semester with two close friends who were on the Razorbacks. The assistant strength coach then, Gorge Williford, let me work out with them. Anyway, I got a max of 285 on 1 rep of bench and 235 on 1 rep of power clean. I weighed 165 at that time. George told me I had the best power clean form he had seen.

Reading above posts, I did not know that lifts like bench press were bad for shoulders. Tennis starting in my late 20's, not quite 30 years ago, has ruined both of my shoulders...I serve right and hit ground strokes left. Surgery on my right shoulder back in 2005 and left shoulder has had bursitis a couple of times along with general soreness and weakness.
I don't want you to agree with me because you're weak. I want you to agree with me because you know I'm right.
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DLUXHOG

Quote from: HoginMemphis on May 21, 2018, 09:10:10 am
bench or any other lift for that matter, does not mean much without knowing the lifter's body weight. My sophomore year of college, I lifted in the spring semester with two close friends who were on the Razorbacks. The assistant strength coach then, Gorge Williford, let me work out with them. Anyway, I got a max of 285 on 1 rep of bench and 235 on 1 rep of power clean. I weighed 165 at that time. George told me I had the best power clean form he had seen.

Reading above posts, I did not know that lifts like bench press were bad for shoulders. Tennis starting in my late 20's, not quite 30 years ago, has ruined both of my shoulders...I serve right and hit ground strokes left. Surgery on my right shoulder back in 2005 and left shoulder has had bursitis a couple of times along with general soreness and weakness.

Lesson:  don't overdo lifting as I also torched both of my shoulders, successfully lifting at least 3x my body weight.    The eternal and continued pain you have to endure for the phony bragging rights isn't worth it....   the pain from torching your rotator cuffs is indescribable....
"Don't go in anyplace you'd be ashamed to die in..."
(you might get this someday)

clutch

Quote from: DLUXHOG on May 22, 2018, 12:30:31 pm
Lesson:  don't overdo lifting as I also torched both of my shoulders, successfully lifting at least 3x my body weight.    The eternal and continued pain you have to endure for the phony bragging rights isn't worth it....   the pain from torching your rotator cuffs is indescribable....

I reached my goal of twice my body weight and immediately backed off. I can't imagine pushing it to 3X body weight. I have no reason for a strong bench press anymore. So I stick to the moderate weight and just focus on having a well developed chest. I'm just trying to look good naked.

Hogberry Snortcake


After my 40th b-day, I had to (com)promise my wife I'd never put more than 3 plates on a side again.  Ever; including squats and deads.  Seems to work out.  Not heavy enough to hurt anything but enough to do some work.  So never break 315 on anything anymore.  But it's good to know I could.   

Silver Hog

215 at 195.  Want to hit 225 by age 50 - I have a few weeks to go. I figured out the past six months that weighted dips and military press both helped my bench (triceps and shoulders I guess).  I tried 225 over a year ago, and psyched myself out of it so bad I haven't tried since.  But I have to! 215 went up pretty easy so I am hoping I have the confidence to push 225 once.

And then a year from now I will laugh as i push 250 or more... i hope!

 

hawgrunner

I'm 50 but only doing 175.  8)

Silver Hog

I got 225 a week before my 50th!  I did it twice to make sure the first one wasn't an accident. I am tickled pink and excited about the future.

I ain't skeered of 2 plates any longer. So mad I wasted all those years benching completely wrong, but glad I still managed this before it was too late!

H2OHog

Quote from: Randy Beaver on January 10, 2018, 01:28:07 pm
I do not bench press.  All body weight exercises.  However, I can pass the Presidential Physical Fitness Test at my age.  Saw neighborhood elementary school doing it.  Thought I would take on the challenge too

You hang out at the neighborhood elementary school watching kids?   Creep.

twistitup

Quote from: DLUXHOG on May 22, 2018, 12:30:31 pm
Lesson:  don't overdo lifting as I also torched both of my shoulders, successfully lifting at least 3x my body weight.    The eternal and continued pain you have to endure for the phony bragging rights isn't worth it....   the pain from torching your rotator cuffs is indescribable....

This is true and the rehab after shoulder surgery is 6 mnths - 1 year to be back in full. I decided getting my shoulder worked on wasn't worth it 'yet' but my rotor cuffs make it difficult to even throw a baseball.

I will be getting my right shoulder worked on soon.
How you gonna win when you ain't right within?

Here I am again mixing misery and gin....

bennyl08

Quote from: DLUXHOG on May 22, 2018, 12:30:31 pm
Lesson:  don't overdo lifting as I also torched both of my shoulders, successfully lifting at least 3x my body weight.    The eternal and continued pain you have to endure for the phony bragging rights isn't worth it....   the pain from torching your rotator cuffs is indescribable....

Also, you won't ever hurt your shoulders doing the bench press if you are using good form. Pushing weight beyond what you can maintain proper form is an easy way to injure yourself. Same thing that holds for pushups holds for bench as well. You will be a lot better of slow and controlled rather than trying to go fast (pushups) or heavy (bench) trying to achieve some entirely arbitrary number (reps or max) to show off.

If you can't go slow and in control, pausing at the bottom, then you need to lighten up your weight until you can or move to a different exercise that will allow you to build yourself up to being able to use just an open bar before going any further.

Same thing with people who "squat" 300+ pounds but have their knees wobbling all over the place, are lifting up with their backs for part of it, aren't sticking their butts out, or aren't going to at least parallel. You aren't impressing anybody but instead giving people anxiety about when, not if, you are going to seriously hurt yourself.

There is a time and a place to train or explosion and quickness. This is not that place. Namely, you have to stop so you can't train explosiveness properly with powerlift exercises. There's a reason they teach in football and a lot of sports to practice "through" and not "to". You have no choice but to "let up" with all the powerlift exercises. Unless you are throwing the barbell into the air and catching it on your bench or something stupid.
Quote from: PorkSoda on May 05, 2016, 09:24:05 pm
damn I thought it was only a color, didn't realize it was named after a liqueur. leave it to benny to make me research the history of chartreuse

Pulled(PP)pork

saw a great documentary on Ronnie Coleman.....dude can barely walk now, from all the damage he did to himself with heavy lifting.  But he still goes to the gym multiple times per week and does it some more.

clutch

Quote from: bennyl08 on May 05, 2019, 12:39:49 am
Also, you won't ever hurt your shoulders doing the bench press if you are using good form. Pushing weight beyond what you can maintain proper form is an easy way to injure yourself. Same thing that holds for pushups holds for bench as well. You will be a lot better of slow and controlled rather than trying to go fast (pushups) or heavy (bench) trying to achieve some entirely arbitrary number (reps or max) to show off.

If you can't go slow and in control, pausing at the bottom, then you need to lighten up your weight until you can or move to a different exercise that will allow you to build yourself up to being able to use just an open bar before going any further.

Same thing with people who "squat" 300+ pounds but have their knees wobbling all over the place, are lifting up with their backs for part of it, aren't sticking their butts out, or aren't going to at least parallel. You aren't impressing anybody but instead giving people anxiety about when, not if, you are going to seriously hurt yourself.

There is a time and a place to train or explosion and quickness. This is not that place. Namely, you have to stop so you can't train explosiveness properly with powerlift exercises. There's a reason they teach in football and a lot of sports to practice "through" and not "to". You have no choice but to "let up" with all the powerlift exercises. Unless you are throwing the barbell into the air and catching it on your bench or something stupid.

Agree with everything except the parallel part of the squat. Not everyone should go to parallel right off the bat. If you have mobility issues, you shouldn't push to parallel until you get those solved. Go as low as you can while keeping your heals attached to the ground. As soon as they are to the point that they need to come off the ground, you've gone past your mobility range. Solve your ankle/hip mobility issues before you force yourself to get parallel in a squat.

If you can't get parallel, you have no business doing heavy squats anyways though.

bennyl08

Quote from: clutch on May 05, 2019, 11:46:32 am
Agree with everything except the parallel part of the squat. Not everyone should go to parallel right off the bat. If you have mobility issues, you shouldn't push to parallel until you get those solved. Go as low as you can while keeping your heals attached to the ground. As soon as they are to the point that they need to come off the ground, you've gone past your mobility range. Solve your ankle/hip mobility issues before you force yourself to get parallel in a squat.

If you can't get parallel, you have no business doing heavy squats anyways though.

Haha, reading your post, all I kept thinking was, if you can't do that, don't be squatting anyways, then I got to your last line. Yeah, I felt your heels being on the floor and such was a given.

Totally agree though. Trying to build strength or power with faulty range of motion or stability is like building a house on mud.

Of course, I'm probably the worst posterboy for that advise, unless the poster is a warning poster...
Quote from: PorkSoda on May 05, 2016, 09:24:05 pm
damn I thought it was only a color, didn't realize it was named after a liqueur. leave it to benny to make me research the history of chartreuse

EarlCampbellsHotLink

You all sound like a bunch of weak old women.  I am putting up 275 easily for reps.  Must be some old dudes in this  thread that need some male nehancement if you know what I mean.  Bald, Weak, and impotent is a terrible way to go through life you old dogs.
If you're not first, you're last.

secthumper

September 03, 2019, 03:46:11 pm #72 Last Edit: September 03, 2019, 03:59:33 pm by secthumper
At age 33...225 lbs, my max was 500 lbs at a gym in Heber Springs in 1987. Had a heart attack and quad bypass surgery 2/1-2 years ago came back from the other side thanks to God's grace and some really great First Responders from Maumelle Arkansas. Just turned 65 in June of this year and am back in the gym doing right at 275. Had to go thru rehab for a few months learning out to crawl, walk, jog, and run now. I do feel great and have come to the part of my life where I am blessed just to get back in the gym once again.
"It is only through adversity that we can test the strength of our soul."<br /><br />"What we've got here is failure to communicate." Strother Martin  Cool Hand Luke<br /><br />Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic of men.  General George S. Patton, Jr.<br /><br />'When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk."  Tuco  The Good the Bad and the Ugly<br /><br />"There ain't much of a future in dyin' boy!!"  Outlaw Josey Wales  3rd Place 2005-2006  Hogville Basketball Pickem Champion

daprospecta

Quote from: EarlCampbellsHotLink on May 31, 2019, 11:25:43 pm
You all sound like a bunch of weak old women.  I am putting up 275 easily for reps.  Must be some old dudes in this  thread that need some male nehancement if you know what I mean.  Bald, Weak, and impotent is a terrible way to go through life you old dogs.
In my opinion, you want to look like you bench 400 vs benching 400. I look like I can bench 400 but I can only put up around 315 right now. A lot of that has to do with how you train.  There are quite a few guys in the gyms I go to(lifetime and gold's) who can bench close to 400 but don't look like it.  They usually have a gut and are overweight.

 

EarlCampbellsHotLink

Quote from: daprospecta on September 03, 2019, 05:50:42 pm
In my opinion, you want to look like you bench 400 vs benching 400. I look like I can bench 400 but I can only put up around 315 right now. A lot of that has to do with how you train.  There are quite a few guys in the gyms I go to(lifetime and gold's) who can bench close to 400 but don't look like it.  They usually have a gut and are overweight.

I weight 220-225 after a big meal.
If you're not first, you're last.

YellCountyHog21

recently hit 300.  Age 23, 178lbs

jchill

Used to bench 380 when I was younger.

Buff

34 with a torn distal bicep tendon and torn bicep muscle both in the left elbow.  I'll be happy if I can throw up 200 when I get full use of both arms back.

hvsupastar

I've been experiencing some shoulder pain and think I am going to give up being super strong.  I am 31 now and I don't guess there is any reason I need to bench press 400+ pounds.  Been finding out that my elbow placement in my form may have been really damaging my shoulders this entire time.
"Do not believe everything you read on the internet just because it has quotations next to the image of someone prominent" - Abraham Lincoln

Ragnar Hogbrok

Quote from: Buff on April 18, 2020, 08:55:35 pm
34 with a torn distal bicep tendon and torn bicep muscle both in the left elbow.  I'll be happy if I can throw up 200 when I get full use of both arms back.

Have faith, man.  Do your rehab earnestly.  I was your age (well, I was 33) when I had my shoulder labrum tear, bone spur (due to the time from injury to treatment, thanks, Army!), and bursitis.

I am now stronger at 38 than I was back then.  Of course, I don't bench.  It's all dumbells and concentrating on form.  But, I'm working out with 110s on incline press and chest press.  I couldn't do that before the injury.

All injuries and people recover differently, but hopefully you'll get back to some semblance of normal, even if you have to change your routine dramatically as I did.
"Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." ― H.L. Mencken

Hogville prediction formula:

1.  Insert bad news prediction. A loss, a recruit going elsewhere, a coach leaving, etc.
2.  Tag "hope I'm wrong," on the end.
3a.  Enjoy a correct prediction.
3b.  Act like you're relieved you're wrong and celebrate with everyone else.

Buff

Gracias for that.  I'm back on the machines nearly maxing out the chest press machine at the gym.  Flyes are too much pain and I can't control weight enough to do dumbbells.  A month and a half of the local gym being shut down may have been a blessing in disguise for me.

EarlCampbellsHotLink

Back working out with 250, 5 sets of 5.  Wanna get 350 up once again before I am too old.
If you're not first, you're last.

bolo

I can lift my cooler with 30 beers AND ice almost to my tailgate
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bennyl08

Quote from: Buff on May 07, 2020, 10:13:38 pm
Gracias for that.  I'm back on the machines nearly maxing out the chest press machine at the gym.  Flyes are too much pain and I can't control weight enough to do dumbbells.  A month and a half of the local gym being shut down may have been a blessing in disguise for me.

I'd recommend staying off the machines. Early in my lifting days I was doing 250 on the bench machine but eventually I went to a real gym and was curious what I could actually bench press and 180 at the time was basically my one rep max.

So, to me, it begs the question of what's the value in having a high number on a machine if you can't actually lift the barbell version? I'm not saying there is no point. Maybe you are into body building and want to look bigger and that's it. Then the machines are perfectly valid.

For me, at least, my main goals are two fold. One, I want to be able to do things. Thus, I work out and try to build muscle. Two, I like to eat things so building muscle helps keep me from being too fat. Ironically, the things I like to do would probably improve if I lost some muscle as they are more things like hiking and backpacking and rock climbing and kayaking. Big and bulky isn't too great for that. Though, it's better than being fat and weak and I don't have the desire to be super lean.

Though, in my younger years, my bench max was 275, I haven't been in a gym in well over a year. Partly too poor to casually afford it, plus getting to one now is more difficult than it used to be as parking in a big city sucks. Luckily, I've built up a home gym with a good range of dumbells and bands and such and really haven't lost a beat. My back is stronger than it's ever been based on pull-ups at least and i'm not exactly pulling less weight.

A good thing about the stabiliser muscles and what not is that they are going to be good to help you prevent injury. Gotta work out the smaller muscles too such as your rotator cuff.

Lastly, stay away from the flys. The injury risk they pose compared the benefit make them not worth doing. Lots of better exercises out there. Well, assuming you are talking about dumbbell flies on a bench.
Quote from: PorkSoda on May 05, 2016, 09:24:05 pm
damn I thought it was only a color, didn't realize it was named after a liqueur. leave it to benny to make me research the history of chartreuse

Buff

Quote from: bennyl08 on May 29, 2020, 12:51:35 am
Lots of words

Read above, I have an effed up elbow.  Machines = controlled range of motion = not having to rely on a bad elbow to stabilize free weight over my head.  But yeah, congrats to your ossumness.

EarlCampbellsHotLink

Quote from: Buff on May 31, 2020, 10:21:42 am
Read above, I have an effed up elbow.  Machines = controlled range of motion = not having to rely on a bad elbow to stabilize free weight over my head.  But yeah, congrats to your ossumness.

Benny is a jabroni that rides the short bus.
If you're not first, you're last.

Polecat

Lockdown really squashed my gym motivation. Got back into it in May. Was able to bench 135 10x. Not impressive, but looking to build from there
Arkansas born and raised. 1999 UA alum

Pork Twain

Quote from: Pork Twain on October 15, 2015, 08:23:46 amAfter three back surgeries took me out of the gym for most of the last 7 years, I decided that I was going to try a bench press comp at the age of 40.  I started back hot and heavy about six months ago at 225 and am now up to 395 with one rep but have been stuck there for a while.  I have tried several different techniques to try to shock my way past it, with absolutely no success.  That has lead ne to just going back to working out for fun and forgetting about the bench competition where I would be crushed.
Funny, I kept trying to get stronger and get back to my max of 405, but could never get there.  Then one day I was doing skull crushers while deployed as a contractor and felt something pop in my neck.  As a contractor, you are not allowed to see doctors at the deployed location, so I nursed that neck issue for 8 months, with pain through my left shoulder and numbness in my left forearm and hand.  Ended up having C4/C5/C6/C7 fusion.  Likely due to deterioration from a car wreck in 97 and the skull crusher just finalized it.  Never realized how much pressure those put on my neck till then.

Now I only do dumbbells and am trying to trim down and have given up on my dreams of breaking 405 again.
"It is better to be an optimist and proven wrong, than a pessimist and proven right." ~Pork Twain

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Pork Ranger

January 08, 2022, 08:17:20 pm #88 Last Edit: January 08, 2022, 08:34:26 pm by Pork Ranger Reason: Delete
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