What is a reasonable bench press power to weight ratio to aim at/expect?

[tsmithy]

Wondering what I should be aiming for in flat bench (touching chest) power to weight ratio wise.

At bodyweight of 67KG could do 5 reps on 90KG after 1 year of consistent training.

Have just started traing again after a couple years of pure laziness and think that pressing 1.5 times the bodyweight for 10 reps is a reasonable goal for an intermediate trainer with a view to a 2 times press oneday for 1 rep if training can be consistent for 3 years?

Is this realistic and when should one be satisfied?

Thanks

[darius19]

I would love to be able to bench my bodyweight. When I started 6.5 months ago I could only do a bit more then 1/2 my bodyweight (I did cross country, and soccer and never lifted). Now Im still not close to doing my bodyweight but getting closer each week :\ Anyway if you can do 1.5 ytour bodyweight I consider that a lot, but different people have different goals.

[HahnB]

Benching 2x your body weight is really good, for anyone. Keep in mind to reach this goal you're constantly getting closer and farther away at the same time because you're gaining weight in the process-but getting stronger. Before my injury I could bench about 100lbs over my body weight, for me that's good enough. I doubt I'll ever be able to bench 2x my body weight, but we'll see.

[WBBIRL]

Most of the big boys and top names in the sport aim for 2.5x their body weight. So a pro powerlifter at a body weight of 250lbs only needs to get to 625 to reach their goals. Thats alot of weight to most people but more impressive numbers have been put up.

[KingJustin]

If it's not shirted, then most gyms probably don't have someone putting up 2x their bodyweight. 1.5x bodyweight is a pretty impressive bench press. The taller you are, the harder it is to acheive, though.

[harv]

Wondering what I should be aiming for in flat bench (touching chest) power to weight ratio wise.

At bodyweight of 67KG could do 5 reps on 90KG after 1 year of consistent training.

Have just started traing again after a couple years of pure laziness and think that pressing 1.5 times the bodyweight for 10 reps is a reasonable goal for an intermediate trainer with a view to a 2 times press oneday for 1 rep if training can be consistent for 3 years?

Is this realistic and when should one be satisfied?

Thanks

Given where you're at currently at, that seems like a resonable goal IMO.
When to be satisfied??? Never!

[tsmithy]

Thanks for the advice guys, I am only 168CM tall (5'6)and of light structure so unltimate poundages are out of the question and power to weight is what drives me internally, gives me a great deal of satisfaction to now I can keep up with bigger guys pound for pound.

Great lifting Harv, double the body weight is a great acheivment in terms of a personal goal.

How long did it take u to get their and was it a continual gain all the way up by adding small poundages or did u have to add in different types of training along the way to get past sticking points? Did u work tricepts a lot also becuase they play a large part.

At the time of doing that lift my guns were 15 inches un pumped(cold), to increase my lift considerably will my arms simply have to get a lot bigger(if that possible) or would maybe an extra inch do it.

Was creatine at the time which helped, I ended up stopping training becuase I got offered heaps of overtime at work and needed the money and never got refocussed until now(2 years later).

Any more advice would be great to help me stay focused and motivated in terms of expectations along the way and using my time most effectivly to achiev this ultimate goal of 2 * lift with my limited genetics.



Thanks

[harv]

Thanks...yes it was a slow steady process. Started lifting again about 2-2.5 years ago after a few years off. I'd estimate my natural max at that time was ~250ish. Just kept at it, gaining 5 or so lbs/week on bench until I was working out with all the weight I own (325).

Yes I work tris once/week separately from chest. My chest is really small - my arms are 17.5" ish...gotta hit the tris to boost the bench IMO.

Just keep at it, stay consistant and think "baby steps." What I did was track my 1st heavy set of bench...tried to keep my rep range from 6-8. Once I got to 8 reps with a given weight, I'd add 5 lbs next workout. Once I got to 8 reps again...5 more.

You'll have your down days but you have more up days.

[WBBIRL]

I found the best way to gain once youve "walled out" is to do heavy negative/forced reps. Their simply the best at gaining and really allow you to overload your muscles. I always do this on a friday bench session no matter what.

[Gutz981]

Harv is definitly right...NEVER SETTLE! Always push those numbers up...when people set goals...and they achive them...some forget to set even greater goals...never let yourself be goaless...then theres no point in lifting...

[cronin50]

Wondering what I should be aiming for in flat bench (touching chest) power to weight ratio wise.

At bodyweight of 67KG could do 5 reps on 90KG after 1 year of consistent training.

Have just started traing again after a couple years of pure laziness and think that pressing 1.5 times the bodyweight for 10 reps is a reasonable goal for an intermediate trainer with a view to a 2 times press oneday for 1 rep if training can be consistent for 3 years?

Is this realistic and when should one be satisfied?

Thanks

I read a study in a major magazine several years ago, it consisted of 5000 college age men, taken from the general population, some trained and some were untrained. It came to the conclusion that the average, that is the 50th percentile, could bench their own weight once. In other words, 50% of the men could bench their weight, and some even more, and the other 50% could not bench their weight. This doesn't really have any signifigance in the body building world, as I would think that nearly all of us can at least bench our bodyweight at least once. My personal data is weight 220, bench 335. I am 51 years old and don't really strive to max out my bench anymore, but when I was younger I could bench a bit more. I thought this study would be of interest to us, just to see what the regular Joe on the street is capable of.

[Unholy]

It will be a milestone to be able to bench my own weight. But Eventually I would like to be able to do 1.5 x bodyweight.

[WBBIRL]

XxHOly

Comon man, your petty big so benching 1.5 times your weight should be no problem. 345 isnt a ton and you should be able to reach that in about 12-14 months of training without much of a problem. Right now I weigh about 304 lbs and I the most ive ever put up is 315 so my goal is right now in 3 months to be able to bench press 350lbs, 35lbs in 3 months isnt that big a gain IMO. Thats just a shade under 12 lbs per month which is about 3 lbs per week.

You just need to work twoards it, according to your sig your max bench is now 180 lbs. Work twoards 205, then 225, then 250, and so on smaller goals are more accomplisable and youll feel good about yourself every time you meet one. I started out at about 230lbs only benching 150 for reps ( of course I was only 15 at the time )
In less then 4 months I put up 205 and about 6 more months after that I was putting up 245lbs.

[zer06ame]

i wish i could bench 1.5x my bodyweight, i'm only at about 1.20x, but i've only been lifting for 3.5 months (actually 3, because the last 2 weeks have been garbage since i hurt my back)

[Doobs]

XxHOly

Comon man, your petty big so benching 1.5 times your weight should be no problem. 345 isnt a ton and you should be able to reach that in ...

1.5 x 244 is actually 366.

345 isnt a ton and you should be able to reach that in about 12-14 months of training without much of a problem.

A 165 lb increase in a year? I don't know about that.

[WBBIRL]

1.5 x 244 is actually 366.


A 165 lb increase in a year? I don't know about that.

First im going from his current weight of about 230. Secondly 3lbs per week isnt that much at all, espcially since its a solid 12-14 months of training.

[Doobs]

First im going from his current weight of about 230.

Ah gotcha. I agree 3 lbs is not a lot, for a few months. For a non-newb, 165 lbs in a year is highly unlikely.

[monotone]

First im going from his current weight of about 230. Secondly 3lbs per week isnt that much at all, espcially since its a solid 12-14 months of training.

by the looks of it holy is cutting... so to continue the cut and add that type of weight is somewhat unrealistic.