Is there any way to estimate...?

[CougarGoalie]

I know a kid who has never worked out before this year (9th grade) and he can only bench 40...yes 40...but now I have never benched before...EVER... and I gotta start workin out with the team over summer and Im super nervous, is there any way to estimate how much you can bench? I weigh 160 and can do 30 pushups if that helps.

[demongoalie]

The only way you can really figure out how much you bench is by benching. Do a few sets as best you can and use http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/1rm.htm to find your one rep max. Or you can find your 1rm by actual doing the most you can but you have a better chance of getting injured.

You could take a really rough guess for your 1rm, but it wouldn't be accurate. My guess would be somewhere around 120, 130lbs. Just a guess.

[CougarGoalie]

I was curious so I went over to my friends house, turns out I can do 8 reps of 80 and thats about it. Is there any way to get that to 110 by june 6?

[franks2089]

Do you mean your max or what you are working out with. Your max right now is approx 100 pounds, so you could easily get your max to 110. However I dont think you could rep 30 pounds more in a month, but I may be wrong.

[CougarGoalie]

I didnt try max yet, does max actually help you get stronger? Do pushups help you with your bench press too? And if I were to lose wait so I just have less fat on my body, would it be easier to bench?

[franks2089]

Read on t-nation and talk to diesel and bigdman.

[NDKnights157]

trust me dude i was like that not too long ago and i upped my bench a lot.. i was around that stage about a year ago or a little more and now i can do sets of like 115 or so..if you work hard and are dedicated ( with proper form, proper diet etc. ) you will def. see a difference in strength and then in time, size.. so keep at it, its pretty adicting especially if you get a partner thats around the same strength as you to have someone to work out with..

good luck man

[franks2089]

Last year I was repping 90 now I'm repping 170. So it is possible to go up a lot just not at a rate of 30 pounds a month.

[CougarGoalie]

How many of you kids work out over the summer with your team though? Off season... Thats why I wanna get bigger because benching 80 in 9th grade is sorta embarrasing. I would much rather work out at home. And is it alright if you bench to where when you come down your arms go to 90 degree angles and not touch your chest or is that bad?

[NDKnights157]

if i were you, before i started benching is to use dumbells because you have to use alot of muscle just to stabilize the weight.. opposed to the bench where you have alot more support .. so yeah try out the dumbells for a while before you start benching..personally i like dumbells better anyways, i always feel like i get a better workout with dumbells

[Big-Red]

I am assuming you are slightly overweight, which isn't always a bad thing. yes you can up your bench. yes your max is about 100. No, losing weight does not help your bench.

Do not compare yourself to other people. compare yourself to yourself. Work hard and you will grow stronger. I only weigh 134 but I bench 150. I shouldn't be comparing myself to my friends why weigh 180 etc. Do not worry about what you start at, just keep building.

[carolinafreak]

just go to a gym and see how much you can bench

[CougarGoalie]

Im not sure if overweight is really the right word...I am a little pudhy in the stomach, but Im 6'0 and weigh 150'ish.

[Kwick_STX]

Once you get used to the grip of a bench, it will go up a lot (in basically a spurt). Once your body adapts to the new stress it's been receiving you will gain muscle and your bench will go up (aka "Newb gains").

Your starting bench means almost nothing. You could just have weak triceps, or weak wrist muscles and that's what's killing your bench.

Where do you live, by the way?

[RottingMind13]

How many of you kids work out over the summer with your team though? Off season... Thats why I wanna get bigger because benching 80 in 9th grade is sorta embarrasing. I would much rather work out at home. And is it alright if you bench to where when you come down your arms go to 90 degree angles and not touch your chest or is that bad?


You should never be embarassed by how much you can only, or cannot do. It just means that you should push yourself (in a safe way) to get better. I dont remember a single instance in which I was made fun of when I was in the weight room by the football guys (they used to rag on me a bit) because they knew that I was trying and could only do so much. Instead of being embarassed, just work harder, but dont push yourself so hard that you get hurt (aka trying to do too much weight too soon.)

[franks2089]

Here are some question you should think about before you get embarassed about your bench.

1. Why do you care what they think.
2. Since you are just starting out the amount of weight you can do will shoot up rapidly.
3. School's gym is free.
4. You are improving yourself.
5. Most guys are too busy looking at themselves in the mirror to care about what you are doing.

I know I could care less because I admit to usually being the guy in number 5.

[smooth87]

It's not about how much weight you can put up. It's about your form. If you do 130 lb bench and just go about half way to your chest, compared to doing 115lb and going down to your chest, doing 115lb will give you the better workout.

[Diesel4958]

For one, who cares how much you can bench? For two no one cannot estimate your max bench from how many push ups you can do. It will get better over time. You weigh 120, people shouldn't be stupid if you don't do as much as they do. In a month the most I have ever put on my bench is 25 lbs. The bench press is over rated to the point where you walk into the gym, and people ask you how much you can bench. Many use it as a strength gauge when in reality it doesn't accurately show overall "strength" it shows how much you can bench press. Keep your head up, lift hard and you'll make gains.

[James]

Yeah dont feel bad I am a 9th grader who can only do 10 reps of 65 and about 5 of 80. you think your sad. Well just o let you know it can go up just work at it. I have gained 10 pounds of benching weight in 2 weeks so just stick with it