i'm an average 20 yo guy (maybe chest a bit wider than most), started going to the gym around February, have started actively benching about a month back; i had the ingenious idea that i'd look better if i bench at the beginning of every workout. then i could more or less comfortably do 30kg and 40kg with some difficulty. now it's about 45-50 comfortably and 60-65 with difficulty (was afraid to try 70 alone in case i might get stuck under it, but i think i could do it). all these figures are without counting the bar, i don't know how much it weighs (it's the thin one, not the olympic one, i expect it weighs around 5-7kg). what's a healthy goal i should be aiming for? i normally do 5x5 with escalating weight (add about 5kg after every set). is this what i should be doing?
How much should i be able to bench?
At least 180kg desu
on average people add like 1pl8 ever month after first 3 month in the gym
Being able to bench your own body weight for reps is good compared to most normies I think, it's a requirement for rangers in Sweden afaik
Why not use the olympic one and find out how much you can actually lift you stupid of shit?
you mean i should be increasing the load by 20kg every month (idk how much 1 plate weighs)?
is your miniscule mutt brain having trouble substracting 20 from these numbers?
yeah, you should add 1pl8 on each side every month.
do people count the bar when talking about how much they can bench? would i have to lift 80kg not counting the bar then?
OP just said he doesnt know how much his bar weighs
please kill yourself
you should bench whatever you feel comfortable with and with whatever weight you can do 3x5 or 5x5 reps. Then you should add 1-2kg per workout until you can bench 2 plates (2 plates each side, 4x 20kg + 20kg bar (your bar is probably 10kg so add 10kg in extra weights) = 100kg). Then you should stop or at least not focus on adding weight anymore as benching is bad for your shoulder and there is not much reason for a regular person to bench more than 100kg unless you want to make lifting the most important part of your life. people here like to tell you otherwise but i wouldnt take their standards so serious. If you can do 1/2/3/4, that is 60kg overhead press, 100kg bench, 140kg squat and 180kg deadlift you should be somewhere where youre more than happy with your muscle mass.
and most of all, stay safe, focus on form instead of maximum weight.
>healthy goal I should be aiming for
Check out symmetricstrength and input your weight. Gives you a general idea of how your lifts compare with 'average' lifters of the same sort of calibre and gives you an estimated 1RM.
>5x5 linear progression
I'd recommend 3x5 or heavy singles (1x5) in combination with lighter, higher vol days for true max strength ideals, but depends on your program/experience/diet/recovery time/diet.
Overall just try pushing your max on some weeks. Grab a spotter or use safeties if you think you'll get trapped, or just leave the clips off and do the dump of shame.
I've actually been stalling at 70kg for a few months now as well
How do I break through bros?
Moar volume
Moar food
Train harder and eat more are the obvious answers.
Other than that try different rep ranges, I switched all my upper body movements from 3x5 to 5x3 and broke through my plateaus like nothing.
eat more, sleep more, more reps with the weight your comfortable with.
more than yesterday
Doing lots of push-ups on off days and working in bent bar bench press is what has always helped me when I'm stalling.
The bar doesn't count, it's integral to the lift
i do around 40 push-ups every morning, maybe i should try doing more during the day as well
You count the bar dude. Please don't fall for that BS.
thanks for the sane and wholesome advice, fren
i haven't yet tried the other 3 exercises you've mentioned, i'll get right on that. i've just been dragging my feet on those because i don't want to fuck up my back.
also, quick question, how much should i be able to curl? right now best i can do is 11kg each hand 3/4x10
Nah, you use the olympic bar (20 kg bar) and add weights to that. Ask for a spotter / lift with a buddy and reverse roles. Find your 1 rep max, decrease load with 20% and train with that weight in volume 10 10 10. Take pauses and eat/ rest well. Once you can 3x8 or 5x5 your previous 1 rep max with good form, lift heavier.
there is no reason to curl if you havent even done these exercises. curling is an isolation exercise, you should do all the big compound exercises that hit as many muscles as possible at the same time. Youll get bigger arms with those anyway.
You should do something like pic related (except leave out the first rule and always prioritize safety) and get a book that gives you a good foundational knowledge. I recommend Bigger, Leaner, Stronger. You can probably find a pdf somewhere online if you are broke.
bar always counts, people saying it doesn't are like people changing their clocks to display 15 minutes earlier that actual time so they can "trick" their minds. It's just stupid.
Where does he place the bar?
he doesnt
i don't think you are average
average untrained person benches 60 kg
go to a doctor about your low test
it's got magnetic suspension, he's actually pulling it down instead of pushing up
>He doesnt do inverted magnetic rows
my chest still feels sore after my 5x5 attempt on 87.5kgs on friday
SS+GOMAD
i feel reticent going SS, it's all squats
my ass is large enough as is (strangely enough it's not fat, just large)
I'm not there yet but I'm planning to stop at my bodyweight or my bodyweight+20% max.
I don't want ligament or joint damage, what's the point of lifting 150kg?
He's trolling you
a serious post in Jow Forums?
my god.
Now, let's get back on the program: The first week at the gym you should be already be able to bench 3pl8 for 10 reps, at least. Otherwhise, you're a faggot and you should kys. If you can't bench 5x your bodyweight in 2 o 3 weeks then you should really consider becoming a trap.
same goes for the other lifts, diddlies at 6pl8 during the first two week, squats 5pl8 and an extra two with the sheer power of your will, without using your body. Anything less than that, it probably means you're a turbomanlet twink, and before you ask, yes, you shouldk kys.
hope that helps.
>Saying you don't lift weights because you may get too huge is like saying you're afraid of becoming a NASCAR driver if you get your drivers license.
Do squats, they're hard, fun and boost testosterone.
a healthy goal would be to bench more weight or more reps than during your previous workout
you dont count the bar in weightlifting
Of course you count the bar, you lift it don't you?
I also count the weight of my arms.