It’s pretty hard to find on this site and in general.
I have pretty much given up the bench press in my head as the main upper body exercise. It’s a sub par exercise for me and it’s out of my mind for good. My main exercise if the flat DB bench press.
I am wondering what would be some good entry ‘‘levels’’ of strength on the DB flat bench press to be considered advanced? If that makes any sense.
I know that for the barbell bench press typical numbers, based on everything I have seen let’s say you can expect 405x1 for a typical entry level juicer/steroid monkey idiot, 495x1 for a fat or heavy one who trains a bit better and 600 for a more serious one with good strength genetics. For a natural lifter good numbers would be 405x1 for an ‘‘entry level’’ advanced lifter, 455x1 for a fat one and 495x1 for one with very good strength genetics. That’s what I think.
I have made some research on this forum, the best I found was 145 or 150 for 8-10 for a ‘‘normal’’ guy with some proficiency on the DB bench press. Well I am pretty much doing that, really I am just wondering if any natural guy with a normal build is doing the 160x10 so I can look upon them.
I would be interested to know what everyone thinks about that general topic.
Didn’t you say in another thread that you had no interest in competing? Why does it seem like you want to compete against others here?
Best DB benching I know of is Pat Casey, but I only know his incline numbers, which was 210 for sets. He was early enough in history that even if he was on steroids, we were still just barely figuring it out.
I remember someone posted somewhere on this site that Stan Efferding was doing the 210 too, didn’t know about Pat Casey. Good to know.
I don’t compete against anyone, but I need to know what is good and what is not. You don’t want to be a delusional guy that thinks he is great alone in his gym. Yet I still I don’t need to be around other people to do my thing.
It sounds like you DO need to be around other people though. Not physically, maybe, but you definitely want to stratify yourself among others rather than just make yourself better for the sake of making yourself better.
There is nothing wrong with that. Most of us are doing just that.
Personally, I’d try to beat Casey’s numbers were I in your situation. I think it’s a great goal, and they even sell special dumbbells just for it.
Just looked it up and Pat Casey has a bigger bone structure than me. I think 200lbs flat instead of 210lbs incline would be a good starting adjustment for someone with a more typical build for this goal to be realistic. Who knows.
DB press 145x8 right now and for a while, but I try to ‘‘milk’’ the weight and don’t go up until it’s very easy. I did the 150s for 3 or 4 reps more than one year ago but I think my tendons or what not weren’t ready and I ended up getting nasty elbow inflammation that set me back a bit.
I have long arms, I am kind of an accessory exercise hero, which would be the opposite of a bench press hero. Bench press and back squats are harder for me. My PL total isn’t great, nearing 1500, with high bar squat and normal or narrow stance. I don’t work directly on my PL total though. I can lift big weight on most accessory exercises, but it’s really just one of those things. I got a bunch of accessory lifts with stupid weights and reps I could write really but it doesn’t mean much. I think you getting the 150’s would be more meaningful than me with my kind of build.
I am 6’0 and 220-225 lbs. I shouldn’t be above 210 or even 200.
Doesn’t work like that for me. Some people can bench alot but when they go on DB they are very weak. I am the opposite.
I wouldn’t bet on my chances of doing much more than 350. For good measure I only do easy singles to 315 as a very last exercise, after DB, isolation works, etc and that’s it.
Looking back I don’t think I have ever progressed on the bench by benching. DB always led the way.
