I’m trying to add more balance to my strength and physique. Consequently, I’m interested in “ideal” ratios between body-parts - especially ones that have an effect on one another. For example, my current bench press : close grip bench press ratio is 7:5. I’m not sure whether this indicates better relative tricep or chest strength? Generally, I’ve always thought, and been told, that my chest far outweighs my other body-parts in terms of both size and strength.
Any thoughts?
there are no ideal ratios. Everything is relative to what you want to accomplish.
I am very interested in this post as well, I read Poliquin’s balance article, but I was wondering if anyone could build on it further. Is the Idea of having your bench press a certain percentage of your squat? Or should your Bi’s and Tri’s be even? Hamstrings and Quads Even? Should You be able to do as muh in a bentover row as you can In a bench? You guys see where Im going with this.
In Poliquin’s article, he says that incline bench should be something like 83% of closegrip, too bad he didn’t say anything about regular bench, because so many people do it. The Russians say that someone should be able to squat 134% of their best C&J.
This is tough. I don’t know all the ratios. I’m not even sure that there are established norms for all body parts. I know that add/abd is 60/40 and quad hamstring is around the same. Now I say that"I know" but this was in passing with one of my teachers at school. Keep in mind that Ed Coan is about as tall as he is wide so his lever systems in the squat and lunge are great, but his knuckles practically drag on the ground when he walks so his bench is shit.
Basically, a lesson in biomechanics would answer some questions…TC are you listening.
I think this would make an AMAZING T-Article, I mean people always talk about gaining balance in strength to avoid injury ie. hamstring/quad strength or back/ab, but If you could come up with some ratio system that interrelates all body parts, at least aposing muscle group, I think this would be a great guage for overal fitness?
Yesss, This would be a great article. While individual levelages would be different, % should remain the same. The ratios should be along the same plain.
Bench Presses vs. Hammer Rows
Incline Press vs. Pulldown to Front
Press Behind the Neck vs. Pulldowns behind the neck.
And so on.
I look forward to this article.
I think Poliquin’s article on “Achieving Structural Balance” is probably the best article about this. I think it is especially difficult to judge quad/ham ratios because they differ depending on your sport. Some sports require the hamstrings to be stronger than the quads and vice versa. So I don’t think you can just say a 60/40 ratio is ideal. It all depends on your goals and the activities you are involved in. I think having hamstrings stronger than the quads is probably the way to go to prevent injuries. Poliquin, King, John Davies and others have talked about how important hamstring strength is in relation to the quads, and it all depends on the sport.
I know that certain sports will require certain muscl groups to be stronger, but if the goal is total balance there must be some general rule of thumbs to go by. I think having the same strength in bi/tris and hams/quads makes sense. And if this is the case then I am way out of whack.