[quote]RonSwanson wrote:
As a beginner (been lifting for almost three months now), I have been wondering what numbers would be considered “strong” for an average male in squat, bench, and dead lift? What is the minimum threshold where someone wouldn’t get embarrassed if they entered a local powerlifting meet?
Of course, body weight would need to be taken into account as well. I am 5’6 and 145 pounds, should be up to 150 in a couple weeks.[/quote]
Funny how this thread turned into an argument of semantics. I see two questions that he asked:
is he strong compared to the average guy his size
how much he needs to lift to not get him the last place in a meet (class iv or novice)
[quote]MattyG35 wrote:
There’s no way I’m an “intermediate” approaching “advanced”(297/360/215 @ 165, gym lifts).
Seems like those exrx standards are for the gym riff-raff.[/quote]
If you went into competition your numbers would propably drop 10 %. What is exactly your problem here? Intermediate is another word for average. You are average. And I don’t get your numbers, you bench 360 and deadlift 215?
What I like about exrx standards is that they aren’t completely ridiculous like some other standards and you WILL BE a very succesfull powerlifter once you reach elite. [/quote]
Yeah I mixed those up. Should have read 297/215/360.
[quote]amayakyrol wrote:
Strong lack of reading comprehension and raging in this thread.
Strength is relative. Throwing around maxims like “if you are average by definition you are not strong” shows lack of understanding of the English language.
Average in comparison to what? The average powerlifter is much stronger than the average untrained person. The untrained person will consider that average powerlifter to be extremely strong, but the powerlifter will consider himself/herself to be mediocre or weak.
And then there is the issue of what does being strong even mean?
Strong is defined as “1) having, showing, or able to exert great bodily or muscular power; physically vigorous or robust. 2) accompanied or delivered by great physical, mechanical, etc., power or force.”
By definition being strong is entirely relative. Any concept of strength created based on national averages or lists of goals supplied by elite athletes are subjective.
[/quote]
The O.P. identified himself as a lifter…
From my perspective we were considering the ‘lifting poulation’ not the ‘general poulation’.
Allow me to repost
IMO…strong starts here…
Bench Press = 1.5BW
O.H.P. = 1.0BW
Squat = 2.0BW
Bent Bar Row = 1.5BW
Deadlift = 2.0BW
The majority of people that really try can reach those standards.
descent/above average strength IMO is double BW bench, triple BW squat/deadlift. This is the power lifting section though…So you are comparing yourself to grown men who have trained to be strong for years and you are not even a half year in OP. Whenever you think you are strong, go to a meet and watch guys warm up with your numbers and put yourself back in check. Even the elite lifters strive daily to get stronger! OP has a long way to go, and other people’s approval should not be a priority of any lifters!
Maybe he’s talking about geared lifters…idk man. Those are the numbers I’m shooting for at a lean 220-230, but I’m only 6’. Some 6’6" beast is gonna struggle putting up 3x2x3x at 300lbs raw. Anyone who can do that is a fucking legend.
[quote]gory lobotomist wrote:
descent/above average strength IMO is double BW bench, triple BW squat/deadlift. [/quote]
LOL so a 2200 pound total for a 275 lifter (275x8) is only “descent (sic)/above average”? That’s good to know.[/quote]
That total (8 x bodyweight) would rank better than “elite” in even the men’s 114 pound class (raw). 8 BW total is right around elite for the next three weight classes. 275 is closer to 6 times bodyweight to rank elite (raw). I don’t know if he meant raw or geared, but yeah elite or better than elite is better than “decent” in my book.
[quote]gory lobotomist wrote:
descent/above average strength IMO is double BW bench, triple BW squat/deadlift. [/quote]
LOL so a 2200 pound total for a 275 lifter (275x8) is only “descent (sic)/above average”? That’s good to know.[/quote]
Triple bodyweight squat/dead is “decent” WTF
[/quote]
Dude must be talking about omniply lifting. It’s all the rage in Antarctica.[/quote]
Even in multiple ply, 2300 @ 275 is considered Pro. I would guess there are less than 30 pro level lifters in any one weight class in the world at a given time. Perhaps referring to that as “decent” is a little underhanded.