Post your all-time 1 rep max bench

[FTLPSU]

I realized I was strong when I was 16 @145lbs I did 245 on the bench with no spot. In the Army at 20 @178lbs I did three plates 1x with a spot, no help and didn’t arch my back, that was at my peak. Havent lifted in months but at 51 and 190, I can do 200.

 

[BobPSU92]

I assume this is a HIT. crowd, yes?

 

[LionJim]

Nice thread. A lot of strong dudes on this board. Let’s keep on getting better, stronger, no fading away for us. I got a few minutes before the gym opens!

Edit: Off to the gym!

 

[JohnJumba]

Was the guy white? That would make it a honky twonky.

Yes he was.

 

[pamdlion]

One of the best sounds is hearing iron plates hit together as you are pounding out rep.

 

[BostonNit]

Alot.

 

[Steelhead52]

345 at 157 lbs. raw at 41 years old. 6 state records. Major injury before nationals ended my competitive career. 72 years old and won’t try over 245 now. Not fun getting old.

 

[s1uggo72]

Not a max bench but I love watching the young girls at the gym go to the smith machine, load up a bar, crawl under the bar, put their head on the bench, feet stretched out on the floor, place the bar across their hips and raise the bar with hip thrusts!! I mean glad to see they r training!!

 

[Moogy]

Not a max bench but I love watching the young girls at the gym go to the smith machine, load up a bar, crawl under the bar, put their head on the bench, feet stretched out on the floor, place the bar across their hips and raise the bar with hip thrusts!! I mean glad to see they r training!!

That's a great exercise, for guys and girls ... and no one needs the perv patrol gawking at them while they're lifting.

 

[VaDave4PSU]

Hit 405 once late 2020 or 2021. Used to train the Big 3 pretty hard (bench, squat, deadlift) until back pain convinced me to stop deadlifting.

Max deadlift was 505. Max squat was 485. My weight ranged from 280-295. Never did any meets to actually compete (weights moved suck for my body weight), but the group I lifted with usually did 1000 lbs clubs for the shirt.

I'm 42 now. Training fluctuates. I can routinely bench 365 if consistent. No longer deadlift; also, no longer have severe bouts of week long bedridden back pain. Traded out squats as well.

Nowadays, it's mostly 2 bench days per week (if I'm lucky to get that 2nd one in), a back/bi day, a leg/shoulder day, and fitting in 2-3 sessions of pickleball while there. Great cardio, fun game. Usually tough to find enough people.

 

[s1uggo72]

That's a great exercise, for guys and girls ... and no one needs the perv patrol gawking at them while they're lifting.

So who was gawking. Just using the machine next to them

 

[JohnJumba]

Not a max bench but I love watching the young girls at the gym go to the smith machine, load up a bar, crawl under the bar, put their head on the bench, feet stretched out on the floor, place the bar across their hips and raise the bar with hip thrusts!! I mean glad to see they r training!!

 

[VicVaselino]

I once lifted a Yuengling pounder.

 

[PSUJam]

 

[razpsu]

Was never a bench press kinda guy. Was always strong In legs.
Max weight for 45 degree leg press was max weight on the machine. 900?

now I’m not allowed to do it all after hernia and hip replacement.

 

[PSU Mike]

-1 or at least it might as well have been. Always weak on bench press, yet I would routinely knock out 12x50 dips as filler to keep my heart rate up over longer (grad school) workouts.

I guess 290-5 @159 pounds would be my biggest spread. Was soon in process of trimming down for fast running, so it dropped precipitously as I shed only a few pounds. My shoulders now would simply explode with anything heavy, but I’m generally functional and I’m grateful for that.

 

[LionJim]

I will be in Thailand soon, 90 degrees. No need for me to be shy about talking off my shirt at the pool, just saying. I’m okay.

 

[GulfCoastLion]

Always used machines and nautilus equipment for years. Typically would do multiple reps of maximizing weight in the 200-225-250 lb range. Often that was max back in the day. Started doing traditional free weight benches only about 8 years ago at age 58 at a Golds gym. Was able to bench 310 lbs max @ 6’2” 225-230 lbs. I’m now 66 and weigh 245 lbs, but max at slightly under 300 lbs when benching 2-3 days a week. Still prefer multiple/numerous reps vs pure power lifting. Never my thing.

 

[LionJim]

Always used machines and nautilus equipment for years. Typically would do multiple reps of maximizing weight in the 200-225-250 lb range. Often that was max back in the day. Started doing traditional free weight benches only about 8 years ago at age 58 at a Golds gym. Was able to bench 310 lbs max @ 6’2” 225-230 lbs. I’m now 66 and weigh 245 lbs, but max at slightly under 300 lbs when benching 2-3 days a week. Still prefer multiple/numerous reps vs pure power lifting. Never my thing.

Impressive. Always have a spotter.

 

[LionJim]

Drop sets are good for the soul.

 

[Catch1lion]

I will be in Thailand soon, 90 degrees. No need for me to be shy about talking off my shirt at the pool, just saying. I’m okay.

Just kidding Jim

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

200 and I weighed 180.

 

[PSU Mike]

Six week update. Shoulders are doing okay after a 3 week heavy cycle. Not sure where I’ll be after a 10 day vacay (including NCAAs in Philly), but if I can comfortably get over 40 dips this spring (would love to hit 50 once more in my life, and I’m 60) I’ll see if I gym will permit a video. Finishing with 6x230 on triceps press (dip weight machine) but no idea what endurance cycle will show.

With good luck I can be the 2025 version of thecoolestfish.

 

[LionJim]

Six week update. Shoulders are doing okay after a 3 week heavy cycle. Not sure where I’ll be after a 10 day vacay (including NCAAs in Philly), but if I can comfortably get over 40 dips this spring (would love to hit 50 once more in my life, and I’m 60) I’ll see if I gym will permit a video. Finishing with 6x230 on triceps press (dip weight machine) but no idea what endurance cycle will show.

With good luck I can be the 2025 version of thecoolestfish.

You mean 40 consecutive body weight dips?

 

[PSU Mike]

You mean 40 consecutive body weight dips?

Is there another way to count? Wait, you’re our resident math guy so maybe I don’t want that answered …

 

[psu31trap]

1986
Bench press: 305lbs
Competition squat: 405lbs
Deadlift: 390lbs

my weight-188lbs

All free weights

These are my best numbers ever.

 

[LionJim]

1986
Bench press: 305lbs
Competition squat: 405lbs
Deadlift: 390lbs

my weight-188lbs

All free weights

These are my best numbers ever.

Dang. Must have felt good to type this.

 

[Catch1lion]

What you think will happen when you hit 225….but only your buddies care

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

I was pumped to hit 225, so good.

 

[psu31trap]

Dang. Must have felt good to type this.

Thank you LionJim. I started training at the age of 20, strictly doing strength exercises which many guys my age found boring. I worked out in a gym that was setup in a large basement mainly for powerlifters. I saw some amazing lifts in that gym. But what I remember most is when a Princeton student (a guest) 22yrs old weighing 163lbs benched 385 with a pause! Everyone literally stopped and cheered. That was an amazing time.

 

[slwlion01]

I was recently involved in a discussion about this and there were varying opinions about what was respectable and what wasn't, so I thought I'd bring the discussion here. Also, feel free to include your ahem status when hitting the max.

385, lifetime natty, weight 225 lbs

265 at 180. Alas that was 25 years ago.

 

[ApexLion]

I was recently involved in a discussion about this and there were varying opinions about what was respectable and what wasn't, so I thought I'd bring the discussion here. Also, feel free to include your ahem status when hitting the max.

385, lifetime natty, weight 225 lbs

one or two hands?

jk,

5'9" 185 at 35 years old -- 315 bench after working out for a year at 5:30am 4x per week with a competitive weightlifter. That was many years ago.

My workout partner still does one rep at 400 ever year on his birthday. He's 55 now, 5'7, 250 and wears a compression shirt to do his stunt.

 

[Big_O]

My max bench press was 195 lbs. when I weighed 120 lbs. at age 20. This was between my freshman and sophomore years of college when I couldn’t find a summer job due to 20% unemployment in my area, so a friend and I spent 2-3 hours every evening lifting weights. I started lifting my own weight as my max. I wished I could have continued after I got back to Penn State, but eventually studying and doing homework got into the way.

 

[LionJim]

Dan John: "I said it was simple. I didn't say it was easy."

If you want to make progress it's not enough to bust your *** in the gym. You need to eat your protein and otherwise watch your diet. It's easy to fool yourself into thinking you're doing enough. (Life hack of mine: put it in writing.)

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

Does your wife cook you enough protein?

 

[SleepyLion]

Does your wife cook you enough protein?

three words too long....

 

[bbrown]

335 lbs @ 185 lbs when I was a 25 year old Marine

 

[LionJim]

Does your wife cook you enough protein?

Yes, of course. She does, thanks. Still, if you go hard at the gym but skip your protein powder then you’re gonna get the late munchies and that really really holds me back. I looked at myself sideways after my shower today and I’m like no ******* way. It’s now or never, I’m soon to be 68. I’m sick and tired of working my butt off in the gym and then eating too much extracurricular crap after dinner. Gotta train for life. Why not? No real downside.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

three words too long....

You need anew big Pete avatar. Stand by

 

[Nittering Nabob]

You need anew big Pete avatar. Stand by

I agree. It’s really poor form for a poster to steal a photo from a fellow poster and use it as their personal image.

You just have to wonder about their mental health.