# Starting Bench Press Weight



## Joe :D

Hi guys!

I was just wondering if you could remember far back to when you first attempted a max bench press. What were you lifting?

I tried today and me and a friend both hit 60kg, this good for a first time max? Been lifting for about 2 months now.

Joe


----------



## Funkyfresh

Hey Joe,

I'm guessing you mean max as in a 1RM?

To be honest, when I first started benching, I never attempted a single rep max as I started out doing higher reps (8-10) and went from there.

60kg is a good starting place to build from and as you say you've only been lifting for 2 month now so you should progress over time (just requires patience). I wouldn't worry too much about what you're lifting in relation to other people, just focus on steady progression and looking forward.

To answer your question more directly; is 60kg a good starting max? that depends on a variety of factors such as you're weight, lifting technique and experience. When I started out, I weighed around 65/67kg and benched around 75kg for 6 reps after a few months. As a beginner you should progress very quickly. In fact I think my first ever bench press session I did like 52.5kg for 10 and within a matter of weeks increased the weight up the the 70-75kg mark. But my technique was horrible.

The fact is, many beginners bench incorrectly - myself included. The best way to really groove the technique properly I found was to practice getting into the optimal body positioning (feet flat on the ground, back arched, keeping everything tight) and utilizing paused reps. This immediately eliminates people from bouncing the weight of their chest and using momentum to drive the weight up. Paused reps are basically where you lower the weight, pause on the chest for 2 or 3 second and before driving the weight back up. I found this really helped me to stay tight and focus on technique.

I would advise against attempting max singles as a beginner since grooving the technique and becoming more proficient in the movement is much more important at this stage than worrying about who's lifting more. It will pay off in the end.

Good luck buddy


----------



## Was_Eric

i remember after about a month of lifting struggling to lift 5 reps of 57ish

what are you benching now joe?


----------



## solidcecil

when i first tryed bench i think i got like 5-6reps of 40kg!

was only about 9stone though


----------



## fadel

When I first started I was using 10kg a side so 35kg total, did bench 75kg for 8 today though 

Weighing 60kg atm

Yes it's little and yes I hate it but making good progress for me! lol


----------



## Dsahna

22k:lol:


----------



## spaynter

Probably about the same, 60kg ish. 5 years later - 150kg.


----------



## Dig

Joe :D said:


> Hi guys!
> 
> I was just wondering if you could remember far back to when you first attempted a max bench press. What were you lifting?
> 
> I tried today and me and a friend both hit 60kg, this good for a first time max? Been lifting for about 2 months now.
> 
> Joe


I always used smith machine for benching when started gym so cant remember what weight i used.

But i had fair bit of equipment when gym shut and a few mates used to come and have a go sometimes, most did between 50-60kg first try.


----------



## Omen

Im still fluttering around 20k a side. Which is double my first attempt. Not much fun but still a complete noob.


----------



## NickR24

Omen said:


> Im still fluttering around 20k a side. Which is double my first attempt. Not much fun but still a complete noob.


Weight doesn't mean sh1t pal as long as your form is good. I'd say 90% of the young lads in my gym dont take the bar even halfway down cause its too heavy, and surprise surprise they all got tiny chests.

Stick with good form and lots of food, and before you know it you will be benching 3 plates easy.


----------



## B-GJOE

I can remember struggling to do 14kg dumbell press on incline. I also remember walking into a gym just over 3 years ago after 4 years off, and struggling to do 60kg and ached like buggery for days afterwards.


----------



## MarcusWright

Think i was 16years old mate, about 12stone

and best lift was 120lb for 1 rep, used to train with me dad and he had these huge 50lb weight cast iron bodysculpture weights look of em scared the hell out of me

nick is right mind stick with proper form


----------



## WillOdling

Think it was about 60kg including the bar. That was 8 months ago. 127.5kg now so iv doubled


----------



## deeppurple

Wildbill said:


> Think it was about 60kg including the bar. That was 8 months ago. 127.5kg now so iv doubled


great climb buddy! ive always had a rubbish bench press haha.

what programme do you use for that and is it natural?


----------



## BlitzAcez

Well about 1.7 years ago when I started I could get up 55kg for a 1rm, now its 85kg. (I do 60-70kg x3 for 8 reps training) DB went from 16kg to 30kg. Not that great in the time I've spent but then i've not had an amazing diet and missed sessions and had 4 months off due to a wrist injury kickboxing ppls.

If you weigh around 55-70kg then its not a bad start


----------



## jimmy79

40k about 6 months ago 70k for one set now...


----------



## BlitzAcez

Just out of interest? I've been trying to get to 100kg ever since I started, ill feel like a man then. :thumb:

What sort of bodyweight do you need to be?, I am 68kg at the moment, so quite light. Or should I say what is the average weight of someone who is able to lift that weight, I know theres gonna be 50kg females who can.


----------



## deeppurple

BlitzAcez said:


> Just out of interest? I've been trying to get to 100kg ever since I started, ill feel like a man then. :thumb:
> 
> What sort of bodyweight do you need to be?, I am 68kg at the moment, so quite light. Or should I say what is the average weight of someone who is able to lift that weight, I know theres gonna be 50kg females who can.


matey you could bench 100kg if you weigh 70kg no problems. seen people (well at 75kg) lift a hell of a lot more.

train hard mate, you'll get it. smash it!!


----------



## WaxOnWaxOff

I did my first barbell bench press ever about 6 weeks ago and I could max 40kg for 1 rep, almost bursting a blood vessell:lol:

So I started on 30kg and gradually increased it and today I did 40kg for 8 reps and I am going to go for 41 next week.

Two of my 20kg plates are still sealed in their boxes lmao.


----------



## dtlv

I was fifteen, weighed 8.5 stone and was thrilled to squeeze out 8 reps at 28kg!!!

I still remember my first workouts really clearly... flyes were with 5kg db's!


----------



## evad

if i remember right i was doing about 40kg at about 10 stone, i didn't try a 1rm for years though

my best for 1 rep is 130kg now


----------



## Guest

Mine was about 40kg


----------



## Fountain

did my first bench press on monday,

managed 85kg 8 reps, in between my db presses,  will start it properly when i have a sterdy training partner


----------



## strange_days

My bench really annoys me it doesn't seem to have progressed much recently.

Started 18 months ago with 30 kg, now up 55 repping nicely, but I really want to get up to around 80. I weigh 74 kg too


----------



## MillionG

I think when I first started I was doing around 40 for reps, so max was probably 45-50kg.

These days the most I've done is 70kg for 4, so 1rm is probably just a bit more than that.

Only weigh 73-75kg (varies). So my max now is pretty much my bw.

100kg is my first target


----------



## fadel

I'm currently weighing at 63kg and benching 75kg for reps, bit of a broad question but what would be a "limit" to my body weight atm in terms of benching?


----------



## Bri

fadel said:


> I'm currently weighing at 63kg and benching 75kg for reps, bit of a broad question but what would be a "limit" to my body weight atm in terms of benching?


You make your own limits, just push and push and push yourself more and more. Don't worry about limits. You'll never know what your capable of until you fail. Then when you've failed, push a bit more and then you will succeed, then fail again, then push again....... 

And I started off when iwas 14 benching 46kg for one rep. I was sooo gutted cos all my mates were lifting like 60! :lol:

Up to nearly 90kg now though so getting there!


----------



## lofty

BlitzAcez said:


> Just out of interest? I've been trying to get to 100kg ever since I started, ill feel like a man then. :thumb:
> 
> What sort of bodyweight do you need to be?, I am 68kg at the moment, so quite light. Or should I say what is the average weight of someone who is able to lift that weight, I know theres gonna be 50kg females who can.


Im lifting 90kg on the barbell and 37.5kg on dumbells at the moment and weigh 13st 4lbs (84kgs) @ 6'4" tall. Hoping to smash the 100kg barrier soon :thumb:


----------



## fadel

I want to be lifting 100kg by october atleast lol  Bri's post is spot on though tbh just keep going!


----------



## wightman

i'm 12 stone 2 so whats that bout 78kg? my 1rm is 130kg, dont really matter what you weight in at it just takes time and hard work!!


----------



## doylejlw

never tried for my 1rm but i bench 100kg for 8reps and am 85kg


----------



## H22civic

I first bench pressed when i was about 14. Dont know about 1rm but i think i was pressing around 40kg for 8 reps. Seemed so heavy at the time too.


----------



## abraxis20

Its not just bodyweight, its how tall you are at that weight. I am unusually strong for my height and body weight, but have seen shorter, stockier guys of about the same weight lift the same as me! Everyone is built differently with differing proportions of fast twitch muscle fibres, muscle attachments ect.


----------



## Guest

Started out about 20k a side all over the show, rowing as my mate used to call it.

Doing reps of upto 6-8 with 50kg a side now and just about manage to push 1rep with 60k a side, leaves me sore after.


----------



## vitty

My first bench was 40kg at 8-10 reps, 3 months later i was doing same reps on 60kg, My exact thoughts were... In the big leagues now! 20kg a side! Yesssssss boy!


----------



## Smitch

I was started off on 40kg about 2 years ago and really struggled with it. Now i do 90kg for 4 sets of 8 reps, which is slowly improving with my new push pull routine! :cool2:


----------



## [email protected]

same as above first time i ever benched was 40kg a few years back during one of my 4weeks in the gym phases


----------



## Soul keeper

Many many moons ago when I first lifted a weight, after I had fought off the dinosaurs I benched 40kg for 3 sets of eight!

Just did 110kg for 3 sets of eight. :thumb:


----------



## Mark W H

I started off in a "fitness" gym with just machines and a few light dumbells. Started off at about 30kg on the chest press and worked up to about 80kg. When i changed to a "proper" gym had a real shock when i tried benching. The bar was all over the place. Didn't take long before everything settled down and 80kg was my first 1rm target.


----------



## Big Kris

I will remember this for the rest of my life I think

Me and my mate go to the gym for the first time about 3 years ago weighing just over 9 and a half stone wet through, there was a bar with 20kg each side, I looked at him and said that looks p1ss easy!!

There I am lay on my back full of confidence that I going to press this weight.

1.2.3. I said, lifted it off and proceeded to nearly kill my self when it hit my chest and I couldn't lift it off! :lol:

My mate thought it was funny as F*CK ha

Pressing 130Kg 15.7 stone now


----------



## Hulkributes

6 months ago I got my bench press started about 40kg now up to 85kg needs big improvement but hey I'm still a noob to


----------

