# Max User weight on benches



## McGuire86 (Nov 23, 2011)

When you buy a bench and it says 'max user weight' or combined weight of user and weights, is this figure definite ? Or more of a precaution ?

Say if you have a bench that had a max weight ofc 200kg and you were loading 250kg on it for benching (even though this would probably happen for about 4minutes per week!) would it break ?

I read somewhere benches are tested to take nearly double the load before they are sold anyway as a safety test ?

Thanks!


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## McGuire86 (Nov 23, 2011)

Anyone ?


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

I think a ropes SWL is rated at 10% breaking strain, but I don't suppose that's much help.


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## donzooo (Aug 27, 2011)

doesn't matter if it's only 4 minutes a week if you exceed it's load handling capability a break will almost always happen instantaneously, its solid metal after all. i'd say the SWL will be half the theoretical breaking point or less but if it bothers you buy a bench with higher SWL and keep yourself right!


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## McGuire86 (Nov 23, 2011)

What I was getting at is, are these figures exact or are they a safety precaution. Like I said I read they are tested to hold double.

For example, my old york bench had a max weight of 110kg yet I had 170+ plus on there for ages and it was pretty rusty and beat up!


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## McGuire86 (Nov 23, 2011)

Yeah that's the one I did have lol

The one I have now is a bodymax one from powerhouse fitness, I remember when I rang up about it I was told 250kg max weight limit but for some reason I saw somewhere on the net the other day that the max recommended weight was 200kg!

It is a pretty solid one, I can't send it back as I sprayed it with hammerite rust paint to give it abit more protection plus its a good 4months old now anyway!

Was just curious as my weight and the weight I lift goes up, say in 6months time or whatever. Would it make a big difference if I were to go 50kg(ish) over the recc limit?

As my previous bench I went over alot and it seemed to hold up ok.


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