Bench Press: Reps at Bodyweight

[Longhorn85]

15 Mar: 2x265,2x270,2x280,1x285; DIPS (3x12). Felt great and form was strict, but I am sure I could have added one rep to each set had I used a spotter, which I rarely do. These reps might be too low?

 

[Longhorn85]

20 Mar: 3 x 265, 2 x 275, 1 x 290; DIPS (4 x 12). Felt great again but I've got some major stiffness in the right collar bone area. May have to wait a full week until the next chest workout.

 

[letsrun4it]

I don't have the NFL network but I would like to have seen that. Like AAP said, I wonder how the form was for most of them? Do they judge that at all?

The form was ok, it wasnt like a weight lifting competition where you gotta have the pause, but had to keep a flat back and touch your chest, so typical high school level bench press protocol..good enough

 

[|3ossman]

I saw this thread a couple days ago and it got me thinking about repping out with 225 again. I havent done it in probably almost a year. So last night this is what i did for a chest workout. I was pretty smoked by the time i got to the rep-out, so ill post what i did before it so you have some idea what i went through first
warmup
135x8x2
185x5
225x5
275x3
315x1

add shirt / 3"board
365x3
405x3
455x3
495x1
2.5"board
495x1

triceps and shoulders are blasted, but i figured i might as well try it after my cns was used to handling 500 pounds, 225 felt like air at first.

225x20 could have gotten 2-3 more, but it burned sooooo bad i was just like fuck that lol.

I weigh 198, so i figure i could get my bodyweight fresh for probably 35-40reps.

 

[Longhorn85]

Very impressive I think could hang with you for your first set (up to 315), but you're on your own for the second part.

That seems like a lot of warming up, why spend do many reps in the <300 range?

 

[|3ossman]

lots of warmups is a good thing, you want the blood in the muscles and joints nice and warm. as long as your not going too heavy and doing too many reps for warmups its great. All too often i see some guy in the gym who wants to max out, so he loads 135 and does it for 10, then 225 for 10 then 275 to failure(like 4-5) and then 315 for 1 hideous rep. What the fuck is the point of that? it should be like 135x8, 185x5, 225x5, 275x1, 315x? guarantee it'd be more than 1 shitty rep.

maybe your thinking i am going heavier that i should for the warmups? which is exactly what they are for me, i can do 315 for 8-10 good reps, 1 is definatly just a warmup, so no i dont think my warmup scheme is too much.

also going up in smaller weight increments (25-50lbs) is much better for the CNS. Meaning, big jumps the weight feels heavier, smaller jumps, your body adapts and it doesnt "feel" as heavy.

 

[Longhorn85]

225x20 could have gotten 2-3 more, but it burned sooooo bad i was just like fuck that lol.

Strained my right shoulder back in March so I had to back off for a while but now I'm fine. I'm back up to 225x10 easy so I hope to see 15 reps by Labor Day and still on track to make my goal of 20 by year's end.

 

[maldorf]

Want to hear something insane? There was a guy that played football for Miami University in Ohio that just got drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. During one of the NFL tests they have to bench 225 lbs for as many reps as they can. I dont know his bodyweight, but in his picture he didnt look to be over 245 lbs max. He managed to bench 225 lbs for 45 reps! Sweet jesus, I couldnt even squat that much and I weigh 230 lbs now.

 

[Phaded]

i can rep 335 x 5 and 225 x 12 what gives?

 

[Longhorn85]

Want to hear something insane? There was a guy that played football for Miami University in Ohio that just got drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. During one of the NFL tests they have to bench 225 lbs for as many reps as they can. I dont know his bodyweight, but in his picture he didnt look to be over 245 lbs max. He managed to bench 225 lbs for 45 reps! Sweet jesus, I couldnt even squat that much and I weigh 230 lbs now.

That is freakish! The NFL combine bench press test is my inspiration for this training goal. I weigh about the same as you do so I figure 20 reps is a good goal. 45 is ridiculous!

i can rep 335 x 5 and 225 x 12 what gives?

Impressive. With 335 x 5 I would have guessed that you can get more at 225 though.

At what point in your routine do you rep out at 225?