My Bench is almost there: 88.8% of body

[[look]aRhino]

A week ago, I finally upped my bench press from 155 lbs to 165 lbs, and I thought to myself, I'm wicked.

So that day, I said to myself, in a month I'll be able to bench my weight (200lbs).

that was last week, yesterday I hit the gym again and this time I benched 175. And this morning I measured myself and I was 197 lbs. So I can bench 88.8% of my body and I'm still 3 weeks away from my goal.

I goto the gym at my university, but its a fair bit of a commute, so sometimes I can only make it once a week during the summer months. However, I still think I can make my goal.

I'm proud of myself. Any of you guys at about the stage I am? Almost being able to bench your weight? I've always considered it important that a man be able to bench his own weight, so I'm glad i'm finally getting there. I'm also trying to cut up (a bit), which is why my weight has been dropping.

Rhino

PS. I consider 4 reps of a weight being able to lift it, so if in 3 weeks I can do 4 reps without a spot of my weight, then my goal will have been fulfilled.

 

[JudgementDay]

That is awesome man, I hope you reach your goal...

I've just started lifting, and can only lift about half of my weight so I'm a little farther away than you lol

 

[[look]aRhino]

Thanks man, I appreciate it.

Well if you want any advice from me:

1. Give your muscles time to rest. I like to give a muscle group at least 2 days off.

2.Make a routine of going to the gym and always go.

3. Never go to the gym on an empty stomach, and never go long after the gym on an empty stomach.

4. Lift as heavy as you can. Do a warmup set, then always pick the heaviest weight you can do for at least 6 reps. If you hit 12 reps, it was too light.

5. Dont neglect the legs. Do the squats.

6. Dont neglect your back. You don't want that beefcake look, the one where their shoulders pinch forward cause they only spend time on the bench.

Thats whats worked for me man. Good luck on your own quest

Rhino

 

[Vincent]

Wow your stupid...

You go once a week? thats terrible. Your body can't handle the shock of that, so you need to work on going more often or else your gonna hurt yourself

Your trying this without a spotter? Are you suicidal? If your trying to add that much weight at one time, your just putting yourself at risk.

Before, most likely you had the muscle capacity to bench 175, but they were slightely attrophied so you were just rebuilding strength, not gaining it.

Thinking you can gain 25 pounds on the bench in a month is one hell of a dream, but its just not gonna happen. If you go at least 4 times a week, than maybe you'll bench your weight by the end of the summer, or even 2 months.

 

[DJBen]

I'm with Vincent... dont rush it man - you might want to reach your goal ASAP, but at what cost?

When you rush to reach the goal, it wont last for very long... you know what they say, that who shines the brightest shines the shortest.

Take it easy, build it up, and dont go jumping into the deep end. Also, and this is purely my oppinion, try getting some more reps in there... although a lot of bodybuilders say "oh, 8 reps man, yeah, thats the stuff" I think that 12 is a lot better. Then again, we train for different things

Good luck with it all, mate

 

[Oxide]

Alright.. some points.

Yes do go to gym more than once a week, but only work each muscle group weekly.
ALWAYS USE A SPOTTER. what the hell are you thinking..there were far too many times when i thought i could handle another rep and it would have been my last if not for the spotter.
do not overtrain... right now im sitting with a majorly fvkced up shoulder that has been hurting for 5 weeks now.. and i cant lift and gain mass as much as i want to..
Read Diesel/'s guide on bulking, its very good,.
Be careful, weightlifting can fvck you up big time if u have no idea what you are doing..

 

[[look]aRhino]

Vincent:
You are semi right, I had a bit of muscle potential before from working out on machines, so for awhile I was working on my stabilizer muscles and stuff. I'm hoping I have enough potential to get me to my weight.

And actually the day I said it i had benched 165 for the first time, so it was actually 35 lbs in a month

DJBen:
I'm not quite jumping in it, I was working out decently hardcore from xmas to end of april and moved my bench up from 95 lbs to about 145 lbs.

Well for 12 reps, I can't lift as heavy weight, and from everything I've read, if you want to be big you have to lift big. Since I don't sacrifice form for that weight, I just sacrifice reps, I think its ok.

Oxide:
I've read diesel's guide to cutting, I'm not actually trying to bulk here, I'm trying to drop fat.
But at the same point, I'm trying to do what Vincent said and realize the full potential of my muscles.
I generally only work out each muscle group once a week, sometimes twice depending. I'm gonna try and go in tomorrow.
How did you mess up your shoulder? Maybe I can avoid it

To all:
Even if I don't go with a friend I'll just turn to someone else in the gym and ask them to spot me.
I've been stuck under the bar before and it's not something I'd like to repeat. I always get a spot on the bench now if I'm lifting close to my max.
And the reason I goto the gym so infrequently is that the gym is at my school, and I live out in the suburbs. Its a fair commute (40-75 mins)

 

[Shiftkey]

Why not join a closer gym..?

 

[RandomGuy22]

I started working out about 3 months ago.

As of now I weigh 140.

My max when I started was 135, 3 weeks ago I benched 170. . My goal for end of summer is 200. I'm hoping I can get that.

 

[[look]aRhino]

Shiftkey:

As a student of said school, i get to use the gym for free Plus, in 3 - 4 weeks i'm moving closer so it'll be about a 35 min walk or a 15 subway + walk to the gym.

RandomGuy:

thats awesome man. Good for you. I hope you're doing free weights though, and not using the machine benches.
machines don't work out nearly as well as free weights because you don't need to stabilize or balance or anything. In fact, you might have a problem switching for free weights.

 

[DJBen]

35 mins walk? surely you could do a gentle jog there and back

Also, to get big, you're definately right, you have to really shift some weight - just be careful that you dont stuff anything up. I prefer to get 10-12 just as a safety precaution - I'm in no rush at all to improve my body. If I reach all my goals, I reach them, if I dont I dont. I still work towards them, but weights can lead to serious injury so I'm always taking it fairly steady.

Random guy:

thats some serious god damn progress there man

 

[bogman2121]

i can bench 50 pounds more than i weigh

 

[Lt dan]

ok your doing too many reps, keep it under five. and you need to hit bench more than once a week. go to bodybuilding.com and go to the forum section and read around in the strongman powerlifting forum. 8-12 is good if your trying to get bigger but 5 and under is better for strengh gains. read up on the two kinds of hypertrophy, myofibraller and the other one i cant think of right now. but im sure two kinds of hypertrophy would work in google. good luck

 

[RandomGuy22]

Originally posted by [look]aRhino
Shiftkey:

As a student of said school, i get to use the gym for free Plus, in 3 - 4 weeks i'm moving closer so it'll be about a 35 min walk or a 15 subway + walk to the gym.

RandomGuy:

thats awesome man. Good for you. I hope you're doing free weights though, and not using the machine benches.
machines don't work out nearly as well as free weights because you don't need to stabilize or balance or anything. In fact, you might have a problem switching for free weights.

I'm doing free weights. machines are for girls. =P

 

[[look]aRhino]

lt dan:
I'll check it out.

randomguy:
Good ****

djBen:
I just said 35 mins to give you guys an idea of how far I could jog there, but i'd have a backpack on my back. Its not as fun. *shrug*

rhino