How strong are you guys?

[Reno911]

Not strong at all at my age (52) but my physique doesn't really show it too much. Maybe a little in the traps/yoke.

In my early 40's I could do 150 flat DB for 9 and 315 Swiss bar flat bench for 16. Hatfield squats were like 455 for 8ish.

I train a lot slower now with shorter rest and reps between 12-20. I burned up a lot of "training miles" on the joints training heavy when I was younger.

 

[cage99]

I’m not freakishly strong like some fellas are naturally. Never been that guy. I also never once tried to find my 1RM. Never saw the point. Knowing my luck I would’ve torn something, and for what? My ego? To each their own, if it makes you happy then handle that!

I’ll happily stay in my lane and continue to try and look half way decent naked!

Cage

 

[buck]

Squat 405x10
BP 430x4
DL 675x2
RDL 455x4
Military press 115x5 DB on my own
This was when i was till natural and weighing in the 210-220 range. Got stronger on some lifts when i started on gear but the joints were already feeling their age by then.
These days my weights would be a warm up weight from my younger days.

 

[OldManLogan]

Yeesh, I’m weak AF. Back when I was natty and fatter (5’7”, 220# or so fat), deadlift and back squatted 415 for 3… bench hit 315 literally once, and fucked up my shoulders after that, took a year to recover…

I stopped chasing numbers about 3 years ago, because I’m old and longevity and aesthetics is what I’m aiming for now.

 

[hogan87]

While at the pool party having drinks, shirt off, I have NEVER had a woman ask me, "hey how much you bench"? She will rub my arms, say she loves my abs, etc. I don`t give a FOOK how much is on the bar.

I`ve met a few guys with big lifts, 4-500# dead lifts, big squats, they are all 1/2" shorter than they used to be. No thanks.

 

[Duke309]

May just be a bias from the strong guys wanting to show what they have done, but based on the responses most of the big dudes are strong AF

 

[Mufasa123]

May just be a bias from the strong guys wanting to show what they have done, but based on the responses most of the big dudes are strong AF

You are absolutely right. The whole reason the body responds with hypertrophy is to generate more force and leverage on a given joint. Bigger muscle is a stronger muscle all else held equal - it's an inarguable point, proven endlessly.

 

[KyleSmith1985]

I competed and lifted powerlifting style in my early 20’s. In the 181 and 198 class. I’m much more muscular and lower bf% now but I can’t lift these numbers anymore.

Squat:565
Front Squat:425
Bench: 395x1 315x12
Deadlift: 555

I don’t back squat, bench or deadlift anymore.

recently I’ve hit 23 consecutive real full pull-ups.
275x6 on the incline bench.

It still irks to me this day getting so close to hitting 4 plates on the bench and never hitting it.

 

[SouthernMuscle]

.

While at the pool party having drinks, shirt off, I have NEVER had a woman ask me, "hey how much you bench"? She will rub my arms, say she loves my abs, etc. I don`t give a FOOK how much is on the bar.

I`ve met a few guys with big lifts, 4-500# dead lifts, big squats, they are all 1/2" shorter than they used to be. No thanks.

 

[hawkmoon]

I'm 56 so obviously not pushing now. I also never did a single in anything that I can recall.

In my 20s for working sets:
Inclines: 425x6
Squats: 685x6
Behind the neck: 315x8

In my 40s I could still row 405 and rack pull 675 for working sets.

I was reasonably strong, but so was everyone around me.

 

[FK86]

Less than 1% of the world's population can bench press 225 lb. Even with hard training for years, some people will still not accomplish that because of genetic limiting factors and individual starting strength levels. People far stronger than that, like many of you here, will never be able to comprehend that because of your above average genetics, gear use, and the company you may keep of people being able to accomplish similar feats. The next time you go to the gym, really take a look at the average weights people are using on various exercises. Everyone that has responded so far is or was strong.

 

[KyleSmith1985]

Less than 1% of the world's population can bench press 225 lb. Even with hard training for years, some people will still not accomplish that because of genetic limiting factors and individual starting strength levels. People far stronger than that, like many of you here, will never be able to comprehend that because of your above average genetics, gear use, and the company you may keep of people being able to accomplish similar feats. The next time you go to the gym, really take a look at the average weights people are using on various exercises. Everyone that has responded so far is or was strong.

Not sure what your point your trying to make here.

How much of the population even trains bench? And then how many don’t give up after a year? Very achievable for most males. I’ve trained men in their sixties that had no history of weight training and eventually got them repping 225 natty. Nothing fancy either just basic progressive overload and consistency.

Ironically I see most people going too light or too heavy. Lifting with no intensity or half repping and muscle fucking heavy weight. Lots of skinny dudes that weigh maybe a buck fifty use heavier weights than I do on certain exercises.

 

[Cv215]

I’ve competed in powerlifting for quite a while and some of the strongest power lifters and Olympic lifters don’t even look like they work out. It’s funny how that works.

 

[KyleSmith1985]

I’ve competed in powerlifting for quite a while and some of the strongest power lifters and Olympic lifters don’t even look like they work out. It’s funny how that works.

It was so bad 15 years ago. This is also back when geared powerlifting was popular. Just a bunch of fat dudes that waddled to the bar and looked like they would bleed pudding.

Meets I attend now there’s actually jacked guys. And almost no equipped lifting. Guys in the 198, 220, occasionally 242 you’ll get the “Fuscular look”. 275+ just beards and bellies.

 

[KyleSmith1985]

I'm 56 so obviously not pushing now. I also never did a single in anything that I can recall.

In my 20s for working sets:
Inclines: 425x6
Squats: 685x6
Behind the neck: 315x8

In my 40s I could still row 405 and rack pull 675 for working sets.

I was reasonably strong, but so was everyone around me.

Those are some elite numbers . I bet back when you could do those numbers if you ran a 12 week powerlifting block you’d have a 2000# or more total.

 

[buck]

A gym i trained at for 15 years was run by a guy that competed in powerlifting in the winter and BB in the summer. There was more 100# and 50 kilo plates there then any other gym i have been to. Seeing guys bench 4-5 plates was routine. Virtually never see that any more in the gyms i train at. People these days don't realize how strong they can really get. Plus being lean all the time gets in the way of getting big and strong for most.

 

[Mufasa123]

A gym i trained at for 15 years was run by a guy that competed in powerlifting in the winter and BB in the summer. There was more 100# and 50 kilo plates there then any other gym i have been to. Seeing guys bench 4-5 plates was routine. Virtually never see that any more in the gyms i train at. People these days don't realize how strong they can really get. Plus being lean all the time gets in the way of getting big and strong for most.

That whole PL scene still exists but they've moved from commercial to private gyms. OL was never in commercial past early 70s for the most part but still Strongman, OL, and Crossfit takes place elsewhere now. More specialist mentality.

I haven't trained at a commercial gym in years. Other than cute girl scenery there's no reason. Nothing I can't do where I'm at and nothing inspirational. Never saw that evolving in past 20-25 years but seems to have shaken out that way. At least in US.

 

[rhinozt47]

I know chasing strength isn’t considered optimal for bodybuilding—but I’m not a bodybuilder I think being strong as fuck for its own sake is fucking cool.

I’m not naturally strong, so I’ve had to fight for every pound of progress. Probably why I value it so much

Squat- 610x1
Bench- 420x1
DL- 655x1
overhead press- 290

Some strong fuckers here.

 

[hawkmoon]

Those are some elite numbers . I bet back when you could do those numbers if you ran a 12 week powerlifting block you’d have a 2000# or more total.

I never really did a from the floor deadlift. I have short Sicilian legs though, so maybe....

 

[st114]

Here’s a thread I can participate in lol

I have always been very strong especially for my size. Was trained by one of the best strength coaches in the world for years, starting when I was a teen. Same coach who coaches Julius Maddox, Tom Haviland, and many others

Deadlift 815x2
Trap bar deadlift 1000x3
405lb per hand farmer carry 50m
Squat 745
Bench 580 (pre-pec tear)
Incline 500 for a few reps
Seated military 405lbs
RDL 675 for working sets of 10+
Incline dumbbell 200lbs for 6 (biggest pain in the ass getting them up, worse than the lift)
Hack squat 12 plates per side x 15

I really wish I would have taken more videos of my lifts when I was really strong.
I’ve posted most of these before. Want to stay faceless on here because of my job but these I can share

Ended up doing over 600 on the Zercher but had accidentally smashed my phone camera by this point so no video