How Much Should You Bench Press? Standards + Calculator 

“How much weight do you bench?”

“And how many reps can you do?”

“How many times a week do you bench?”

You’ve heard these many times at the gym from buddies who are either trying to measure you up or willing to help you out. You don’t know what kind of answer they want to hear. You don’t know whether they’ll judge you or cheer you on if you give them an honest answer.

The truth is, your answers to these questions should depend on your fitness level and goals. We do recommend performing two to three reps with a heavier weight and anywhere between five to ten reps with a lighter weight.

Factors to consider

Of course, there are several factors that you need to consider before starting any bench press workout regimen. These factors such as your age, body weight and lifting experience should be taken into consideration together with your current fitness level and goals.

Read on to learn how much and how often should you bench press according to your gender, age, weight, and fitness level. Getting these things right the first time will help you achieve your fitness goals safely, and may even help get those arrogant blokes off your back.

Bench Press Standards by Gender

Men are physically stronger than women. Therefore, the difference between the weight that a male and female can bench varies widely. An average adult man who is a beginner in bench pressing can lift anywhere between 52kgs to 146+kgs. While an average adult woman who is also new to bench pressing is able to lift 44kgs to 90+kgs.

After warming up, male beginners can start bench pressing using a training bar right away, whereas women need to build up their upper body strength first before performing any bench press exercises. To do this, women need to add variety into their workout routine by performing push-ups, dips, and plank exercises to help improve their ability to bench press.

Age

During your 20s and 30s, your body is in prime condition to bench press anywhere between 60% to 100+% of your body weight, regardless of your gender. If you are still young and in good shape, take this as an opportunity to gain muscle mass and increase your endurance and strength.

When you reach your 40s and 50s, your strength begins to decline so you might no longer feel comfortable lifting anything more than 80% of your body weight.

Beginners

The starting weight for an average adult person may range from 52kgs to 146+kgs for men and 44kgs to 90+kgs for women. For complete beginners, meaning you have not performed any lifting exercises before, we advise against lifting loads heavier than your body weight. This may add an enormous amount of stress on your central nervous system, which can lead to injury and fatigue.

If you’re a beginner, we recommend using a 10kg training bar or a pair of lighter dumbbells and performing four sets of ten reps. This weight will still feel light and comfortable enough while effectively working on your form, grip and upper body strength. You can slowly add weights and intensity to your bench press workout plan as your upper body gets stronger over time.

Novice

If you’re a novice trainer weighing 67kgs, you may think that you can bench press 77kgs, but in reality, this isn’t the ideal weight for you just yet. At 67kgs with a bit of weight lifting experience, we recommend pressing up to 60kgs for men and 40kgs for women. Keep your bench press weight below 80% of your body weight. Do three sets of ten reps. Sticking to this weight recommendation and bench press routine will help you build a lean upper body without running the risk of injuring yourself.

Intermediate

If you are ready to take things to the next level, continue working out regularly for 9 to 24 months. Once you reach this level, you can bench up to 70% of your body weight if you’re a woman and 95% to 100% of your body weight if you’re a man. Bench press at a moderate to high intensity for four sets of six reps to build more muscle and increase your upper body strength.

Advanced

Reaching this point will give you the strength and ability to press loads that are 40% to 75% heavier than your body weight! However, you can only do up to four reps at a time, which is ideal for building muscle mass around your chest, shoulders and triceps. You can also develop your strength and power after completing an advanced bench press workout program.

Elite

Mostly comprised of powerlifters and seasoned bodybuilders (think Arnold Schwarzenegger), these athletes spend years of training in order to compete in professional strength sports events. At this level, male lifters are likely capable of bench pressing up to 165% of their body weight while their female counterparts can bench press up to 110% to 120% of their respective body weight. And then there’s the cream of the crop who can bench up to three times of their body weight in certain weight classes.

If you’re planning to advance to the elite level, we recommend performing high-intensity bench press for eight sets of three reps. This routine is ideal for increasing your strength, size of skeletal muscles and level of endurance.

Training Frequency: How Many Times a Week Should You Bench?

Again, this depends on your current fitness level and goals, as what works for other lifters may not work for you. Most elite lifters can bench press two to three times per week. This allows them to develop and master their bench press techniques while giving them enough time for other workouts that build up their strength, power, and muscle mass.

If you are a beginner who also does separate workouts for different parts of your body, we advise bench pressing twice a week. Advanced lifters can bench three to four times a week and still do deadlifts and weighted squats twice a week on the side.

More importantly, practise mindfulness when benching several times weekly. You don’t want to stress yourself out, or worse, end up with an injury by pushing yourself too hard. Do warm-up exercises before you hit the bench to condition your body before you perform your first three sets of your bench press workout. If you hit a plateau in your strength training, we recommend taking a week off to recover so you can come back with the renewed energy to lift a heavier weight.

Essential Gear for a Safer, Stronger Bench Press

• Choosing the right Gym Bench is about more than just having a place to sit; it’s about having a stable foundation that won’t wobble when you’re under a heavy load. For those looking for a mix of versatility and stability, the Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 is a popular choice among serious lifters.
• Power Rack or Squat Stand: Never bench heavy alone without safety spotter arms. A sturdy Power Rack acts as your “mechanical spotter,” catching the bar if you reach muscle failure.
• Wrist Wraps: As you move into the Novice and Intermediate weight ranges, your wrists may feel the strain. Professional-grade wraps provide the support needed to keep your grip firm and your form perfect.
• Quality Barbell: Ensure you are using an Olympic Barbell that can handle the whip and weight of heavy loads.

About Sam’s Fitness

Sam’s Fitness offers a wide range of superior quality gym equipment from leading brands, such as Ironmaster, Barbarian Line, Powertec, Megatec and more.

Want to learn more about proper bench press form? Check out this article
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