Introduction
Bench presses are a great way to improve the strength of your muscles. It is one of the most popular gym equipment since bench pressing is part of strength training routines for most fitness fanatics. How much you can bench press can be used as a measure of your strength and is dependent on your level of fitness and experience. But what is the average bench press? Understanding this concept is very important to ensure healthy bodybuilding.
Is the average bench press the same for both men and women?
Both men and women engage in bench presses during their workout in the gym. The average bench press is determined using body weight and age. However, the average bench press differs between a man and a woman regardless of their age.
The average bench press for men
According to the National Center for Health and Statistics, the average weight of an adult male is about 197.8 pounds. According to a chart on average bench press approved by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, there are four categories of strength trainers namely; untrained, novice, intermediate, advanced, and elite level.
Based on the chart, and taking a constant weight of 114 pounds for a man, an untrained fan should begin with 85lbs while a novice should handle 110lbs. If you are at the intermediate level, 130lbs should be okay while those in the advanced and elite levels have an average bench press of 180lbs and 220lbs consecutively.
Taking the average weight of a man (197.8lbs) as a reference point, the same chart shows that at 198lbs approximately equal to the average weight of a man, an untrained man has an average bench press of 135lbs, a novice at 175lbs, intermediates at 215 while the more experienced advanced and elite levels are estimated at 290lbs and 360lbs respectively.
The average bench press for women
The average weight of a woman is estimated at 170.5lbs according to the National Center for Health Statistics. To make it easier for you to compare the differences in the average bench press between a man and a woman, we are going to consider women at the same constant weight of 114lbs. What is the average bench press for women at the different levels of bodybuilding?
The National Strength and Conditioning Association approved a chart for women average bench such that at 114lbs, an untrained woman should start lifting 60lbs, a novice should handle 75lbs while those at the intermediate level can work out with 85lbs. At an advanced level, a woman can be lifting 110 lbs while the elite can go as far as 135lbs.
The average bench press based on age
Your age may have a significant influence on your average bench press. Generally, young people between 20-29 years can lift 100% of their body weight. Between 30-39 years, bodybuilders have an average bench press of about 90% of their body weight. If you are between 40-49 years, 80% is considered fit and healthy. But if you are in the fifties, 75% of your body weight is the best. As observed, the average bench press declines with age.
Does the type of bench affect average bench press?
As you may already know, there are three types of bench press variations you can find in a gym. They include the flat, incline, and decline bench press. A Foldable workout bench may be able to assume a flat, incline, or decline position which would eliminate the need for the three types.
The flat bench press is the most widely used and allows for a full-body workout. The bench can support all your average bench press needs without having to alter the weight.
The incline bench raises your head at an angle during a workout. If you are targeting your upper chest, this is the best choice to make. However, since not much of the chest is involved as compared to the flat bench, it may feel harder to lift weights hence we can deduce that it may significantly affect the average bench press.
The decline bench operates while your head is lowered at an angle which helps build all the chest muscles. The decline position largely utilizes the lower chest and may also affect the average bench press due to the small part of the chest involved during lifting.
However, the effect of using the three different bench presses may not be very significant especially for advanced and elite level strength trainers. Nonetheless, ensure you have the Best workout bench for the best results with your average bench press.
Why important of the average bench press?
Strength training and conditioning follows well established scientific principles. That means that if you don’t take the necessary precautions, your fun at the gym may turn out risky for you. Lifting weights without any insight into how much should be suitable for you could cause injuries or even death. Always ensure you proceed slowly to achieve healthy and strong body muscles.
Final words
Most gym fanatics have a soft spot for the bench press. Unfortunately, if you popped into a gym and asked the fitness enthusiasts about what is the average bench press, you may be surprised that few may be aware of this issue. Whatever the case, you are now informed on the need to know and consider your average bench press if you want the best results with bodybuilding.
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