ugh. Im such a pansy. Got back in the gym today....

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

Unfortunately the lighter you are the easier it is to bench your bodyweight. That's sort of where the 1.5x comes in. I'm sitting at 220 right now and I've got a little bit to go still before I hit 1x. You should be able to tell if you should shoot for 1x or 1.5x. If you can sit down at a bench with very little work and get 1x bw then obviously you need to shoot for 1.5x.

 

[bigbangtheory 5,000+ posts]

Unfortunately the lighter you are the easier it is to bench your bodyweight. That's sort of where the 1.5x comes in. I'm sitting at 220 right now and I've got a little bit to go still before I hit 1x. You should be able to tell if you should shoot for 1x or 1.5x. If you can sit down at a bench with very little work and get 1x bw then obviously you need to shoot for 1.5x.

What are you maxing out at and how many reps at that? Just wondeing....

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

What are you maxing out at and how many reps at that? Just wondeing....

IIRC my calculated "working max" was around 195, but the last time we benched I believe I did 185x5. We don't bench a whole lot because my workout partner (he's an athletic trainer) doesn't really like bench for some reason. We do a lot of overhead/military press which I actually like more than bench. You don't put up huge numbers but I feel like I get a better workout from it. I'm overhead pressing 115x5, deadlifting around 260, and squating around 220. We've only been at it for around 2-3 months but I've seen pretty good gains in my deadlift.

 

[bigbangtheory 5,000+ posts]

IIRC my calculated "working max" was around 195, but the last time we benched I believe I did 185x5. We don't bench a whole lot because my workout partner (he's an athletic trainer) doesn't really like bench for some reason. We do a lot of overhead/military press which I actually like more than bench. You don't put up huge numbers but I feel like I get a better workout from it. I'm overhead pressing 115x5, deadlifting around 260, and squating around 220. We've only been at it for around 2-3 months but I've seen pretty good gains in my deadlift.

Thats cool, I must be mistaken on the 1x BW thing then. I have been out of this for awhile, lol!

My bench max is 310x4 and I usually start high and work down to 140......which I do more reps the lower I go.

I have a bad back, so I dont do a lot of excercises that dont support my back somewhat, besides dumbells.

I also made the mistake of squatting too much, thinking I could do it....I did, but f-me the next day! Lesson learned....Was doing over 500 pounds remebering back in HS it was no problem.

I am not 17/18 no more. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif Not to mention I took wa to many years off....also lost a ton of strength when I lost majority of my weight as I was using resistance training and dieting only....nothing like a good weight set to kick me in gear. Have a long way to go...

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

Yeah, you just have to remember it's not about putting up bigger numbers then the other guys, it's just about improving yourself. I'm not lifting because I want to be a bodybuilder someday, I'm just doing it because it's helping me drop some weight.

 

[UMWDawg92 10+ year member]

I also made the mistake of squatting too much, thinking I could do it....I did, but f-me the next day! Lesson learned....Was doing over 500 pounds remebering back in HS it was no problem.

man I've seen too many people hurt themselves squatting by trying to do to much and forgetting that squating is a big time form lift when it really comes down to it, I remember I hated squating in high school because my back always killed me after, then I finally had a weight training teacher that made me take weight off until I got it right. Now I haven't really noticed any back pain from it and my max went up fast. I Lift 3 to 4 times a week now for football in college and I'm sitting at about 220 for my body weight and last we maxed a few weeks ago I got 475 up on squats, benched 335 and hang cleaned 275.

 

[l7runner 10+ year member]

If people would squat to full depth then they would be less likely to hurt their back.

You wouldn't even think about going ATG with weights that you cannot properly handle. People hurt themselves 1/4 squatting with weights higher than their abilities.

 

[UMWDawg92 10+ year member]

If people would squat to full depth then they would be less likely to hurt their back.
You wouldn't even think about going ATG with weights that you cannot properly handle. People hurt themselves 1/4 squatting with weights higher than their abilities.

^^^this is so true

 

[dB-r 10+ year member]

Recently all of us at the shop started hitting the weights 3 times a week, and already noticed gains in just 1-2 weeks of workout.

I'm 36, about to be 37 and decided it's time to start working out (again) and get in shape, got a LONG way to go. I haven't worked out since I was 20-22 years old. Back then was benching 1x bodyweight @ 220 lbs. Now I am 6 ft 260 lbs and benching less than I was back then, but working my way back up fast. Gonna take some time to get to 1x bodyweight, that's my 1 year goal, but my short term is to get back to 200-220. Working out with the bar and 2 big plates, 10 reps x 4 sets right now, looking to step that up a little bit for next weeks workout, as the current is getting a little too easy for me already, gotta keep going up! Not looking to tone here, looking to build up the muscle, so I am going to be pretty aggressive with it by going up and up on the weight asap. If the workout doesn't make you sore, it's not gonna help you build up, just tone up. I'll tone when I get back to 1 x BW.... That's my philosophy about it anyway. Once I get my upper body in better shape going to start hitting the bicycle and work on my mid section and my legs. My legs are good shape, good genetics, but I do have 1 knee that I messed up so I can't do running, but I can do bicycle. Will probably get my weight back down to 240 or so, but I doubt any less than that if I am bulking up hitting the weights...

Anyway, to the OP, whatever you do, stick with it. As I tell my guys here that work/workout with me, ANYTHING is better than nothing at all. Commit to it and stick with it for as long as you can, in the long run it will certainly pay off well toward your "general state of health". Sharp pains are bad, dull pains are good. If you feel a sharp pain, you are doing incorrectly or have an injury that will force you to back down the weight/workout on that area. Luckily no bad car wrecks here, no sharp pains, just lots of burn from the workouts, it's not hurting that bad after a week or so though now... We started just recently again, already feeling way better, a little stronger, and looking forward to lots more workout. If I could hit the weights every day I would but I hear it won't work out good for you that way, every other day... Eventually on days not hitting weights will be hitting the bicycle, then back to the weights the next day, etc...

 

[denim 5,000+ posts]

Good form & moderate weight > bad form & maximum weight.

 

[rumdada 10+ year member]

You shouldnt try to max out every time you lift, do about 65% to 75% of your max at higher reps increase the reps by 1 or 2 everyday then add another 10lbs every week, increasing your max is all about reppittion you have to also be consistant you cant take off a week then get into it. Im 6'5 215 my max is 290 but i know as soons as i start hoopin again my max will drop down to about 250/260 because i stop lifting thats a huge diference!

 

[sobe3yourself. 10+ year member]

youre not that bad...

im about 5'3" 250 pounds

 

[elancohen92 10+ year member]

Wow, you do have a fast metabolism. I thought mine was low, but I guess not. 152-3 pounds at 5'9, couple weeks Ill be 25. I think Im just getting older and its catching up with me. Im not even suppose to be in the 150's.. without working out, Im suppose to be in the 140's. But I know where that extra 10-5 pounds went to. My stomach. I have always had a 6 pack, but now it just looks like a fat stomach with a big overhang. I need to get rid of it while still building 25-30 pounds of muscle. HEEEELP

im 16, 195lbs, and 5'10".

 

[GiAnT4LYFE 10+ year member]

I just started lifting again at the begining of this year and have been going 5x a week since then. Mon-Chest/Bi's, Tues-Legs/Abs, Wed-Back/Tri's, Thurs-Shoulders/Abs, Fri-Chest/Bi's. Working out with 2 other guys from work, 1 who has been lifting steady for 3 years, and the other who has been going strong for 9 months, and I have made some massive gains. I'm taking some supplements, Intravol, NanoX9, Cellmass, Truemass, Jack3d, and Xenadrine, and have really noticed the gains over the 2 months I've been taking them. I'm 33 and 6'4" and started the year weighing 277 with 33.5% bodyfat, now I'm at 256 with 22.7% bodyfat. I don't really care about how much I weight, just more what the guy in the mirror looks like. Our workouts at the gym usually last 2 hours and usually have 8-10 exercises in that time frame. Every 4 weeks we switch the lifts from barbell and machines to dumbell and machines, and I can tell that the muscle confusion from doing that has paid dividends. I'm just glad that I've been able to become addicted to the gym again.

 

[05fronty 5,000+ posts]

im 16, 195lbs, and 5'10".

just wait until you get older lutz. when i was 16 i was 5'11" and 140 pounds. now i'm 37 5'11" 215. i'm tryin to lose 25 pounds. couldn't gain weight for anything. i tried when i was younger, now it's a bitch to get rid of it