How Much Can you Bench Bro?
- Doug Joachim
- 7 hours ago
- 11 min read
If you are reading this you are most likely a fitness inspired human. You try things. You chase better. You have sampled every shiny program that promised to make you feel amazing and look like a minor superhero. So it is no surprise that sooner or later you fell in love with the bench press or you tried it and it humbled you in front of the dumbbell rack.
Everyone wants a big bench whether they admit it or not (well, not my mom). When someone finds out you lift weights they are going to ask you "How much can you bench, bro?" Women don't seem so interested in this question or answer.
Let us make that answer more fun to say.
Bench Press Matters
The bench press earns its spot in the Big Three (Squat, Deadlift & Bench) because it loads heavy, demands precision in setup and bar path, and punishes even the smallest lapse in timing. It’s also the most emotionally volatile lift in the gym; miss a squat and people nod with respect; miss a bench and suddenly five guys appear to critique your grip while your spotter insists you “totally had it.”
From a training standpoint, the bench isn’t just chest and triceps. Done right, it lights up the pectoralis major, anterior delts, and triceps, but also recruits the serratus anterior, lats, rotator cuff, and even the core and glutes to lock in stability and drive power through the bar. EMG studies show activation levels in the pecs and delts rival any upper-body lift, with significant engagement from the stabilizers that keep your shoulders safe and the bar path smooth. The takeaway? A well-executed bench press is a full-body event disguised as an upper-body lift.
A Very Quick History of the Bench
Early strongmen like George Hackenschmidt pressed from the floor because benches were not a thing. As equipment evolved the floor press became a bridge press and then the modern flat bench. By the 1950's the bench had replaced the overhead press as the main test of upper body strength. When powerlifting formalized in the 1960's the bench was locked in and we have been chasing numbers and shoulder crankiness ever since.
Why Women Bench
Women get the same relative gains in strength and muscle as men when they train with intent. Early phases often bring fast upper-body progress. Add in bone health and long-term joint benefits and the bench becomes a very smart play.
Translation: you’ll get stronger and be able to open every stubborn jar in the kitchen.
Research shows women’s pectoral, triceps, and anterior-shoulder strength can increase at the same rate as men’s when training intensity and effort are matched. Because women typically start with less upper-body mass, the early phase of bench training can bring especially visible progress. Over time, consistent bench work improves not just muscle tone and power but also shoulder stability; key for posture, pushing, and everyday strength.
There’s also a hidden bonus: bone health. Resistance training, especially loaded compound presses, stimulates bone remodeling in the upper spine, sternum, and arms....areas women are more prone to lose density with age. Regular bench pressing literally strengthens the frame from the inside out, improving long-term joint function and reducing fracture risk.
In short: the bench isn’t just for powerlifters: it’s a full-body investment in strength, confidence, and bone density.
Nerdy Bench Mechanics
Force. F = M × A.The bar wants to go down. You want to send it up. That part is simple.
Imagine holding a really heavy backpack over your chest. Gravity is pulling it toward your ribs, and your job is to shove it back up fast. That’s force. The heavier the backpack (mass), or the faster you push it (acceleration), the more force you make.
Torque: The Real Trick
The trick is torque. Your pecs pull the arms toward the midline, your triceps extend the elbows, your delts help flex the shoulders — and all that creates internal moments that have to beat the external moments the bar creates at the shoulder and elbow.
(Translation) “Torque” just means twisty power. It’s what happens when your muscles pull on your bones like levers. The bar is trying to twist your arms backward, and your muscles are fighting to twist them forward again. If your internal torque wins, the bar moves up. If not, it wins, and you become one with the bench.
Why Arm Length Matters
Longer arms mean longer moment arms, which means more work for the same weight. This is why short-armed lifters look like they were born to bench while tall lifters (like me) look like they’re trying to launch a satellite.
(Translation) Think of a see-saw. If you sit farther from the middle, it’s harder to lift the other person. That’s a longer moment arm. Same thing with your arms; longer arms mean the bar is farther from your shoulders, so you have to produce more force to move it the same distance. Short-armed lifters get a shorter trip and a mechanical advantage. Tall folks? We’re working twice as hard to move the same barbell.
The Strongest Bar Path
The strongest bar path is not straight up. You want to touch the lower chest, then drive the bar slightly up and back toward the shoulders, then finish mostly vertical. That keeps the bar over your base and shortens the shoulder lever where it matters.
(Translation) If you push the bar straight up from your chest, it drifts forward, and your shoulders have to do extra work to keep it in line. Instead, you arc it back toward your shoulders like tracing a little rainbow. That puts the bar right over your center of gravity and keeps everything stacked and stable. You waste less energy fighting physics and spend more of it moving the weight.
How to Bench
Setup
Grip a little wider than shoulder width. Pull your shoulder blades together like you are trying to pinch a pencil. Plant your feet, take a deep breath into your belly, crush the bar (try to bend) and unrack to somewhere above the upper chest.
Descent
Lower in about 2 seconds. Control the bar. Let it touch softly around the lower chest or bottom of the sternum.
Pause and press
Hold a clear pause. Drive with your legs as the bar leaves your chest. Move it slightly back toward your face then straight up to lockout. A little elbow flare is natural. Press every rep with intent. Training with intent to move fast produces better strength gains at the same volume than lazy reps.
Dumbbell Press Versus Barbell Bench
The barbell is your strength engine and your best way to measure progress. Dumbbells are your control tool. They allow a deeper bottom, a natural arm path and they force each side to show up and balance in all 3 planes. Use both, but if you want the biggest 1 rep max you need a bar in your hands often. Personally I alternate between the two movements.
Why Full Range Still Wins
A 10 week study reviewed by Greg Nuckols found that lifters who trained full range bench improved the most at every tested range even compared with partials at 1/3 and 2/3rds of the range. Specificity still matters but for the bench full range seems to give broader adaptation than many expect. Make full range paused reps your default. Use partials and pins as seasoning.
Coach’s note: Sometimes the range of motion question is less about rules and more about results. Train long enough to grow everywhere then specialize when you actually need to. I have a few folks who's shoulder bother them when they go all the way down, so we limit the range.
Current 'Raw' Records
Men: Julius Maddox with 335 kilogram (783lbs for you Americans) at Hybrid Showdown in 2021
Women: April Mathis with 207.5 kilograms (457.5lbs) at the Gritmas Classic in 2016
ARNOLD: 525lbs
Bench press standards vary depending on experience:
Fitness Level | Men | Women |
Beginner | Body weight (0.5-0.7 times) | Body weight (0.3-0.4 times) |
Novice | Body weight (0.8-1 times) | Body weight (0.5-0.6 times) |
Intermediate | Body weight (1.2-1.5 times) | Body weight (0.7-0.8 times) |
Elite | Body weight (1.9-2.2 times) | Body weight (1.0-1.3 times) |
These figures represent the estimated 1 rep max bench press, which is based on body weight.
How to Fix a Stubborn Bench Press
Here's your map out of frustration valley. Pick what matches your problem, run it for 8-12 weeks, then retest.
If the Bar Dies on Your Chest
The Problem: You're likely missing leg drive, lacking strength at long muscle lengths, or your bar path is inefficient right off the chest.
The Fix:
Paused Bench Press: 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps with a 2-second pause at the bottom. Focus on driving the bar UP AND BACK toward your face as you press off your chest, not straight up. This bar path is critical; elite benchers drive back toward their shoulders immediately off the chest to minimize shoulder flexion demands at the sticking point.
Low Incline Press: 2 sets of 6-10 reps after your main work to strengthen the anterior delts and upper pecs through the range where shoulder flexion demands are highest.
Spoto Press: 3 sets of 4-6 reps, stopping 1-2 inches above your chest for a 1-count before pressing. This builds strength just past the chest without the stretch reflex and teaches the correct "back then up" bar path pattern. It also eliminates any bouncing and gets
Key Insight: Film yourself from the side. If you're pressing straight up initially, you're making the lift much harder than it needs to be. The bar should move back toward your shoulders as soon as it leaves your chest.
If You Stall 4-6 Inches Up (The Sticking Point)
The Problem: This is where elbow extension demands peak and the stretch reflex is gone. However, bar path matters here too...if the bar is too far in front of your shoulders at this point, total flexion demands at the shoulder remain unnecessarily high.
The Fix:
Close Grip Bench: 2 days per week
Day 1: 5 sets of 3-5 reps at 75-85%
Day 2: 8 sets of 4-5 reps at ~60% with crisp speed and perfect bar path (emphasize that up-and-back pattern)
Floor Press: Lay down on the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor: 3 sets of 4-6 reps to build mid-range strength with reduced range of motion, focusing on elbow extension demands without leg drive interference. It also takes away the stretch reflex at the bottom.
Overhead Triceps Extensions: 2 sets of 10-15 reps to load the long head of the triceps through a full stretch.
Key Insight: Elite lifters minimize the gap between their maximum and minimum force output throughout the lift. Inefficient bar paths create a 32-33% drop in force at the sticking point for novices versus only 13-14% for elite lifters. Fixing your bar path can dramatically increase the minimum force you can produce at your weakest point.
If You Miss at Lockout
The Problem: If your elbows point forward late in the lift, you're not completing shoulder internal rotation and aren't generating useful lateral force into the bar.
The Fix:
Pin Press: Set pins in rack 4-6 inches below lockout: 5 sets of 4-6 reps to build strength & speed in the top range.
Board Press Variations: Use a bench press board on your chest: Alternate between 1-board and 2-board close grip press for 3 sets of 4-6 reps.
Pushdown Ladder: 12, 10, then 8 reps with short rest periods to build triceps endurance and lockout stamina.
Key Insight: At the top of the lift, the bar should be almost directly over your shoulders. The elite bench press pattern presses back early in the lift, then finishes with a more vertical path at lockout.
If Your Singles Fall Apart
The Problem: You need more practice with max effort technique, not more volume or drama.
The Fix:
Weekly Heavy Single: Hit ~90% with a real pause and competition-style commands (if you compete).
Follow-up Work: 3 sets of 2 reps at 80%.
Video Analysis: Film from the side every session to confirm you're pressing up-and-back off the chest, then more vertically toward lockout.
Key Insight: Motor learning with heavy weights is specific. You must practice the correct bar path under heavy loads repeatedly for it to become automatic. Elite lifters who continued improving their bench press over time were those who progressively refined their bar path to drive back toward their shoulders earlier and more aggressively off the chest.
If Shoulders or Elbows Complain
The Problem: Variation and balance beat stubbornness. Joint pain is often a loading or variation issue, not a strength issue. If you have stabbing, radiating or night pain consult a physical therapist or orthopedist.
The Fix:
Neutral Grip Work: Run a training cycle with a neutral grip bar if available; this reduces shoulder internal rotation demands.
Dumbbell Bench: Keep 1 dumbbell bench day with controlled lowering, 3 sets of 8-12 reps for joint-friendly volume.
Push-Pull Balance: Match every set of pressing with a set of rowing or face pulls to maintain shoulder health.
Pro Tip: If something hurts, back off or modify rather than push through. Shoulder and elbow health is non-negotiable for long-term bench press progress.
If Your Triceps Refuse to Get Stronger
The Problem: The long head of the triceps crosses the shoulder joint it needs both stretch and volume to grow.
The Fix:
Overhead Extensions: Use overhead cable extensions or a skull crusher-to-pullover hybrid.
Volume and Stretch: 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps, emphasizing a deep stretch at the bottom of each rep.
Key Insight: The triceps control elbow extension, which is primarily influenced by grip width rather than bar path. However, stronger triceps allow you to handle heavier loads through the entire lift, including the critical mid-range where bar path matters most.
If Your Bench Has Been Stuck Forever
The Problem: You need both improved technique (intent and bar path) and more muscle mass.
The Fix:
Two Bench Days Per Week:
Day 1 - Strength Focus: One single at ~90%, then 5 sets of 3 reps at 80%. Focus on perfect bar path up and back off the chest.
Day 2 - Volume Focus: 4-6 sets of 6-10 reps at 60-70%, all with a clear pause and explosive intent. Film yourself to ensure bar path consistency.
Recovery Fundamentals: Eat adequate protein (~0.7-1g per pound of body weight), sleep 7-9 hours nightly, and commit to this plan for at least 8 weeks before judging results.
Key Insight: At elite levels, continued bench press progress comes primarily from refining bar path efficiency, not just from gaining muscle. However, both matter. Mike Bridges added 60 pounds to his bench in one year by dramatically improving his bar path to press back toward his shoulders more aggressively off the chest, even as his maximum force output barely changed.
Coach's Note: Bar Path Trumps Everything
Research on elite versus novice benchers reveals the single biggest technique difference: elite lifters drive the bar up and back toward their face immediately off the chest, while novice lifters press almost straight up initially.
This seemingly small difference has massive implications:
Elite lifters maintain a 13-14% difference between maximum and minimum force output during the lift.
Novice lifters see a 32-33% drop in force at their sticking point due to inefficient bar path.
Simply correcting bar path can allow you to lift 10-12% more weight as your technique efficiency improves.
Action Steps:
Film your bench press from the side
Check if your bar path matches elite lifters (back toward shoulders off the chest, then vertical at lockout).
If not, consciously practice driving the bar back as you press off your chest.
Be patient. Technique refinement takes weeks to months, not days.
Full range practice with proper bar path plus pressing intent beats clever tricks. Build skill, build muscle, and let time do the rest.
Accessory moves
Spoto press for tightness and control just above the chest
Floor press for mid range power without leg drive
Pin press to harden the lockout
Close grip bench to bias triceps and give shoulders a break
Dips for general pressing strength if your shoulders tolerate the depth
Programming Note
Make full range paused reps your foundation. Add partials only when you know the reason. Press with intent on every working set. Balance pressing with pulling so your shoulders stay happy. If you want a bigger bench train your bench and play around with variables.
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