How Many Sets Of Bench Press

When it comes to having benching, there are so many variables that you’ll need to consider. The average man in his 30s will be able to bench around 90% of his body weight, although this will also be dependent on his levels of fitness as well as how often he is doing his benching.

If you have been training for quite some time, then the chances are that you’ll be able to bench over half of your body weight. This will be remarkably different from anyone who has not benched before.

You should make sure that you are not benching too much, especially if you have not been training that hard.

If you haven’t been benching before, then you will need to learn the proper technique. This means gripping the bar in the correct manner, making sure that your wrist doesn’t bend too much or that you are not arching your back improperly.

You should also make sure that the top of your back is touching the back rest.

You should start with around 22 pounds of weight before adding weights gradually. If you are benching 22 pounds for your first set, then we would recommend adding 5-pounds for your next set and gradually increasing in this manner as you go on.

So how many sets of bench press should you be doing during your first session? What are the average differences in weight between men and women?

Well, if you are keen to hone your bench press technique, then we would suggest that you keep reading.

How can you build your back muscles correctly? What other exercises can you do that are an alternative to the bench press but will still build the same muscle groups?

This article covers all the basics of bench press, giving you the average weights for the age that you are. We’ll also have a look at some other exercises that you can do if you find benching too difficult.

The Average Sets Of Bench Press

There are noticeable differences in the average benching weight between men and women. You’ll need to calculate your weight with your age to triangulate exactly how much weight you can be expected to lift.

For Men

Men are generally their strongest and most physically fit in their 20s and 30s. Once a man reaches his 40s, then his weight limit will decline, although if you have been training for years, then this might not be the case.

Here is a list of average weights along with the level of fitness that you happen to be at. Remember to evaluate accurately what level of weight training that you happen to be doing so that you don’t overexert yourself and cause yourself injury.

• 114 pounds body weight
  • Novice – 110-pound weight
  • Intermediate – 130-pound weight
  • Elite – 220-pound weight
• 148 pounds body weight
  • Novice – 140-pound weight
  • Intermediate – 170-pound weight
  • Elite – 290-pound weight
• 220 pounds body weight
  • Novice – 185-pound weight
  • Intermediate – 225-pound weight
  • Elite – 380-pound weight
• 320+ pounds body weight
  • Novice – 205-pound weight
  • Intermediate – 250-pound weight
  • Elite – 425 -pound weight

Use the above to calculate your particular level of weight training. If you are between the ages of 20 – 29, then you can easily be benching 100% of your body weight. However, as this age increases, you should expect the amount of weight that you can bench to decrease dramatically.

For Women

There are some minor differences in the amount of weight a woman can lift, one of the main ones being how much they can bench.

This will be significantly lower than the amount a man can bench. It is also said that women have less upper body strength than men. This can be rectified by doing dips, benching and planking.

Here is a list of average weights of women along with the level of fitness that you consider yourself at. Remember not to overtrain, as this can lead to muscle injuries further down the line:

• 97-pounds of body weight
  • Novice – 65-pound weight
  • Intermediate – 75-pound weight
  • Elite – 115-pound weight
• 123-pound body weight
  • Novice – 80-pound weight
  • Intermediate – 90-pound weight
  • Elite – 140-pound weight
• 165 pounds of body weight
  • Novice – 95-pound weight
  • Intermediate – 115-pound weight
  • Elite – 185-pound weight
• 199+ pounds of body weight
  • Novice – 120-pound weight
  • Intermediate – 140-pound weight
  • Elite – 220-pound weight

You can use these weights to calculate the amount that you need to lift, even if you lie somewhere in between these weights.

Building Muscle Properly

Often it will be very challenging to increase the weight that you’ll be lifting very quickly, this is why it will need to be a gradual process. There are several ways to increase bench press, and we would recommend treating it on a week-by-week basis, amping up your weight and recording your progress as you go along.

You’ll also need to eat the right things if you want to boost your metabolism and increase your muscle definition. Make sure that you eat plenty of protein like chicken, eggs and beef to ensure that you are building up the muscles in your arms.

Adopt the proper form for your benching, making sure that you drop all the way to your knees before you lift.

By completing the proper movement, then you’ll be sure that you are getting the right level of tension in your knees. You’ll need to push your muscles to the point of fatigue so that you can build those muscles to perform better in the next round.

Our Final Say

We hope that our tips for how many sets of bench press you should do have helped you to achieve the right level of fitness. Remember, do not go beyond the level that you are comfortable with. You can also check this article to find out how often you should bench press to avoid injuries or undertraining.