What Is Your Best Bench Assisted Or Raw?

[The Natural]

365#, raw @ 250 pounds or so. I'm now 295 BW. Don't train it much (pretty much ignore upper body, truth be told).

The bent over row involves more muscle, I think, than a bench press.

A more logical question: Hey boy, whatcha row?

Edited September 29, 2008 by The Natural

[Bill Piche]

Mine was 365 raw with a pause at about 193lbs MANY years ago.

Not very good.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Mine was 365 raw with a pause at about 193lbs MANY years ago.

Not very good.

Nope, not good at all. That just downright stinks, you fail at bench... j/k That's near 2xBW there Bill, hardly "not very good"

In response to Rex, 210 sloppy and 195 strict(I haven't ever bothered maxing a row) of the bent over row variety.

Edited September 29, 2008 by MalachiMcMullen

[Magnus]

Mine's pretty pathetic right now. ~270lb with a 19" grip, with no arch in back or anything

Ive heard a few people say this. Kennelly says in an interview that he can walk into any gym and put 50lbs on anybodys bench within 1 session. You guys are welcome to my house and we can add 50-100lbs "easily" on my bench.

I need to have 1 session with Kennelly

365#, raw @ 250 pounds or so. I'm now 295 BW. Don't train it much (pretty much ignore upper body, truth be told).

The bent over row involves more muscle, I think, than a bench press.

A more logical question: Hey boy, whatcha row?

Dumbbell? 120 x 8 without too much trouble. I'll have to try barbell today.

Mine was 365 raw with a pause at about 193lbs MANY years ago.

Not very good.

Nope, not good at all. That just downright stinks, you fail at bench... j/k That's near 2xBW there Bill, hardly "not very good"

:laugh

[The Natural]

I used to lift with Tiny Meeker in Humble, TX (one of the world's best benchers), and he would make the same claim as Kennelly.

Kind of reminds me of Bobby Fischer's claim that he could take any man and, with just a week or so of instruction, make him capable of beating any woman at chess.

Notice the similarity, gentlemen! Study the technique of anything long enough and you'll come to believe that you can impart it almost instantly.

-Rex

[CaptainCrush]

I think 425 touch and go was my best. I did pull off a 475 on a 2 board too...that was killer on the wrists!

Oh yeah I was a shade under 200lbs for those.

Edited September 29, 2008 by CaptainCrush

[John4cars]

I haven't been able to bench since I destroyed my AC joint in high school 14 years ago. I was benching with bad form and using too much shoulders, hence the serious injury to the AC joint. I benched 275 with my tank top and a pair of Umbro shorts. I weighed around 155 to 160 at the time.

[Chris Mathison]

I haven't been able to bench since I destroyed my AC joint in high school 14 years ago. I was benching with bad form and using too much shoulders, hence the serious injury to the AC joint. I benched 275 with my tank top and a pair of Umbro shorts. I weighed around 155 to 160 at the time.

I hear ya. I had a sweet impingement in my AC joint that didnt let me press vertically for well over a year. Luckily it healed.. just very very slowly. Why hasnt yours healed in 14 years?? Maybe you got some bone spurs in there.. they can fix that pretty easily.

[John Beatty]

425 single raw

375 x 5 raw (last week)

best shirted was 445, about 8 years ago, I couldn't even get 405 raw then, I get a ton out of a shirt, very strong tri's, very long arms, wide flat chest, if I have any momentum at all by halfway I can lock it. I'm pretty sure I could get 500+ now with a Inzer HD shirt. I've never tried any of the newer fancy shirts. I got a used Titan Fury a couple of years ago, but have never tried it.

Benching and pressing have always been my weakest lifts. Long arms. And no shoulders!

With you there, brother!

Edited September 29, 2008 by John Beatty

[Lol999]

200# unassisted, b/w ~ 240#in vest, in the "L" position with a flat back. I've always been pants at benching. Better at functional strength, picking stuff up and hauling it about.

[John4cars]

I haven't been able to bench since I destroyed my AC joint in high school 14 years ago. I was benching with bad form and using too much shoulders, hence the serious injury to the AC joint. I benched 275 with my tank top and a pair of Umbro shorts. I weighed around 155 to 160 at the time.

I hear ya. I had a sweet impingement in my AC joint that didnt let me press vertically for well over a year. Luckily it healed.. just very very slowly. Why hasnt yours healed in 14 years?? Maybe you got some bone spurs in there.. they can fix that pretty easily.

I seperated my AC joint and extremely bad. I waited for about a year and a half before surgery hoping to find another way around it, or was just to scared to do it, maybe both. When they did it, they removed the severly damaged ligament and almost 1/3 of an inch or more of my clavicle. And a lot of other little things. I have never been able to bench since because when doing so, that space where the AC joint was now presses together and rubs. Pretty aweful feeling actually. But I just watched a video on propper benching technique with the arch in the back, and a twist in the wrist/elbows to help take the shoulder out of the equation, or at mostly. I will give this a shot soon.

Sorry for getting off topic. And back on the topic, my best bench was with with a spotter just watching me bench, didn't help except with the lift off of the bar from the rack. Not sure if that mean it was still assisted or unassisted.

[odin]

My shoulders never tolerated regular benching for long when I tried it in my early 20s, so I made very little progress before they'd flare up.

I was able to do reverse grip bench for a while (heard it might be good if you have shoulder pain) and got up to 225 lbs. for six reps pretty quickly before my UC started and continued to plague me for many years. Also did a standing overhead press of 185 lbs. BW was somewhere between 160-170 for both lifts.

If I do too much shoulder work now and happen to sleep with my arm covering my eyes it feels like glass is embedded in the shoulder and it is very painful to move my arm away from that position.

I used to lift with Tiny Meeker in Humble, TX (one of the world's best benchers), and he would make the same claim as Kennelly.

Kind of reminds me of Bobby Fischer's claim that he could take any man and, with just a week or so of instruction, make him capable of beating any woman at chess.

Notice the similarity, gentlemen! Study the technique of anything long enough and you'll come to believe that you can impart it almost instantly.

-Rex

I think I could get Paul Knight to lift the Blob with a week of instruction.

Edited September 29, 2008 by odin

[CaptainCrush]

I haven't been able to bench since I destroyed my AC joint in high school 14 years ago. I was benching with bad form and using too much shoulders, hence the serious injury to the AC joint. I benched 275 with my tank top and a pair of Umbro shorts. I weighed around 155 to 160 at the time.

I used to rock the Umbro shorts in elementary school. I had every pair known to man I think

Ok I'll shut up and return to the bending forum.

[shizen]

I used to lift with Tiny Meeker in Humble, TX (one of the world's best benchers), and he would make the same claim as Kennelly.

Kind of reminds me of Bobby Fischer's claim that he could take any man and, with just a week or so of instruction, make him capable of beating any woman at chess.

Notice the similarity, gentlemen! Study the technique of anything long enough and you'll come to believe that you can impart it almost instantly.

-Rex

Lol that bobby fisher claim is hilarious. Yeah It wont take one day thats a bit exaggerated mostly because average person wont have the flexibility needed to develop a great arch. Yet once you do get the technique down it can have a huge impact on your bench. And having the best in the world teach you, you could learn it pretty quickly.

I still think the deadlift is the best test of ones strength since you can't fake it-like a high squat, not low enough bench or slightly assisted bench from spotter ext- and it uses the most muscles. Well can't fake too much, guess you could hitch really bad and use straps.

I can only deadlift like once a week though since it takes so much out of me, intense exercise though.

Edited September 29, 2008 by shizen

[The Natural]

I think I could get Paul Knight to lift the Blob with a week of instruction.

When I get to Arlington, I'm going to blindfold him and tell him that he's grasping 5 10's.

-Rex

[Chris Mathison]

I haven't been able to bench since I destroyed my AC joint in high school 14 years ago. I was benching with bad form and using too much shoulders, hence the serious injury to the AC joint. I benched 275 with my tank top and a pair of Umbro shorts. I weighed around 155 to 160 at the time.

I hear ya. I had a sweet impingement in my AC joint that didnt let me press vertically for well over a year. Luckily it healed.. just very very slowly. Why hasnt yours healed in 14 years?? Maybe you got some bone spurs in there.. they can fix that pretty easily.

I seperated my AC joint and extremely bad. I waited for about a year and a half before surgery hoping to find another way around it, or was just to scared to do it, maybe both. When they did it, they removed the severly damaged ligament and almost 1/3 of an inch or more of my clavicle. And a lot of other little things. I have never been able to bench since because when doing so, that space where the AC joint was now presses together and rubs. Pretty aweful feeling actually. But I just watched a video on propper benching technique with the arch in the back, and a twist in the wrist/elbows to help take the shoulder out of the equation, or at mostly. I will give this a shot soon.

Sorry for getting off topic. And back on the topic, my best bench was with with a spotter just watching me bench, didn't help except with the lift off of the bar from the rack. Not sure if that mean it was still assisted or unassisted.

ya.. proper technique will help alot.. You might also consider shirted benching. That was, after all, the reason they were designed. To alleviate the stress on shoulders..

[mikebuck]

330 at 148 with single ply titan f6.

285 at around 150 raw in the gym.

I now weigh 160 and have not maxed in a while but have hit 225 for 10, not to failure.

[acorn]

My best was 550 raw @ 308 bw in 96' pretty much stopped training after that for 10 years. I rarely bench now but I got 365 not too long ago after about 4 or 5 Iso workouts. Never tried a bench shirt in my life.

- Aaron

Edited October 1, 2008 by acorn

[MalachiMcMullen]

My best was 550 raw @ 308 bw in 96' pretty much stopped training after that for 10 years. I rarely bench now but I got 365 not too long ago after about 4 or 5 Iso workouts. Never tried a bench shirt in my life.

- Aaron

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, me thinks you might have some potential in bending then. Get with someone to learn the techniques and have at it. Post your progress!!!

[OldGuy]

385lbs done years ago. Back flat on bench no aids. Never tried to lift more than that.

[CaptainCrush]

My best was 550 raw @ 308 bw in 96' pretty much stopped training after that for 10 years. I rarely bench now but I got 365 not too long ago after about 4 or 5 Iso workouts. Never tried a bench shirt in my life.

- Aaron

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, me thinks you might have some potential in bending then. Get with someone to learn the techniques and have at it. Post your progress!!!

REPLY POST OF THE YEAR

[John4cars]

I haven't been able to bench since I destroyed my AC joint in high school 14 years ago. I was benching with bad form and using too much shoulders, hence the serious injury to the AC joint. I benched 275 with my tank top and a pair of Umbro shorts. I weighed around 155 to 160 at the time.

I hear ya. I had a sweet impingement in my AC joint that didnt let me press vertically for well over a year. Luckily it healed.. just very very slowly. Why hasnt yours healed in 14 years?? Maybe you got some bone spurs in there.. they can fix that pretty easily.

I seperated my AC joint and extremely bad. I waited for about a year and a half before surgery hoping to find another way around it, or was just to scared to do it, maybe both. When they did it, they removed the severly damaged ligament and almost 1/3 of an inch or more of my clavicle. And a lot of other little things. I have never been able to bench since because when doing so, that space where the AC joint was now presses together and rubs. Pretty aweful feeling actually. But I just watched a video on propper benching technique with the arch in the back, and a twist in the wrist/elbows to help take the shoulder out of the equation, or at mostly. I will give this a shot soon.

Sorry for getting off topic. And back on the topic, my best bench was with with a spotter just watching me bench, didn't help except with the lift off of the bar from the rack. Not sure if that mean it was still assisted or unassisted.

ya.. proper technique will help alot.. You might also consider shirted benching. That was, after all, the reason they were designed. To alleviate the stress on shoulders..

Interesting. I never realized what they were for, and because of that I never thought to use one. I wonder where I could go locally to find one to try on. Might have to do some research on this.

[Yersinia]

my best bench so far is 75Kilos 5x3 :p just did that today. started working out for real for under a month ago . BW is 73kilo

[vikingsrule92]

I haven't benched in about 18 months but I think my best was about 175x3 at ~150 BW. Not very good at all, terrible form, back when I thought it was good and proper to bench with a flat back and 90* elbows. I plan on training it a bit more after BBB and we'll see what happens.

Oh and I've answered this question a lot since I'm in high school and I lift. Bench seems to be what people found there beliefs of strength are in High School. Every time someone finds out I lift it's always the first question

[AP]

440 in the gym touch and go and recently an easy 420 in contest.

With a bench shirt I bombed out trying to hit 225 many years ago, took so much energy getting the shirt on I couldn't get my opener. Been turned off of shirts ever since.