Average bench press by weight

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Some iteration of ‘How much do you bench, bro?’ is one of the most common questions circulating gym culture. Most guys wear their upper body strength proudly like a badge—eager to outmuscle their bench neighbor (we’ve yet to meet an exercise more susceptible to ego lifting).

This means your bench press max is one of the biggest gym brags and, as it turns out, for reasons beyond vanity.

A study published by the American Council of Exercise suggests the barbell bench press has the highest muscle recruitment in the chest muscles (pectoralis major and minor) when compared to other chest exercises (1).

How much you can bench speaks volumes about your upper body pushing strength.

So, how much should you be able to bench? And are the numbers you’re putting up good enough?

Bench press calculator

Let’s dig in.

How Much Should You Be Able to Bench Press?

It depends. How much you can bench press is individual, and varies greatly based on your age, weight, training experience, and goals. Because we’re all built differently and have different fitness goals it can be tough (and often pointless) to compare

how much weight should i bench press calculator

how much weight should i bench press for reps