315 bench!!!! Is it possible???

[@TheHorrorGeek]

Great video! I'm 52 and hit a 345lb bench a few weeks back -- and for years I've heard people tell me about my bar path being too straight and that I should be trying to bench it back over my face but that has never felt mechanically right to me. Glad to finally hear someone say that it's okay to be more of a straight line presser.

[@WenningStrength]

💯💯💯💯

[@matthewmcwane9569]

Anytime my bar path isn’t straight it feels like I’m gonna break something

[@championchuck777]

I stand on the shoulders of this Giant. Always valuable information. When Wenning speaks, take notes.

[@WenningStrength]

🙏🙏🙏

[@sergiupobereznic]

Hi. Good video. I'm a 57 year old, ex ballet dancer Royal Ballet Company. In my mid 20s I was capable of benching 140 KGs at a body weight of 67 Kilograms and a height of 5 feet 9 inches. It took me about 4 months to get there. However, up until I began training specifically for bench pressing and overhead pressing, I had been doing deficit pushups between chairs with people sitting on my back, which I started initially with very light girls (40 to 45 Kgs) who laid along my back and eventually sat cross legged on my shoulder blades once I got much stronger. We didn't have proper equipment. This began at a boarding school for ballet dancers where the environment was extremely competitive on a daily basis. So, when I first started benching in a gym (Jubilee Hall in Covent Garden, London), for me, 100 Kg or 220 pounds (2 plates each side) was relatively easy for 6 or 7 reps with no back arch, compared to having a giggling, unstable girl sitting on your back and testing my core to the extreme. But I had been strength training for almost 15 years already. And I was definitely not huge in any way, given my low body weight for dance. Below 12 percent body fat was the norm. Overhead pressing, deficit pushups and handstand pushups, and weighted pull ups were a big part of my training from the age of 11 to prepare me for lifting the ladies. So, Yes, it's definitely possible. But you need patience and a lot of hard work. To be honest, if I didn't have to dance as well at the time, which was basically extreme cardio on a daily basis, I could have probably added 20 Kgs more to my bench. And this was on a diet of high carbs mostly and steak or eggs every couple of days and a lot of doughnuts and custard slices. These days, I rarely bench, but I can still work with 100 to 110 Kgs for reps when I do. At that weight (67 Kg) I could also snatch and press a barbell above my head with 55 Kgs. This was something I practiced a lot and found quite easy.

[@championchuck777]

Sounds like you replace the leg day with dancing. they say Squats are the King of all Exercises for a reason.

[@talder123]

My first ever bench press was 95lbs at 14 years old. 5 foot 9 inch 150lbs Bodyweight. My max pushups was 10 reps. I got my first 305lbs Bench Press at 18 years old at 5 foot 11 inch 220lbs Bodyweight. Plateau at 305lbs for near 2 years until I got my first 315lbs Bench Press at 20 years old at 5 foot 11 inch 230lbs. A year after I got 315lbs for 2 reps and weeks later got 365lbs Bench Press age 21 at 6 foot 250lbs Bodyweight. 1.5 year later got 320lbs Raw Bench Press in a full powerlifting meet at 6 foot 253lbs and my first ever powerlifting meet age 23. Failed 340lbs from misgroove and overconfident. Got 370lbs weeks later. Still age 23 got 385lbs close grip bench press at 248lbs Bodyweight. Age 25 got 350lbs Bench Press full power meet at 257lbs Bodyweight. Age 25 got my first 405lbs Bench Press in the gym at 250lbs Bodyweight. Age 27 I got my first 402lb Bench Press at 283.3lbs Bodyweight in a bench only meet done in 2019. My best bench press in the gym was 450lbs done at 6 foot 1 inch 280lbs Bodyweight at age 30 Halloween 2022. Recently I did 425lbs Bench Press and 315lbs for 10 reps May 2024 4th week back lifting. I can do 315lbs Bench Press for reps any day of the week. I am 6 foot 1 inch 260lbs with minimal maintenance natty and a ton of muscle mass. I have a 6 foot 8 inch or 80 inch wingspan. 315lbs Bench Press can be done for most men especially naturally. Most men aren't willing to train long enough or efficiently enough to get it. Even without being obese. Dare to say more men can get 405lbs Raw Bench Press naturally than they think they can. Especially nowadays. Better training more participants. Just train right. Eat enough. Keep learning. Want it long enough

[@WenningStrength]

💯💯💯💯💯

[@Mr-Lion]

It’s actually crazy how different we are all. For some three plates is nothing and they can bench that after few months of training. For some three plates is something they finally can press after years and years of training. And for some it’s just unreachable goal. Genetics is a huge factor in how strong we can be so don’t be discouraged seeing twenty year old pressing four or five plates while you can’t struggle with two. Just try and improve yourself the best you can and remember that it’s still okay if you are as strong as the elite lifters you see on internet.

[@WenningStrength]

💯💯💯💯

[@KillianDefaoite]

Take it from a guy who was not especially athletically gifted in grade school, who isn't any more well-proportioned for bench pressing than average, and isn't naturally big (just under 5'8" with a fairly average shoulder width etc) YES, it is possible. You will need to LOVE lifting, and do so habitually for a few years. But you will get there.

[@halme883]

I was stuck at 265 bench for 5 years. 5 months of conjugate and at a body weight of 171 i hit 315. I would say band face pulls, floor press, and banded dynamic bench were the most important movements.

[@WenningStrength]

💯💯💯

[@WenningStrength]

💯💯💯💯

[@dansmith9724]

This proves that bbers are wrong when they say powerlifters are only concerned with a movement. This video mentions strengthening several muscle groups to improve the bench press. A bigger stronger back, bigger stronger triceps all help to increase the bench ptess movement.

[@JAMESARONHUNTER]

I have benched pressed 315lbs raw in my life time at a body weight of 165lbs. The last time I bench pressed over 300lbs was at the age of 42 years old I benched pressed 302lbs and I weighed 160lbs then. Today at the age of 53 years old I weigh 155lbs and do not bench press over 300lbs anymore. I can still do 225lbs on a given day and probably more if I trained for the bench specifically. So it’s possible but not forever as you age.

[@WenningStrength]

💯💯💯💯

[@GlenRoss-ug5jm]

World Of sport wrestlers Jon Cortez and Alan Denison who weighed 72 kg/158 pounds could benchpress 300 pounds.They weren't powerlifters they were just strongmen but they had the potential to be powerlifters.

[@touchmoney6741]

Hey Matt, you already showed me how to get to a 315 bench from all the wonderful content you’ve provided us over the last year. Now teach me how to bench 315 for REPS. Please 😅.

[@touchmoney6741]

Jk, I think I know what I have to do. Thanks to your knowledge. I am working on building a strong base from high reps and building muscle through body building training. 🚂

[@discreetman593]

@touchmoney6741 I wish someone would teach me just how to do the bar =)

[@kingofkows9777]

Interesting this is probably the first video I've seen about achieving bench goals that advises against higher frequency. I am still curious though if that applies specifically to the standard bench or the movement pattern as a whole. Would doing variations with varying technique differences and loading say 3x per week also be detrimental to progress? I'd assume even further removed general strengthening excercises for the pushing muscles ie dips, ohp, etc wouldn't follow that guideline by default. Thanks :)

[@jaeger251]

I think it depends on your personal conditioning. You got to go with what feels right at the time and switch it up. In high school as a 17 year old 179lbs kid, I went from 305 max, to 335lbs max, using higher frequency and weight in a matter of weeks. Wasn’t powerlifting or anything, just regular football gym lifts. But we went from chest to full extension, butt stayed on the bench, drug free.

[@davidb1975a]

Wish I knew now what I didn't know then... but.. it's not too late for me to start. As stated before, I'm 49. My max is around 180. I believe that by 55, I can achieve that mark. But, I need to take it slow to allow for my bones, joints, and tendons to strengthen along with the different muscle groups. I think my grandkids would love watching me progress. Plus, it'll show them the right example. I like to say that I'm their Superman.

[@WenningStrength]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@BạchNgọcKhangng-k6x]

Thanks for your research! How do you usually gather information for your informative videos? 🐱💞

[@CankleCankle]

Gooning for hours

[@stevelau7694]

I've gotten up to 325 however really needed to get up to weighing around 210lbs which is unsustainable for being 6'0 with a relatively small frame. I prefer being at a much lower body weight which means I can still rep 225 with ease but just trying to stay healthy nowadays so I don't even bench press anymore, just pushups variations. Getting to 315 on bench is a long shot harder than breaking the 405 barrier on deadlift

[@robertdieder4178]

I broke the 315 mark at 48 after on and off lifting since high school. I had already benched 205 at 112# for singles in high school. Between 30-40 years old, it took a while to increase past 225 with bw ranging from 150-187 at the time on 5'5" build, then everything finally started clicking what I was lacking, which was back. The approach of doing more bench, more chest and tris was simply incomplete. After incorporating rows, lat movements my bench was increased quickly after that.

[@mattystewart8]

315 was pretty easy for me. I hit that within about 4/5 months of training. 405 is proving more difficult 😂😂 been aiming for that for a further 6 months of hard work. Almost there though!!!

[@WenningStrength]

Come to online coaching we can help 💪💪💪

[@WenningStrength]

www.Wenningstrength.com

[@WarhorseConjugate-q3z]

Yuh need a plan. A plan filled with Dynamic Benching, Dips, Dumbbells, Rows, and variation. Triceps, triceps, triceps, and thick lats. 181lbs. 341.8 Bench in Comp.

[@WiecznieNieNasycony]

315 is a base line for every man who lifts seriously and hard with good diet for 3+ years bro) 140 kg bench it's nothing special

[@championchuck777]

Thats the point. Something is wrong, bcus It should be way more guys hitting 3 plates in the gym. Especially the lifters in they 20's. They can barely hit 185lbs for a pause!

[@WenningStrength]

You obviously haven’t read the overall stats of the population

[@WiecznieNieNasycony]

@@WenningStrength it's very strange that the standards of strength are so low for a men we bench 140 kg here as 18 year olds kids already and this is nothing extraordinary

[@nathanielovaughn2145]

Odd question to ask. I had a buddy who weighed about 145 and he slammed 360, but he was a freak. In my mid 30s, I stuck 335 for a triple, but I was fat as f**k, 240 at 6'. The great old days aren't coming back though, I hate to say.

[@discreetman593]

i can only do the bar, maybe in a month or 2, i can add a 5lb plate on each side =)

[@championchuck777]

Sounds like all you need is Programming.

[@discreetman593]

wish i could only do the bar =) maybe one day i will be able to put a 5lb plate on each side.

[@strawberryyogurt0]

Just start with dumbbells if you can’t do the 45-lbs barbell. Can you do 10-lbs dumbbell or 15-lbs dumbbell presses? If yes, start there. If not, then start with 5-lbs dumbbells. You could also just start with push-ups.

[@tzzlite]

The stats show less than 1% of men can even bench 225 lbs.!

[@championchuck777]

Sad. It's got to be the food. I can count on 1 hand how many guys I saw bench 315 and up throughout all the 10 Commercial gym locations that I go to.

[@davidwagner9644]

I am 57. I weigh 185lbs at 5ft 8 in. I can bench 315 for 3 reps. I was a D1 wrestler at 174 weight class. Bench Pressed 365lb in college. I started college at 165 weight class and 265lb bench press. Mon- Bench Press Wednesday- overhead press Friday close grip bench peess Saturday- push press/push jerk.

[@championchuck777]

Nice.