How STRONG Should You Be? (Strength Standards Explained)

[@kentsears5452]

At 28 years of age, I benched 4 plates(405). Out of the gym for most of the next 25 years working & raising 6 kids. My boys got me back in the gym in my early 50’s and benched 355 at age 55. Hurt my back & had a 5 level lower back fusion and out of the gym for years again. For my 67th birthday, I benched 255. Been working hard this year & just benches 325 last week. Hoping to bench 340 for my 68th birthday in a few months.

[@JosephMilnes-nx9ql]

Hey man would live to hear if you're still at it? This gives me hope. I am 42 and powerlifted in early 20s, got up to a 630 deadlift. I've lifted a few times in the past, but nothing more than 3 months. Do you belive in muscle memory as far as making rapid size and strength gains? I was able to go from 180 or so pounds to 245 in about 6 months with weighted sandbags and calisthenics. Not the carryover I was hoping for, but I'm adding 10-20 lbs to the main lifts per week being back to the gym for around 1 month now How fast did you get back???

[@kentsears5452]

@ I benched a max of 360 in August on my birthday. Last week, I benched 5 reps for 325. So I am still gaining strength. I do believe in muscle memory for the first several months of getting back into the gym. I am not sure at what age muscle growth and strength come to a halt. I feel at my age it is getting close though. My new goal is 405 bench when I turn 69 next summer.

[@JosephMilnes-nx9ql]

@kentsears5452 thank you very much for the reply. That weight are your age is unreal. You'll have 405 I bet. I am willing to bet you're wiser in your training now which evens the playing field along with that muscle memory!

[@kentsears5452]

@@JosephMilnes-nx9ql only max maybe once every 5-6 weeks. Cut down on lots of sets and reps to protect my tendons and ligaments at my age. Mostly do three warm up sets and then close to failure in sets 4 & 5; usually stay around 5-8 reps at most. Upper body, day one. Legs, day two. Rest two full days and then repeat. I need the extra days of rest at my age. Oh, to be back in my 40’s again. You will Make incredible progress at your age. I believe most men are their strongest in their mid thirties.

[@josephpetisco3436]

"fast for a lifter, strong for a runner" I love that! I train for obstacle course races, mainly spartan, and that quote right there is my exact mindset put into a great phrase! Thank you!

[@PeterKeller247]

Another way to think about it- "I want to be able to beat up a runner and out run a lifter when he tries to beat me up" ;) Good on you for OCR!

[@josephpetisco3436]

@@PeterKeller247 Love that one too! But we spartans don't run away! I love what you do man! Keep it coming.

[@PeterKeller247]

@@josephpetisco3436 With your shield... or ON it

[@josephpetisco3436]

@@PeterKeller247 ARROOOOOO!

[@NaseerOmran]

That might be the optimistic version of "not fast enough for a sprinter nor strong enough for a lifter" lol. Nah im kidding, any one who lifts and runs above average is very atlethic and strong imo bc they are different disciplines that combined are a killer.

[@energyzer_bunny1913]

Bench: 2 plates Squat: 3 plates Deadlift: 4 plates Strict OH Press: 1 plate Pull-Up: 2 plates weighted or 20 reps bodyweight Dip: 3 plates weighted or 35 reps bodyweight Push-up 90 reps bodyweight I'm throwing in calisthenic movements because there are probably other people interested in strength standards for popular calisthenics movements.

[@alexs591]

Almost no one can do 20 full range of motion pull ups. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who can, with full range of motion. 10 seems pretty reasonable, and a lot of guys will get to 12-15

[@patcho85]

love the 2,3,4, wheel idea - getting there and feeling better each workout!

[@shawnferguson7477]

For strength, I am pretty much shooting for the 1wheel OHP, 2 plate BP, 3 plate squat and 4 plate DL, but getting older I feel it's also important to recognize that strength isn't all. So I started looking away from strength and focusing more on function. So on top of those goals, also be able to run a mile, do 20 pushups and touch my toes. but alas, not what the video was about. I like the 1 plate, 2 plate etc for strength.

[@PeterKeller247]

For sure! And guess what. I have never been able to touch my toes. Never ever!

[@PeterKeller247]

PS, I like the addition of 1 wheel for OHP. I think I should add that in ;)

[@devthegod298]

Yea but you should get a base first and not focus on functionality being weak I’d say 500 dead 275 bench 315 squat good good

[@barrywatters7181]

Pretty much what I've been aiming for. Can comfortably do the first 3 but so far only been able to get my deadlift up to 3 wheels

[@dylan.j.schreiner]

100 push ups, a 16:30 2-mile time, and a jefferson curl with 95 lbs for 20 reps (bar reaching parallel to platform) lines up with your other goals better.

[@FacePullTiToX]

Dude! Great info. I like the chilled vibe. Good luck on your YT project. Keep it up 💪

[@PeterKeller247]

Thanks! I have a lot of knowledge that I can help ppl with. And I am trying to find my vibe ;)

[@rambojohn7118]

I was at my best weight lifting strength when I was in my 40’s and 50’s. I am now on my early 60’s and started training again. I would like to see the strength charts broken down into age categories. 30’s 40’s 50’s 60’s with the weight of the lifter included in the charts. I also would just like to see a book with the charts and not have to buy a book with other information in it that I’m not interested in , Just the charts ! Please!

[@PeterKeller247]

Ha! I agree. A lot of the charts start to make much less sense when "age graded"- because it is hard to benchmark for age. That said, here is an interesting article from Dan John that is somewhat on the topic- www.t-nation.com/training/10-things-every-lifter-should-be-able-to-do and here is an interesting concept- Centenarian Olympics from Peter Attia- medium.com/lifetizr/the-centenarian-olympics-how-to-be-fit-at-100-247733dcb1f7

[@ObeyDarkElf]

Just go to Strengthlevel.

[@sumanghosh-pb3dw]

2:02 - really good thinking 2:19 - strength table 3:06 - Rip n Kilgore put out

[@azsegrxdhtfgvijnkomlewrhtg9508]

2:43 Ha, body weight. That doesn't take into account height. Let me tell you it's a hell of a lot easier for a 5ft8 200 pound guy to put up big weights than it is for a 6ft4 200 pound guy.

[@Janisg616]

3:57 It is strange for me that in this table Barbell squat and barbell deadlift, have the same weights. Usually you can deadlift much more than squat.

[@GentlemanEDC]

Having put up 225 on OHP, 405 bench; 600 deadlift, and a 455 squat for 5, the one thing I have really learned is A. Nobody cares. How often are you really having to lift that in a real world scenario B. You can put up respectable weight for 10-20 reps and still be capable of lifting those numbers (would have to alter training to adapt to the load) C. The goal should be long and strong. Joints, age, start to factor and it sucks working through aches and pains. If I could tell my younger self one thing, lift for function and longevity not to try to impress anyone

[@theman0110]

I know of people in your level of strength who do try to impress people or themselves and not only for health some people just have different view points

[@bm_videa]

You have done a very nice overview of these standards - it is simple and comprehensive. Thank you for posting this video.

[@ivegotahammer6360]

I really do need to incorporate cardio work. I would say I'm relatively strong at 17 and 225lb, squatting 445, benching 245(my worst lift) and deadlift 535. I'm more partial to powerlifting but need to make sure I'm taking care of myself.

[@loercayt6146]

2:29 categorys like hurricanes? Man that makes going to the gym sound way more fun! Now I can officially say I’m a category 3 hurricane

[@wakawaka1976]

I’m 45 and I want to be strong without getting hurt. I’m dealing with lingering tendon issues in my forearms and biceps where I curl max 15lbs. I can still do various pulling exercises so that’s nice. I need to do pull downs instead of pull ups etc.

[@skanda1832]

Just had tendon issues in my elbow for the first time in my life (age 48) and after a year of it not getting better, I realized I had an imbalance in strength in my upper forearm (probably from using my phone too much). Once I built up strength in my lower forearm (grip strength), the tendon issues went away thankfully. I believe stretching the upper and lower forearm regularly also helped. I bought one of those old school clamp handles and kept it in my car to use each daily drive and voila.

[@devthegod298]

I’m 20 years old and I can bench press 325 squat 415 and deadlift 605lbs

[@tanyadiaz3391]

Holy shit what a monster your a beast

[@imhassane]

dafuq

[@SLouiss]

I think the difference in peoples anthropometry can create very different squat:deadlift ratios

[@PeterKeller247]

Totally agree! But standards help us start somewhere with figuring out where we stand vs. others

[@PeterKeller247]

@@patrickoshnock6925 This is true

[@getstrongby4038]

Yeah but still the deadlift is usually the heaviest lift

[@jeffwilliams7054]

Great presentation:) How many reps, sets, and days allocated for your 2-3-4 is considered game changer?

[@krzysztomanlangiewicz3479]

1 rep minimum

[@nathancreel8547]

Nice! I’m 40 and just started lifting barbell not long ago. In just keep adding weight to the bar, but I appreciate some simple goals. Your wheel goals seem easy to follow. Hard to set goals when you see everything the full spectrum on the internet.

[@PeterKeller247]

Heck yeah brother! Trying to make it simple but also give you an overview of what different schools of thought are.

[@RennyRe]

7:41 so your final form is Johnny Candito? :D

[@gingercore69]

Ive heard one about times your bodyweight that was for bench, overhead, deadlift and squat... It was like...overhead is your vidyweight, bench is 1.5 times bw, squat is 2 times bw and deadlift is 2.5 times bodyweight or something like that... Dont remember exactly but it was something like that

[@henry4553]

I think that’s in Leangains charts

[@MrEinurt]

i can bench 120kg now, i can deadlift 160kg, but i can not go over 100kg in squats. I have some symmetry issues.

[@DJDavidShmosh]

I like the 4 plate guide and have been aiming for that. I would also add a single plate press to it

[@kepler5697]

Hey I don't actually understand what is benching 2 plates or deadlifting 4 plates. It can be for any reps right? Or is he talking about 1 rep max?

[@DJDavidShmosh]

@@kepler5697 I think he’s talking about 1 rep max but for any amount of reps would be even more impressive. Usually the 45lb (20k) plates are considered the “big” plates. So since most people usually deadlift the most, followed by squat, then bench is weakest this is just an easy guide for a personal strength standard. I’m currently a 1,2,3 plate club for reps.

[@kepler5697]

@@DJDavidShmosh oh great 🤝. thanks for the information

[@DJDavidShmosh]

@@kepler5697 no problem. Happy lifting 🏋️‍♂️

[@bdawg2513]

My wheels are wacky going by this. I am 1 wheel OHP, Almost 3 wheel BP, 2 wheel squat, 3 wheel DL. My upper body has always been stronger than my lower. Just never had a lot of power in my lower but I used to be really quick at sprinting and I could jump pretty well. Maybe fast twitch is more dominant in my lower body... idk.

[@aubrey-g9d]

I'm curious if the standards based on body weight 1.5× body weight, 2× body weight etc. is a better fit because a smaller athlete is not likely to lift the same loads as a larger athlete but may still perform the same or even better in their sports? As an average size guy, and maybe even slightly smaller than an average size guy, I often feel the need to focus more on strength because in my mind I don't want to fall short when being challenged by a larger athlete. That might lead to unnecessarily focusing too much time and energy in the weight room than is necessary and it may even hinder performance on the field or sport. It would be interesting and helpful to hear this topic discussed.

[@DanielMOFO]

1:01 don't do crossfit if you want to be strong. That's like doing Tae Bo if you want to learn how to fight.

[@markmagnuson1444]

These are great standards for an individual to work from....interesting, at 32, I was doing 3.5 wheels for BP, 4.5 for SQ, and 5.25 for deadlift(didn't train deadlift all that often back in the day), now at 57, BP 2.5, SQ 3, and DL 4....I would like to see standards based on age. I plan on being even stronger at 60 after getting back into serious lifting 2 years ago after a series of rotator and back injuries.

[@ates423]

I wish these strength standards also factor in height as well. Obviously taller lifters lift more but if you look at any chart of tall lifters per bodyweight and how successful they were in powerlifting: almost all of them were in the 260-300+lb range which most people are nowhere close to that bodyweight in height.

[@Nemusplanta]

When 40 year old says i dont want to chace records anymore hes really saying,my old injuries hurt i cant lift that weight anymore

[@jorgebendahan3540]

are these wheels for one rep only?

[@vliv2609]

117.5kg bench 1 rep, squat 120kg 1 rep, deadlift 170kg 1 rep, currently on 85kg 185cm 11 % bodyfat natural, im very satisfied with my results, tho my squat is lacking but i squat 3 times per week biw

[@agrlklarkemirenpanda660]

Lower the squat frequency to once or twice per week.

[@Joy-dc3jy]

How many lifts for each wheel that you mention or just being able to do 1 rep is enough?

[@PeterKeller247]

1 rep is enough to start having some "game changer" effects. When you can rep out... then you are getting to STRONG STRONG levels. Think about it this way- 1 rep at 2/3/4 wheels puts you at a "total" of 225+315+405 = 945#- that's not too far off from the "1000 pound club". If you can rep out those weights, your 1RM (one rep maxes) will be way higher than 1000 pounds :)

[@Pecvnbf]

Curl 1 plate Bench 2 plates Squat 3 plates Deadlift 4 plates

[@res2788]

Is the 1,2,3,4 wheel example for a One Rep Max, or for multiple reps?

[@strawberryyogurt0]

One rep max.

[@michaelwhite9761]

For females: how about 100, 200, 300? Imo, 1, 2, 3 wheels is close, but yields a BP that is disproportionately difficult

[@godlike5912]

I like 1, 2, 2 for gals. Bench is so much harder for females.

[@TBlev215]

I somehow deadlifted 385 for one rep. No matter how much rest I took I couldn’t get it off the ground again.

[@xyzct]

Stronger than yesterday.

[@godlike5912]

Nice video brother - well done! I like these standards - Men - 3, 4, 5 for bench, squat dead. Women 1, 2, 2. I started seriously weight lifting one year ago. Prior, I was doing heavy calithenics. Weights work better for strenght, calithenics are a great base. I can do just over 3 plates for bench and just over 4 for squat and dead. Weight is 190, body fat ~8%.

[@godlike5912]

Going for that 5 plate dead. Dead is my weak point, because that can't really be replicated in prison where I had to do calisthenics. Bench or squat you can put someone on your back or shoulders for weight... They took real weights away - too many inmates beat each other to death lol...

[@zombieprodigy9788]

For a 1 rep max? or for reps?

[@RJ-is9ko]

You should do all those for at least 5 reps

[@Mugiwarajj]

@@RJ-is9ko nah im pretty sure it means for maxes

[@ds_colbster9572]

No way I’m not as weak as I thought and I’m 14

[@benvel3392]

I wish you would've put up the kilograms along with the pounds.

[@سلمانالعتيبي-س2ل]

1kg equals 2.2 pounds

[@benvel3392]

@@سلمانالعتيبي-س2ل and 1 lb is 0.454 kg.

[@grandpied]

lbs / 2.2 = kg

[@moneymanrahim7772]

The answer is...Stronger.

[@operationtruth288]

This is a Athlete Standard Bench press your body weight 20 reps Deadlift your body weight 20 reps Squat your body weight 20 reps Standing Overhead press 1/2 your body weight 20 reps.

[@kbflorida888]

If that’s the standard, I wonder how many army/navy, or police/fire recruits could do that regime?

[@tjcogger1974]

Your bench and OHP standard are realistic. The squat and deadlift numbers are pretty low imo. Most untrained people can deadlift their bodyweight for 20 reps. And If your bench is just as strong as your squat and deadlift, you're doing something wrong. I'd say 1.25X your bodyweight for 20 on squats. And 1.5X your bodyweight for 20 on deads.

[@abbeyofsaintmary7703]

na ill be strong af and still have my 20 year old mindset/personality in my late 70s i got hella commitment, energy, and genetics baby

[@FourthWayRanch]

go really hard when you are old, arteries are like tissue paper from eating all those pizzas and wings.

[@TheGilbalfas]

For a guy past 40 those standards seem to much for me. Hope that doesnt make me a pussy. lol

[@scaryhenski]

Anything that requires bumper rubber plates I do not like them.

[@ediot6969]

Females have proven that 2,3 and 4 wheels is very achievable and this standard is too low for men. It’s actually too low for women as well.

[@ZFlyingVLover]

You missed pullups as part of your standard. I'd say at least 10 pullups

[@apexartist9618]

OHP: 2 plates Bench: 3 plates Squat: 4 plates Deadlift: 5 plates

[@bzhdthc]

And then there are people who start lifting with 2,3,4 plates already.

[@paulhopkins686]

I think that would work for me but..... I am 1 2 3 wheel type of guy!

[@PeterKeller247]

Whatever you need! Strength is personal :)

[@paulhopkins686]

@@PeterKeller247 very true. 1 2 3 plates will be a great goal for me. 2 3 4 plates seems a long way away!

[@PeterKeller247]

@@paulhopkins686 If you really want to get there, you will. Whether you want or need to get there is a different question. I don't want it anymore. I still LOVE strength and lifting, but maximal strength is no longer a goal of mine

[@getstrongby4038]

Definately doable, im on my way to 3,4,5 very soon

[@PeterKeller247]

@@getstrongby4038 yeaaaaaaaah buddy!