What is "strong"? - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

actudan · 01-21-2005, 09:34 PM

Should you measure strength by the weight you can lift or should the amount of weight be relative to your body weight? I'm asking because a guy I, at times, work out with wants to be able to bench double his body weight. Right now that means he need to bench 330 while he does 295 currently. I bench 275 but I would need to bench 420 to bench double my weight. If he is able to bench 330 and I am able to do the same, are we the same in "strength" or is he stronger since he weighs a lot less. My take is strength is measured by how much you lift and it doesn't matter what you weigh but I am interested to see if there is an argument to this.

Naxis · 01-21-2005, 10:02 PM

Sounds like personal preference. It's definitely more impressive if someone 150 pounds can lift 300 than if someone 250 pounds lifts the same amount.

HobbZ · 01-22-2005, 01:58 AM

All these people who bench so much, can you bench these weights like 5-10 reps? I dont know what I'm doing wrong, but I can hardly bench anything!

ChappyBoy · 01-24-2005, 06:25 AM

Actudan-

Look up the "Schwartz Formula" in any search engine. This is a formula that powerlifting uses to judge different weight class lifters against each other to award the best lifter award

2x bodyweigh is a nice bench press