Are you strong?

[sanjuro_ronin]

Curious as to opinions on this article:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ngth_standards

The chart is really interesting ( don't know how to copy it).

[Pork Chop]

According to that chart, I'm all over the place.
A lot of lifts I don't even make "decent", other lifts I could probably hit "good".
In general, I think compared to people who train, I'm probably weak to decent; compared to people who don't, I'm decent to good.

Thing is, I don't think those numbers match reality at all.

Some of those numbers are extremely high.
Yes, 1rm is not workout weight, but I wouldn't think they would be that far off if the people I've seen doing the highest weight are only putting up that weight a few times.

Everyone says they put up 200+ pounds on bench, when in reality it's a small percentage that actually puts up 2 45s and maybe 1% of the people I've seen at the gym that puts up 3 plates (315) or more.

2 plates on squat is also an uncommon sight; most of the people who do that much are only doing 1/4 squats.

The starting line for deadlift is 315 and great is 5 plates on each side? I've only ever seen a handful of people dl with any more than 2 or 3 plates.

20 pullups (no kip) was long a badge of honor in the military.

Other numbers seem low:

Standing military press of 105 is decent? That's kind of ridiculous considering that the entry level for bench is over twice that much...

Bicep curl of 80 seems kind of low. Ditto with 70lb skull crusher.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I agree,
I squat below parallel around 320 and DL 345 at a BW around 175 ( round off, the operative term being round, LOL).
But I can't do 20 strict pullups or 40 correct dips ( and I can dip with 110 lbes on the dip belt + my BW).

[Frost]

bench 300, squat 380, deadlift 440 and press 175, and im weak as a kitten

t-nation is not the best place for strength related articles

[JamesC]

I'm not going to read it. Mostly because i'm lazy. Also, because the only lifts I care about are the big 4.

I follow Jim Wendler's program these days. Best decision I ever made for lifting and getting big and strong.

[Dragonzbane76]

I fall mostly in the "good" description on the workouts. I haven't max in awhile, been working on more reps with medium weight. A lot of the these are like someone else stated "all over the place" I workout alone many times and to reach those levels you usually have to have a spotter or 2 present. Not that in my gym there aren't guys to spot but I kinda got outta that phase of putting up the max, and like to work on the more core strength. We have a pretty decent number of powerlifters at the gym I attend, I've seen them guys put up some ridiculous amounts but most are juicing. At my max bench I put up 345 2 years ago. Haven't really gotten back into lifting at that rate I tip my hat to those that do. Injuries from sparring have hampered many attempts at going full on these days.

I've noted that many whom put up that kind of weight tend to focus on just that and neglect cardio. I try to always throw a good bit on cardio into my routines.

[viper]

Im decent to good in most of the lifts. I dont do the last 3 on the chart. I find it odd not to include the oly lifts. It is a big leap to be a solid good or great. BTW im 63kg so depends how you look at it for the classification of weight or by bw. I went by weight.

[RickMatz]

Bawang's mom is pretty strong.

[sanjuro_ronin]

bench 300, squat 380, deadlift 440 and press 175, and im weak as a kitten

t-nation is not the best place for strength related articles

Indeed that seems to be more and more the case.

[David Jamieson]

Strong related to what?

This comes down to what are you training to do?

I live a life of moderation, so...

[Featherstone]

strong by some, weak by others. I have no idea what weights I can put up as I dont go to a gym. I can lift an old cast engine block and move it out of the way. I can push / pull old cars / trucks and I can throw people and pick them up for rolling and sparring, so meh on the numbers! Oh, and I can pick up my children and in their eyes I am superman!

[Pork Chop]

I workout alone many times and to reach those levels you usually have to have a spotter or 2 present. Not that in my gym there aren't guys to spot but I kinda got outta that phase of putting up the max, and like to work on the more core strength.

I'm kind of in the same boat.
I work out alone almost exclusively.
I also don't often train for maximal strength in the 1 to 3 rep range.
The 5 to 10 rep range seems much more the type of strength I tend to shoot for; ie strength with a little bit of endurance.
Lately, I like the way I feel better when I do more high-rep stuff.
I feel nervous to bench anything over 185 by myself; could slowly work up to more than that comfortably, but it would take a long time and it's not really what I want to work on lately.
I guess I'm okay with saying I'm "weak", because it's not really my priority right now.

[JamesC]

I'm kind of in the same boat.
I work out alone almost exclusively.
I also don't often train for maximal strength in the 1 to 3 rep range.
The 5 to 10 rep range seems much more the type of strength I tend to shoot for; ie strength with a little bit of endurance.
Lately, I like the way I feel better when I do more high-rep stuff.
I feel nervous to bench anything over 185 by myself; could slowly work up to more than that comfortably, but it would take a long time and it's not really what I want to work on lately.
I guess I'm okay with saying I'm "weak", because it's not really my priority right now.

You don't have to train with a 1 rep max in order to get stronger. Ever. Plenty of people do this all the time.

You guys really need to look into Wendler's 5/3/1. It runs a 4 week cycle, the 4th being a deload week.

Everything starts off based on 90% of your current 1 rep max. If you don't stall in the cycle, you raise upper body lifts by 5lbs and lower body by 10lbs.

First week is 3 worksets of 5 reps(1st set at 65% of current 1RM, 2nd set at 75%, 3rd at 85%), with the last set being 5 and then as many as you can do after. Then you drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10 on the same exercise.

Second week is 3 sets of 3(1st set at 70% of current 1RM, 2nd at 80%, 3rd at 90%), and again, you do at LEAST 3 on the last set, and then as many as you can after. Then, drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10.

Third week is 3 worksets. First workset is 5 reps(75% of current 1RM), second is 3(85% of current 1RM), third is 1(95% of 1RM) and then as many as you can do. Drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10.

You also stretch hard before each workout and then jump rope for a warmup. This is to keep you from turning into the large musclebound guy at the gym.

Anyways, if you use this template it allows you to raise your 1RM without ever having to actually do your 1RM, and thus, makes it a lot safer to do by yourself.

[JamesC]

Forgot to add that the focus is on the 4 big lifts. Squats, Deadlift, Bench, and Press. Each one is done once a week.

There's also a lot of assistance work in it for those that are interested in actually checking the program out.

[sanjuro_ronin]

You don't have to train with a 1 rep max in order to get stronger. Ever. Plenty of people do this all the time.

You guys really need to look into Wendler's 5/3/1. It runs a 4 week cycle, the 4th being a deload week.

Everything starts off based on 90% of your current 1 rep max. If you don't stall in the cycle, you raise upper body lifts by 5lbs and lower body by 10lbs.

First week is 3 worksets of 5 reps(1st set at 65% of current 1RM, 2nd set at 75%, 3rd at 85%), with the last set being 5 and then as many as you can do after. Then you drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10 on the same exercise.

Second week is 3 sets of 3(1st set at 70% of current 1RM, 2nd at 80%, 3rd at 90%), and again, you do at LEAST 3 on the last set, and then as many as you can after. Then, drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10.

Third week is 3 worksets. First workset is 5 reps(75% of current 1RM), second is 3(85% of current 1RM), third is 1(95% of 1RM) and then as many as you can do. Drop the weight and do 5 sets of 10.

You also stretch hard before each workout and then jump rope for a warmup. This is to keep you from turning into the large musclebound guy at the gym.

Anyways, if you use this template it allows you to raise your 1RM without ever having to actually do your 1RM, and thus, makes it a lot safer to do by yourself.

Looks like a typical powerlifiting pyramid routine except for that weird 5 sets of 10 thrown in there...