How Many People Can Bench 225? Here's the answer from 70 Years of data

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8 ай бұрын

I go into all the details with an example program in my article on: powerliftingtechnique.com/how...
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How many people can bench 225 lbs? Jake Woodruff, Strength and Conditioning Performance Coach and member of the "2 Plate Club," looked at strength data from 70 years to estimate about 1.3 million Americans can bench 225 lbs. Here’s how I came up with that number and some tips for you to join the 2-plate club.
America has about 335 million people.
64 million have a gym membership.
But only 32 million go to the gym twice a week, which someone would likely need to build enough strength to bench 225.
Only elite female lifters can bench 225, so I only included men and narrowed the number to 16 million.
Only intermediate male lifters can bench 225, which means they’d need to lift for a couple of years, further narrowing the number to 8 million.
18-34-year-olds will have the highest number of individuals who can bench 225, so I pulled data from that demographic. The number is now 2.4 million
Weighing 220+ pounds is advantageous to reach a 225 lb bench, so we now have 690,000 Americans.
Then I multiplied that number by 2 to account for people who lift at home to reach about 1.3 million.
I’m not 100% sure if that’s right, but I am sure you can bench 225 lbs in 3 to 24 months if you lift heavy, practice good bench form, and progressively overload your muscles by adding weight or reps each week.

Пікірлер: 53

@anthonyhulse1248 3 ай бұрын

64 years old, post cancer/chemo/surgery. I hit 210 after 3 months and expect to hit 225 in 2 weeks. Consistent progressive overload.

@BOBANDVEG 2 ай бұрын

Did you hit 225? I gotta know

@jackbeachum3713 Ай бұрын

Did u get it big dawg

@PowerliftingTechnique 10 күн бұрын

Did you hit your goal?

@rolandsalonga771 Ай бұрын

I'm 56 yrs old, 5'7 193 lbs, and I can bench 225 for 10 reps, 3 sets of ten

@greasymuchacho Ай бұрын

yes but you have disturbingly short arms so it makes it easier. You are more like a hobbit

@onlythemessenger-my8ny 2 ай бұрын

I'm 38 I couldn't bench 225 but after 9 months I warm up with it

@joeylaramie7398 28 күн бұрын

Don’t be afraid to add body fat. I got up to 405 when I was 30. Work, family, and laziness caused me to stop lifting now at 39 I just started lifting again and can still bench 315. Spend a year in your 20s getting fat and strong the changes will stay with you

@EriPages 4 ай бұрын

I'm 36. I'll be hitting 225lbs in 4 months time. Got a great training program that centres around progressive overload using Dumbbell Bench Pressing for the first 2 months, then Barbell Bench Pressing the second 2 months and topping out at 225lbs. Currently I Dumbell Press 60lbs (120lbs total) for 8 reps. Will progress this to 80lbs (160lbs total) for 8 reps, then move onto the Barbell.

@PowerliftingTechnique 4 ай бұрын

Congrats, sounds like a good plan

@EriPages 4 ай бұрын

@@PowerliftingTechnique Thanks, brother.

@DashCantTap 4 ай бұрын

@@EriPagescan u tell me ur plan plz :)

@gooseygoose604 3 ай бұрын

160lbs 8 reps of dumbell press I fell is far more impressive than doing 225lbs barbell.

@fgkvlgmvll.jdjdic 25 күн бұрын

I’m proud to be part of that small percentage

@M1szS 2 ай бұрын

The most important part is eating enough, i know from experience, because i never skip gym, train hard, but then i make 0 progress, simply because i wasn't eating enough (both calories and protein), so there's no way for muscles to grow.

@PowerliftingTechnique 10 күн бұрын

Great point. I've got this protein-intake calculator to help with that: powerliftingtechnique.com/powerlifting-diet/

@M1szS 10 күн бұрын

@@PowerliftingTechnique Doesn't seem quite right to me, since there's next to no improvement after 2 grams per kg of bodyweight (so 140g for me), and it told me to eat 237g

@PowerliftingTechnique 10 күн бұрын

@@M1szS The calculator just automates what's covered in these calculations: powerliftingtechnique.com/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-to-gain-muscle/ So it should be recommending 10% more than you need for your level of exercise.

@supergaming9884 16 сағат бұрын

Just benched 225 and i did 14 3 days ago

@user-zt1ri6op8d 2 ай бұрын

Yes at the gym I work out at I would say one third of the men there bench press 225lbs. or more.Mostly younger men in the 20’s or 30’s.

@leonscottkennedy3143 3 ай бұрын

Such a bs study

@TylerTong 2 ай бұрын

explain

@bdawg2513 2 ай бұрын

In high school I went from benching 95 to hitting 215 in one school year. I only weighed about 130lbs. Coach was impressed 😁

@greasymuchacho Ай бұрын

In high school I threw a football over them mountains...

@bdawg2513 Ай бұрын

@@greasymuchacho shut up uncle Rico :P

@greasymuchacho Ай бұрын

@@bdawg2513 hahah :)

@BunyipDude Ай бұрын

I started benching 225 around 2009 or so, when I was 24 years old. However, I am also seriously mis-proportioned (I can't squat 315). 15 years later, I'm still able to do that, though I peaked around 255 as max. I really figured 225 was pretty common because most of the dudes I see at the gym can bench that much.

@tumor0 2 ай бұрын

Great answer to a Fermi problem.

@akialter Ай бұрын

Have a goal in mind, and only compare with you yesterday. That’s the only one you need to defeat every, single, day

@josephsofaer841 28 күн бұрын

That means only 0.33% of Americans can bench 2 plates 😧 I’m guessing the global average will be even lower due to a lack of proper nutrition and access to gym.

@mikelowry5012 Ай бұрын

I’m 243 hit 250 other day , 5x5 80% of max really works

@kzg_12 5 күн бұрын

Nice but how about we reduce it down to ONLY the naturals who can bench 225lbs/100kg

@jimenezaj Ай бұрын

How many reps of 225 does this include tho? Does this include 1-2 reps too? Or is it only for 10 reps of 225??

@josephsofaer841 28 күн бұрын

It means a 1RM as that would be the cutoff point for 2 plates.

@PowerliftingTechnique 10 күн бұрын

This is for a one-rep max. Here's a calculator if you're trying to find your 1RM from more sets: powerliftingtechnique.com/one-rep-max-calculator/

@greasymuchacho Ай бұрын

Strict cheeseburger diet. Can throw up 225 no problem.

@ryandenina7735 27 күн бұрын

Im 50, weigh 225 and lifting since 18 yo and can max out 315 lbs on incline bench. Whats the % for that demographic?

@PowerliftingTechnique 10 күн бұрын

That's a stronger-than-average record for your demographic, for sure.

@rc6251 2 ай бұрын

WTF? It's not the weight you can lift that is impressive, it is the percentage of body weight you can lift. A 130 pound guy who benches 180 lbs is more impressive than a 200 pound guy who benches 225 lbs.

@PowerliftingTechnique 2 ай бұрын

It's a worthy metric to shoot for, even if the 130lbs would really have to stretch. What's your goal atm

@rc6251 2 ай бұрын

@@PowerliftingTechnique I'll admit... I use the 225 metric as well. But I am close. I feel for those that are much smaller than me and are made to feel inferior even though they might be 125lbs benching 185lbs, a ratio of almost 1.5, which is approx the same as a 210 lb guy benching three plates. If there was more emphasis on the body wt/lift wt ratio instead of absolute weight, it would motivate more people. It is why there are weight classes in power lifting. I am 158 lbs, 71 years old, and last week benched 220lbs. Close, but not there. At my age, the opportunity to make 225 will not last much longer!

@M1szS 2 ай бұрын

@@rc6251 damn, the bodyweight bench ratio is crazy for that age

@rc6251 2 ай бұрын

@@M1szS Nothing like being retired to be able to enjoy more time in the gym! LOL!

@mikethaison432 2 ай бұрын

He isn’t saying it is more impressive. He’s simply talking about benching 225.