Weightlifting

Pounds the average 175-pound man (aka : average weight, average height is 5'9 1/2) can bench-press one time: Age20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69

Lbs 180 158 143 128 116

taking an average from this gives the result that the average male, ages between 20 and 69 can bench press

Tamara Rainwater was the first woman to bench 400 pounds. The heaviest woman's bench press may have been an unofficial 440 by Fibingerova, a Chech shot putter.

This is the correction to the answer made earlier:

From my experience, the estimate of 60 lbs is incorrect and not close to the reality.

I estimate about 35 lbs for one clean rep.

If we start talking about chest press machines, even then the average woman won't be able to do 60 lbs (my experience from watching them in the gym over the years). Bench press is much harder as it involves stabilizing muscles in the arms and I can tell you that the "average" American woman will not be able to handle even barbell alone (40 lbs) for 2 reps.

What you had observed in the gym (women doing about 3 reps with 40lbs) was not the "average" women, but more or less fit women who tend to get exercise and who, likely, had hit the chest press machines before moving on the the barbells. (over 90% of women never go to the gym or at least never use weights)

The "average" "normal" American woman has very weak pectoralis muscles (unfortunately), was taught not to touch the weights to avoid "getting buff", haven't done any pushups in 20 years and, as a result, can't bench press more than 35-40lbs. Neither she can do a one push-up.

I'm not going to average this answer with the results for athletes who bench press alot, because such are very few in numbers compared to millions of regular women.

40lbs is *at the most*--highest estimate. Anything over that and she's crushing her ribcage with that barbell.

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I don' tknow, but I have some experience and some guesses.

I do know that almost every (normal) woman I've seen at the gym can handle the bench machine with NO weight, the bar alone is about 40lbs for several reps.

I do know that I have met VERY FEW (but a couple) women who could bench their weight for three reps.

Since the "average" American woman is around 5'4" and about 140 lbs

I would guesstimate it like this

If you average the min of about 40 with the MAX of about 140 you get around 90lbs. That is likely too much to start with but a reasonable goal for women starting out to shoot for. I would take that 90 and average it again with the 40 min (guesstimate) and go just a ittle lighter to get around a 60lbs starting weight to try to build up from.

I am about 5'8" and 160 lbs and the first time I tried to bench press I was able to do 95 lbs (a 45 lb bar and 25 lb weights on each side) but was only able to do it about 4 times.

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Yes I am 18 years old 5'4 129 lbs and I bench press 140. I agree with. You must only know weak women. And averaging out the females weight and the bare minimum YOU think a female should be able to lift is totally ludicrous. I believe that It depends on how much a female weighs and typically works out and her natural strength. My first time weight lifting (in shape) I lifted 125 6 reps. Im now at 140 10 reps. However my friend (89 lbs) could only lift the bar. My other friend (5'1) 107 lbs (competitive swimmer) lifted 125 lbs (10 reps). My other friend 130 lbs (basketball player) lifts (135 lbs)20 reps. Hope that helps!

I would say a typical woman(120-140 lbs) from the ages of 20-30 could bench press 45-62 pounds for for 3 reps. Though I wish the average woman could bench 200 for 3 reps and look natural and not scarily muscular.

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Andy Harglesis says:

The average female can bench any where from 30-70lbs for 1 rep. By "average" we're of course talking about one who doesn't do any exercise or barely works out at all. A more athletic female around ages 12-15 who has partaken in exercises or such for a 6 month period or so could probably bench at least 50lbs for one perfect, full rep. A female who trains bench pressing at that age could probably handle any where from 80lbs and up.....

An adult female, one at least 18, fully grown and such, could probably bench over 100lbs if they do 3-8 months of bench-training. A teenage could several years younger could also do the same. Of course, since this question is too wide to get a specific answer, it really depends from female to female, same with females. Now if you mean lock out they could do more....Average female who slightly works out could probably lock out up to 100lbs or even more. It also depends on the body frame and build....A shorter, stockier bodied girl will be able to bench or at least lock out more weight than a girl who is really tall, long, slender and has a very thin body frame and minimal muscle mass. But don't be so quick to judge and say other wise to this....I've seen many young girls and women lock out over 100lbs and they don't even train bench press hardly....So if they did they'd be much stronger, and musculature is not required if you train adequately and correctly, plus the genetics is another advantage. Don't discourage yourself, females, and males don't discourage females. We can ALL be stronger than adequate strength. :)

Yeah I would beg to say this much. I know it's out of left field, but female children who routinely had their feet bound for 1000 years in China could barely walk by the time they reached adulthood, let alone do anything else but knit and sew. And with the corsets and high heels being all the rage throughout Europe and North America, for centuries women could barely scream for help, let-alone walk or use the toilet regularly. Now the lesser extreme is how in many other countries, even western ones, -women are still told that they are automatically physically inferior and discouraged from physically challenging activities, or given "girl versions" of calisthenics activities. -This naturally stifles their confidence and prevents them from discovering their abilities and improving on them. When I was growing up we were told that women couldn't do pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups. I was told to at least try to get my mile run in 12 minutes to pass, I did it under 7:30 with skate shoes on. Other beliefs expressed growing up were that women can't do planches, (wrong), muscle ups (wrong), windmills in breakdancing and other power moves requiring upper body strength (wrong) and the list goes on. Check youtube before you question me on those please. I've known some very physically strong women in my life. I do think that there are some limitations of strength relative to size and training. Have you noticed the guys who bench 1,000 lbs weigh almost 400 lbs? (Gene Rychlak Jr) The so-called world's strongest woman, Becca Swanson, can bench 600+ lbs, but she weighs 240. Strength has many applications. There's the kind we're talking about here, picking up heavy objects, which requires a lot of bulk and can add extra weight that can really slow a person down and make them useless in a fight or other applied situations where more dynamic explosive strength is required and speed is equally valuable. A perfect example would be Bruce Lee who, at only 140 lbs was able to train to the point of having almost super-human strength. Back to women, we gain strength the same way men do, and although it's easy to try to compare by numbers and weight one must remember a healthy person can accomplish a lot and at some point strong enough is strong enough. I.E. if anyone had to choose between having 1000 lbs dropped on their heads or 600 lbs, I bet they'd hit the bricks screaming.

I share strong opinions on this subject because of my personal perspective. I was very different from other girls and still am. My parents didn't cling to gender stereotypes. Although they were both physically strong, talented, and intelligent, my father was the nurturer and my mother was the breadwinner. I benefitted greatly from the close relationship I shared with my father and the positive example my mother set. My dad made sure I was always challenged and intellectually stimulated, he was lots of fun, my mom was the disciplinarian and the bookkeeper. Both were very protective of me, but my father seemed to be better at maintaining my emotional needs and teaching me to be independent. Some men are better nurturers and some women are better providers maybe by preference or design but still we are who we are, stereotypes are unfair and cruel. Whether by nature or nurture I was strong and smart, I refused to do anything but my best in all things and was able to do multiple pull-ups in P.E. starting in grade 6, and can still to this day knock out 100 pushups without breaking a sweat. I worked hard at my dad's side moving heavy equipment at age 7 and up. When I was 11 I was able to carry my father and step-mother at the same time the entire length of a city block. All throughout my life I have been protecting myself physically from harm, mostly against men much larger than myself. -Im 27 now. And although I played on men's sports teams and sparred with men and was always able to go toe to toe on sheer strength and speed despite my size, I had superior grace and was always mentally ahead of my opponent as well. -Therefore I didn't have to work as hard, I was never afraid to lose or angry so I was always crisp in any situation and due to grace and intellect I was able to outlast my opponents and wear them down with plenty of energy to spare on my part.

I can easily scoop up a 200+ lb man and carry him around any way I please. And although I preferred strength training through manual labor, martial arts, and body weight calisthenics, I have recently gotten into free weights. I know I'm supposed to start low and work my way up, but out of morbid curiosity I did a few warm up benches with 120 lbs of free weight and was able to bench 160 once after that. -I'm not super woman, but that is 10 lbs more than I weigh and I'm only 5"3. Strength does run in my family. We are all naturally muscular and strong. My grandma taught dance her entire life retiring in her late 60's, my other family members regardless of gender were gifted athletes often excelling at multiple athletic activities outside of the stereotypical norms. Some were dancers, football players, gymnasts, martial artists, tennis players, soldiers, soccer players, track stars, and wrestlers. I don't know for sure if the women in my family are stronger than the men, I do know that I have been stronger than my dad for most of my life. I attribute this to him pushing me to do so and my very good health. I know that sounds arrogant to say, but he's a very petite man. -He looks like Prince, but he's ripped like Bruce Lee. Although he's a small guy, my dad is hardwired and very strong for his size. I still would not want to fight him. And for what it's worth I wouldn't want to fight the women in my family either. Male or female, in my family we're all short but we're strong like tanks and naturally toned. The men in my family are built like Toby Macguire in spiderman, and the women look like Pauline Nordin or Lidia Valentin, while still being quite curvaceous. In terms of physical performance coordination, grace, strength, and aggression I would say we are very close. However the women went on to be much more successful in education and their jobs than the men in my family, except for my father who is an amazing musician. I attribute this to my grandpa's untimely death in his late 40's and to the men being more rebellious and trying to prove their manhood in their teens, and probably to a sens of pride that prevented the boys for being vocal about their needs. Whereas the women were busy hitting the gym and the books and fending off all the neighborhood boys.

I feel really sorry for the women you have known who couldn't lift the bar. I believe, they were weak by practice, not by nature. I hope that my lengthy response has expanded your view of women's capabilities and helped soften the negative impression you've been left with regarding some strong women you've seen who probably cheat with steriods. Every healthy man or woman has the capacity to at least pull their own weight. Being strong is just as much our right as women as it is anyone else's. I believe being strong makes us better sex partners, (beefs up our testosterone levels so our desire and appreciation for sex increases). When we challenge ourselves it helps us to be better more confident workmates and more insightful companions, and helps us better relate to the men around us. Not to mention being strong allows us to better assist our loved ones and neighbors during emergencies or times of need. I'm not talking about being ball crushing feminists and immasculating the men in our lives, I'm talking about really being there for the people we care about in every way possible, including physically. We are supposed to be industrious AND CAPABLE just like men, we're just prettier and naturally have a little more finess which all makes us more fun to watch. :)