How much should I be able to lift?

someday2010

I am just wondering what target should I be aiming for. At present I squat 70kg 3x12 and bench 60kg 3x12 weight includes the bar @20kg. Is this good or bad Im male 85kg.

Doug Cartel

Just try to keep incrementing the weight a small bit each time. The important thing is to give yourself a challenge. (but obviously don't kill yourself either)

"Always a challenge, never a struggle".

Scuba Ste

A good rule of thumb is 1xBW Bench, 1.5x Squat and 2x Deadlift for 1RM.

What exactly are lifting for strength, size, kicks or female appreciation? Squat could probably do with more work.

Transform

Scuba Ste wrote: »

A good rule of thumb is 1xBW Bench, 1.5x Squat and 2x Deadlift for 1RM.

What exactly are lifting for strength, size, kicks or female appreciation? Squat could probably do with more work.

agreed with all those numbers and would add in 10+ chin ups and dips

rubadub

This will give you some idea of ratios between exercises
http://www.crossfit.com/cf-journal/WLSTANDARDS.pdf

If you are only just starting out you can expect faster gains, they will slow percentage wise over time.

all the figures in that link are in pounds and are 1rep max.

You can estimate your own 1RM using calculators like this http://www.naturalphysiques.com/tools.php?itemid=18

someday2010

Scuba Ste wrote: »

What exactly are lifting for strength, size, kicks or female appreciation? Squat could probably do with more work.

All four!

Is there a direct relationship between strength and size? I have increased my strength a lot but I havent noticed any real big size increases at all but the muscles definitely look more toned

Doug Cartel

someday2010 wrote: »

Is there a direct relationship between strength and size?

Bigger muscles are capable of producing more strength, but there's a neurological element there which you need to train to get the most out of them.

The rule of thumb is about 8-15 reps with a heavy-ish weight to get hypertrophy, and 3-5 with a really heavy weight to get strength increases.

If you've never trained before, it's possible to get fairly big strength increases without putting much extra muscle on.

dartstothesea

rubadub wrote: »

This will give you some idea of ratios between exercises
http://www.crossfit.com/cf-journal/WLSTANDARDS.pdf

If you are only just starting out you can expect faster gains, they will slow percentage wise over time.

all the figures in that link are in pounds and are 1rep max.

This is a bit surprising. I'm 88kg (194lbs) and my 3x8 max is just only under 60kg for bench press, I imagine I could squeeze out one rep at 78kg (173lbs) at that rate (I'll have to actually attempt this now of course!), meaning I've "advanced" strength? Definitely news to me...

I know 3x8 types of training probably don't yield much in the way of 1RM type strength, though, so I could be wrong and be way off that 78kg yet.

Those figures are definitely for 1RM, yeah?

Edwardius

dartstothesea wrote: »

This is a bit surprising. I'm 88kg (194lbs) and my 3x8 max is just only under 60kg for bench press, I imagine I could squeeze out one rep at 78kg (173lbs) at that rate (I'll have to actually attempt this now of course!), meaning I've "advanced" strength? Definitely news to me...

I know 3x8 types of training probably don't yield much in the way of 1RM type strength, though, so I could be wrong and be way off that 78kg yet.

Those figures are definitely for 1RM, yeah?

Were you looking at the mens or womens chart?

dartstothesea

Dead Ed wrote: »

Were you looking at the mens or womens chart?

Definitely mens chart, yeah. I might have been looking at the wrong lift though, now that I think of it.

Edwardius

dartstothesea wrote: »

Definitely mens chart, yeah. I might have been looking at the wrong lift though, now that I think of it.

Aaah, you were lookin' at the press chart, not the bench one.

FTA69

dartstothesea wrote: »

This is a bit surprising. I'm 88kg (194lbs) and my 3x8 max is just only under 60kg for bench press, I imagine I could squeeze out one rep at 78kg (173lbs) at that rate (I'll have to actually attempt this now of course!), meaning I've "advanced" strength? Definitely news to me...

Ha, if that was the case I'd be on my way to the next Olympics to sweep the board!

My lifts factor around the intermediate level for my weight, either a bit above it or a bit below; handy enough.