How Long Will it Take to Hit a 225 Bench?

“How a few years for a 225 bench?”

It’s a query most guys ask in some unspecified time in the future within the coaching journey.

Many assume it’s inevitable—stick to the gymnasium for a number of months and shortly sufficient you’ll be “benching two plates.”

In actuality, that’s not the way it often goes.

In keeping with a number of the most skilled coaches on the earth, the quickest you may realistically hit 225 is a couple of 12 months. However for a lot of, it takes far longer—as much as three years or extra—relying on elements like dimension, intercourse, and coaching expertise.

And even then, there’s a catch: You need to prepare critically. In case you simply undergo the motions, you would possibly by no means get there.

For girls, a 225 bench is even rarer. Exterior of elite-level powerlifting, it’s just about exceptional.

So, how lengthy will it actually take to bench 225 for you? And what are you able to do to get there sooner? Get evidence-based solutions to those questions and extra on this article. 

Key Takeaways

• Most males can hit a 225 bench in 1-to-3 years in the event that they prepare critically. For girls, it’s extraordinarily uncommon.
• Age, dimension, intercourse, coaching historical past, and anatomy have an effect on how lengthy it takes to bench 225. Youthful weightlifters (25-to-40), larger folks, and males have a bonus. 
• Novices progress rapidly at first and have a greater shot at reaching 225 in the event that they prepare correctly from the beginning than those that’ve already been coaching for a number of years. 
• To bench 225 as rapidly as doable, prepare with heavy weights, prioritize progressive overload, and bench not less than twice per week.
• Consuming sufficient energy and protein helps you get stronger, whereas reducing makes progress slower.
• To bench 315, you’ll seemingly must press 225 for 7-to-8 reps first.

How Lengthy Does it Take to Bench 225?

It’s exhausting to say how lengthy it takes to bench 225, because it is determined by elements like your age, intercourse, and dimension. That stated, we will use the “strength standards” set by skilled coaches to present us a tough thought.

Powerlifting coach Tim Henriques believes most males who comply with a structured energy program can attain a “respectable” stage of energy—which incorporates becoming a member of “Membership 225”—inside 6-to-12 months:

Whereas I’ve coached tens of thousands of people, I don’t profess to have the identical depth of expertise as Henriques. Nonetheless, I feel his timeline is a bit optimistic. Mark Rippetoe’s requirements, however, appear extra sensible.

He estimates most males can hit a 225 bench inside 1-to-3 years of significant energy coaching:

Within the eyes of each coaches, a 225 bench is extraordinarily uncommon for girls. Exterior of elite feminine powerlifting, solely a handful ever attain this milestone, and those that do sometimes have distinctive genetics and years of devoted coaching. In my expertise, this holds true.

Taking all this into consideration, a good rule of thumb is that almost all males who prepare critically ought to have the ability to bench 225 inside 3 years. For girls, it’s merely not a practical purpose for the overwhelming majority.

That stated, loads of elements could make hitting a 225 bench simpler or tougher. Let’s break down the largest ones and the way they have an effect on your progress.

Dimension

Intercourse

Males sometimes have a better time bench urgent 225 kilos than girls as a result of they often have extra muscle, particularly within the higher physique. 

As an illustration, a 2021 study revealed within the Journal of Purposeful Morphology and Kinesiology discovered that skilled male weightlifters had been virtually 60% stronger on the bench press than their feminine counterparts, primarily as a result of they’d extra muscle within the chest and higher again. 

Coaching Expertise

Coaching expertise is one other key consider how lengthy it takes to bench 225 kilos. In case you’re new to weightlifting, you’re in luck—learners often achieve energy rapidly, principally as a result of your mind learns to make use of your muscle tissues extra effectively once you begin lifting weights. 

That makes closing the hole to 225 simpler within the early levels, particularly in case your coaching focuses on boosting bench press energy (extra on the specifics quickly).

In case you’ve been coaching for a number of years and nonetheless haven’t benched 225, you’ll have to work tougher to achieve your purpose. That’s as a result of the extra skilled you’re, the much less responsive your physique becomes to coaching, and the tougher it’s to achieve muscle and energy.

Coaching Program

For instance, a routine focussed on lifting heavy weights for low reps and getting progressively stronger over time will show you how to bench 225 sooner than a program primarily based on high-rep “pump” coaching. 

One other key issue is bench press frequency. A routine that has you benching 2-to-3 occasions per week will seemingly show you how to attain 225 sooner than one which solely consists of it as soon as per week.

Anatomy

1. Arm Size: Having shorter arms makes the bench press simpler as a result of it shortens the gap it’s important to decrease and press the bar, so every rep requires much less work.
2. Tendon Attachments: How your tendons connect to your bones impacts leverage. In case your tendons connect farther from a joint, your muscle tissues can produce extra drive, making it simpler to carry heavier weights.

Thanks to those small anatomical variations, one particular person could lift 25% greater than one other even when they’d the identical quantity of muscle mass.

Age

Food regimen

Consuming in a “calorie deficit” (consuming fewer energy than you burn) makes gaining energy tougher for a few causes:

1. You are likely to have much less power when “reducing,” which makes it tougher to push your self in your exercises. 
2. To realize energy successfully, your physique wants enough power to restore and construct muscle. Whenever you’re in a calorie deficit, your physique has much less gasoline out there to assist these processes, making it tougher to get stronger.

Thus, to maximise your odds of benching 225, you must eat in a method that drives muscle progress and energy achieve (once more, extra on the specifics quickly).

The right way to Bench 225

Enhance Method

READ MORE: The Definitive Guide to Proper Bench Press Form

Practice for Energy

Give attention to Progressive Overload

Progressive overload refers back to the course of of constructing your bench press exercises progressively tougher. It’s paramount as a result of it maximizes the muscle- and strength-building results of weightlifting.

The first technique to implement progressive overload is to carry heavier weights over time. The best method to do that is utilizing double progression—a way for rising your weights solely when you hit the highest of your rep vary for a sure variety of units (typically one).

As an illustration, in case your bench press exercise requires 4-to-6 reps of the bench press and also you get 6 reps for a set, add 10 kilos to your subsequent set. In case you handle 3 or fewer reps with the brand new weight, cut back the burden by 5 kilos to make sure you keep within the 4-to-6 rep vary. 

Observe this sample of attempting so as to add reps or weight in each exercise.

Prioritize the Bench Press

You perform best on the workout routines you do earliest in your exercises once you’re bodily and mentally contemporary. Thus, if you wish to enhance your bench press numbers, begin your chest, push, or upper-body exercises with the bench press.

To get stronger on the bench press, you additionally need to observe it typically.

So, if you wish to enhance your bench press however presently solely bench as soon as weekly, begin benching twice per week. Likewise, in case you presently bench twice weekly, improve your frequency to a few occasions weekly. 

Take a look at Your One-Rep Max Each 12 Weeks

READ MORE: The Best One-Rep Max Calculator for Any Exercise

Sometimes testing your one-max is a good way to trace your progress. Testing it too typically, nonetheless, can go away you worn out and improve harm threat, each of which may negatively influence your common coaching. 

Thus, a great rule of thumb is to check your bench press one-rep max each 12 weeks. 

This cadence offers you adequate time to make significant progress earlier than reassessing, helps you keep away from burnout, and reduces the chance of harm from doing too many max-effort makes an attempt.

READ MORE: What Is a One-Rep Max and How Do You Find Yours?

Past Benching 225: How Many Reps of 225 to Bench 315?

FAQ #1: Is benching 2 plates good?

FAQ #2: How many ladies can bench 225?

FAQ #3: How a lot is a 225 bench on the Smith machine?

READ MORE: Should You Bench Press with a Smith Machine or a Barbell?