# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > WORKOUT AND TRAINING >  Getting a 350lb bench press naturally

## jg42058p

Theres a lot of guys out there who bench 350lbs or more, but its hard to tell who has done it naturally and who has used steroids to accomplish that..

I am wondering if I could get that big without taking steroids... and how common is it that someone could reach that strength without steroids?

Here's my stats:

My current bench max is 275lbs
current weight is 245lbs at around 15% body fat
height: 6ft
Metabolism: about average, but definitly proned to gaining weight as opposed to losing it
Genetics: In both sides of my family, the men are all tall and generally proaned to gaining weight as opposed to staying thin. I'd say the average height is about 6ft tall..
age: 23.5 years

Diet: 200-250g of protein/day, along with 200-300g of carbs/day
Lifting as hard as I can, trying to do legs more to stimulate growth
been lifting for 3 monthes ago, after taking a 3 year break...
(I was big before, so the muscle came back quick)

what do you guys think?
Could someone with my genetics naturally get that kind of strength without using steroids?

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## WARMachine

Easily...

Dude i was 175lbs (MAX) benching 300...

Now i can easily rep 350 and i weigh about 205 right now...

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## jg42058p

> Easily...
> 
> Dude i was 175lbs (MAX) benching 300...
> 
> Now i can easily rep 350 and i weigh about 205 right now...


those are some good stats.

bump

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## FallenWyvern

I think you can improve quite a bit more naturally. 275 at your weight/height isn't that much.

When you plateau in a year or so reconsider.

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## Older lifter

yeah, just keep at it and you will get there, as stated above it is not that much for someone your size. if you train and eat the right way it will come.
Good lifting........

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## kingwilliam

i am 5'10", 200, 12%

Naturally I only pushed up 315, then while on my first cycle (T400) I got up to 405... 

I am 2 weeks in to my second cycle....workin my way back up.......i miss the strength you get when you're 10 weeks into a cycle... mmmmmmmmmm

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## mkrulic

hard to say where you will end up. I read that we are born w/ a %tage of fast twitch and slow twitch muscles and you cannot change that. olymipic marathon runners are born w/ a high %tage of slow twitch. world class competitors of strength have a higher %tage of fast twitch. there are other bio-mechanical advantages, tie ins and length of muscles. I have a friend who benched 405 the first time he laid under a bar. in 4 years he did 685 w/o a shirt. there are a few training techniques you could try. like power bands and strength training. but, imho, there is a limit for all of us. Its impossible to tell if yours is at 350 or not.
*if you could let us know what you were benching 3 months ago, 6 months ago, a year ago,... we could get a much better idea of whats going on.*

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## jg42058p

> I think you can improve quite a bit more naturally. 275 at your weight/height isn't that much.
> 
> When you plateau in a year or so reconsider.


your right it isn't that much. I definitely have more natural growth to get to... but I'm curious as to what the limit could be

thanks everyone for the other posts, they were insightful.

I dont think I'll be using steroids any time soon. I want to get all my natural growth in and take it from there...

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## guitarzan

I benched 340 my junior year high school and didnt work out that much. Dont know much about what mkrulic was saying but I do know that he is right about it coming easier for some.

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## BBall6

I went from 320 senior yr of HS to 370 end of 1st yr of college FB to 405 end of 2nd yr. 

Body weight went from 205 to 210 to a little under 215.

I thought I had plateaued in HS, but when I got to college and our strength coach had a better laid out plan and much stronger guys to workout with, I made noticeable gains in a hurry.

They key is to always keep pushing yourself. In HS i was one of the 3-4 stronger guys in the class, when I got to college, I was the low man on the totem pole and it was easier to push myself.

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## freemansout2003

I think is also in your genetic's. Im 180 now still have a hard time going over 250 I can do a hundred pushups in a row though

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## BTM0085

> I went from 320 senior yr of HS to 370 end of 1st yr of college FB to 405 end of 2nd yr. 
> 
> In HS i was one of the 3-4 stronger guys in the class, when I got to college, I was the low man on the totem pole and it was easier to push myself.


4 guys benching over 300 in high school...I hope you guys collected a state championship.

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## rhino1

i think technique is the biggest thing...as a senior lifting in the 198lb class powerlifting i pressed 350 at the state meet...official weight was 189. (7 years ago...and with a bench press shirt)

I now weigh 203 and rep 465 for 3 at the end of my workout...raw. With my titan f6 bench press shirt i single 550

Get with a competitive lifter and see if you cant improve your technique...believe me...technique is everything...not to mention you have alot of room to grow...

If i weighed 240 id be benching 700-800 lol

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## rhino1

a workout that will improve your bench needs to be like 20 sets of 3 with 85-95% of your 1 rep max....

Add chains...board presses...bands you will be benching 400 in no time

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## F4iGuy

Not into powerlifting, more bodybuilding. I've never done a cycle. I agree with technique playing a BIG role. I don't care to much about max lifts, last year I said what the hell. A friend asked me to try 405 and I got it. I weight 180. I've always had a strong bench though. I guess being 5' 6" helps. For some reason I just feel the connection with my chest more than most muscles. Its weird. I wish I could put the same intensity into everything else. My best advice is get your breathing down and pull in your shoulder blades.

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## quarry206

you can get whatever you want natural. you just have to make sure you are doing strength workouts and not body building.

i have benched 475lb and i competed at the 198lb weight class with an everyday weight of 210-215 .. 

just make sure you are working out for power not size

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## blacspydr0

that sure seems like a lot...

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## Rugger02

LOL It is a lot, but do-able...
I'm 250 and pushing 425 for a one rep max, still natural.

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## kickinit

I have never really tried to max FLAT bench since high school, but back then I was 185lbs doing 350lbs. Now im 255lbs and Im sure I can put up 350lbs without much difficulty, I just have a thing about FLAT bench. I rep 315lbs..

I believe the old school rule though, if you can bench your weight your strong, anything more and thats cool. Otherwise who gives a shit? haha

I think though on your stats you should be able to bench 300 or somewhere very close to it, but it all depends on you man. I mean bench does nothing for me, so I just dont mess with it much.

Oh incase it matters, never touched roids in my life.

Supplements
1. Amino 1800 back when they had it
2. Glutamine when I hit weights hard
3. Egg white protein from the grocery store
4. Creatine
5. Now SHOTGUN NO2, but I think I got all I can from it.

thats it...

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## IronReload04

> Theres a lot of guys out there who bench 350lbs or more, but its hard to tell who has done it naturally and who has used steroids to accomplish that..
> 
> I am wondering if I could get that big without taking steroids... and how common is it that someone could reach that strength without steroids?
> 
> Here's my stats:
> 
> My current bench max is 275lbs
> current weight is 245lbs at around 15% body fat
> height: 6ft
> ...



are you trying to be a powerlifter?

if not, who gives a **** about the flat barbell bench press. as far chest, its a worthless exercise for growing chest if you ask me. ask someone else, they will probably tell you different.

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## IronReload04

flat barbell bench press = most overrated exercise on the planet

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## Jfew44

> flat barbell bench press = most overrated exercise on the planet


Agreed. I used to bench west side barbell style (elbows more tucked into my lats) and I was getting alot of weight. I switched up my form and lowered the weight and my chest has grown a heck of a lot more. Dumbell incline is my overall favorite for making my chest grow. 

As to the OP question, you have alot more potential, so if you're set on a big bench, keep at it and check your form.

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## jg42058p

> are you trying to be a powerlifter?
> 
> if not, who gives a **** about the flat barbell bench press. as far chest, its a worthless exercise for growing chest if you ask me. ask someone else, they will probably tell you different.



yeah Im more into power lifting as opposed to putting on size

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## quarry206

i find it funy when people say stuff is over rated.. true i agree alot of gym kids work only on bench. yes its pintless but if people train for power lifting doing the big three you cant say its pointless, its what they do.. to some powerlifters its pointless to have 250lbs of pure muscle and not able squat deadlift or press anything..

people train for what their personal goals are. so just because its not your goal you shouldnt say its over rated. . because some people might think what u feel is important is worthless and have very good points why it is.. i mean honestly for upper body what is an excerise that requires multiple muscle groups to put up big numbers. same with legs squat is not the only lower body work out. its just the one people have agreed is the best well rounded. 

90% of people cheat when they work out anyways swing there arms, bounce weight, dont do full motion, lean or whatever it is i mean the list goes on and on. with every exercise there are ups and downs. and the difference between powerlifters and bodybuildiers is huge. so everybody should support their goals and anybody truely wanting help..

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