How strong am I relative to bodyweight?

I weigh 170 pounds and bench 230 pounds 3 sets of 8. I can bench 298
pounds one time.
I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.

Am I strong enough to compete in weight lifting competitions or are
these lifts pretty ordinary?

Gregg wrote:
> I weigh 170 pounds and bench 230 pounds 3 sets of 8. I can bench 298
> pounds one time.
> I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.
>
> Am I strong enough to compete in weight lifting competitions or are
> these lifts pretty ordinary?

It sounds like you're pretty strong. However, you don't give any data
about your legs.

I had the same thought recently so I looked up some numbers. I weigh
185.
On the usapowerlifting website, the strongest guy in the 189 pound
class
pulled 600+ in the deadlift, squatted 600+, and benched 400+.

There are some hairless gorillas out there! I don't plan on entering
any contests
soon

Eric

In news:1169483822.941527.119910@l53g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com,
Gregg <gd24@juno.com> typed:
> I weigh 170 pounds and bench 230 pounds 3 sets of 8. I can bench 298
> pounds one time.
> I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.
>
> Am I strong enough to compete in weight lifting competitions or are
> these lifts pretty ordinary?

See http://www.crossfit.com/cf-journal/WLSTANDARDS.pdf

--
Bully
Protein bars: http://www.proteinbars.co.uk

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill

Gregg wrote:
> I weigh 170 pounds and bench 230 pounds 3 sets of 8. I can bench 298
> pounds one time.
> I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.
>
> Am I strong enough to compete in weight lifting competitions or are
> these lifts pretty ordinary?



Actually, curling 100 pounds is impressive for your weight, but 3 sets
of 18 reps each??? Wow, how long do you rest between sets?? I assume
you mean freeweights, and you're talking about a one-arm curl (not
preacher curls).

I've curled a 100-lb. kettlebell (or something that looks like it) but
only the one set of 8 reps! I was 195-200 lbs. myself at the time.

So for your weight your numbers seem rather impressive. Is that fairly
normal? Watching football games, I'm always surprised at how big and
tall the players are relative to their weights! But at the gym, I
often see folks built like tanks who aren't lifting heavy. Of course,
it could be that I've only ever caught them at the end of a reverse
pyramid...?

I rest 10 minutes between sets. Here is the bar I use for curls:

http://www.fitnessfactory.com/Item.a...ympic+Curl+Bar

On Jan 22, 2:25 pm, "Prisoner at War" <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com>
wrote:
> Gregg wrote:
> > I weigh 170 pounds and bench 230 pounds 3 sets of 8. I can bench 298
> > pounds one time.
> > I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.
>
> > Am I strong enough to compete in weight lifting competitions or are
> > these lifts pretty ordinary?Actually, curling 100 pounds is impressive for your weight, but 3 sets
> of 18 reps each??? Wow, how long do you rest between sets?? I assume
> you mean freeweights, and you're talking about a one-arm curl (not
> preacher curls).
>
> I've curled a 100-lb. kettlebell (or something that looks like it) but
> only the one set of 8 reps! I was 195-200 lbs. myself at the time.
>
> So for your weight your numbers seem rather impressive. Is that fairly
> normal? Watching football games, I'm always surprised at how big and
> tall the players are relative to their weights! But at the gym, I
> often see folks built like tanks who aren't lifting heavy. Of course,
> it could be that I've only ever caught them at the end of a reverse
> pyramid...?

Thanks Bully.

On Jan 22, 12:46 pm, "Bully" <bull...@proteinbars.co.ok> wrote:
> Innews:1169483822.941527.119910@l53g2000cwa.google groups.com,
> Gregg <g...@juno.com> typed:
>
> > I weigh 170 pounds and bench 230 pounds 3 sets of 8. I can bench 298
> > pounds one time.
> > I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.
>
> > Am I strong enough to compete in weight lifting competitions or are
> > these lifts pretty ordinary?Seehttp://www.crossfit.com/cf-journal/WLSTANDARDS.pdf
>
> --
> Bully
> Protein bars:http://www.proteinbars.co.uk
>
> "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
> the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill

one day I think I could lift 400 but I'd gain 20 pounds of muscle and
there is no way I could stay at 170. I jog but don't weight train my
legs at all.

On Jan 22, 12:39 pm, "ee" <eku...@broadcom.com> wrote:
> Gregg wrote:
> > I weigh 170 pounds and bench 230 pounds 3 sets of 8. I can bench 298
> > pounds one time.
> > I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.
>
> > Am I strong enough to compete in weight lifting competitions or are
> > these lifts pretty ordinary?It sounds like you're pretty strong. However, you don't give any data
> about your legs.
>
> I had the same thought recently so I looked up some numbers. I weigh
> 185.
> On the usapowerlifting website, the strongest guy in the 189 pound
> class
> pulled 600+ in the deadlift, squatted 600+, and benched 400+.
>
> There are some hairless gorillas out there! I don't plan on entering
> any contests
> soon
>
> Eric

Gregg wrote:
> I rest 10 minutes between sets. Here is the bar I use for curls:
>
> http://www.fitnessfactory.com/Item.a...ympic+Curl+Bar



Ah, okay, I had thought you meant one-armed curls, with dumbbells! Are
you doing them standing up, or on the preacher bench?

Not bad, especially for your weight, but I'm not sure if you'd "place"
in any real competition, given that level of ability.

Bicep curls are irrelevant when it comes to measuring athletic
strength. You should completely eliminate them from your workouts,
they're pretty much useless.

If you want to become strong, do heavy deadlifts and heavy squats (and
continue to benchpress).

"george" <223remi@gmail.com> wrote
> Bicep curls are irrelevant when it comes to measuring athletic
> strength. You should completely eliminate them from your workouts,
> they're pretty much useless.

Maybe he just wants big biceps. Should he eliminate them if that is his
goal?

David

David Cohen wrote:

> Maybe he just wants big biceps. Should he eliminate them if that is his
> goal?

Apparently he wants to lift competitively.

"george" <223remi@gmail.com> wrote
> David Cohen wrote:
>
>> Maybe he just wants big biceps. Should he eliminate them if that is his
>> goal?
>
> Apparently he wants to lift competitively.

1) The desire to lift competitively and the desire to have big biceps are
not mutually exclusive.

2) If we assume...since we don't know...that his training is balanced and
complete (sounds like a multivitamin), curl strength gives an indication of
overall arm strength ---> overall upper body strength ---> overall full body
strength. You would, of course, be equally justified in assuming the
reverse...that he exercises the "beach muscles" to the exclusion of
everything else.

3) Curls can be an effective part of nearly any sports specific training,
though rarely necessary.

4) There is often a knee jerk dismissal of isolation movements without real
justification. I don't like jerky knees, though not as much as I don't like
jerky trigger fingers

David

David Cohen wrote:

> 4) There is often a knee jerk dismissal of isolation movements without real
> justification.

The justification is that they waste valuable workout time, time you
should use more effectively.

"george" <223remi@gmail.com> wrote
> David Cohen wrote:
>
>> 4) There is often a knee jerk dismissal of isolation movements without
>> real
>> justification.
>
> The justification is that they waste valuable workout time, time you
> should use more effectively.

OK. A few sets of curls a few times a week just busts your tight time
budget. Whatever.

I guess I'm just not as busy as you.

I need to find more hobbies.

David

"george" <223remi@gmail.com> schreef:

> Bicep curls are irrelevant when it comes to measuring athletic
> strength.

Says who?

Strength = strength, no matter what muscle is used.

> You should completely eliminate them from your workouts,
> they're pretty much useless.

Says who?

Strong biceps and forearms are pretty usefull.

> If you want to become strong, do heavy deadlifts and heavy squats (and
> continue to benchpress).

So pectoral/tricep strength count but bicep strength doesnt.

Why is that?

--
Pete

Pete wrote:
> "george" <223remi@gmail.com> schreef:
>
> > Bicep curls are irrelevant when it comes to measuring athletic
> > strength.
>
> Says who?
>
> Strength = strength, no matter what muscle is used.

How come football players, fighters, track and field athletes, olympic
lifters, powerlifters, etc etc - none of them incorporate curling in
their workouts? Only bodybuilders do, and they're not exactly athletes.

Gregg wrote:
> I weigh 170 pounds and bench 230 pounds 3 sets of 8. I can bench 298
> pounds one time.
> I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.
>
> Am I strong enough to compete in weight lifting competitions or are
> these lifts pretty ordinary?

Want to be strong? Emulate this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0KDnaHCOQ0

Dnia 2007-01-23 george napisa³(a):
>
> Pete wrote:
>> "george" <223remi@gmail.com> schreef:
>>
>> > Bicep curls are irrelevant when it comes to measuring athletic
>> > strength.
>>
>> Says who?
>>
>> Strength = strength, no matter what muscle is used.
>
> How come football players, fighters, track and field athletes, olympic
> lifters, powerlifters, etc etc - none of them incorporate curling in
> their workouts? Only bodybuilders do, and they're not exactly athletes.

Strongmen do curls from time to time. I read that it prevents biceps
cramps during some event training. For strongmen biceps are way more
important than triceps. All pulling, and there is a lot of it, does
involve biceps. Most carries does involve biceps too.

--
Andrzej Rosa 1127R

Andrzej Rosa wrote:

> cramps during some event training. For strongmen biceps are way more
> important than triceps. All pulling, and there is a lot of it, does
> involve biceps. Most carries does involve biceps too.

Very good point, I havent thought of strongmen.

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007, Prisoner at War wrote:

> Gregg wrote:
>
>> I rest 10 minutes between sets. Here is the bar I use for curls:
>>
>> http://www.fitnessfactory.com/Item.a...ympic+Curl+Bar
>
> Ah, okay, I had thought you meant one-armed curls, with dumbbells!

He had me scared for a minute there too! I'm about 170 lbs myself, and
whilst 3x18x50 is still beyond me, it's a lot more plausible than
3x18x100.

tom

--
Hubo un vez, un gran rev que tenia muchas tierra un Castillo y tambien
un amor.

> I curl 100 pounds 3 sets of 18.

Is that per arm with dumbbells or 100 on a bar (50 each)?

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 02:56:48 GMT, "David Cohen" <sammiesdad@earthlink.net> wrote:

>
>"george" <223remi@gmail.com> wrote
>> David Cohen wrote:
>>
>>> 4) There is often a knee jerk dismissal of isolation movements without
>>> real
>>> justification.
>>
>> The justification is that they waste valuable workout time, time you
>> should use more effectively.
>
>OK. A few sets of curls a few times a week just busts your tight time
>budget. Whatever.
>
>I guess I'm just not as busy as you.
>
>I need to find more hobbies.
>
>David


Or just buy more guns and dogs.