350 lbs Bench Possible for Everyone

In the spirit of this old thread by @decimation, do you think everyone can reach a 350 bench?

Yes. Same stipulations as in that thread. Just about any healthy adult male could achieve this lift, drug-free, if they took the necessary steps.

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What are the constraints?

Does the person have an in person world class coach, a gym full of 400lbs benchers that are interested in everyone’s success and the means to fully fuel their training, get 8 hours sleep, eat properly and rarely miss training?

Or are they a single parent of 3 trying to get by on two minimum wage jobs.

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In my thought experiment, very few.

What I’m saying is that most adult men have the potential to achieve this lift without the use of AAS. In a perfect scenario, imagine a kid who plays a lot of sports most of the year from a very young age. Dabbles a bit in lifting and bw exercises, hits numbers like a 185 bench, 275 squat and 315 DL in high school without really training super seriously. HS ends, no more competitive sports, and the trainee makes increasing his bench press his priority.

I don’t think many healthy adult males end up missing the mark in that scenario.

Of course, life can get in the way, but that doesn’t diminish the potential we hold.

Ye most guys given time and all the things. Maybe a few towards the shittier bench side of the bell curve wouldn’t make it for whatever reason but that’s relatively few people

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Are Sean Noriega like arches okay?

I say we allow it.

In the IPF, 350lbs will get you a very big bench (only) lift if you are under 75kg. Not world class but close to the best 50.

I was going to say the average (young) male is about 75kg but turns out average male is now 90kg :astonished:

Based entirely on my own mediocre history of benching (in conjunction with a need to protect my fragile male ego), I’m going to say no.

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Couldn’t be, fragile shoulders is what you must have meant to type but autocorrect or something botched it

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Yes, just about. Close/at the natural limit for most of the population

I’ve trained in tons of commercial gyms in about 9 different countries and I’ve seen exactly 2 people bench 350+ with full range motion + no spot, no gear etc

If person puts in the work and really focus on it …I dont see why not.

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In a commercial gym, I reckon I’ve seen two people bench 100kg/235lbs or over lol

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I’ve seen several dudes rep 405 with sticks for legs in many commercial gyms over the course of my life. This is with horrible form and a nonchalant casual demeanor. They generally only deadlift up to 405 as well for a very awkward set of no more than 5 reps.

If I ever hit a 350 bench, I will be very happy. But, I didn’t start trying to be serious about lifting untill my late 30’s and I have a bad shoulder and long arms, so I think it’s unlikely for me, but I will keep working at it.

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I’d say other than an ok budget for food and enough time to train 4-5 times per week and recover, nothing more.Basically what the average guy has

Based on your pic I wouldn’t have guessed

No, I don’t.

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When people say X lift with X weight is possible for any healthy man aged X I question if they have ever considered the clumsiness and diminutive frames of some men.

I feel like the variable people miss out on here when discussing “possible for everyone” is the element of weight gain. And in the bench press that’s a HUGE element to success.

Once again, I think any healthy man can bench press 350lbs so long as they’re willing to make the sacrifices necessary to get there. One such sacrifice being gaining the necessary bodyweight to achieve that goal. If a dude focused on getting as heavy as possible and as strong as possible, along with learning how to maximize leverages and leg drive, they’d get there.

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