T Nation

How Long to Raise my Lifts?

Beginners
#1

Hi,

Obviously there’s no exact time like 237.4 days to achieve this, but I’m looking for a ballpark figure for roughly how long it would take an average ability trainee (who, being an FFB, can’t just eat 5000 calories a day, and do nothing but lift heavy weights and sleep) to raise their lifts as follows:

Bench: 230 --> 315
Squat 305 --> 405
Deadlift 355 --> 455

I’m 5’9, 21 and weigh 168 at around 14 percent body fat.

I know my lifts aren’t great at the moment, but as a 17 year old I started out weighing 210 and lifting about 1/3 of what I am now. So having effectively trebled my strength (more in some lifts) as well as dropping 42lbs, I may not be strong or lean yet, but I’m a hell of a lot better than I was 4 years ago :). So please no comments about me being a weedy abercrombie model without the abs etc ;).

#2

Depends on you.

#3

If you hit those in 2 years, you’d be making very solid progress.

#4

for shits and giggles, i plugged 230lb bench press and 11 reps into this 1RM equation:

1RM = (weight used x 36)/(37 - reps)

so if you can bench 230 11 times you should be able to 1RM 315, lul.

i’m assuming the numbers you listed are your current 1RM’s?

#5

^Thats about right because I can hit 225 10x but my max is probably real close to 315. Dont want to risk injury trying though…

#6

[quote]jskrabac wrote:
If you hit those in 2 years, you’d be making very solid progress. [/quote]

yep

#7

[quote]ezdan wrote:
^Thats about right because I can hit 225 10x but my max is probably real close to 315. Dont want to risk injury trying though…[/quote]

if you don’t already have joint issues, just warm up right and see how it feels as you work up to 315. and have a good spotter. you should know whether or not you’ll get it long before you actually try.

you can respect the iron, but there’s no need to be afraid.

#8

Based on the progress some of the guys in the BOI are making it should be possible to do it in a year. 2 years is far from bad though.

My squat moved that much in a month. That’s due to me getting a belt and access to a rack though.

Take home message: Better to aim for the stars and fall slightly short than to aim too low and not reaching your true potential.

#9

Yeh its doable in a year if you wage war with the weights, 2 yrs is a more practical time frame, best of luck, hope you don’t injure yourself.