Bullshido weightlifting semantics?

**Hiro Protagonist** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 1:32am

Hey all,

(Yes, it seems like internet week for the busy pilgrim.)

So, this might be a rather silly question, but I had this rather:OpenMouth:discussion at the gym yesterday.

Might be a German thing, but to me, if I bench press 50 kg,
that means I put 50 kilos on EACH SIDE of the bar.

Not that I put 25 kilos on each side of the bar.
That would be, well, to bench press 25 kilos.

So, are these flawed semantics my mistake, or was the other guy claiming to BP "a 100 kilos" just really a poser?

Because by that definition, I would be pretty close to the "magic 100", too.

Thank you,

Rafe

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 2:06am

In competition, the "barbell" is what's lifted, not the plates.
So the weight is the total weight of the bar, the discs and the collars.

**Hiro Protagonist** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 2:36am

Ah, thank you very much.

That means it was indeed my fault, not the other dude's.

Also, yay, 15 kilos more, and I can say "I am a real man". :D

**Scrapper** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 8:45am

Total weight of bar, man.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 8:53am

What they said! I'm not into kilos, but 225lbs is the bar plus 2, 45lb plates on each side. That was a big deal when I got to that ammount. The next big deal was when I got to 315lbs. Beause that is 3, 45lb plates on each side! Which just looks cool. 405 was my one time max, but it was ugly so I don't claim it.

Just converted 315 lbs to kilos which comes out to 143.18 which doesn't sound nearly as cool! So I'm keeping my lbs method!

**erezb** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 9:25am

Are we talking one rep? or how many? By the way 143 kilo is fucking cool...
I have the same problem with inches .. 20 Cm sounds much better than 8 inches..(we are talking width here..so we are clear..)

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 9:59am

Originally Posted by erezb

Are we talking one rep? or how many? By the way 143 kilo is fucking cool...
I have the same problem with inches .. 20 Cm sounds much better than 8 inches..(we are talking width here..so we are clear..)

I usually do 145lbs to warm up. Then about 10 reps of 315lbs. The I increase weight and decrease reps.

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 1:13pm

My bench has always sucked for some reason (probably the pinched nerve in my neck)--my lifetime max is 245, but my DL is 485. Go figure. (Was, anyway, **** I've gotten out of shape since I started commuting).

Of course, there's this issue with bench press numbers: the exercise goes from touching the chest to lockout, without assistance. It does not start three inches above the chest and get rowed up by your partner.

**driver** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 6:21pm

Originally Posted by Diesel_tke

Just converted 315 lbs to kilos which comes out to 143.18 which doesn't sound nearly as cool! So I'm keeping my lbs method!

I only wish I could bench 143kg+...since my personal best (paused at the bottom) bench press is 117kg(for the time being! )

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 1/12/2012 9:26pm

Well, we probably have different body compositions as well! I've been learning lately that I'm not the average size person on this site! I'm 6 ft, 235lbs.

Now days I work more functional strength, pullups, pushups, dips, and squats. With my martial arts training. But my uncle did challenge me to bench over Christmas and I benched 315 pretty easily.