This is the first video of a four part series. Next up: BACK SQUATS vs Frat Bros! And the fraternity recruited some BIG guys for that one, but fortunately I just hit a new lifetime best of 366lbs (166kg). That video drops in three days! (Saturday Dec 03). Video of me just barely hitting that 366lb back squat is here: instagram.com/nicksymmonds
@@Boggsly I believe you. When I was a junior in HS I was hitting those numbers around that weight . Right after HS I was doing 315lbs and from there it went way up. Now I'm old and back down lol. How it goes. Still doing more than average though.
@@sbp69 I mean. Being on pre-workout, getting your head in the game, having music, and being well practiced (if you took a couple months off) can all factor into the bench. He could’ve hit 315 and just took some time off or just wasn’t focused. Some days when I don’t have focus, I’ll get 2 plates for 7-8, but then on the next I’ll get 13 with better/slower form. Or some days 275lbs just feels much heavier when you’re having an off day. Sometimes I can rep it 5, or feel like 2-3 is my max. I think it’s bold to claim he’s never hit 315 in his life.
@@sbp69 Didn’t he barely fail 290? Where’d you get 50 lbs? Dude if you have zero focus and are out of practice for a couple months, you could easily fail 290-315, while being able to hit 315 before. You sound like a gym noobie.
Absolutely love the challenges against the public and seeing how strong these young people are, it really gives me motivation to keep pushing at the gym.
@@federalagent7334 Really? Most of them couldn't clear 185 and you think they're on steroids?? I'm 43, haven't lifted in a while, I've never done steroids, and I could definitely still bench 185 no problems.
@@blameitonben lmao did he say they were on steroids? bruh I wouldve ended 3rd place in this video and I feel like I cant lift much. Tf he mean steroids
congrats on one million subs man. That's well deserved. You worked hard to get there, and you made other people work hard too like these boys here. Thats great
Thank you!! Had a ton of fun doing it also. Now I'm thinking how do I get to 10M. And I know that to do that I will have to step my game up BIG TIME. Just wait till you see what we have planned for 2023!!! :D
It's always funny to see how on the internets everybody and their dog benches 405 but then when in real life out of a couple dozen healthy grown men only a handful could move 225.
Yeah, I'm just about the only one I see at my gym actually benching 225 for reps and on the internet you aren't even considered to be a gym goer if you bench anything less than that.
I’ve seen people around 170- 200 hit 225 for 5 reps or so. I’ve also seen people 300lbs fat fail 135. Usually dudes who are 225 or more can bench 315 if they’re serious lifters, If you go to a power lifting gym a lot people can bench 315 or more. 405 is when it starts getting to they’re probably juicing range.
@@JesseGMan7 I’m over 50 years old I don’t lift anymore just do calisthenics push-ups dips and boxing 🥊 but yesterday I did 225 pounds for 19 reps and 315 for 5 reps at a body weight off 199 but in my late twenties and early thirties I was benching 405 pounds
@@StarzzyJJASD So either you’re a mammoth of a man or you dabble with steroids or you’re lying. Cuz that’s not normal strength levels. By the anime pics and name I’m betting on you’re lying.
I'm 33, always been in the gym since a teenager, always been involved with university sports competitions etc and I've probably seen 315 get pushed only like 5 times. I don't go to powerlifting gyms where perhaps the bigger guys go, but I know there's a decent amount of juicers in uni gyms etc, and despite that, still only seen it get pushed a few times, and by pretty huge dudes. On reddit if you've been training 5 years and can't bench 315 you're a failure apparently lol.
DUDE!!!! That's great! My best bodywt. lift on bench can't even compare to yours. I was at 100KG and hit a bench of 150 KG (331 lbs at body of 220) at my best... I also matched that percentage at 110KG doing a bench of 170 RAW, but you nearly doubled your weight. That's a great lift, you should be very happy with that one!!!
Bro, you actually impressive me. Use it or lose it. I just turned 40. I just need to warm up first. Some people don't stay with it. You're still putting up weight and can run. Your videos are always entertaining.
Nosferatu is right. Strength doesn't decline that much as you age. As an undergrad I would have struggled with any bench over 200. At 49 it takes longer to warm up and longer to recover but im stronger than i used to be. Doing progressive singles like they're doing here I'd have hit 260ish pretty readily and I'm about the same size as the final frat guy. He's also right about quickness unfortunately. Just not as fast as I was when I was a kid. But old man strength is real. As long as you keep lifting, you really don't see the decline you might expect as you become middle aged. Happy birthday to Mr Symmonds.
I'm 57 and bench 245 regularly, 275 when I have a spotter and a 295 personal best on my way to 315. Didn't start lifting till I was 50, wish I had started when I was young like these guys! Great job to the whole crew and I was impressed by how many could lift 200.
Reminds me of my civilization studies professor lol, you don’t expect a 60yold to come into the university gym with his grand-daughter and casually bench 140kg for reps for a set then leave
This seems about right. People talk all the time about high school kids benching 300 lbs. It took me 10 years of solid training to bench 215. The average untrained man can’t bench 150. It sounds sad, I know, but the average dude doesn’t weight train. If you can bench over 200 and you’re untrained, you’re genetically gifted and should count your blessings.
I don't know. I was able to bench 205 when I was in high school, and I only weighed 125 at the time. I'm no genetic freak by any means. When I went into the Army a couple years later, one of my buddies was 18 and about 185, and he benched 400. However, he also did look like a Roman god. He did have great genetics.
I promise I mean no disrespect buddy, but 10 years of solid training is WAY too long to have only reached 215 on bench press, unless you had some major setbacks in your life during that time period
Nick is probably the best RUclipsr to watch while eating post workout meal💪 U actually the man who's motivated me to get into fitness on YT, love the fun u having in your videos
So glad to hear that! If I can motivate you to find a love for fitness, then my job is done. Will continue to entertain and motivate as long as I can!!
As one of the 15% of your audience who are women, I found this very entertaining😂. I also coincidentally bench pressed for the very first time ever the other day (only about 70 pounds, and it was intense). But it was awesome, I'm inspired by your video Nick!
Nothing against these guys at all, but this video raised my confidence so much. I’m a 165 body weight and just hit 230 as a PR a week ago. So I guess it really does prove the whole stronger than 80-90% of the population when you put yourself up against a group of 21 other decently fit dudes as a sample size
Same, but it's so easy to fall off in bench strength if you are not training even for a few months, my peak was 225x8 at 168 just 1 year ago, now 230 is probably my 1RM at 172
Great video, you really made an impression on those young guys and got them to bond with each other and showed what having fun as a group of guys is all about
@@adamyppsnaire3117 Go ahead and try and do a handstand on top of a pull up bar. Also go try and do 30 pull ups for 3 sets. Also do 5 reps of one hand push ups for each hand. If you can’t do that you a walking L. What’s the point of carrying heavy if you can’t even hold your own weight. What’s the point of looking strong if you’re weak.
@@xlxl1762 Facts. I am 175 and can bench 185 but I can't even do more than 30 pushups or run more than 2 miles. I started to focus more on calisthenics because it is much harder than lifting weights.
I was 180 coming out of highschool benching 300. Thought I wasn't strong enough because we had people benching 340 and one benching 400. Things are different out in the country. This is some good perspective. Now I'm old but just hit 405 for the first time.
Been fun watching your videos man, used what you taught me in your videos to lose weight and now its got me over my depression that I’ve had for 6 years ❤
You say nothing about the genetics you were born with though. Iys more impressive to see people who maximized their genetics and lift more than what they look like they can. I mean imagine the average 140 lb guy in an Asian country saying yeah I lift more than all these guys. Compare that to the average genetic giant westerner. Which one do you think would be more impressive
@@ratamat Yea far cry from racism lol. So mentioning differences is racism? Not even close. Not putting down an accomplishment, misunderstood me, just simply saying people say stuff like i can out lift people younger than me in the gym. I do say same thing, but what impresses them the most is i'm stronger than i look for my size and age. I mean its like saying ,that animal just pushed that fence over. But no one says was that animal a golden retriever or a grizzly bear? For a bear that's just normal and expected. If your 300 pounds and you can lift more than all the young people in the gym, that are half your size, that would be expected too. But if your like the same size as them and your 60 yrs old, now that's impressive...
I’m 5’10 and weight 160ish lbs and just hit 285 on bench. I didn’t realize how much social media influencers make anything over 200 look easy In contrast to this video. Road to 315
315 is massive , no matter what , if you're under 220lbs yourself. At 160lbs, you will NEVER hit 320... I am not saying you won't, just that the increase in your overall muscle mass will take you to 165-170lbs yourself by the time you hit 315+. You're actually gonna get bigger in the process, but it's a good thing!!! I know this for a fact, because I got my own bench press up to 420lbs from 320lbs , and I gained 15lbs of muscle, while losing 2 inches on my waist in the process. It usually takes weight to lift weight.
@@craigwheeler4760 true. I skyrocketed from 245-285 in around a month. Mainly due to only focusing on bench and much less on other compound lifts, and making accessory workouts revolve around benching. I’ve only gained a couple pounds in the process, mainly still between 160-163
285 for a 160 pounder is impressive When I was 19 in 1986/1987 I was 6 ft and weighed 195 and I hit 3 plates. The weight definitely helped increase it. 😂fast forward to 2022, still got the 6ft, but weigh 168, and would be lucky to get a 200. Still rep 205 on squats for 10 and 250 for 10 on deadlifts without grinding away at each rep. Easily lost over 100 lbs on each lift. Keep at it, that 285 is impressive!! Keep your rotator cuffs and trapezius muscle healthy, because both get overlooked at a severe cost.
My life time pr is 205 for 2 reps at 150. Right now I'm benching 95 for 5. Had a lower back injury that kept me out of the gym for 2 years. I can't wait to hit 2 plates
shoot big my boy two plates will come fast. Bench 2-3 times a week with different rep ranges and grip widths along with perfecting your form and you’ll get there boy.
Respect to everyone who gave it their all. I love lifting and sometimes people let the numbers ruin it. The numbers are just fun, the actual act of pushing yourself to your limits regardless of what that is, makes lifting exhilarating 💪
I guess I’m a part of that smaller percentage of females that watch your videos and I throughly enjoy every video you post! Always watch as soon as I see the notification! 🙌🏼
To anyone who benches 225+ in the comment section, now you have a real life example of rare it it compared to what you see on social media Even if you don't bench 225, be proud of yourself (To those who bench 315+,you dropped this 👑)
I do 3 sets of 10 with 275 and do it easy enough that I lift alone with no spotter, so this is definitely gratifying. The even better part is that I'm over a decade out of my physical prime.
To all the college kids, strength will come with age. I would have easily been in the bottom half of this competition during college, was teased for being skinny and severely ectomorphic, and in my 30s I could do 225 for 15 reps....
It's practice mainly. In high school I could bench 220, in variety it dropped because I played squash and didn't lift much in terms of chest, but my squat exploded. Now I'm old, I can bench 240 for reps. I haven't tried max in a long time, just don't want to risk injury
@@kylemann6275 Yes I’m aware, I myself started after college. But most frat boys have been lifting since highschool (2-3 years) and most Americans stop weightlifting once they graduate. Very free individuals work out regularly in their late 20s and above (work is simply not conducive for this).
@@ilikeanimals5015 Bench press is overrated but fun and popular. It heavily depends on body structure and leverages. Dont give up look at your own progress and not others
@@ilikeanimals5015 Everyone's got their own pace. My brother is just starting to lift now and he struggles with 115lbs. But he's making progress and that's what matters
My max at 18 was also around there. Or maybe a bit under like 185. And my best friend that got me into lifting was putting up 365….. always get so weak next to him until I realized he’s an outlier.
As a 185lbs bench presser that started 6 months ago, I feel stronger now that I watched this video. I know Nick Symmonds don’t put in fake weights like 80% of people on instagram
Dope video Nick! Found your channel this year and I’m a fan. I’m pretty much out of shape and trying to get in shape and I feel like I can do some of these challenges.
Nick, if you spread your hands just a bit more, you will add 20-30 pounds to your bench. Look at the video, at press position, your forearms are at an angle to the bar. This is like trying to close a door with a broomstick which is not perpendicular to the door. You can fix this by moving your hands slightly apart or tucking the elbows in tighter. Good luck!
Love seeing these young guys going for it. I started lifting and competing at 18 stayed drug free all my life. Hit 315 bench at 19-20, 455-475 at 22-23, 515lbs 36 years old and entered my first bench competition in 2006. Went to the Worlds Las Vegas for WABDL 2008. I'm 53 and still have a 405lbs bench. Genetics has everything to do with how far you can go for sure.
Nice to see someone honest about the role of genetics. Most of the time you can hit 1.5x bw on a bench but once you start pushing training stops being the limiting factor. Everyone at that competition is training hard, it is the genetics that will be the greatest limiting factor. If you are 5'5" with a 6' wing span you aren't likely to beat some guy who is 6'3" with a 5'8" wingspan. Especially if his wrists are thicker than your forearms, and his ribcage looks like it was made from a wine barrel.
My 18 year old son just hit 405 pounds for bench press. He weighs about 265. Based on your progression by age, he is just at the beginning of his potential. His upper arm is like my thigh.
@@robertjohnson4401I have always felt that 405 is a huge accomplishment for anyone no matter when they do it. Getting there at 18 is nuts!!! As long as he keeps with it, has great form and prevents too many imbalances, he will hit massive weight
@@HughMongousPC not necessarily. I can barely max at my bodyweight but I can do a lot of things that guys who way stronger than me can't. its all about specialization. Also, not everyone lifts so idk what you mean by somethings wrong.
@@HughMongousPC what if you're 700lbs but can rep 350? Or 135 and can rep 135. I mean we're talking about the margins here but still your statement doesn't really hold.
@@pszych2445 I still like to lift but at this age FLEXIBILITY and overall HEALTH is a MUST. Plenty BODYBUILDERS dying these days. How you looking BUFF and STRONG in a CASKET though?! Thats CCRRAAZZZYYY!!! Getting that bench up ain't that serious for me. I'm straight.
Lucas has the best form. Ian is impressively strong considering how poor his setup is. Chris is surprisingly strong given how tall and lanky he is. RIP to Carter's ribcage. Tyler is the only kid in whole the frat who knows how to eat.
Im impressed with these young men, I could not bench my own body weight when I was their age. But I did train all through my 20's and into my 30's to gain muscle, and I just hit 240 this past Sunday. Consistency has been the key for me all these years of lifting.
Alot of people don't know this but deadlifts and rows will help your bench immensely. At 45 I was able to get to 315 for 2 after really focusing on my back with DL and rows. I also rowed 315. Close grip bench helps the tris get strong for this too.
Wow social media gym culture really changes your perspective. I got to use to think 225 was easy however it still seems very difficult. I’m a junior in college so being able to do 285 feels great lol hopefully i can hit 315 before the year ends but that seems impossible based on time
Slow and steady is the key, weightlifting, powerlifting, etc. Aren't a race but a lifestyle, you can try and get hurt really bad (I've been there), or give your body some time to adapt and I can promise you will go further that way instead of rushing.
I remember the first time I did 225 I never did any strength training consistently, once I did that I trained consistently for about 6 months and jumped all the way to 270
As an 18 year old who started lifting 11 months ago and started at 5’11 155 lbs starting at a 150 max bench and now at 6’ 182 with a max of 265 (powerlifting pause) I feel good about that haha
I just sent this video to my son. He’s in high school still but works out with a bunch of college age kids that are stronger. So he doesn’t realize that he does very well for his age. He just did 315 for 2 yesterday. He needs to understand that he’s already well above most athletes his age and to keep pushing
Hi Nick. I am a fan of all your videos. This challenge was really good and motivational. I tried to download app but sadly it says app is not available in this country. I really wanted to take part in ur challenges 😕
I was a gym rat for 10 years and routinely saw guys who were new to lifting fail at 135lb. I was surprised everyone in the video succeeded at 150. Assuming you're in good health, if you go to the gym to lift every other day or so, im sure you'll get to 150 in a few months.
The most I ever benched was 230 and I only weighed 135 at the time. Which was insane for me. I was working out everyday for a solid year to hit that but could never put on any weight. Honestly don’t know how I did it
Your strength can increase without your weight or muscles having a massive increase. But if they had been going up along with your bench you probably would have had an even bigger bench.
I weighed 125 and was 5'11" in high school, and I benched 205. I was basically the same as you Wesley. I got strong as hell, but I wasn't eating anywhere near as much as I should have been.
Nick is pretty slick, he knew that 315 would have been a definite fail for the winner so he told him to split the difference and try 290 which he also wasn't able to put up
This is the first video of a four part series. Next up: BACK SQUATS vs Frat Bros! And the fraternity recruited some BIG guys for that one, but fortunately I just hit a new lifetime best of 366lbs (166kg). That video drops in three days! (Saturday Dec 03). Video of me just barely hitting that 366lb back squat is here: instagram.com/nicksymmonds
Nick bro come to Montreal bro
@@rajasubbiyaramachandrakuma193 Would love to! I've always wanted to see Montreal. Fall 2023?
Don't clickbait us with the 5 plate thumbnail Nick, you are better than that!
Should of been 500 to the winner nick or 1000. Loving your work
Can you come to the UK 😂😂
Social media has definitely skewed what is considered heavy by the general public. This video brings us all back to reality.
I’m 18 and I hit 265 at 175
@@Boggsly I believe you. When I was a junior in HS I was hitting those numbers around that weight . Right after HS I was doing 315lbs and from there it went way up. Now I'm old and back down lol. How it goes. Still doing more than average though.
@@badbodynotsofit2046 ye I wish I could put on muscle because I’m the definition of a sleeper build hitting 265
@@Boggsly I hit 325 with more in the tank and 275x7 at 195lb, 19yo. I wanna get back to my bulking diet and hit 365-405
@@Boggsly it gets so be fun when you start clearing those new weights. Most exciting part of lifting tbh
Wow after watching this I feel better I am 6 months of age, 9 pounds and bench 2780lb. But great effort to the guys in the vid!
Love thos shit lit every guy in this comment section
Time to bulk bro
I'm 3 months and benching 3000 pounds. And I feel bad about myself
Best comment I’ve seen all day
Your poor mother
Everyone circling around Tyler to cheer him on was really touching. He nailed it! That kid's an absolute beast.
that's what this channel is all about! Encouraging others to work hard, be fit, push our limits!!
Bro definitely lied about 315 tho. Unless he went on a MASSIVE cut or just stopped going to the gym, bro ain’t never got 3 plates in his life 😂
@@sbp69 I mean. Being on pre-workout, getting your head in the game, having music, and being well practiced (if you took a couple months off) can all factor into the bench. He could’ve hit 315 and just took some time off or just wasn’t focused. Some days when I don’t have focus, I’ll get 2 plates for 7-8, but then on the next I’ll get 13 with better/slower form. Or some days 275lbs just feels much heavier when you’re having an off day. Sometimes I can rep it 5, or feel like 2-3 is my max. I think it’s bold to claim he’s never hit 315 in his life.
@@bobross4616 I doubt pre-workout, music, and being more “locked in” would’ve increased his bench by like 50lbs dude
@@sbp69 Didn’t he barely fail 290? Where’d you get 50 lbs? Dude if you have zero focus and are out of practice for a couple months, you could easily fail 290-315, while being able to hit 315 before. You sound like a gym noobie.
Aiden is a beast for hitting that 200 while struggling that hard, even did it after "Failing" a rep
Only thing is I don’t think his butt quite stayed on the bench😂
Dude absolutely. Fighting through and pulling it out like that is tough!
@sebianqt doesn't count tho with lifting ur butt off the bench
@@danielfish101 in a comp it’s not a lift but for a casual that’s still impress
Honestly impressed all the guys got through 150 with no problem.
COZE THOSE ARE FAKE WEIGHTS :)
150 is literally nothing 😭
@@aidensanchez3623 For some of these guys thats really close to bodyweight
@@aidensanchez3623 for guys who lift ya it's nothing, but the average adullt male can't bench that
@@Harrysreptarium I weight 130, and I lift more than 150 😂
Absolutely love the challenges against the public and seeing how strong these young people are, it really gives me motivation to keep pushing at the gym.
@@federalagent7334 you’ll be aight brother
@@federalagent7334 Really? Most of them couldn't clear 185 and you think they're on steroids??
I'm 43, haven't lifted in a while, I've never done steroids, and I could definitely still bench 185 no problems.
@@federalagent7334 idk where u go bro but I haven’t seen any of that lol
Most "young people" are too lazy to do much of anything aside from complaining and smoking dope
@@blameitonben lmao did he say they were on steroids? bruh I wouldve ended 3rd place in this video and I feel like I cant lift much. Tf he mean steroids
congrats on one million subs man. That's well deserved. You worked hard to get there, and you made other people work hard too like these boys here. Thats great
Thank you!! Had a ton of fun doing it also. Now I'm thinking how do I get to 10M. And I know that to do that I will have to step my game up BIG TIME. Just wait till you see what we have planned for 2023!!! :D
@@nicksymmonds can't wait man. Been fun to watch your process
@@nicksymmonds Nordic ski challenge, instant +1mil :P
Lol What's good!?
@@badbodynotsofit2046 get them young boys working!!!!!!
Some of those long arm guys hitting 200 and 225 was actually super impressive imo
Same thing bro don’t try to cope
@@ibrahimali1282 youre coping
@@ibrahimali1282 ok t-rex
Watching this video made me miss my
college days with all the fun I had with
my buddies back in the late 80s and early
90's. Great video!!
It's always funny to see how on the internets everybody and their dog benches 405 but then when in real life out of a couple dozen healthy grown men only a handful could move 225.
Yeah, I'm just about the only one I see at my gym actually benching 225 for reps and on the internet you aren't even considered to be a gym goer if you bench anything less than that.
I’ve seen people around 170- 200 hit 225 for 5 reps or so. I’ve also seen people 300lbs fat fail 135. Usually dudes who are 225 or more can bench 315 if they’re serious lifters, If you go to a power lifting gym a lot people can bench 315 or more. 405 is when it starts getting to they’re probably juicing range.
@@JesseGMan7 I’m over 50 years old I don’t lift anymore just do calisthenics push-ups dips and boxing 🥊 but yesterday I did 225 pounds for 19 reps and 315 for 5 reps at a body weight off 199 but in my late twenties and early thirties I was benching 405 pounds
@@StarzzyJJASD So either you’re a mammoth of a man or you dabble with steroids or you’re lying. Cuz that’s not normal strength levels.
By the anime pics and name I’m betting on you’re lying.
I'm 33, always been in the gym since a teenager, always been involved with university sports competitions etc and I've probably seen 315 get pushed only like 5 times. I don't go to powerlifting gyms where perhaps the bigger guys go, but I know there's a decent amount of juicers in uni gyms etc, and despite that, still only seen it get pushed a few times, and by pretty huge dudes. On reddit if you've been training 5 years and can't bench 315 you're a failure apparently lol.
Nice video nick! I hit 292lbs bench press (132,5kg) a few weeks ago which is a lifetime pr for me and I'm loving the gym right now. 76kg bodyweight
IMPRESSIVE!!!!
You gotta hit 300 and then 315. You are too close not to!
How long have you been lifting for
DUDE!!!! That's great! My best bodywt. lift on bench can't even compare to yours. I was at 100KG and hit a bench of 150 KG (331 lbs at body of 220) at my best... I also matched that percentage at 110KG doing a bench of 170 RAW, but you nearly doubled your weight. That's a great lift, you should be very happy with that one!!!
@@craigwheeler4760 both of you are Impressive af
Bro, you actually impressive me. Use it or lose it. I just turned 40. I just need to warm up first. Some people don't stay with it. You're still putting up weight and can run. Your videos are always entertaining.
yep! I turn 39 in exactly 30 days!
Older dudes are usually pretty strong and can distance run. I think age gets quickness and leaping ability first….
Happy birthday 🎂 from a 40 year old. It pays to be fit.
Nosferatu is right. Strength doesn't decline that much as you age. As an undergrad I would have struggled with any bench over 200. At 49 it takes longer to warm up and longer to recover but im stronger than i used to be. Doing progressive singles like they're doing here I'd have hit 260ish pretty readily and I'm about the same size as the final frat guy. He's also right about quickness unfortunately. Just not as fast as I was when I was a kid. But old man strength is real. As long as you keep lifting, you really don't see the decline you might expect as you become middle aged. Happy birthday to Mr Symmonds.
@@robertspeer6872 I am also 49 and I am running into the same thing. I have to warm up twice as much as I used to.
I'm 57 and bench 245 regularly, 275 when I have a spotter and a 295 personal best on my way to 315. Didn't start lifting till I was 50, wish I had started when I was young like these guys! Great job to the whole crew and I was impressed by how many could lift 200.
You're never to old to start. Great work! Nice progress!
I'm 45 and chasing 495. I love being the old guy that benchs to much haha. Hit 475 twice now in comps. Slow going but I will get 5 wheels
Reminds me of my civilization studies professor lol, you don’t expect a 60yold to come into the university gym with his grand-daughter and casually bench 140kg for reps for a set then leave
Wow seriously? You can still build that much muscle at that age? Whew! Hope you go over 315 soon.
You were impressed from a few hitting 200 lol this was the weakest group of frat bros.
This seems about right. People talk all the time about high school kids benching 300 lbs. It took me 10 years of solid training to bench 215. The average untrained man can’t bench 150. It sounds sad, I know, but the average dude doesn’t weight train. If you can bench over 200 and you’re untrained, you’re genetically gifted and should count your blessings.
I don't know. I was able to bench 205 when I was in high school, and I only weighed 125 at the time. I'm no genetic freak by any means.
When I went into the Army a couple years later, one of my buddies was 18 and about 185, and he benched 400. However, he also did look like a Roman god. He did have great genetics.
10 years to bench 215? Nothing about that sounds correct.
I promise I mean no disrespect buddy, but 10 years of solid training is WAY too long to have only reached 215 on bench press, unless you had some major setbacks in your life during that time period
It shouldn’t take you 10 years to bench 215, at most it usually takes 3 years.
10 years to bench 215 tf bruv , i bench 200 for 4 reps 6 months into the gym , im 70kg body weight.
Nick is probably the best RUclipsr to watch while eating post workout meal💪
U actually the man who's motivated me to get into fitness on YT, love the fun u having in your videos
So glad to hear that! If I can motivate you to find a love for fitness, then my job is done. Will continue to entertain and motivate as long as I can!!
I used to like CT. Fletcher for my pre-workout hype! Have you seen his video "DA HULK"???? That's some fun stuff.
As one of the 15% of your audience who are women, I found this very entertaining😂. I also coincidentally bench pressed for the very first time ever the other day (only about 70 pounds, and it was intense). But it was awesome, I'm inspired by your video Nick!
I found his comment funny because I too am one of the 15%, but I’m not attracted to men so I’ll leave the checking the boys out to everyone else
AYYY keep lifting everyone starts somewhere good work!
70 pounds is actually really good for a first bench especially for a woman so don’t be discouraged, that’s more than I could do when i started
70 pounds is really good for a women. im 13 and when i started benching i could bench 120. dont be discouraged
@@beyondzeke7586 Alright buddy, no 13 year old benches 120 if its his fitst time ever.
Nothing against these guys at all, but this video raised my confidence so much. I’m a 165 body weight and just hit 230 as a PR a week ago. So I guess it really does prove the whole stronger than 80-90% of the population when you put yourself up against a group of 21 other decently fit dudes as a sample size
Well you are 5’4 so it makes it difference
@@Topsealguy I’m 6’2 lol
Same, but it's so easy to fall off in bench strength if you are not training even for a few months, my peak was 225x8 at 168 just 1 year ago, now 230 is probably my 1RM at 172
165 6'0 and I just it 235x5 very good feeling
Almost exactly the same. Did a bulk and went up to 170 bw recently. Dropped a few pounds and now I'm at 165. Bench press pr currently 235
Great video, you really made an impression on those young guys and got them to bond with each other and showed what having fun as a group of guys is all about
Thank you very much for adding the KG number. Makes it way easier for the rest of the world :D
As someone who mainly does calisthenics (mostly pullups and other variations), I’m proud of my 200lb bench PR.
L
@@adamyppsnaire3117mf he prob bench more than you 💀💀💀💀
Body weight exercises for longevity and a more appealing look
@@adamyppsnaire3117 Go ahead and try and do a handstand on top of a pull up bar. Also go try and do 30 pull ups for 3 sets. Also do 5 reps of one hand push ups for each hand. If you can’t do that you a walking L. What’s the point of carrying heavy if you can’t even hold your own weight. What’s the point of looking strong if you’re weak.
@@xlxl1762 Facts. I am 175 and can bench 185 but I can't even do more than 30 pushups or run more than 2 miles. I started to focus more on calisthenics because it is much harder than lifting weights.
I was 180 coming out of highschool benching 300. Thought I wasn't strong enough because we had people benching 340 and one benching 400. Things are different out in the country. This is some good perspective.
Now I'm old but just hit 405 for the first time.
Highest bench press on my football team is 385 where u live my brother
@@jeremiahcarraway6419 I went to high school in Jasper, TX almost 20 years ago now.
Testosterone was higher as u guys ate less plastic
@@TheJackpot1914 We had one dude in our HS in Houston in the 400 club. We might have had two but one of the guys also ran a 4.3, scary dude.
@@TheJackpot1914 _I went to high school in Jasper, TX almost 20 years ago now._
Ok. You're not really old.
Can't wait to see the rest of this series!
Deadlift is AMAZING!!!
rasplin? mc player watching nick symmonds lol
4:26 That was the happiest moment I just wanted him to do it so bad !! Well done my friend.
Love how he benched 495lbs.
Been fun watching your videos man, used what you taught me in your videos to lose weight and now its got me over my depression that I’ve had for 6 years ❤
SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT!! Keep working hard towards your goals. I've always found that a daily workout helps me think clearer and be a happier person.
Very entertaining. Makes me feel good that at 59 I could still bench more than these kids but then again I've been at it a lot longer.
Man strength is real.
You say nothing about the genetics you were born with though. Iys more impressive to see people who maximized their genetics and lift more than what they look like they can. I mean imagine the average 140 lb guy in an Asian country saying yeah I lift more than all these guys. Compare that to the average genetic giant westerner. Which one do you think would be more impressive
@@JJ38255 Aside from the borderline racism, why do you feel the need to put down someone else's accomplishments? Leave people alone, man.
@@JJ38255 who shit in your cereal bro. lets see how you hold up in your late 50s
@@ratamat Yea far cry from racism lol. So mentioning differences is racism? Not even close. Not putting down an accomplishment, misunderstood me, just simply saying people say stuff like i can out lift people younger than me in the gym. I do say same thing, but what impresses them the most is i'm stronger than i look for my size and age. I mean its like saying ,that animal just pushed that fence over. But no one says was that animal a golden retriever or a grizzly bear? For a bear that's just normal and expected. If your 300 pounds and you can lift more than all the young people in the gym, that are half your size, that would be expected too. But if your like the same size as them and your 60 yrs old, now that's impressive...
I’m 5’10 and weight 160ish lbs and just hit 285 on bench. I didn’t realize how much social media influencers make anything over 200 look easy In contrast to this video. Road to 315
315 is massive , no matter what , if you're under 220lbs yourself. At 160lbs, you will NEVER hit 320... I am not saying you won't, just that the increase in your overall muscle mass will take you to 165-170lbs yourself by the time you hit 315+. You're actually gonna get bigger in the process, but it's a good thing!!!
I know this for a fact, because I got my own bench press up to 420lbs from 320lbs , and I gained 15lbs of muscle, while losing 2 inches on my waist in the process. It usually takes weight to lift weight.
@@craigwheeler4760 true. I skyrocketed from 245-285 in around a month. Mainly due to only focusing on bench and much less on other compound lifts, and making accessory workouts revolve around benching. I’ve only gained a couple pounds in the process, mainly still between 160-163
285 for a 160 pounder is impressive
When I was 19 in 1986/1987 I was 6 ft and weighed 195 and I hit 3 plates. The weight definitely helped increase it.
😂fast forward to 2022, still got the 6ft, but weigh 168, and would be lucky to get a 200. Still rep 205 on squats for 10 and 250 for 10 on deadlifts without grinding away at each rep. Easily lost over 100 lbs on each lift.
Keep at it, that 285 is impressive!!
Keep your rotator cuffs and trapezius muscle healthy, because both get overlooked at a severe cost.
@@manfredmann2766 yeah my first climb from 225-255 I had shoulder pains. I do a lot of shoulder workouts now
@@craigwheeler4760 I'm not so sure about that. Have you not seen the video of that guy who weighs 154 pounds and was benching 410?
My life time pr is 205 for 2 reps at 150. Right now I'm benching 95 for 5. Had a lower back injury that kept me out of the gym for 2 years. I can't wait to hit 2 plates
shoot big my boy two plates will come fast. Bench 2-3 times a week with different rep ranges and grip widths along with perfecting your form and you’ll get there boy.
things like larsen press, standing ohp, and close grip bench press will help a lot
Did you hit It again
Respect to everyone who gave it their all. I love lifting and sometimes people let the numbers ruin it. The numbers are just fun, the actual act of pushing yourself to your limits regardless of what that is, makes lifting exhilarating 💪
I guess I’m a part of that smaller percentage of females that watch your videos and I throughly enjoy every video you post! Always watch as soon as I see the notification! 🙌🏼
Thank you!! There are some incredibly talented female athletes that subscribe to this channel and you are one of them!
@@nicksymmonds you just made my whole day!!🤩
To anyone who benches 225+ in the comment section, now you have a real life example of rare it it compared to what you see on social media
Even if you don't bench 225, be proud of yourself
(To those who bench 315+,you dropped this 👑)
I’m over 50 years old and benched 225 pounds 19 times yesterday is this good
@@StarzzyJJASD 20 times is good, 19 times not so good... xd
Thank you for the 👑
I do 3 sets of 10 with 275 and do it easy enough that I lift alone with no spotter, so this is definitely gratifying. The even better part is that I'm over a decade out of my physical prime.
I'm 19 and bench roughly 290, and still have thought I was weak compared to guys my age I see on instagram
To all the college kids, strength will come with age. I would have easily been in the bottom half of this competition during college, was teased for being skinny and severely ectomorphic, and in my 30s I could do 225 for 15 reps....
It's practice mainly. In high school I could bench 220, in variety it dropped because I played squash and didn't lift much in terms of chest, but my squat exploded. Now I'm old, I can bench 240 for reps. I haven't tried max in a long time, just don't want to risk injury
Not true, as you age past college, your strength actually decreases, these boys are at peak fitness - they should make the most of it.
@@josephsofaer841 They are peak potential but not necessarily peak fitness. Most people who lift don't start until college.
@@kylemann6275 Yes I’m aware, I myself started after college. But most frat boys have been lifting since highschool (2-3 years) and most Americans stop weightlifting once they graduate. Very free individuals work out regularly in their late 20s and above (work is simply not conducive for this).
That smelling salt fail killed me. 😂😂 n it hurts me to watch them slam it on their chest like that. 🤦🏾♂️😂
You know some of those guys pulled something lol
I could see the energy being sapped from Nick every time he spotted someone on that 200lb lift.
My max at their age was 200lbs. A lot of these dudes are really impressive
I hit 275 at 16 years old and ive never been able to hit it since. Im 35 now :(
Im 21 and still struggling with 135
@@ilikeanimals5015 Bench press is overrated but fun and popular. It heavily depends on body structure and leverages. Dont give up look at your own progress and not others
@@ilikeanimals5015 Everyone's got their own pace. My brother is just starting to lift now and he struggles with 115lbs. But he's making progress and that's what matters
My max at 18 was also around there. Or maybe a bit under like 185. And my best friend that got me into lifting was putting up 365….. always get so weak next to him until I realized he’s an outlier.
As a 185lbs bench presser that started 6 months ago, I feel stronger now that I watched this video. I know Nick Symmonds don’t put in fake weights like 80% of people on instagram
Not that many people use fake plates it’s just instagram influencers are top .001 percent of people
Dope video Nick! Found your channel this year and I’m a fan. I’m pretty much out of shape and trying to get in shape and I feel like I can do some of these challenges.
best of luck on your fitness journey! It is alllll about consistency
Nick, if you spread your hands just a bit more, you will add 20-30 pounds to your bench. Look at the video, at press position, your forearms are at an angle to the bar. This is like trying to close a door with a broomstick which is not perpendicular to the door. You can fix this by moving your hands slightly apart or tucking the elbows in tighter. Good luck!
Love seeing these young guys going for it.
I started lifting and competing at 18 stayed drug free all my life.
Hit 315 bench at 19-20, 455-475 at 22-23, 515lbs 36 years old and entered my
first bench competition in 2006. Went to the Worlds Las Vegas for WABDL 2008.
I'm 53 and still have a 405lbs bench.
Genetics has everything to do with how far you can go for sure.
Nice to see someone honest about the role of genetics. Most of the time you can hit 1.5x bw on a bench but once you start pushing training stops being the limiting factor. Everyone at that competition is training hard, it is the genetics that will be the greatest limiting factor. If you are 5'5" with a 6' wing span you aren't likely to beat some guy who is 6'3" with a 5'8" wingspan. Especially if his wrists are thicker than your forearms, and his ribcage looks like it was made from a wine barrel.
@@brettbyler3470 You are real strong already, keep it up king
My 18 year old son just hit 405 pounds for bench press. He weighs about 265. Based on your progression by age, he is just at the beginning of his potential. His upper arm is like my thigh.
@@robertjohnson4401I have always felt that 405 is a huge accomplishment for anyone no matter when they do it. Getting there at 18 is nuts!!! As long as he keeps with it, has great form and prevents too many imbalances, he will hit massive weight
This is a great video kept with great energy i can't wait for the other 3!
You should do $1 for every curl and have like 10 or 15 pound dumbbells. Or possibly $5 per curl with heavier dumbbells. Love the channel btw🙌
Or a dollar per pound for a 1rm.
This is the wholesome content RUclips was made for !! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This is the best thing I've seen from the "fitness" side of youtube in years. Well done lads💪🏽🎉
Love seeing people having fun lifting and pushing each other. Promoting fitness and competition is awesome!
Love this energy ! Takes me back.
That was entertaining because the doing the challenge kept it real and was likable. Also cool that someone beat him. Good stuff🤙🏿
Road to 10million . This man deserves it all ❤️❤️.
wdm? 100million
@@Harrysreptarium What do mean
It’s crazy to see how well I can do in these challenges
What a great way to bring competition and interest in a wholesome way.
Damn i feel like a bodybuilder now seeing these dudes struggle. I was taught that the rule of thumb is to be able to rep your own weight. 235lbs here.
Yeah, if you can’t rep your body weight, something’s wrong
@@HughMongousPC not necessarily. I can barely max at my bodyweight but I can do a lot of things that guys who way stronger than me can't. its all about specialization. Also, not everyone lifts so idk what you mean by somethings wrong.
@@HughMongousPC what if you're 700lbs but can rep 350? Or 135 and can rep 135. I mean we're talking about the margins here but still your statement doesn't really hold.
Well i mean, these guys probably weigh like 180 lbs lol
Try benching the same weight you do now except be 55lbs lighter. Whole new ballgame
@@pszych2445 I still like to lift but at this age FLEXIBILITY and overall HEALTH is a MUST. Plenty BODYBUILDERS dying these days. How you looking BUFF and STRONG in a CASKET though?! Thats CCRRAAZZZYYY!!! Getting that bench up ain't that serious for me. I'm straight.
Lucas has the best form.
Ian is impressively strong considering how poor his setup is.
Chris is surprisingly strong given how tall and lanky he is.
RIP to Carter's ribcage.
Tyler is the only kid in whole the frat who knows how to eat.
Never underestimate the tall lanky guys, often they have just as much muscle as wider-looking but short dudes
“Enter Kevdog”
I think knowing good form and teaching it to the kids should be your number one priority. Also will help them lift more.
Im impressed with these young men, I could not bench my own body weight when I was their age. But I did train all through my 20's and into my 30's to gain muscle, and I just hit 240 this past Sunday. Consistency has been the key for me all these years of lifting.
Man, this really boost my confidence, I weigh 150 and I bench 230 as a sophomore in HS.
That's _really_ good. Nice job.
I wish something like this existed when I was a kid. My personal best was 485 lbs. I would have loved to participate in this type of competition.
🧢
I'm 38, 172 pounds, and just did 4 reps at 245 tonight with gas left in the tank. I guess I shouldn't feel bad about myself after seeing this!
I for some reason misread that and thought you weighted over 16 tons
@@manmeet4804 he was perfectly clear he weighs a little over 38 thousand pounds
How are you alive
Lol, you guys got me there! Damn phone took the space out.
Alot of people don't know this but deadlifts and rows will help your bench immensely. At 45 I was able to get to 315 for 2 after really focusing on my back with DL and rows. I also rowed 315. Close grip bench helps the tris get strong for this too.
not really, if anything deadlifts sap the strength from all your other muscles and take a heavy toll on your cns
Widen your grip a couple fingers, tighter arch, and STAY IN IT BISON! You got this! 315 baby!!!!
Wow social media gym culture really changes your perspective. I got to use to think 225 was easy however it still seems very difficult. I’m a junior in college so being able to do 285 feels great lol hopefully i can hit 315 before the year ends but that seems impossible based on time
Slow and steady is the key, weightlifting, powerlifting, etc. Aren't a race but a lifestyle, you can try and get hurt really bad (I've been there), or give your body some time to adapt and I can promise you will go further that way instead of rushing.
You can do it! It will come soon!
Let's goooo!!!!💪🏾🔥🔥🔥🔥
225lbs is the beginning of big boy weights in my opinion.
I remember the first time I did 225 I never did any strength training consistently, once I did that I trained consistently for about 6 months and jumped all the way to 270
The fact that my max is 265 at 18 makes me feel good about myself 😂
I am 7 and I can bench 315
impressive!
Whats your bodyweight
@@kylekampa6721 wow at 7? I was doing 405 at 6 years of age. 2nd grade and already doing 405 no cap
Yeah i definitely wasn’t benching that much at 16! Congrats
Amazing video, spectacular encouragement and fantastic brotherhood!
Bro I am so glad bro made sure to go for it again at 4:07 he definitely hadddd that and made sure to say so and then show it
As an 18 year old who started lifting 11 months ago and started at 5’11 155 lbs starting at a 150 max bench and now at 6’ 182 with a max of 265 (powerlifting pause) I feel good about that haha
Jesus I been lifting for year and half I’m around your height but 170 pounds and my bench is 255 but my insertions are insane and I’m pretty lean
I would literally pay to be in one of these videos, keep up the amazing content
That is cucked bro
I’m only 160lbs and can bench 230lbs, definitely happy of my PR, 300 is my goal :)
I hit a 70kg bench pr yesterday and seeing these guys blitz through pretty much my pr for a warm up is humbling to say the least 😂
I just sent this video to my son. He’s in high school still but works out with a bunch of college age kids that are stronger. So he doesn’t realize that he does very well for his age. He just did 315 for 2 yesterday. He needs to understand that he’s already well above most athletes his age and to keep pushing
Would love to have competed in that, I'm currently sitting at 355 on bench so it would have been a good time😂😭
I’m at 350Ib! Took 7 years 😆
Yeah, watching this makes me feel real good about being able to rep 450 at 21 years old. I'm only 6'8" and weigh 330lbs. All natty too
"Only 6'8"
Lol had me rolling. But impressive 👏🏼
Stop lying
Hi Nick. I am a fan of all your videos. This challenge was really good and motivational. I tried to download app but sadly it says app is not available in this country. I really wanted to take part in ur challenges 😕
That fight at like 4:05 by Aidan was innnnsane major props
Honestly quickly becoming one of my favorite channels these competitions are great!
I thought everyone on social media was 300+ for reps? 😂 And ripped. And natural. And never skips leg day…
Cannot really take social media serious most of the time.
I weigh 170 and 5,10 and really makes me feel better that I can bench 280 now
I’m 2 months 7 pounds and I bench 1000.
4:07 was terribly early
People talking about how your video raises confidence!! What about the positivity? People cheering eachother, encouraging eacother that's awesome.
I guess everyone here is suddenly a benching expert. 90% of the population can’t even bench 135 without a year of training.
Including me
i cant even bench 135 yet so all this is pretty impressive to me
Same. We gonna get there tho
I was a gym rat for 10 years and routinely saw guys who were new to lifting fail at 135lb. I was surprised everyone in the video succeeded at 150. Assuming you're in good health, if you go to the gym to lift every other day or so, im sure you'll get to 150 in a few months.
Same here
Nick: "the 15% of my audience that are ladies are going to love that."
Me: part of that 15%😳
Also, congrats on 1 million subscribers!🎉
Amazing video. This inspired me to go to the gym more often each week and eat/drink more as well.
This is what healthy competition looks like. Men giving each other shit while supporting and encouraging each other. Well done gents
The most I ever benched was 230 and I only weighed 135 at the time. Which was insane for me. I was working out everyday for a solid year to hit that but could never put on any weight. Honestly don’t know how I did it
Your strength can increase without your weight or muscles having a massive increase.
But if they had been going up along with your bench you probably would have had an even bigger bench.
@@Astraldymensions I didn’t diet at all that was poor so I just didn’t eat much. I’m sure that’s why
@@wescald was in the same position bro. started eated tooons of calories im putting on weight now
same weights too lol
I weighed 125 and was 5'11" in high school, and I benched 205. I was basically the same as you Wesley. I got strong as hell, but I wasn't eating anywhere near as much as I should have been.
as a college student who isnt even jacked but I have a crazy bench press this fueled my ego lmao
What's your max?
@@AleF202 270lbs at 185lbs.
@@AleF202 and I’m 6’4 so if I was short like 5’10 I would be benching probably 290
This is the coolest channel ever. I’ve never seen somebody challenge others like this. Wow.😊
Nick is pretty slick, he knew that 315 would have been a definite fail for the winner so he told him to split the difference and try 290 which he also wasn't able to put up
This makes me feel a lot better about myself😂 I hit 215 as a 150lb 17 year old
20 y/o and I barely got 285 at 164 body weight yesterday. This was a def a perspective shift
Cap 😂😂
@@AlbanianRS drop a contact I’ll provide proof💪🏼
good shit man I’m at a 255lb bench hoping for 275 before March 12th
I didn't know Lip Gallagher joined a fraternity. (5:50) 😂
It's kind of fun watching regular people lift. Makes me happy with my 315
Love your fitness challenges. You always have fun and interesting videos! Also, you've developed good strength for a track guy.
i think this has really put into perspective how heavy 100kgs is since things like instagram has made it seem easy with people repping that shit
Oh, with just a bit of time, Tyler's got 300+ in him for sure! Not surprised he's done three plates before.
Nice video, very positive.
The smelling salts bit to immediate fail was hilarious
🎶 …”let’s here it for the boy”…. Fun video!
I hope nothing but the best for the host. He's a genuine, kind, and humble person.
After seeing this, I’m impressed! I bench 225 every other day to practice repping that set. I’ve hit 235, 250 is the next target!
this guys really hip thurtsing bench press its fun to watch