Bench-to-Squat ratio?

[LittleArm]

What is the ratio of your bench to your squat? Common sense makes me think that your legs are stronger than your chest, so you should be able to squat much more than you bench. But maybe that isn't the case. In my workouts, I'm benching 95% of my squat weight. (I'm not talking max lifts, I mean 2 sets of 10.) That seems high to me. I can't imagine that I have a strong upper body- I have a running background so if anything I would think my lower body would be disproportionately stronger. Maybe I'm just not pushing myself as hard with the squats.

How does your ratio compare?

[brent]

Unfortunately, mine's about the same, and until lately it was up-side down! Your legs should ALWAYS be stronger than your chest, but you don't see them in as many mirrors as your chest.
Somehow my chest got a lot stronger than my legs, and one day I went, "I need to start blasting my fucking lazy legs!" So if you are starting, learn from this and correct it early. I think legs should be about 25% stronger than the chest.

[dallasmsl]

My Chest used to be stronger but over the past few years, I've really concentrated on my legs. Now, my squat weight is much higher than my chest. which is what i want.

[Minotaur]

My bench is about 2/3 of my squat. My deadlift is about the same as my squat. They all seem to increase by and stay about the same rate.

[UKBeefy]

Mine are sort of evolving. Since jan when I concentrated on heavy simple lifts like Deads and squats I am at the point where my PBs are:

Squat - 120kg (very deep)
Bench - 115kg
Deadlift - 160kg

I know my Squat should be more but I find them very hard and I keep good form and go deep (alot more than many at my gym not that anyone much at my gym even does them...). I am not getting hugely bothered but would like to get my squat nearer my Deadlift. At least they are all on the right side of my bench.

I think alot of being able to squat and deadlift well is doing them for a longish period...you can't immediately start shifting big weight even if you were technically quite good at more machine or smith stuff. Also it depends how "explosive"/physched up you get. I chat to quite a few big almost powerlifter type guys and they really get to the "steam coming out of my ears" type level of controlled aggression...I am much more toned down than that and don't have such muscle buddies who can really charge me up to go mad.

[xythan_shadow]

Hmm, interesting. I'm squatting over double what I bench. But then I have been carrying around 260lbs 24/7 so my legs are a bit stronger than my upper. I have lots of work to do.

[brent]

Originally Posted by UKBeefy

... they really get to the "steam coming out of my ears" type level of controlled aggression...I am much more toned down than that and don't have such muscle buddies who can really charge me up to go mad.

Yeah, I wish I had the same thing. Somedays it can be really hard to get the intensity up high enough.

[LittleArm]

I appreciate everyone's replies... I think at this point in my development I'm OK with my legs being built more for speed than raw power. I was concerned that I was doing something horribly wrong with my training but it sounds like I'm not too unusual.

[glammaman2000]

VERY interesting question!The most I've benched was 315 for 2reps.The most I've squatted was 450 for 8.What's the ratio on that?

[brent]

While the forum's been down, I got my squat up to 405 (12 reps), while my heaviest bench is still at 315 (for 6 reps). Everyone makes mistakes at first in their training, and it takes years to learn what your body really needs.

[Renaldo]

Bench 315x4 , Squat 405 at least 10x

[inflated]

Squats are almost double what I can bench, I can bench pretty heavy but squats is my best lift as are deadlifts.

[gymrat4sir]

Originally Posted by LittleArm

I appreciate everyone's replies... I think at this point in my development I'm OK with my legs being built more for speed than raw power. I was concerned that I was doing something horribly wrong with my training but it sounds like I'm not too unusual.

if you want to grow all over, then you need to train legs hard. end of story.

[inflated]

Originally Posted by gymrat4sir

if you want to grow all over, then you need to train legs hard. end of story.

That is so true, squats are the most important exercise one can do for overall body growth.

[arpeejay]

Oh, well, what the heck:

I have a lousy bench (225 x 2 @ 210 lbs.) and an OK squat (425 x 4); so my squat-bench ratio isn't quite 2-1 but that's just because I haven't worked up the nerve to try 450 yet. End of January maybe?

All the best & xoxo...

Richard

[beachmuscle]

squat = 405x12
deads = 315 x3
bench = 275 x10