A 225 squat is impressive in my mind

[StandingO]

I was challenging myself to match my GF Squat numbers with my bench press. I was working hard at it and today I matched her with a 315 bench. She has been squatting for years so and obviously pretty strong in the squat. She has recently eased off the heavy squats just a tad and is down to about 295 to 300. I was pleased she is refocusing on not as much heavy reps but I think I might have motivated her to squat over 315 now. lol. I hope not.

Second day for her work out partners husband in the gym in some time. He with me the day before. He wanted to try the squats to as the women were finishing in the rack. He is flexible for a guy and rips off 10 at 135 and then 6 at 155 and 2 at 185 first day. His wife is maxing out about 225 right now in the squat and my gf uses it for part of her reps sequence. Hell I doubt I could squat parallel 155 anymore (too much knee, hip history, age etc). He wanted to feel the weight but not squat it. He dipped it for a few inches and put it back saying it felt dam heavy on the body. His wife was impressed how he could start so heavy and so was I. He has muscular legs from running and biking and I knew he could squat 205 without much prep two years ago. I bet he could squat 225 in a month. He was asking me if I wanted to try it. Don't think I have ever attempted 225 before in my entire life. To get a feel for the weight got the better of me. I was just going to dip 3 or 4 inches to see how it felt. I was encourage by him but the GF knew better and rather me not try it lol. I immediately felt the twinge in my hamstring and my spotters helped me re rack it lol. Painful those hamstrings. I can say that weight felt heavy sitting there. Hate to think what 315 feels like lol. His wife then shows us how its done and squeezed out a deep past parallel rep at 225. I remember three years ago she was squatting with 105. I knew she had developed strong legs but it was the bearing of the weight on her shoulders and back that impressed me. Takes some getting use too. In the bench your back is supported. Now these women are not petite women and don't lift nearly as much in upper body as myself but not the point. Amazing how the body over time and training can adapt to something as these two women have done.

[HazyCosmicJive]

I was challenging myself to match my GF Squat numbers with my bench press. I was working hard at it and today I matched her with a 315 bench. She has been squatting for years so and obviously pretty strong in the squat. She has recently eased off the heavy squats just a tad and is down to about 295 to 300. I was pleased she is refocusing on not as much heavy reps but I think I might have motivated her to squat over 315 now. lol. I hope not.

Second day for her work out partners husband in the gym in some time. He with me the day before. He wanted to try the squats to as the women were finishing in the rack. He is flexible for a guy and rips off 10 at 135 and then 6 at 155 and 2 at 185 first day. His wife is maxing out about 225 right now in the squat and my gf uses it for part of her reps sequence. Hell I doubt I could squat parallel 155 anymore (too much knee, hip history, age etc). He wanted to feel the weight but not squat it. He dipped it for a few inches and put it back saying it felt dam heavy on the body. His wife was impressed how he could start so heavy and so was I. He has muscular legs from running and biking and I knew he could squat 205 without much prep two years ago. I bet he could squat 225 in a month. He was asking me if I wanted to try it. Don't think I have ever attempted 225 before in my entire life. To get a feel for the weight got the better of me. I was just going to dip 3 or 4 inches to see how it felt. I was encourage by him but the GF knew better and rather me not try it lol. I immediately felt the twinge in my hamstring and my spotters helped me re rack it lol. Painful those hamstrings. I can say that weight felt heavy sitting there. Hate to think what 315 feels like lol. His wife then shows us how its done and squeezed out a deep past parallel rep at 225. I remember three years ago she was squatting with 105. I knew she had developed strong legs but it was the bearing of the weight on her shoulders and back that impressed me. Takes some getting use too. In the bench your back is supported. Now these women are not petite women and don't lift nearly as much in upper body as myself but not the point. Amazing how the body over time and training can adapt to something as these two women have done.

 

Women can get pretty strong without looking manly. There's a girl at my gym who was deadlifting about 225, which is more than I can. That said, she looks like she does it a lot, whereas my workouts vary with the seasons. I've never maintained working deadlifts long enough to get to a higher weight. I'm more concerned with being athletic than being "jacked." It just goes to show the progress you can make when you stick to it.

[dichotomy]

Squats and dead lifts are major fundamental lifts, that few do, or do well. A 225 squat (thighs parallel to floor) is respectable for any regular gym goer and for women particularity so. However women can have very good leg strength.

 

Due to lower back issues, height, and now age - squats and straight deadlifts have always been a challenge for me. Well over a year or more ago - I replaced these two movements with trap bar deadlifts (kind of a combo dead and squat movement), and use 240 for my workout (5x5). The rest of my body would love to do heavier, but my back and now my ankles are resiting - but I would love to hit 300. Benches and shoulder press are pretty good.

 

Here is a article on real world strength tables for men. Understand these are not adjusted for age.

 

What Is Strong? Real World Strength Standards For Raw, Natural Lifters | Muscle and Brawn

Edited December 21, 2014 by dichotomy

[StandingO]

Interesting numbers. Definitely requires both the right Genetics and training to achieve.

I gave up worrying about being relatively weak in the legs. It did bother me for a time (first met GF etc). She don't care that she basically twice as strong in the legs. Just keeping them healthy is my goal now. It was good her husband is giving the gym a go again as he never did much upper body related training. Unfortunately it shows though. He was worried he could not bench as much as his wife but was able to lift a bit more. He was happy about that lol. So was I as his wife has complained about his lack of drive for improving his upper body shape.

He was also happy right out of the gate not to be the weakest of the four of us at either bench or squats of which I could not claim.

 

I am just getting back at some deadlifts again after a long time not doing them much. My numbers are now lower then the GF's here and used to be higher. I know they are a good alternative for the lower body so I best force my butt to continue to do them. In a few short weeks something that felt heavy can change to I can do this and eventually become a strength.