Bench press world record - men and women

Bench press is one of the so-called royal exercises and for many also an indicator of overall strength - at least the upper half of the body. We think that the question " how much can you bench?" will be familiar to most readers. If you exercise regularly and your maximum is between 80-90 kg , you will probably fall into the slightly above average range . If you lift 90 kg and above, you will be above average at your local gym .

However, lifting more than 100 kg on a bench press with the right technique (whole back on the bench) is quite difficult and requires regular and structured training focused on muscle growth with sufficient protein intake per kilogram of body weight. If you are looking for a tasty source of complete protein, try hyve whey concentrates with a natural composition .

How much can the world's strongest people bench press?

The world records for bench press listed below do not take into account the weight class of the competitor or the governing body . The only condition is that the exercise must be performed on the back and using proper technique - i.e. the back is in contact with the bench throughout the entire execution . Arching the back ( arching) automatically disqualifies the competitor, as it shortens the trajectory of the exercise.

The categories can be divided into raw , in which the competitor does not use any equipment except for wrist support, and equipped , in which the competitor uses a belt and special powerlifting shirts ( bench shirts) , which provide support for the shoulders and torso, and therefore help with upward force. ^{1, 2}

Current world record in bench press - men

Since 2021, the world record in the raw category has been held by American Julius Maddox, who officially lifted 355 kg , breaking his previous record of 349 kg. The current world record in the bench press with equipment (bench shirt) is held by Jimmy Kolb, who successfully lifted 635 kg on July 29, 2023 at the 2023 IPA Tristar Bash, breaking the previous record by 23 kg. ^1,2,3

Current world record in bench press - women

The raw bench press record has been held by American weightlifter April Mathis since 2016, lifting 207.5 kg . The women's bench press record with equipment is held by Rae-Ann Coughenour-Miller, also of the United States, who lifted 290 kg. ^{4, 5, 6}

Resources:

1. Julius Maddox Bench Presses 355 Kilograms Raw For New All-Time World Record" . barbend.com. 21 February 2021.
2. Julius Maddox sets new 350kg/770lb bench press world record" . Fitnessvolt. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
3. Lockridge, Roger (2023-07-29). "Jimmy Kolb Bench Presses 635.4 Kilograms (1,401 Pounds) Equipped, the Heaviest Single Lift in Powerlifting History" . BarBend. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
4. Powerlifting rankings: unlimited class, women by bench" .
5. The heaviest raw bench presses of all time" . barbend.com. 3 February 2017.
6. Powerlifting rankings: raw, women by bench" . openpowerlifting.org.