Which is harder to achieve: a 300 lb bench press, or a 5:00 mile?

I took Advanced Physical Conditioning as a college course. As far as athletes, about a 1/3 to 40% of the class were varsity football players. I did not consider myself especially strong. I was laughed at by some of the football players for my inability to bench 270 lbs. A wide receiver weighing 165 lbs. was benching 270 +. Most of the guys were benching well over 300 and some over 400. Only on LetsRun would people not believe someone can bench 250 lbs.and squat 310 lbs.. I actually stated in a reply earlier that my bench max is 265 lbs., not 250 lbs.

bigger stronger & faster wrote:

Because I have used 2.5 pound plates, you believe I am not stating the truth? Makes no sense. I never competed as a power lifter.

You should have competed. You would have dominated. You didn't notice that you were stronger than most guys 60 lbs heavier than you?

I assume you did 245 on the bench and then your next lift you added the 2.5s to get to 250. Why? That's such a small increment. Likewise in the squat.

Not saying you didn't do it, but you rarely see guys using the 2.5s for big lifts.

bigger stronger & faster wrote:I actually stated in a reply earlier that my bench max is 265 lbs., not 250 lbs.

You said 250 in high school:

bigger stronger & faster wrote:

Memories may be strangely deceptive. I have no evidence to state that you are wrong. You are stating only three guys on a high school football team could bench press 300+ pounds. I am dubious. At 145 lbs. in high school, I was able to max in high school at 250 lbs. on bench press. I was a XC and t&f athlete. You are telling me the big fellas on your high school football team could not bench press much more than I could as a 145 lbs. XC runner? So you don't think my memory is faulty, I can bench (190 to 200) lbs. today. Give me a few weeks and I'll be back to 225 lbs. on bench press.

I use the little plates all the time, they are a little silly, but so what? Seems strange to me to bench 245, so I usually throw on the 2.5's. I laugh to my gym bros and say "these," (pointing to the little plates) "are what make all the difference."

I know weightlifters who use even smaller 1 pound plates as well.

Penn Power wrote:

power lifter wrote:

Cool. Did you compete at powerlifting nationals? Or what your squat and dead not as strong. Depending on your age, that puts you at Masters or Elite level in powerlifting and would have made you one of the best in your region.

In Pennsylvania, the high school state record for the 145 lb class is 254 lbs for a bench press only competition. For the bench press within a full powerlifting competition, the high school state record is 220 lbs.

What state did you compete in?

It was probably on a machine and not close to 250.

I may have used old fashion collars which weighed a bit over a pound? I even wrapped ankle weights around bar bell at times.You didn't specifically call me a liar, but if Brojos doubt me, there are photos of me racing in 2014 on line, the last year I raced. I will give Brojos my full name. They will no doubt verify that I look like someone who can bench what I said I benched and squat what I said I squatted. I did not state my max numbers to brag. College XC/t&f coach told me to lift as did my high school XC/t&f coach. As stated, I was ridiculed by college football players for being weak. I knew I was weak in lower body compared to college 100m sprinters who most were able to squat x 2.5+ body weight.

Compared to other athletes: On high school XC team there was a football wide receiver who was third string who switched to XC. There was a tennis player on XC team. Both could bench (180 to 190) lbs.

I did play Pop Warner football. This was before over/under 125 lbs. I always played TE and DE. I stopped playing football because I eventually I was lining up against guys weighing (80 to 100) lbs. more than me. Strength for my weight was not relevant. Yes, I knew my relevant strength. I pinned in wrestling (informal wrestling) a guy from the neighborhood who attended another high school. Said guy eventually became a starting lineman for Lou Holtz in college. Even after I stopped football and switched to XC, wrestlers on my high school wrestling team begged my to wrestle. Wrestling wasn't for me. I like running!

No machine. The OP asked, "300 lbs. bench press versus five mile run." You'd think I stated 400 lbs. bench press with sub-3:50 mile!

Why are people making a big deal of 250 lbs. high school bench press? I was 5'10" (140 to 145) lbs. in high school. I am 5'11" 175 lbs. I was able to bench over 250 lbs. a few years ago when I weighed 150 lbs.

Only on LetsRun is this a big deal.

Literally no one has a squat pr of 310 lol. Who would settle for 310 when 3 plates is just around the corner? I've never even seen someone use a 2.5 for squats

Then you never go to LA Fitness. I have used them there. Again, if Brojos call me a liar, I will give them my name. Why is 310 lbs. a big deal for squats? Didn't you read that I have wrapped ankle weights around bar bell.

bigger stronger & faster wrote:

Then you never go to LA Fitness. I have used them there. Again, if Brojos call me a liar, I will give them my name. Why is 310 lbs. a big deal for squats? Didn't you read that I have wrapped ankle weights around bar bell.

High school football players working out at LA Fitness? Ankle weights around the bar?

He's coming clean about being a troll. It was a good ride.

9/10

The LA Fitness is recent. Again, if Brojos call me out, I'll give them my name. Will you give us your name and address too. I doubt there was LA Fitness while I was in high school. Everyone is breaking down my sentences word for word. What if I go back to 150lbs. which is about same BMI when I was 5'10" 145 lbs. since I'm 5'11" now and replicate? Then what? All you doubters, give you names to Brojos also.

bigger stronger & faster wrote:

The LA Fitness is recent. Again, if Brojos call me out, I'll give them my name. Will you give us your name and address too. I doubt there was LA Fitness while I was in high school. Everyone is breaking down my sentences word for word. What if I go back to 150lbs. which is about same BMI when I was 5'10" 145 lbs. since I'm 5'11" now and replicate? Then what? All you doubters, give you names to Brojos also.

Dude, the jig is up.

You said you maxed 250 in high school when all the other guys were benching more, then you claimed you never said 250 but said 265. Then the high school with all the football players somehow became college where all the "varsity" college football players were for some reason lifting in a class rather than with the team and guys were benching over 400. The 250 in high school, which you never said or maybe was really 265, was because you used 2.5 plates. But then also because you used collars that weigh more than a pound, then the 250 bench and 310 squat were from wrapping ankle weights around the bar for some unknown reason, which would put it over 250, but the 2.5 plates and maybe the ankle weights to get it to 250 (or 265 or 310) in high school were at LA Fitness, which was recent and in neither high school nor college.

But this can all be verified by you sending a Brojo a photo of you on a track sometime between high school and now that will conclusively prove that you maxed 250 lbs in high school, which you never said you did, you said 265. And that's all wimpy benching anyway even though it's national class for your high school weight.

Is that about right?

Next time take notes.

Read through all of my replies. I stated a max bench of 265 lbs. I never weight trained with high school football players. Read through all my replies. In college I did lift with college football players. I referred to college bench press because I believe the instructor measured our progress. I never bragged about my weight lifting. I am a runner. I stated I have been a runner since 9th grade. You are using a fake name but you want be to prove who I am! I stated if BroJos call me out, I will give them my name. I can come close to those numbers now at my weight. I can go back to same BMI and replicate in a several weeks. This is all was started based on OP stating 300 lbs. and 5 minute mile. I love it! It's probably the same person calling me out using multiple fake names and you want me to prove a 250 lbs. high school bench press. I keep stating I cannot prove the high school number but I will replicate or come close to said numbers soon if challenged by BroJos.

really hard to imagine a 5'10 145 guy who looks like he can bench 265 lol

I didn't bench 265lbs. until I was 5'11" 150+. I stated a high school max of 250 lbs. bench press. In race photos on-line, BroJos will see a person (me) 5'11" (150 to 160) lbs. from 2013 & 2014 if the challenge me. First, "if" BroJos challenge me, second if the photos do not look like a person who is as strong as I stated and third "if" BroJos challenge my current strength. I also will think it fair to ask BoJos for names of all of you challenging me. It's most likely just one person changing his/her name.

My friend is a 60 year old man and a hobby bencher. He can bench 300 easily. I don't think he is that specially gifted. He is over 250 pounds. High schoolers don't lift much because they are skinny and do not lift much.

Someone asked me why were college football players lifting in a course instead of lifting with the football team. Course: Advanced Physical Conditioning was a course recommended to football players and other athletes during summer school. There are rules regarding structured practice in the summer. College athletes taking a PE course in the summer is a way around college practice rules/restrictions.

bigger stronger & faster wrote:

I assume at least 10% of high school boys can bench press 225 lbs.

I had a graduating class of around 200, so probably about 100 guys. I highly doubt 10 of them could have benched two plates as you suggest. It was really just a few who were doing that or near.

On the other hand, we didn't have 10 guys under 5:00, either! Small unathletic school maybe.

My high school graduating class was about 450 to 475. I made an assumption regarding the strength and size of high school football players. My high school XC team, boys and girls lifted together. It was a small weight room. No other sport teams lifted when my high school XC team lifted. The starting QB on my high school football team was 6'5" 250+ pounds. Are there high schools out there using 180 lbs. kids as offensive linemen? If I created doubt regarding my credibility based on assuming guys on other high school football teams were as big as guys at my high school, please excuse me.