Fitness & strength challenges
Discussion
I'm currently challenging myself to get to 20 strict form pull ups by the end of the year. Anyone else engaging in a similar challenge? I might take up another one when I finish this.
Some other well-known challenges with my guesses as to how difficult they would be:
Row 1km in 3 mins. (I think that sounds bloody hard.)
Bench press 1.5 times body weight. (Not terribly hard if you weight train a couple of times a week)
100 press ups. (Moderately difficult, I think. Would just require a lot of reps in training. Very boring and quite tough on joints.)
Squat 2 times body weight. (Hard, I think - a lot of people would start to get hip and knee pain if training intensively enough.)
Deadlift 2 times body weight. (Not terribly hard if you have the right shape for it.)
Run 10k in 40 mins. (Very do-able, I think, without loads of training. But running sucks.)
Anyone know any good ones?
Some other well-known challenges with my guesses as to how difficult they would be:
Row 1km in 3 mins. (I think that sounds bloody hard.)
Bench press 1.5 times body weight. (Not terribly hard if you weight train a couple of times a week)
100 press ups. (Moderately difficult, I think. Would just require a lot of reps in training. Very boring and quite tough on joints.)
Squat 2 times body weight. (Hard, I think - a lot of people would start to get hip and knee pain if training intensively enough.)
Deadlift 2 times body weight. (Not terribly hard if you have the right shape for it.)
Run 10k in 40 mins. (Very do-able, I think, without loads of training. But running sucks.)
Anyone know any good ones?
1k row in 3 minutes would put you in with a medal chance at various competitions ... not many people get to that level of performance. To do that you either have to be hyper fit or train. A lot, I mean one heck of a lot. you'd probably be having to do about 20k every day of various speed/strength/conditioning work.
Here is a chart for weightlifting performance standards, based of gender and weight.
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/Strength...
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/Strength...
Well the closest to any of those I can manage is about 1.9x Bodyweight deadlift and about 15 strict pullups (first set, on a good day). The rest I would fail miserably at, being tall doesn't help with lifting impressive multiples of bodyweight.
My personal goals are:
My personal goals are:
- 200kg deadlift (currently at 170-180)
- 100kg bench for 10 solid reps (currently can manage about 4)
- 140kg squat for 5 reps (currently about 40kg short)
- 80kg strict military press (currently around 60kg)
TurboHatchback said:
Well the closest to any of those I can manage is about 1.9x Bodyweight deadlift and about 15 strict pullups (first set, on a good day). The rest I would fail miserably at, being tall doesn't help with lifting impressive multiples of bodyweight.
My personal goals are:
Similar issues that I have (plus being old & fat), I weigh around 100-105kg am about 6ft ish, but have very long arms (span around 6'6" or more). This makes bench press a nightmare, but I think DL easierMy personal goals are:
- 200kg deadlift (currently at 170-180)
- 100kg bench for 10 solid reps (currently can manage about 4)
- 140kg squat for 5 reps (currently about 40kg short)
- 80kg strict military press (currently around 60kg)
250kg DL (3 rep - didnt go above as I burst blood vessels in my eye and forehead)
110 KG bench (5 rep )
190 kg squat (some mobility issue in my ankle mean I can only just go below parallel with big weights)
100 kg incline bench
I had a long term target of 300kg DL, but started getting knee pain, and having had surgery in the past decided not to push it
The rowing challenge would be mental - my best for 1000m was 1:34 splits, so 3:08, and I could do several sub 1:30 in a work 1 rest 2 session. Sub 3m would be within 20 sec of the world record I think, so in running terms you would be targeting c30m 10k
didelydoo said:
I've hit just over triple bodyweight deadlift and squat, also double body weight dip (dip with 105kg on the belt)
Pretty chuffed with those!
Cool 300kg+ squats are immense Pretty chuffed with those!

The amusement starts around 150kg in'posh' gyms as the bar starts to bend and bounce. I remember doing jump squats around 140 range years ago, and the disgusted/terrified looks from the lycra mummy brigade was hilarious
Dideley wins! 
I have been training for two years and four months.
This May I managed (at 72kg BW, and after 5 months on a 3 day, twice weekly split routine):
Squat - 160kg
Bench Press - 135kg
Clean and Press - 85kg
Deadlift - Haven't gone for a PB since last year, which was 170kg 12 months ago.
After May, it all went to pot, hurting both my lumbar region (from medium weight Box Squats)and left RC. Lumbar has almost healed completely and managed a 160kg Squat this week, but the RC is still painful with OH Press, so am only up to 55kg for 5, 20kg less (for 5) than before my injury. Doesn't affect bench so much, where I am up to 130kg, still not as good as earlier this year, though..

I have been training for two years and four months.
This May I managed (at 72kg BW, and after 5 months on a 3 day, twice weekly split routine):
Squat - 160kg
Bench Press - 135kg
Clean and Press - 85kg
Deadlift - Haven't gone for a PB since last year, which was 170kg 12 months ago.
After May, it all went to pot, hurting both my lumbar region (from medium weight Box Squats)and left RC. Lumbar has almost healed completely and managed a 160kg Squat this week, but the RC is still painful with OH Press, so am only up to 55kg for 5, 20kg less (for 5) than before my injury. Doesn't affect bench so much, where I am up to 130kg, still not as good as earlier this year, though..
TurboHatchback said:
Well the closest to any of those I can manage is about 1.9x Bodyweight deadlift and about 15 strict pullups (first set, on a good day). The rest I would fail miserably at, being tall doesn't help with lifting impressive multiples of bodyweight.
My personal goals are:
True. Tall guys suck at most weightlifting if assessed by relative strength. But the extra mass does mean you can kick some arse in absolute strength (on some lifts). My personal goals are:
- 200kg deadlift (currently at 170-180)
- 100kg bench for 10 solid reps (currently can manage about 4)
- 140kg squat for 5 reps (currently about 40kg short)
- 80kg strict military press (currently around 60kg)
I was way off with my rowing guess, I see!
Back when I was training 10 hours a week I managed a 200 kilo squat, now i really struggle with 140 as my form is terrible.
My targets are....
250 kilo deadlift - currently 210 but get elbow pain, need to build up more slowly.
200 kilo squat - form needs fixing, I'm not very flexible and weak.
120 kilo bench - 6 foot 6 arm span exactly, I struggle but a wide grip really helps, still a poor excuse though.
120 kilo power clean - 95 kilo currently, really enjoy this exercise.
Currently 124 kilos but was a lean 91 at my best, a depressingly long time ago, am 34 now.
I should have some plates in the garage by the end of the year so no excuses then.
Dave!
My targets are....
250 kilo deadlift - currently 210 but get elbow pain, need to build up more slowly.
200 kilo squat - form needs fixing, I'm not very flexible and weak.
120 kilo bench - 6 foot 6 arm span exactly, I struggle but a wide grip really helps, still a poor excuse though.
120 kilo power clean - 95 kilo currently, really enjoy this exercise.
Currently 124 kilos but was a lean 91 at my best, a depressingly long time ago, am 34 now.
I should have some plates in the garage by the end of the year so no excuses then.
Dave!
I'm currently doing 200 indian squats a day, started doing 4x50 but did 83, 75 then the rest this morning. f
king wrecks though.
200 pressups is on the menu as well, hopefully by Christmas, I'm up to about 110 now.
A 40 minute 10k is very decent, the row is by some way the hardest one I'd say.
king wrecks though.200 pressups is on the menu as well, hopefully by Christmas, I'm up to about 110 now.
A 40 minute 10k is very decent, the row is by some way the hardest one I'd say.
40 minute 10k is probably quite tough, yeah. But 45 would be too easy. I ran a 47 minute 10k a few years back having never run that far in my life and with maybe 5 weeks of running training, so I think knocking quite a few minutes off that would be doable. I could run 5k in 20 mins even now with only a few weeks of training, I think. I just bloody hate running (and all steady state cardio).
Any good swimming targets? Achievable but challenging rather than insane (like my stupid 1k rowing suggestion).
A lot of very good lifters on here, it seems! Benching double your bodyweight is quite rare, I think. Not sure I've seen anyone this side of professional athletes or competitive lifters do that. Most guys I see, even quite buff ones, would struggle to hit a 1.5 times bodyweight bench.
I'm pretty much exactly at the 1.5 times bodyweight bench. I find that I can do a lot more reps at lower weights than my 1RM would suggest, which is weird given that I have never trained for volume but only strength. Must be a mental thing.
I don't think it would take me long to get to a 2 times bodyweight squat or deadlift if my bloody piriformis muscle would chill out for a bit!
I am very impressed by the guy doing 110 press ups! That is awesome, as long as they are proper form ones. Almost everyone I have seen doing lots of press ups does them in a cross fit style (a bit like those videos of people doing '20 pull ups' without ever reaching chest to bar or a dead hang). I don't think I could do more than 30-40 perfect form press ups even on a good day. I haven't tried for years...maybe a decade. I think my university days record was 80 but I bet they were s
tty reps.
Any good swimming targets? Achievable but challenging rather than insane (like my stupid 1k rowing suggestion).
A lot of very good lifters on here, it seems! Benching double your bodyweight is quite rare, I think. Not sure I've seen anyone this side of professional athletes or competitive lifters do that. Most guys I see, even quite buff ones, would struggle to hit a 1.5 times bodyweight bench.
I'm pretty much exactly at the 1.5 times bodyweight bench. I find that I can do a lot more reps at lower weights than my 1RM would suggest, which is weird given that I have never trained for volume but only strength. Must be a mental thing.
I don't think it would take me long to get to a 2 times bodyweight squat or deadlift if my bloody piriformis muscle would chill out for a bit!
I am very impressed by the guy doing 110 press ups! That is awesome, as long as they are proper form ones. Almost everyone I have seen doing lots of press ups does them in a cross fit style (a bit like those videos of people doing '20 pull ups' without ever reaching chest to bar or a dead hang). I don't think I could do more than 30-40 perfect form press ups even on a good day. I haven't tried for years...maybe a decade. I think my university days record was 80 but I bet they were s
tty reps. At 77kg and 5'11 but with long arms, my bench is about 100kg so not great. However I have managed 200kg deadlift so that smashes the 2x body weight on that! Squat is about 160kg so decent on that too. I did try the 100 push up challenge a few months back but struggled to keep up with the programme , got up to about 70 - I found that keeping the breathing tempo going tough.
Like others have said, 3 min row for 1k is very tough. Getting below 7 mins for 2 k is a good level but the pace for 3mins would be nuts. The same for the run. It works out at 15kph for 40mins.
Like others have said, 3 min row for 1k is very tough. Getting below 7 mins for 2 k is a good level but the pace for 3mins would be nuts. The same for the run. It works out at 15kph for 40mins.
ORD said:
Run 10k in 40 mins. (Very do-able, I think, without loads of training. But running sucks.)
Anyone know any good ones?
Oi, I used to love running (and still do, long story but can't do it any more), but a few years back I ran a few seconds under 35mins for 10k.Anyone know any good ones?
A sub 17min 5k is also a good bench mark.
Utterly insane, I know, but I recently did this...
https://thesufferfest.com/pages/knights-of-sufferl...
Hardest thing I've ever done I think. Properly hit the wall after a bit over 8 hours of pedal time for maximum suffering!
ORD said:
I'm currently challenging myself to get to 20 strict form pull ups by the end of the year. Anyone else engaging in a similar challenge? I might take up another one when I finish this.
Some other well-known challenges with my guesses as to how difficult they would be:
Row 1km in 3 mins. (I think that sounds bloody hard.)
Bench press 1.5 times body weight. (Not terribly hard if you weight train a couple of times a week)
100 press ups. (Moderately difficult, I think. Would just require a lot of reps in training. Very boring and quite tough on joints.)
Squat 2 times body weight. (Hard, I think - a lot of people would start to get hip and knee pain if training intensively enough.)
Deadlift 2 times body weight. (Not terribly hard if you have the right shape for it.)
Run 10k in 40 mins. (Very do-able, I think, without loads of training. But running sucks.)
Anyone know any good ones?
Sub 3m for 1k on the erg is pretty tough - managed it when training a couple of years back. It hurt a lot, but flat out 500m was far worse!Some other well-known challenges with my guesses as to how difficult they would be:
Row 1km in 3 mins. (I think that sounds bloody hard.)
Bench press 1.5 times body weight. (Not terribly hard if you weight train a couple of times a week)
100 press ups. (Moderately difficult, I think. Would just require a lot of reps in training. Very boring and quite tough on joints.)
Squat 2 times body weight. (Hard, I think - a lot of people would start to get hip and knee pain if training intensively enough.)
Deadlift 2 times body weight. (Not terribly hard if you have the right shape for it.)
Run 10k in 40 mins. (Very do-able, I think, without loads of training. But running sucks.)
Anyone know any good ones?
Agree on the bench and deadlift being possible with dedicated training, but I could never quite squat twice my bodyweight ~190kg
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