How weak were you?

[Stumpy]

Do you guys remember your first week in the gym and can you remember how weak/strong you were. We're always chasing that extra rep and that extra weight when we're training now and often forget how strong we are compared to what we were before we took up this lifestyle.
My first week in the gym I could only bench press 10 kilo (22 lbs)Dbells, shoulder press 8 kilo (17.5 lbs)Dbells and leg press 110 kilos (242.5 lbs) lol.

 

[shortz]

I was 6'2" 150lbs. My max Bench was about 115lbs and was doing 95lbs for 5 reps. Arms were 11.25 inches cold.

I like this discussion, because many people don't know how far someone has come, and where they started. I have been insulted because of my size and am told "You should be a lot bigger than you are...". Well, it's not every day you run in to someone that has put on 70lbs of LBM over 8 years with a 2 year break in there. I can imagine I would be up to closer to 80-90lbs of LBM had I not taken off those 2 years.

 

[SAD]

I graduated high school at 6'2" 165lbs. I was ripped, but could barely bench 185 or squat 225. I was a tremendous athlete, but I was skinny and weak.

I can't remember my first time in the gym because I was raised playing sports and training with my older brother. I was doing hundreds of pushups and situps every day from the time I was old enough to remember until I was old enough (by my dad's standards) to lift with free weights. It was a Herschel Walker type thing. Just knocked 'em out every night with my brother in the living room while my parents watched tv.

I never got away from it. I've had periods where I didn't workout at all, but they never lasted more than a couple months. I slowly gained 60lbs naturally from 18yrs old and 165 to 23yrs old and 225. Fresh out of basic training I was 200lbs and absolutely shredded, but within 4 months of AIT and actually getting to eat all I wanted, I was 225lbs and still had a six-pack. That was where I hit a wall. I could overeat and hit 235 pretty easy, but it wasn't as clean as I wanted at the time so I'd cut back down. I finally, and prematurely, decided that I was at my genetic limit (lol) and decided to start juicing.

 

[FLEXjs]

I started training again 4 years ago (January 2010) after more than 7 years away from the gym. I was fat and weak as hell.

My first week back was like this:

First day in the gym I benched 185 for 2 reps (LOL I weighed 247.5); current max is 325, but I've had recurring shoulder issues.

Cable rows and pulldowns I did 105lbs for 10 reps. Now I typically do the whole stack (300lbs) on rows for 6-8 reps and 255lbs for pulldowns for 5 reps.

First squat session I did 175 for 6 reps. This summer I got 545 in competition.

I started deadlifting in April 2010; first session I pulled 315. 4 weeks later I pulled 405. 6 months later I pulled 500. This summer I pulled 575 in competition.

 

[Vinny]

I wish I could tell you! I can't remember my first weights! I remember doing body pump and using yellow weights which are only 1.25. I'm currently benching 60kg, squat and deadlift 90kg. Ask me again this time next year!

 

[Rampage]

I don't even want to remember those dark days…
I was barely 120 lbs 4 years ago, I was 19 then

I could barely curl 10lbs dumbbells.. benched like 30lbs.. had no clue what a deadlift was n I thought staying at the gym for 2 hours was gonna help me get huge.

but I became a gym junkie and got upto 185lbs,

 

[gunslinger]

I started training at age 15. Had no idea what I was doing and only did shoulder presses and barbell curls. I was 5'9" 115. Curling 50 pounds, over head pressing 70. Then over the next 2-3 years I didn't work out much at all and got fat. Started back training consistently at around age 18 but kept getting fatter because everyone including the bodybuilding mags was pushing high carb. At age 23 I was 230 and very fat. 41" waist. I started doing atkins and punching the heavy bag 30mins every day and at age 24 took up BJJ. Lost 71 pounds in 9 months. Then got all the way down to 152. Over the last 13 years I have put on over 60 lean pounds. These days I'm 220, I can bench 350, deadlift 505 for reps and overhead press 250 for 6. But my main strength is functional strength on the mat. If I can get my hands on you and you weigh less than 360-375 I can toss you like a rag doll.

 

[sootywooty]

I was not to bad at 5'8'' and 161lbs at 20 years old, but had done work with the bullworker, and press ups and things, and added 7lbs in about 18 mths before hand.

Cant remember the exact wths used, but i know i ached like mad for a few days after. But the wths seemed fairly heavy because i had never used this type of training before.

 

[BrotherIron]

I couldn't lift much at all since I was in a wheelchair before. When you have to re-learn how to walk you don't take things for granted like how far you've come over the years. There was a time I couldn't lift my leg let alone attempt to squat and 2 days ago I smoked a 600lbs raw squat.

 

[Turbolag]

First time I got serious I was benching about 175 for a max. 135 for reps.

Could only squat like 225.

Dead lift was probably 200 or something. Not impressive for a 260 pound person.

 

[FLEXjs]

I couldn't lift much at all since I was in a wheelchair before. When you have to re-learn how to walk you don't take things for granted like how far you've come over the years. There was a time I couldn't lift my leg let alone attempt to squat and 2 days ago I smoked a 600lbs raw squat.

That is awesome man.

 

[GiantSlayer]

I was 145 benching 95 for reps. Took me 6 years to put on 35 good pounds. I'm pushing 190 @ 5'5 right now but I am far from lean.