The rule of thumb is that you should never max out your weight, for fear of doing serious damage to a muscle (such as tearing it, or separating it from its connecting tissue).
Ideally, you should bench press at a maximum a weight that you can lift 8-10 times, but that you need a spotter's help on the last lift. When you can press it 12 or more times without the spotter's help, then you can safely add a bit more weight.
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I bench on a Smith machine, which allows me to move more weight but not have to balance the weight. I am 50, and my best is 330 lbs. This is an increase of 100 lbs in the last year. I got back into weight training January, 2007, after doing cardio training to drop 30 lbs. I am 6 foot tall, and currently weigh 215 lbs.
i am sixteen years old and i can bench press 250 lbs.
i weigh 165 lbs.
Im 18, i weigh 223.4lbs, and i can bench press 315lbs, i can squat 400lbs, and i deadlift 450lbs.