The patient is asked to place the hand on his or her other shoulder and to raise the elbow without elevating the shoulder. The average weight most adult men and women can bench press depends on age, fitness level, and other factors. purpose: To test the flexibility of the shoulder joint, which is important for injury prevention and in particular is important in swimming, racket sports and throwing sports. For screening your shoulders individually, perform these tests together first. The test is repeated every few weeks to determine progress. then, your shoulder width is AVERAGE or NORMAL.