NFL Combine Bench Press--Yea or Nay?

[Mr Mojo Lane]

Is this really a good way to judge strength. How many times a guy can bench 225 lbs when some of these guys can do 40+ reps? I mean it will factor in muscle endurance. They can use explosiveness (they are even coached up sometimes to pull on the way down, so the bar will bounce off their chest even more)

I am bringing this up in response to this http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...s-apparent-injury-during-combine-bench-press/

 

[Eli1015]

It's a good measure of strength and Explosiveness aswell as muscular endurance. Majority of average humans can't even bench 225, and if they can they most likely can't for more than 10-15 reps.

 

[Mr Mojo Lane]

Yeah, but, do you think it would be a good idea to increase the weight, so these guys wouldn't use so much momentum?

I know these guys don't train in this rep range except to get ready for this event.

 

[aus101]

Everyone benches though so they’ve chosen a common lift (hell pretty much the standard lift).

Overhead press can get very suss with how far you lean back and squat and deadlift aren’t trained nearly as much whereas bench is relatively easy and straightforward (lower bar to chest, press up, repeat) and everyone pretty much does it who lifts weights, so the numbers will give you a pretty good idea of how strong (at least upper body wise) everyone is compared to each other.

 

[j123]

They should change teh test to curling for 40 reps and teh 275

 

[selfcritical]

It's a weird fucking test. There's basically nothing in US football that require a test of upper-body muscular endurance. They could use a Tendo unit and measure max velocity at a given weight instead.

 

[deadshot138]

I can do 30 reps with 225 and I’m an out of shape piece of shit. It’s a poor standard.

 

[Mr Mojo Lane]

Well, one of the things I am talking about is how they are learning to "drop the weight fast" to build up more kinetic energy, speed and momentum which will improve their number of reps. Not the safest thing
@5:55

 

[MatterOverMind]

It's a weird fucking test. There's basically nothing in US football that require a test of upper-body muscular endurance.

This.

And it is something that, for most people, could be improved drastically if trained for specifically.

 

[MatterOverMind]

I can do 30 reps with 225 and I’m an out of shape piece of shit. It’s a poor standard.

Out of curiosity, what's your 1rm?

 

[MatterOverMind]

Well, one of the things I am talking about is how they are learning to "drop the weight fast" to build up more kinetic energy, speed and momentum which will improve their number of reps. Not the safest thing

I don't see anything particularly unsafe about it. There is no problem with lowering it quickly, as long as it is controlled.

 

[Judoka1532]

Is this really a good way to judge strength. How many times a guy can bench 225 lbs when some of these guys can do 40+ reps? I mean it will factor in muscle endurance. They can use explosiveness (they are even coached up sometimes to pull on the way down, so the bar will bounce off their chest even more)

I am bringing this up in response to thishttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/03/01/ol-prospect-billy-price-suffers-apparent-injury-during-combine-bench-press/

I think it's a good measure of strength and endurance as well. On top of that, it lets you know who's been in the weight room training. Besides...it's a pretty cool/fun event to have

 

[Judoka1532]

I can do 30 reps with 225 and I’m an out of shape piece of shit. It’s a poor standard.

Yes that's great. But that's why the combine involves multiple lifts and tests

 

[deadshot138]

Out of curiosity, what's your 1rm?

I can hit 370 for a triple and my last successful max was 385. Can probably hit 390 or so now at least.

 

[tdluxon]

Is this really a good way to judge strength. How many times a guy can bench 225 lbs when some of these guys can do 40+ reps? I mean it will factor in muscle endurance. They can use explosiveness (they are even coached up sometimes to pull on the way down, so the bar will bounce off their chest even more)

I am bringing this up in response to thishttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/03/01/ol-prospect-billy-price-suffers-apparent-injury-during-combine-bench-press/

I don't think it's that great of a test because football is all about short spurts. It's not bad as a general reference, but an average football play takes a lot less time than 30+ reps takes

 

[Mr Mojo Lane]

I don't see anything particularly unsafe about it. There is no problem with lowering it quickly, as long as it is controlled.

but if they are taught to drop it faster and they lose some control?? I have seen some of those guys being coached up to pull on the negative. I am talking to that degree. It's on another level than that of a powerlifter.

I don't think it's that great of a test because football is all about short spurts. It's not bad as a general reference, but an average football play takes a lot less time than 30+ reps takes

That was another reason why I thought they should use more weight on the bench press. Make it more about strength than who can build a technique around creating momentum.

 

[Phlog]

It's as good enough a test as any to broadly check upper body strength. If you can bench 225 30 times you'll be able to provide power in difficult positions in the 4th quarter.

It's not perfect but it's fun and it's what we got .

 

[LatFlare]

an average football play takes a lot less time than 30+ reps takes

But how many plays in an entire game?

 

[Jack Handy jr]

I can do 30 reps with 225 and I’m an out of shape piece of shit. It’s a poor standard.

just the 225 part.... not the other thing

 

[ens189]

Wouldn't something like a five rep max make more sense? Or an overall max?

I dunno...225 is really light weight for some of the big boys.