If putting up 20 for a 200lbs guy is more impressive than 47 for a 280lb guy, why doesn't everyone just put up 47, seems pretty easy.
Are you math challenged? How many of these 200lb guys could out up 160 (80% of their weight) 40 times....
Maybe....just maybe...and this is a reach...they could include pullups... (though one is a pushing exercise, as opposed to a pulling exercise) but at least that evens it out. A 280 lb guy pushing around 225 tell you SQUAT, when he is going agianst300+ lb guards and tackles.
Body weight isn't that big of a factor in that lift, especially bench press.(Legs is a different story) You get the same amount of strength out of these guys if their weight swung 30-40 pounds. It's not a chin up. I'll use myself as an example. I have been lifting a long time. My base strength doesn't fluctuate, really. Especially in high rep, low weight exercises( which to these guys 225 is) body weight has a greater effect on maxing out than anything else. The 225 becomes more about endurance than strength at that level.
Because the pullup doesn't transition to the NFL as well. The bench press shows general upper body strength using an explosive movement forward. For a DT, for example, I want to see him explode forward and push offensive lineman back, not 220 pound guys, but 300 pound lineman. The fact that offensive lineman are 300 pounds, and he is exploding forward with more power against them, gives him a little bit of an edge. The ratio of a pull up is definitely more weight/strength sensitive, but it doesn't transition to the NFL. Personally, at Rutgers, we like to see guys that can do a ton of pull-ups because it shows us more of a body composition make up (those guys were more body fat have to a harder time doing pullups) I think they should include pullups to, but the NFL doesn't care about things that don't transition directly into the NFL for some reason.
Because those dumb fuckers would blow their knees out showing off. I'm more of a deadlift fan meself.
Yes. The deadlift is a much saner lift. I don't think enough people realise what a technical lift the squat really is.
How about just a simple leg press. Load up with some heavy weight and go. Not much technique but it would definitely identify those with strong or not-so-strong legs / lower body. And that seems much more important for football than bench press. I guess one could combine body weight and vertical jump done at the Combine into a formula for explosiveness. That would also express lower body strength.
I made that point (about it being a pulling exercise...though pulling complements pushing), I guess to further your point a bit more, thats where the whole bench press thing loses me... A lineman or a backer should be pushing 315 10 or 12 times, that would more closely simulate the work being done on a long defensive stand.... The weight meant alot more when players were much smaller....
The deadlift is not nearly as dangerous as the squat. Dip, Grip, and rip.... You only need remember two things. Back straight, and the body follows the head.
You use the whole body in the deadlift and nearly ALL NFL(Parcells is a big proponent) teams prefer it over the squat. It not nearly as dangerous as the squat, especially a squat done improperly. Deadlifts are a little scary if you have never done them, it takes a little time to get the form down. Once you do, it is one of most beneficial exercises that can be done. Alot of the leg press machines are great now and there is almost no reason to do a regular barbell squat. Its just not safe or smart. Alot of older lifts are being phased out that are bad for joints long term, like the squat and behind the neck press. This is an area I am well versed in.
Yeah...you might like feeding pigeons in your old age...Military press is not a good lift. One that I do like, is the one handed barbell press (probably just as bad for you, but NO ONE else in the gym does it...)
Standard front military is O.K. Behind the neck......not so much. I used to do alot of behind the neck press in college, when we thought it was O.K. I have a nice rotator cuff problem because of it.(My last set in those days was 225 for 6, I'm lucky I didn't wreck it completely and have to go for surgery). Military with a slight incline is fine, dumbells only.
