The NFL Combine is an annual event where American Football players’ strength, endurance, speed, and so on are objectively evaluated by representatives of the various teams.
One event is the “bench press test”. This involves benching a 225lbs (circa 100kg) barbell for as many reps as possible.
The record?
51 reps, set by a guy called Justin Ernest in 1999.
However.
Despite his superhuman benching ability, no team wanted him so he never played in the NFL meaning his record is technically unofficial – the official record being set in 2011 by Stephen Paea who managed 49 reps and went on to play seven seasons.
Monstrous performances both, I am sure you will agree.
The relevance?
I have it on good authority that our separated brethren across the Atlantic have a particular fascination with the bench press.
To the point that seeing random teenagers benching 315lbs (just shy of 140kg) is a regular thing in gyms all over the country (and not only in specialist weightlifting gyms, but also in normie chain establishments).
By contrast, I see probably three people benching around that amount in a typical year and more often than not with a fair amount of “help” from their spotter.
What’s causing the divide?
My theory is it’s got a lot to do with sports playing a prominent role in the lives of American children. Not just American Football either, but track and field, gymnastics, wrestling, etc, etc. Moreover, excellence is encouraged by manifold financial rewards, even for those who never go on to compete as a professional (university scholarships being a prime example).
Obviously our “everyone gets a trophy” culture is the antithesis of that. So if you want your kiddos to excel on the physical front, you are going to have to lead by example.
Get as strong and in shape as you can be, in other words. (Which, for the avoidance of doubt, has nothing whatsoever to do with how strong and in shape anyone else is.)
No kids?
You might have them one day, so the advice stands.
Don’t want kids?
Being confident in the knowledge you are doing more than the vast, vast majority in this regard is reason enough to pursue that goal.
Back to the bench press:
You will learn all about how to build it (and the chest generally) up in February’s issue of “The Phil Tyreman Letter”.
However, you must subscribe before the deadline (23:59 tonight – just a few hours hence) to get it.
To learn all about what you will get when you come under my tender care, visit the below linked page immediately:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/information/
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman