NFL combine drills explained: Bench press

The bench press is perhaps the simplest drill at the combine.

Many of the drills conducted at the annual NFL Scouting Combine can be confusing for those outside the football world. Certainly, few other industries have use for the 3-cone drill or 20-yard shuffle. Other drills aren't quite as unique to football. One such exercise is the bench press test.

The bench press is a simple test that determines the upper body strength of an NFL prospect. While not as important as leg strength, most football players still need the ability to generate power through their core and shoulders. Participants are asked to bench a 225-pound bar as many times as they can. Expectations for rep total varies by position, as those who play in the trenches usually generate greater totals than those who play along the boundaries.

While the bench press has been the standard for testing upper body strength for decades, the drill is not without its flaws. Players with longer arms find themselves at a distinct disadvantage as it increases the amount of space the bar has to move for each rep to count. Likewise, those with short arms can more easily produce reps and throw off the perception of their strength.

The record for most reps is held by Justin Ernest, who threw up 51 reps in 1999. Stephen Paea nearly matched that total in 2011 with 49 reps.

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