Getting stronger...

[Boomergump]

Power and explosiveness come from your lower body and it is translated to your upper body through your core. Being strong in your upper body while weak in your lower body or core is useless.

Well said. By the same token, great strength without the athletic ability to gain leverage is also useless. In the case of this young gentleman, it is obvious he is a good athlete.
People love to marvel at how strong people are, but I have come to realize over the years that just being a really good athlete is way more important. Just look at the sport of boxing. How many times have you seen a guy, who looks like linguine next to the chiseled opponent in the other corner, just beat the crap out of him and make him look silly.

Obviously I want us getting bigger and stronger. I don't want to imply the opposite, but, lets make sure we keep it in perspective too.

 

[Mack]

Bench press might be the most overrated measurable, but it is still important. As long as it is done as a part of a very comprehensive program, where athletes are working just as hard on the other muscle groups, it can be an indicator of good things. Core strength, that involves the twisting muscles of the mid-section, are probably the most underrated.

Right you are Boomer.........what worries me is the kid who is six one and weighs 275 out of HS and then they put muscle and wight on his frame but at times do not foucus on low end of body ....the legs.The pyramid or base unless it is strong ends up carrying more weight than it can comfortably use and so when we put strain on knees..............pop pop !.You have to have correct lower body to carry excess muscle.

 

[Longestday]

Defensive players do fight with their arms and hands. Tackling and wrapping up take a lot of upper strength. Ripping out a football takes upper body strength. Weight also plays a role in if a player can push you aside or not.

 

[dtm1997]

Just to be clear, does anyone in this thread think the S&C staff isn't working on improving the core strength & lower body strength of all of our players? If so, I might have a bridge property spanning the East River that you might be highly interested in.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Just to be clear, does anyone in this thread think the S&C staff isn't working on improving the core strength & lower body strength of all of our players? If so, I might have a bridge property spanning the East River that you might be highly interested in.

Yeah, not worried about that. Just find it a little amusing that bench press vids get so much traction compared to squat vids or core strength vids.

 

[dtm1997]

Fair statement. Kids like to look cool on social media, which probably was the genesis of the original post.

 

[GTJackets]

And we wonder why CPJ says things about GT having negative fans.

Kid gets proud about how strong he's getting and posts a video of his latest bench press workout and all we can do is lament the value and importance of the bench press. We can't congratulate the kid on working hard. We can't just understand that this is one segment of his workout that most of his buddies can relate to. We start a two page (so far) thread on how useless our S&C program must be because he's doing a bench press and complain about what he SHOULD be doing instead (as if he isn't already).

Welcome to the offseason.

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

And we wonder why CPJ says things about GT having negative fans.

Kid gets proud about how strong he's getting and posts a video of his latest bench press workout and all we can do is lament the value and importance of the bench press. We can't congratulate the kid on working hard. We can't just understand that this is one segment of his workout that most of his buddies can relate to. We start a two page (so far) thread on how useless our S&C program must be because he's doing a bench press and complain about what he SHOULD be doing instead (as if he isn't already).

Welcome to the offseason.

Literally our fanbase:

 

[DaddyBill]

I cannot read the first page of this thread because if causes an error message, so forgive me for not having the full story. But I know one kid who has about maxed out in the weight room and Sisk has limited his weight work. So for the past two months he has been concentrating on agility and speed....rope ladder, sand pits and bicycling the campus bus routes. Now he can turn his hips quicker. He has also been going to the training room almost every day and stretching. That is probably the most important part of this new program.

 

[Eric]

I cannot read the first page of this thread because if causes an error message, so forgive me for not having the full story. But I know one kid who has about maxed out in the weight room and Sisk has limited his weight work. So for the past two months he has been concentrating on agility and speed....rope ladder, sand pits and bicycling the campus bus routes. Now he can turn his hips quicker. He has also been going to the training room almost every day and stretching. That is probably the most important part of this new program.

I really love Sisk. Has been good for us...will start seeing his benefits soon.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

And we wonder why CPJ says things about GT having negative fans.

Kid gets proud about how strong he's getting and posts a video of his latest bench press workout and all we can do is lament the value and importance of the bench press. We can't congratulate the kid on working hard. We can't just understand that this is one segment of his workout that most of his buddies can relate to. We start a two page (so far) thread on how useless our S&C program must be because he's doing a bench press and complain about what he SHOULD be doing instead (as if he isn't already).

Welcome to the offseason.

Lighten up Francis. Nobody, save one, did any of that and that guy was just kidding around. I don't know what's more common, the Negative Nancies or the Chastisers.

 

[bcaff]

F = MA. The more mass you have, the more force you can deliver. Muscle mass is the best way of adding weight because it's denser. I think leg strength is probably more important than football, but overall strength is important too. I don't think bench press is an overrated workout, but an overrated measurable for football players. They should do squats, deadlifts, etc at the combine instead.

 

[cuttysark]

First of all let's set the context for this bench press: A true GT freshman DB weighing 185 lbs. just put up 315 on the bench. He also ran on a 4 x 100 state championship relay team in a high school. Translation: The kid has a Tremendous Work Ethic!

Anyone who doubts the importance of a bench press for upper body strength, just google Larry Allen of the Dallas Cowboys who put up 700 lbs and is in the NFL Hall of Fame, went to 11 pro Bowls, and won a couple of Super Bowls. BTW he weighed over 320 lbs. I'll take both of the Austin twins and their Work Ethic right now coupled with their toughness and desire to succeed as football players.

The best part of all of this is that he didn't wait to get to college to discover what the value of lifting brings to an athlete. Now imagine getting smacked by a kid that fast and that strong! That's what is called NASTY! Then go tell him, his brother, and Larry Allen that bench pressing isn't useful.

 

[Boomergump]

I love strength and will never argue against it. Yet I have seen guys who could bench 500 lbs and were hopeless on a football field. Your buddy isn't in the hall of fame because he could bench. He is there because he was a great athlete and player, good enough, in fact, to put his BP to work.

While I do think BP is over rated, I love the fact that this kid is getting after it. In no way do I think he is neglecting other areas of a solid conditioning regimen. I can't wait to see him play.

 

[GT Man]

I'd be more impressed with a power clean. I think it's a better indicator of one's football condition, from the feet up

 

[TheTaxJacket]

Someone was working on wrist strength....

 

[croberts]

I find myself more excited about linemen with 550 squat than a 375 press . Or maybe I like them with both like Gary Brown! Throw in a little nasty and we have a winner. Over the years, we all have seen great players that were over looked because they did not fit the ideal size for the position . In every case they were exceptional in the weight room to make up for a size disadvantage. Give me the 5'10" LB and 6'1" lineman but please let them be strong as hell. I loved J Burnett and I know I will Love G. Brown and Will Bryan. One thing I am sure of is that when they get here they are taking a ride on the Sisk train and will have a stronger core 4 years from now!

 

[awbuzz]

Without core strength, upper body strength means little unless you're lying on the ground (which isn't that good of a position for most if not all plays )

 

[gt69hjcollins]

First of all let's set the context for this bench press: A true GT freshman DB weighing 185 lbs. just put up 315 on the bench. He also ran on a 4 x 100 state championship relay team in a high school. Translation: The kid has a Tremendous Work Ethic!

Anyone who doubts the importance of a bench press for upper body strength, just google Larry Allen of the Dallas Cowboys who put up 700 lbs and is in the NFL Hall of Fame, went to 11 pro Bowls, and won a couple of Super Bowls. BTW he weighed over 320 lbs. I'll take both of the Austin twins and their Work Ethic right now coupled with their toughness and desire to succeed as football players.

The best part of all of this is that he didn't wait to get to college to discover what the value of lifting brings to an athlete. Now imagine getting smacked by a kid that fast and that strong! That's what is called NASTY! Then go tell him, his brother, and Larry Allen that bench pressing isn't useful.

Well said!!

 

[33jacket]

Bench press a focus. Why? Nfl combine
Vertical a focus? Why? See above
40 a focus, why, see above

Here is my point. If the nfl combine all of a sudden did 50s or 30s. And elimimated the bench for another type of lift. Etc. then everyone else would change too.

There is no point to any single one of these. They are all a part of a body of work that generally describes a players athleticism and focus. If you take a 40, shuttle, broad jump, vertical, etc and look at all the numbers you get a feel for the kid. For instance a guy like godhigh will stink in the 40. Will have great 3 cone and shuttle. On the field he is shifty but will get chased down. True!!!!

So its a body of work. A little db that can lift, clean etc and run fast have good hips and be shifty says to me he works and is probably pretty athletic. The bench alone.....who cares.