Why the 225 lb bench?

April 13, 2005 12:03 PM

Why do football scouting combines use 225 lbs as the weight to bench press? What is the significance of 225 lbs? Is it just some historical leftover?
posted by jikel_morten to sports, hobbies, & recreation (4 comments total)

The number comes from the combination of four standard 45 lb weight plates combined with a 45 lb bar. Why the gear hasn't ever been rounded off (bumping everything to 50, say) I don't know.
posted by ChuqD at 12:21 PM on April 13, 2005

I thought they let a potential do as many repetitions as possible on a lower weight set and use a formula to convert it to max weight and number of repetitions if equal to 225lbs. I think it's for safety reasons.

And what ChuqD said.
posted by geoff. at 12:24 PM on April 13, 2005

20kg=44 lb. Given casting tolerances on most weights, might as well shoot for a nice round 45 lb. Least, that's how I figure. What ChuqD said on four plates plus bar=225.
posted by notsnot at 12:34 PM on April 13, 2005

225lbs = about 100kg (102.05828), which is a nice round number.
posted by Mach5 at 4:33 PM on April 13, 2005