Bench press rep tests only reward the reps that count
In short
Coach Travelle Gaines explains in Men's Health that lifting your glutes off the bench invalidates a rep in the NFL Combine's 225 lb (about 102 kg) test. The event tests endurance, stability and mental focus rather than the heaviest weight you can lift once. For fairlift's Big 3 and Muscle Index, convert valid reps to an estimated 1RM: 102 kg for 10 reps gives about 136 kg using Epley, with less reliable estimates at high rep counts.
Seven repetitions disappeared from a lifter's expected total of 25–30 because his glutes left the pad. That is the example coach Travelle Gaines gives Men's Health. At the NFL Combine, the load stays at 225 lb, about 102 kg; the score is the maximum number of accepted reps. Endurance, stability and mental focus all matter when every repetition has to count.
What should you check before the first rep?
Gaines starts with a familiar bench position: keep your usual head placement on test day and choose a grip width that feels comfortable. Plant both feet flat and keep them still, with your glutes in contact with the pad. Take a deep breath, build tension through your whole body and settle into a steady pace. As fatigue builds, narrow your attention to completing the next rep instead of thinking about an uninterrupted run of repetitions.
How does a rep test become a fairlift entry?
A fixed-load rep score measures something different from a 1RM. fairlift uses 1RM values for the Big 3 total and Muscle Index, so convert a rep set with Epley: weight × (1 + reps/30). At 102 kg for 10 valid reps, the estimate is about 136 kg. Including reps with lifted glutes inflates that estimate; high rep counts also make the calculation less reliable. Use the estimated value in the Muscle Index calculator, keeping it distinct from a tested maximum.
Which accessory drills rehearse control?
- Gaines's neutral-grip incline dumbbell press targets shoulder stability: start with both dumbbells raised, alternate single-arm repetitions, then press with both arms together. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.
- Bosu ball pushups challenge core control. Put the rounded side down, hold the handles and perform 3 sets of 10 reps. Gaines suggests they can be supersetted between heavy lifts.
- For cable/Keiser push-pulls, take a split stance and drive one handle forward as you pull the other back. Keep each rep powerful: 8–10 reps per side for 3 sets, 2–3 times a week.
Bosu and other unstable-surface exercises are supplemental work. Keep heavy pressing in your training rather than replacing it with balance challenges; see where unstable-surface training fits.
Frequently asked questions
Is the NFL Combine bench press a 1RM test?
The NFL Combine bench press tests maximum repetitions at 225 lb, about 102 kg. Men's Health describes it as a test of endurance, stability and mental focus, whereas a 1RM test measures the heaviest load lifted once.
Should you log reps where your glutes leave the bench?
Coach Travelle Gaines explains that those reps do not count at the NFL Combine. To compare your sessions using that standard, exclude them from your log and from the rep count used to estimate 1RM.
What estimated 1RM does 102 kg for 10 reps give?
Epley's formula gives 102 × (1 + 10/30) = 136 kg. That assumes 10 valid reps and is an estimate, not a tested maximum. Estimates become less reliable as rep counts climb.
Can Bosu pushups replace heavy bench pressing?
Bosu pushups supplement heavy pressing by rehearsing core control; they do not replace it. In Men's Health, Gaines prescribes 3 sets of 10 reps and suggests using them as a superset between heavy lifts.
Source: Men's Health