Assessing Bench Press Power in College Football Players: The Seated Shot Put

Abstract

ABSTRACT Forty college football players were tested at the conclusion of a winter conditioning program to determine the relationship among physical dimensions, seated shot put (SSP) performance, and bench press power (BPP). Absolute (AP) and relative (RP) bench press power outputs were determined with a specially designed bench press machine. AP used an absolute load of 61 kg for each subject, while RP used a load equal to 60% of the subject's l-RM bench press. The SSP was measured with a 4.5-kg indoor shot. Body composition and size were evaluated from skinfolds, segment circumferences, and limb lengths. Although SSP was significantly related to AP (r=0.51) and RP (r=0.66), removing the effect of differences in body mass reduced the correlation coefficients for both relationships (r=0.17 and 0.29, respectively). Removing the effect of LBM had the same effect on these relationships. Multiple regression analysis to predict AP selected SSP, body mass, and chest circumference (R=0.62). In predicting RP, the significant variables selected were flexed arm circumference and SSP (R=0.77). In both equations, SSP contributed less than 29% to the explained variance in BPP. Therefore it appears that the SSP is moderately related to both absolute and relative bench press power in college football players and may be greatly influenced by size and muscularity.