Bench press; Squat These tests, which are done as 1 repetition maximums (or sometimes the best of three) are good indicators of levels of absolute strength in a player.
Bench press
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The bench press is the classic test of upper body strength, particularly the chest, shoulders and triceps. The athlete lies on his back on a bench and lifts (‘presses’) a bar weight from the chest, to arm's length, and then lowers it back to the chest. The amount lifted is divided by the person’s body weight. Thus, the more you weigh, the heavier the weight you should be able to bench press. The front five forwards are expected to press at least 1.5kg per kilogram of body weight. So prop Os du Randt, who weighs in at 125kg, should be able to press at least 187.5kg, while hooker Hanyani Shimange, who weighs 103kg, must press 154.5kg.
Squat
The squat is used to measure lower body strength. The athlete does a squat while lifting a bar weight, or barbell. The athlete rests a barbell on the upper portion of his back, then lowers his hips until his thighs are parallel to the floor. Once he has reached the lowest position, he presses the weight up back to the starting position. The weight lifted in the squat is divided by the person’s body weight.
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