How much can tennis players bench press?

Anyone know how much some pros can bench (or give a rough estimate)?

[Ronaldo]

As Agassi once said I can out-bench any of the guys that just beat me

[JohnThomas1]

Hmmmmm, Agassi laid claim to about 315 pounds just before the Australian open.

[Ronaldo]

Never knew Fed carried so much weight before a match

[Hewittfan22]

this is the most stupiest question ever

it's not that stupid... but i doubt a lot of ppl know these kinds of things

"most stupiest"

excellent grammar and spelling nowadays.

[Matt H.]

there's no denying that tennis players are some of fittest, if not THE fittest atheletes in professional sports.

However, i'd say they don't bench as much as most other pro athletes to the fact that it's a muscle group that isn't as important and needs much attention as compared to others.

[Phil]

there's no denying that tennis players are some of fittest, if not THE fittest atheletes in professional sports.

Not even close to boxers.

[Anonymous]

Agassi can bench a truck, man. You rock Andre. Win the French, boy!!

[Kevin T]

I've said it before and I'll say it again; I call BS on Agassi benching 315# if we are talking free weight, strict bench pressing. I've seen him up close without a shirt on during his practice sessions at the Cincy tourney and I just don't see the muscular development required to move that kind of poundage. Maybe he can but I need proof. He is always so secretive about his training methods. We know he runs hills and lifts heavy weight but he never elaborates when reporters ask questions. Give us video proof Andre!! Maybe he can do 315# on a machine or the Bowflex...then I might believe him.

[joe sch]

Most 10s players have been historically weak compared to other athletes. Andre Agassi has help change this by hiring a fulltime trainer who specializes in power lifting, Gill Reyes. He can bench over 300 lbs. There are other weight training excercises that are much better suited for tennis motions but benchpress or squat is usually the one you will hear about since lifters can use the most weight in these lifts. Weight training can be very valuable for increasing muscle endurance and preventing injuries and this is one reason why I believe AA has outlasted most of the present day players. It works for me

[Ash Doyle]

Men's journal magazine once did an article about the fitness level of different pro athletes by sport, and if you go by their results then male tennis players are nowhere near the fittest. For body fat content they had male tennis players listed at 12% - 16%. It was way down the list. First place went to Basketball players at 4% - 8% on average.

[JohnThomas1]

@Kevin T, i am 5'6 and 172 pounds and was bench pressing 308. I am sure as heck not an elite athlete and do not have the time or professional hands on that Agassi has. I have no problem at all believing Andre was benching 315, as a matter of fact if he trains seriously with weights anything under would be a disappointment. In 4 years of semi serious weight training i doubled my strength and went from benching 15 X 90 to 10 X 220. Agassi has a lot more going for him. (Time, trainer genetics etc etc)

[Kevin T]

That's great John Thomas but I still don't believe it. Agassi is not as tall or as heavy as he lists himself. If you get the chance to see him up close you will notice that. All pro athletes, in all sports, exaggerate their ht/wt info. I played DI college football and the guys in Agassi's weight class that benched >300# were much, much more developed muscularly. He doesn't have a well-developed chest and the accessory muscles recruited during the bench press motion (lats,triceps,front deltoids) are very average. He also has a narrow shoulder girdle which is a major hindrance in benching. I hope he can bench 300#. I am just skeptical.

[guernica1]

I can believe a 315 lb 1 time max, but then again any person who has put in at least 12 months of dedicated lifting can do a rather impressive sounding 1 time max.

Like Kevin I highly doubt Agassi is 'working out' at 315 lbs reps which is a huge difference.

Go to the NFL combine results and you will see that cornerback and running back prospects are tested on 225 lb maximum number reps and many do like 8-10 maximum.

Among that field, Agassi is probably closest to a cornerback in strenght... MAYBE.

[Kevin T]

Agreed, Guernica1. Of course Agassi is a world-class athlete but I don't know if I would group him with the likes of pro cornerbacks and running backs. He's got the hand/eye coordination and endurance but with NFL corners and RB's we're talking 4.3 40's, 40inch vertical leaps,300# benches and >500# squats. Even if Agassi has that bench, there is no way he gets the others. Not to say those stats make a successful pro but they definitely accompany the large majority of prospects. I'll concede the bench to Andre considering he wore a compression benching shirt, bounced the weight off his chest and drank 3 Red Bulls prior to the workout.

[Ronaldo]

Just for the record, Earl Boykins, 5'5" guard for the Denver Nuggets benches 300-350# and weighs 133#. He can bench more than any other player on that team. Steve Nash, Dallas Maverick guard squats over 400# while standing on a wobble board. Finally, Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons benches over 475#. These guys really look like gym rats

[Rabbit]

I can bench 315 on a machine like Nautilus or Cybex, but Kevin's right. Free weights are a hole different ball game. I doubt I bench about 275 on free weights, and then only one rep....it's a lot harder to work with free weights than the machines.

[guernica1]

One thing is though the shorter your arms are it does help with bench and squat because you do have a shorter distance to carry the weight through.

Boykins is truly impressive though, fast as lightning, skits around the court like a water bug and yes he is strong as an ox for his size.

I have often wondered how well some of the elite point guards or cornerbacks or boxers would do if they dedicated themselves tennis as they have a premium combination of speed, flexibility, smoothness in hip movements for direction change, hand-eye coordination and size-strength ratios, not to mention point guards especially have very good court awareness and sports strategy..

We'll probably never know but interesting food for thought.