If you’ve ever watched a 300-pound offensive lineman get tossed aside like a wet paper towel, you’ve probably asked yourself: how is that even physically possible? Most of the time, the man doing the tossing was Aaron Donald. Now that he’s stepped away from the NFL, his legendary status is basically set in stone, but the stories about his weight room numbers only seem to grow.
You’ll hear some people claim he’s out here benching 600 pounds. Others say it’s all about the leverage. Honestly, the reality is a mix of documented combine stats and viral gym videos that would make most bodybuilders sweat.
The Official Number: 35 Reps at the Combine
Let’s start with the hard data because that's where the hype began. Back in 2014, when Aaron Donald was just a "too small" prospect coming out of Pitt, he walked onto the floor at the NFL Scouting Combine and put the league on notice.
Aaron Donald benched 225 pounds for 35 reps. To give you some perspective, that’s not just "good for a small guy." It’s elite for anyone. Most human beings can't bench 225 once. Donald did it 35 times after running a 4.68-second 40-yard dash. That performance is still talked about as one of the most dominant displays of "functional strength" in combine history. It wasn't just about the number; it was the speed of the reps. He wasn't struggling at rep 20. He was a machine.
How Much Does Aaron Donald Bench Max?
This is where things get interesting. The NFL doesn't track "one-rep max" (1RM) officially, so we have to look at what’s been caught on camera during his off-season grinds.
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In 2018, a video went viral showing Donald absolutely crushing 495 pounds on the bench press. He did it without a spotter helping him lift the weight off the rack. He just lowered it, paused, and drove it back up.
- Documented Max: 495 lbs (repped out in training)
- The "500" Club: He has casually mentioned in interviews, including a notable chat with DK Metcalf, that he has hit the 500-pound mark.
- The Slingshot Factor: Some gym nerds pointed out he used a "Slingshot" (a piece of elastic equipment) in certain videos, which helps with the bottom of the lift. However, even with a Slingshot, moving 500 pounds requires an ungodly amount of stability and tricep power.
Basically, if Aaron Donald walked into your local gym today, he could likely bench press the weight of two-and-a-half average adult men without breaking a sweat.
Why His Bench Matters More Than Others
You see guys in the gym who can bench a lot, but they usually look like refrigerators. They can't move. Donald was different. He maintained a body fat percentage that hovered around 10% to 11% while weighing 280 pounds. That is unheard of for an interior defensive lineman.
His strength wasn't "show muscle." It was explosive. When he benched, he was training his "punch"—that initial contact where he’d strike an offensive lineman's chest. Because his arms were slightly shorter than the average tackle, he had a shorter distance to travel (a mechanical advantage in benching), but he used that to create a faster, more violent impact on the field.
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The Psychotic Routine
It wasn't just the bench press. His teammate Jared Verse recently described training with Donald as "psychotic." We're talking about a guy who eats 5,000 calories a day—including massive amounts of fish and rice—just to fuel workouts that would leave most people bedridden for a week.
His upper body days weren't just about the flat bench. He would cycle through:
- Incline Bench Press: To build that upper chest power.
- Dumbbell Flyes: For chest expansion and stability.
- Military Press: For those boulder shoulders that allowed him to shed blocks.
- 160-pound Dumbbell Curls: Yes, there is footage of him curling weights that most people can't even deadlift.
The Myth vs. The Reality
Is he the strongest player to ever play? Maybe not in terms of raw powerlifting numbers. There are guys like Larry Allen who allegedly benched 700 pounds. But in terms of usable strength? Donald is in a league of his own.
The misconception is that he was just a "weight room warrior." The truth is his dad, Archie Donald, started him lifting in a basement in Pittsburgh when he was just 12 years old. That 500-pound bench wasn't built in a flashy Los Angeles training center; it was built over twenty years of waking up at 4:30 AM to hit the iron.
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Actionable Takeaways for Your Own Strength
If you’re looking to boost your own bench press based on the "Donald Method," don't just load up the bar and hope for the best.
- Focus on Rep Speed: Donald didn't just move weight; he moved it fast. If you're training for sports, "compensatory acceleration" (pushing as hard as possible even with lighter weights) is key.
- Don't Ignore the Core: Donald’s ability to bench 500 pounds came from a rock-solid base. He did hundreds of reps of medicine ball crunches and planks to ensure his torso didn't collapse under the load.
- Consistency over Hype: He famously never took days off. If you want a 300, 400, or 500-pound bench, it’s about the years, not the weeks.
Aaron Donald’s bench press is a testament to what happens when elite genetics meet a borderline-obsessive work ethic. Whether the "real" max is 495 or 510 doesn't really matter. When you can move that much weight and still run like a linebacker, you've officially beaten the game of football.
To start building your own explosive power, prioritize compound movements like the bench and squat at least twice a week, focusing on perfect form and explosive drive from the bottom of the movement.