Noah Lyles has revealed his go-to exercise as he dismisses the effectiveness of bench presses in track and field.
Olympic champion and reigning 100m and 200m world champion, Noah Lyles, has made an interesting revelation about his gym routine, shedding light on an exercise he’s less confident in.
During a previous episode of the Beyond the Records podcast, which Lyles co-hosts with fellow Olympians Rai Benjamin and Grant Holloway, the conversation took a turn when they hosted American YouTube sensation MrBeast.
MrBeast, known for his jaw-dropping challenges and philanthropy, shared his bench press PR, stating that he usually benches around 105 pounds per side, totaling 210 pounds.
He admitted that while not impressive for a regular bench press, he finds dumbbells to be much more challenging.
As the world’s fastest man, Noah Lyles had lots to say when asked the best sprinting advise that has propelled his career, delving on nutrition, training, mental alertness and injuries.
Prompted by MrBeast, Lyles was asked about his own bench press numbers. The Olympic gold medalist, however, admitted that bench press wasn’t his main focus.
For Lyles, who is known for his explosive speed on the track, the bench press doesn’t have a prominent place in his training routine.
“Bench press isn’t really the goal of track and field,” Lyles explained.
“For me, it’s more about keeping my upper body toned, but what really matters are the power cleans, squats, box squats, and deadlifts. Those lifts are the ones that really show progress.”
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Lyles went on to explain that his go-to lift is the power clean, an Olympic lift known for its explosive nature.
“The power clean works a lot of different muscle groups. It hits your glutes, quads, and legs, and you engage your hips to drive the weight up,” he said.
“You get full extension, which really mimics the movements we use in sprinting, coming out of the blocks and running upright, focusing on pushing force into the ground and using the hips for power.”
The power clean, according to Lyles, is a key movement that helps sprinters develop the explosive power necessary for quick starts and maintaining speed.
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The exercise targets essential muscle groups involved in sprinting, reinforcing the mechanics of pushing force into the ground and generating speed from the hips.
“It’s just that first part we focus on,” he explained, referencing the lift’s focus on the initial drive.
Lyles’ training is clearly paying off as he kicks off his 2025 season. Recently, he secured a victory in the 60m with a time of 6.62 seconds at an indoor meet in Gainesville, Florida.
This marks an impressive start to his season as he prepares for a highly anticipated 60m showdown at the New Balance Grand Prix in February, where he will face off against former 100m Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs.
With the 2025 track season well underway, Lyles is poised for another action-packed year, building on his success from the Paris Olympics where he claimed a gold medal in the 100m and bronze in the 200m.
