Bench Press

I've always wondered why Bench Press is considered the universal measurement for how strong a person is.   Every morning, I see the same people doing the same exercises:  Bench press, triceps and biceps.  Rarely do I see people rotate to shoulders, back and legs.  Don't even think about core exercises (abs, etc). 

There is a new guy showing up at the gym who is doing bench all the time.  His upper body is HUGE.  He benches around 315 about 10 times.  That's a lot of weight.   Today I was spotting him on bench and afterwards asked him what his max is.  After he told me, I asked him what his max was at squats.  He did not know.  I figured he didn't since his legs looked like twigs. 

So what is it about bench press that makes it the key measurement?  Is it because women love pec's, so the the more you can bench the more manly you are?  Is it because if you bench more, you are stronger than somebody else, thus more manly?  In this case, that would imply insecurity, thus a weak mind.  And it's been proven that physical strength is only as strong as mental strength.  So, who really is stronger?

Oh the stuff you think about during the off season  :)  .......