Lisandro Martínez may not be the tallest defender in world football, but what he lacks in height, he more than makes up for in raw power, and recent footage from the gym proves it.
The 27-year-old Manchester United and Argentina star has long been hailed as one of the toughest centre-backs in the game. But now, fans are wondering just how strong “The Butcher” really is.
Since arriving in the Premier League, Argentine defensive ace Lisandro Martínez has shown his class on the pitch, though his stint at Old Trafford has been hampered by unfortunate injury spells.
Standing at just 5’9”, Martínez is considered short by centre-back standards, but that hasn’t stopped him from overpowering attackers.
So where does this brute strength come from?
Recently, fans were treated to a glimpse of his gym routine, and the strength on display was shocking. The video showed Martínez performing a bench press during an instant.
Fans on X immediately began speculating just how much weight was on the bar, and while guesses varied, a clear breakdown of the plate configuration gives us a concrete answer.
Each side of the barbell holds four large plates and three thinner ones, all in standard gym color and size. Upon closer inspection, it becomes evident that Martínez is pressing an impressive 130 kilograms.
Here’s the math.
The four large plates on each side are standard 10 kg plates. That gives 40 kg per side from the larger plates. Then come the three thinner plates, which are standard 5 kg weights, adding another 15 kg per side.
Altogether, that’s 55 kg on each side of the bar. Multiply that by two, and the total plate weight comes to 110 kg. Add in the standard 20 kg Olympic barbell, and the full lift equals 130 kg, or roughly 286 pounds.
This is no small feat, especially when you consider Martínez’s physical profile. Standing at 5’9” (1.75 m) and weighing approximately 77 kg (170 lbs), he isn’t the biggest defender on the pitch by any stretch.
Yet, here he is, pushing nearly 1.7 times his own body weight on a bench press. That level of upper-body strength places him comfortably among the strongest pound-for-pound footballers in the sport.
Unfortunately, Lisandro Martínez is currently sidelined due to an ACL injury he sustained in Manchester United’s 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace in February. He underwent successful surgery shortly after and has since been focused on recovery and rehabilitation. The Argentine is expected to return to action in the opening weeks of the 2025/26 Premier League.
