[quote]tom63 wrote:
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
WR raw bench is over 700 pounds held by Scott Mendleson[/quote]
Your point? Do me a favor. Go back 20 years and tell me the WR raw bench record. Or just go back to where shirts were first used. Track the progress of the “assisted” bench record v. the raw bench and you will see a long flat line for that raw bench. 500 raw is nothing to sneeze at. Remove the drugs and it gets even more elite. I’ve seen plenty of 500 benchers that don’t bench 5 anymore when they’ve been off a while. this isn’t a drug rant by any means. i’m just saying 500 raw is not pedestrian.[/quote]
I’m 47 now and first powerlifted in 1982 btw. There is no arguing 500 raw is amazing. I don’t care if you weigh 400 lbs a slong as you do it strict touch and go or paused.
But as for best ever lifts, Kaz did 661 at around 275-310, Ted Arcidi did 705 with maybe an inzer blast, which were crap BTW. Big Jim Williams did 700 in front of reilable witnesses at York Barbell in the early70s. John Kuc did 600 or so at superheavy.
One of the best ever was Rick Weil doing 556 at 181, raw. He was knocking on the door of 500 at 165, but he never hit it. Rich Gaugler also did 479 at the same weight, 165.
Bridges did over 500 at 181, I think raw. Paul Dicks did app 612 at 220 and Mark Macdonald did over 600 at 242. That was also raw.
Common thing with these guys? they were the best ever.
Legitimate 500 or more benches done raw with a pause on drugs are extremely rare. Extremely rare. Internet lies are about as reliable as the old my second cousin knew a guy who did 765 at like 150 pounds twice. When later you find it was two half reps in a leg press done by some fat guy.
As for presses, 300 lbs is bad boy territory IMO. 350 is more and 400 in a legitimate press is Paul Anderson territory.
For you young ins the press was removed partially due to the excessive lean back style. Good ole Paul just drove it over head. Some Bulgarian who I forget did 500+, Bednarski was in the 400s I think in the mid 60s or so, and Ken Patera did over 500 or 500 at least once. Guys like Jon Cole, 2350 raw in the mid 70s, reportedly did 350 plus, maybe 400. My memory is getting a little sketchy there.[/quote]
Thank you for setting the record straight. The internet is funny.
