Glaring omission from that list is Ken Patera. Was on Olympic team , gold medalist in the Pan Am games.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Think it’s pretty safe to assume that 95%+ of those claims are complete bullshit.[/quote]
Yes. Surprised no one has mentioned Arcidi- he only held the WORLD BENCH RECORD! Guys who seriously competed, whose numbers are reasonable and can prob be checked:
Kaz, Mark Henry, Arcidi- obviously
Bruno Sammartino - IronMind named him one of the 50 strongest men of the 20th century. Drug free. Legit 500, dka 565 though.
Doug Furnas-up until a few years ago still in the Top 10 for his BW in the squat, per the back pages of Powerlifting USA. Google a picture, look at his huge quads, you’ll believe it. At about 260, he moved like a gymnast in the ring.
Norton - Probably legit. Won arm-wrestling world championships. Played for Oilers
Waterman- Probably legit. Still puts on strongman shows and, as of a few years ago, competes in powerlifting and MMA.
Putski- . probably legit. Compteted in WSM.
Other than those, keep in mind a lot of guys were seriously into powerlifting or bodybuilding before being famous. Also, a lot of guys started lifting in the 60s and 70s, where bodybuilding and strength training were not considered separate (GASP!). So they were big guys who juiced and trained with heavy weights.
I would almost guarantee that Doug Furnas’s 600 pound bench is legit. Furnas is from Oklahoma and was/is pretty well known (within competitive circles) for his powerlifting accomplishments.
[quote]Sonny S wrote:
Doug Furnas-up until a few years ago still in the Top 10 for his BW in the squat, per the back pages of Powerlifting USA. Google a picture, look at his huge quads, you’ll believe it. At about 260, he moved like a gymnast in the ring.
[/quote]
I didn’t notice this comment before I posted, but yes, Furnas was a legit freak.
Your comment about his (athletic) ability in the ring is 100% correct.
tank abbot at 600 lbs was the first time I ever saw the bar bend before I was into lifting… I was very young and watched UFC cause we had a black box but for some reason I remember it for reps but I just remember thinking it was nuts. It was his best of special… I’ll never forget the fishhook either…
he said he was in the ring with some b@#$… and he had to show him the fish hook. It was the first rule to come to pass in the UFC “no fishhooks”
[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
[quote]roybot wrote:
Tank Abbott’s bench is legit:
[/quote]
That’s the first I thought that was not[/quote]
He upright row 3 plates and curl 150lbs each arm for reps with terrible form but it is still insane!
But I wonder WTF the kid spotting him would do if he cant lift it…?lol
Looking at Tank’s physique, I’d never give him 600 - I just don’t see the structure/mass where it needs to be. Never. I’m impressed.
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
Looking at Tank’s physique, I’d never give him 600 - I just don’t see the structure/mass where it needs to be. Never. I’m impressed.[/quote]
I read somewhere that Tank himself admitted it was fake and posted it to intimidate his opponents. I have no idea if that’s true or not.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
I read somewhere that Tank himself admitted it was fake and posted it to intimidate his opponents. I have no idea if that’s true or not.[/quote]
I can’t confirm or deny that, either. I tried to find a clip of Tank owning up to the fake, but it doesn’t make sense that he’d use intimidation tactics for one fight only, when he could use it to his lasting advantage by letting future opponents believe it was real as well.
And that bar is bending an awful lot for a fake lift 
And also, 600 with that style – while extremely impressive – is NOT the same thing as a 600 lb legal lift.
Actually the bar whip was very interesting. It must have really aided the drive off the chest.
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Actually the bar whip was very interesting. It must have really aided the drive off the chest.[/quote]
Poor technique? Or good use of physics?
Didn’t anyone else find this one wierd?
Eddie Guerrero - 275
Guy wrestled at “Cruiserweight” which tops out at 215 lbs. And at that weight, he could only put up 275? That can’t be right.
Joseph Canterbury has been known to put up 340 at a weight of 190
[quote]roybot wrote:
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Actually the bar whip was very interesting. It must have really aided the drive off the chest.[/quote]
Poor technique? Or good use of physics?
[/quote]
Good use of physics to move the most weight in a way entirely satisfactory for the purpose.
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Good use of physics to move the most weight in a way entirely satisfactory for the purpose.[/quote]
I had a feeling you’d say that
[quote]Dustin wrote:
[quote]Sonny S wrote:
Doug Furnas-up until a few years ago still in the Top 10 for his BW in the squat, per the back pages of Powerlifting USA. Google a picture, look at his huge quads, you’ll believe it. At about 260, he moved like a gymnast in the ring.
[/quote]
I didn’t notice this comment before I posted, but yes, Furnas was a legit freak.
Your comment about his (athletic) ability in the ring is 100% correct.[/quote]
Furnas and Lafon are one of my all-time favorite tag teams
Interesting article and a cool picture of Kaz looking pretty ripped
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
Looking at Tank’s physique, I’d never give him 600 - I just don’t see the structure/mass where it needs to be. Never. I’m impressed.[/quote]
I’m not sure mass is the problem. With the big bounce in the video I could see it.
[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
Looking at Tank’s physique, I’d never give him 600 - I just don’t see the structure/mass where it needs to be. Never. I’m impressed.[/quote]
I’m not sure mass is the problem. With the big bounce in the video I could see it.[/quote]
That was one hell of a bench. I don’t like the guy at all but I must give that fat mofo his due. That was a lot of weight moving fast and straight up.