6th man to bench press 700#

[Goran Paulinič]

I don't know about popularity much but I seriously doubt that you can compare 50s popularity with todays. And today you don't see these kind of jumps in weight lifted any more. Almost all was done in 50s. And who was benching in those times? 100 people in whole world?

[EricMilfeld]

First off, I need to correct/clarify what Tommy said about me. Elite is an actual classification standard in the USAPL. I’ve never come close to totaling that. I am, however, “elite” relative to other M2 (50-59 years old) powerlifters. But yes, I’ve been involved with the sport of powerlifting off and on since 1982 and am a state level referee and doping control officer. I’m not particularly gifted physically for the sport, but I love it and am proud of what I’ve accomplished. I’m also lifetime drug-free. That’s not something I’m proud of. It’s just a fact, like my height is 6’0” is a fact. To be proud of it would suggest I think less of those who choose to use. I don’t. On the other hand, the behavior of those who use and compete using banned substances is in keeping with that of a low-life piece of dooky.  Morally, I equate it with breaking into a home and stealing a wife’s wedding ring. 

With that being said, I tend to agree most with what Rinderle said. My opinion, and of course that’s all it is, is that a 500 pound lifetime PED-free bench is phenomenal and far rarer than perhaps most would suspect. Of course we will never know the entire truth of the matter thanks to spineless insecure cheats who will, for the most part, never be discovered. But I do agree with Tommy that we don’t know what the limits are. I like it that way! Knowing how drug testing has worked in the past and currently works in the organization I respect most (USAPL) I can echo what most of us already know - guys got away with cheating. Personally, I think it’s a shit ton of guys. And the blame for that lied squarely on the cheats themselves. The USAPL has always done its best with available technology and limited financial resources to catch these thieves (an apt term, I think). But even with no-notice out-of-meet testing happening on a regular basis today the thieves continue to steal the recognition, ranking, and respect of the honest athletes. Hopefully the technology used to unmask  these losers prevails against the technology they take advantage of to get away with their cheating. Who knows if and when this might occur. As it is now, someone who used years, even decades, ago will still reap the benefits today of steroid use, while passing any and every form of testing. Very disheartening. I think a lot of people would be surprised by the number of low-level cheats, as in guys squatting 400 pounds weighing, say 230.  I beat a guy at Raw Nationals by a healthy margin who later that year got caught. My official ranking is affected today by another M2 105 class lifter that got busted after the “statutes of limitations” expired on his previous performance, done almost assuredly on steroids. This knowledge leads to “come to Jesus moments”. For me that meant thinking it all through and finally reaffirming that I do this for me. To better yesterday’s me. Ultimately that’s all it is. If I can enjoy some camaraderie and the fun and excitement of competition along the way that’s icing. And yeah, breaking records and climbing up in the rankings is thrilling, but it all has to be kept in perspective. 

[Goran Paulinič]

Nobody ever benched naturally over 500 pounds. Period. All your anectodes are involving people who benched below 500. For those you're sure they involved were natty as I am.  This may be exeptionaly cruel truth and that is why I have brain cancer. So many lies.

[Tommy J.]

I would also add that the best possible natty lifts are gonna take many years (maybe a decade or more?) to achieve. Nobody is gonna get near they’re best possible natty lift in only a couple years training it.

that said, my goal is 400. Only been lazily training off and on for a year and a half and am at 330’ish. Imagine what a decade of dedication and training and stuffing my face could bring.. 500?..

what does my coach think??

[Goran Paulinič]

1 minute ago, Tommy J. said:

I would also add that the best possible natty lifts are gonna take many years (maybe a decade or more?) to achieve. Nobody is gonna get near they’re best possible natty lift in only a couple years training it.

that said, my goal is 400. Only been lazily training off and on for a year and a half and am at 330’ish. Imagine what a decade of dedication and training and stuffing my face could bring.. 500?..

what does my coach think??

And what is tragic you believe you're not gifted because of those frauds.

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, Goran Paulinič said:

And what is tragic you believe you're not gifted because of those frauds.

EXACTLY! One CANNOT compare a life time drug free to a science experiment. No matter what “feel good” or “it’s not that bad or that much of an advantage “ spin we want to put on it. I always laugh when someone says “they still have to put in the work”!! Of course they do, but not as much or nearly as hard of work as the one who did it legit without substances that would make them do what they can’t without it, because if they COULD do that they can do  WITHOUT them, they wouldn’t take them. It’s Apples to Oranges. Don’t compare yourself ever to someone using super drugs. You will only let yourself down, when it is YOU who is the winner by staying true to what you have naturally. 

Edited February 12, 2020 by Guest

[Goran Paulinič]

I know a man who's idol was Lance Armstrong before he was caught. Then this man was appaled and couldn't believe it. This man later became world amateur world champion in cycling. Recently he was discovered as doping user. I don't trust any elite sportman from that time on. It is sad for sport and humanity.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Goran Paulinič

[Tommy J.]

4 minutes ago, Goran Paulinič said:

And what is tragic you believe you're not gifted because of those frauds.

Arrogant moment alert! I believe I am gifted. And believe I am no where near my potential on barbell strength.

at least with my leverages anyways. Short’ish limbs, long torso. The tools for a super squat and bench are already there.

I do wish I had started sooner tho.. not getting any younger. But regardless, am indeed still a pup in the barbell game.

[Goran Paulinič]

It's like intelligence. There is no "space man" out there. We all think like humans regardless of IQ. With words, logic, spatial thinking. So there cannot be ninja turtles in bench. We have same bodies and when you establish base bench average which you can establish only in your local gyms where there are most natty guys you know there cannot be outliers at six sigmas everywhere. People don't bench 315 in large quantities even with best trainnig. So this number is already above average.

[Mike Rinderle]

29 minutes ago, EricMilfeld said:

With that being said, I tend to agree most with what Rinderle said.

The world would be so much better off if everyone just followed your lead.  Just sayin.  

[Goran Paulinič]

Your average guy starts benching with 50 kg. That's the real start for average untrained male. So, where could be outliers? Do they start with 405 :D? Never, even in a million years. Nobody starts even with 405 deadlift. It is impossible.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Goran Paulinič said:

Your average guy starts benching with 50 kg. That's the real start for average untrained male. So, where could be outliers? Do they start with 405 :D? Never, even in a million years. Nobody starts even with 405 deadlift. It is impossible.

I deadlifted 430 the first time I ever tried it at  15ish..... but I agree with most of what you said.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Guest

[Goran Paulinič]

5 minutes ago, Joseph Sullivan said:

I deadlifted 430 the first time I ever tried it at  15ish..... but I agree with most of what you said.

I saw once a young man who benched 80 kg first time he tried. It was the only time I saw something like that. Never seen a man lift 220 at first try. But I believe there must be some. More than that is a fairy story for good night.

[Guest]

Just now, Goran Paulinič said:

I saw once a young man who benched 80 kg first time he tried. It was the only time I saw something like that. Never seen a man lift 220 at first try. But I believe there must be some. More than that is a fairy story for good night.

You don’t believe a 300 hundred pound 6’4 inch kid can deadlift over 400 first try? Why not? I can tell you I did. 1993 to be exact.  Don’t care who believes me either. It’s not that big a deal for a deadlift. For a bench? Yes totally big deal.  Some people are made to deadlift.  When I was on the football team in high school lots of guys benched 300, squatted 500 and deadlifted 600 in not much time. 

[Goran Paulinič]

Just now, Joseph Sullivan said:

You don’t believe a 300 hundred pound 6’4 inch kid can deadlift over 400 first try? Why not? I can tell you I did. 1993 to be exact.  Don’t care who believes me either. It’s not that big a deal for a deadlift. For a bench? Yes totally big deal.  Some people are made to deadlift.  When I was on the football team in high school lots of guys benched 300, squatted 500 and deadlifted 600 in not much time. 

I believe that you deadlifted that. Although I cannot understand how is this possible without any serious prior hard work.

[Guest]

Just now, Goran Paulinič said:

I believe that you deadlifted that. Although I cannot understand how is this possible without any serious prior hard work.

Ahhhh I understand. Yes I did lift weights before that but never a deadlift. So the first time I tried it that’s what I got. 

[Goran Paulinič]

So, this is we got over. I am saying I saw a young man who never ever trained anything and I know that for sure. And he benched 80 kg. I was amazed.

[Climber028]

8 minutes ago, Goran Paulinič said:

I saw once a young man who benched 80 kg first time he tried. It was the only time I saw something like that. Never seen a man lift 220 at first try. But I believe there must be some. More than that is a fairy story for good night.

Just a few months ago a buddy of mine did 225 first try, he had only ever done push ups prior and was in the military. It's impressive but not a wild elite bench. 

[Climber028]

4 minutes ago, Goran Paulinič said:

I believe that you deadlifted that. Although I cannot understand how is this possible without any serious prior hard work.

400 is not a high deadlift, I have had many people on day one work up to an easy 3 plates and they aren't even giant mutants. 500 and up I might have a hard time believing tho. 

[Goran Paulinič]

2 minutes ago, Climber028 said:

Just a few months ago a buddy of mine did 225 first try, he had only ever done push ups prior and was in the military. It's impressive but not a wild elite bench. 

It is impressive.

[EricMilfeld]

As Goran alluded to, strength standards have been artificially inflated by artificial hormones. And it is sad. It wouldn’t be if we could separate all the enhanced lifts from the natural lifts. For me personally, the longer I’ve been involved with sports and strength training the more naïve I feel about usage and detection. The average man would have to put in a lot of time and effort and gain a good deal of size to ever squat 500 naturally, for example, if he could even attain that standard at all. And yet, in part, because of steroid use a lift like that would get little recognition outside of a circle of training buddies. 

[Goran Paulinič]

8 minutes ago, Climber028 said:

400 is not a high deadlift, I have had many people on day one work up to an easy 3 plates and they aren't even giant mutants. 500 and up I might have a hard time believing tho. 

I wouldn't know about that. Some kind of trainning must be involved. Usually it begins right about the weight of benchpress (60kg) which is interesting. Then deadlift explodes and become doubled in no time. Bench not so.

[PronatorKyle]

2 hours ago, Goran Paulinič said:

Please, look at these nombers (link) and tell me if it isn't at least suspitious that big lifts began in 50's? In 50's roids came among populus as is well known and hugh! bench record improved 100 kilos in no time! Those must have been some ninja turtles who came out of the blue. My brain darkens again.
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Progression_of_the_bench_press_world_record

Roids started getting used often in the early 1900's mate.

[Guest]

27 minutes ago, EricMilfeld said:

As Goran alluded to, strength standards have been artificially inflated by artificial hormones. And it is sad. It wouldn’t be if we could separate all the enhanced lifts from the natural lifts. For me personally, the longer I’ve been involved with sports and strength training the more naïve I feel about usage and detection. The average man would have to put in a lot of time and effort and gain a good deal of size to ever squat 500 naturally, for example, if he could even attain that standard at all. And yet, in part, because of steroid use a lift like that would get little recognition outside of a circle of training buddies. 

It’s very sad... what people believe is “natural” and what is a good lift or not these days and achievable without drugs. BUT.... the advantage of being a natural is YOU can compare yourself to anyone in ANY  time period with the confidence to  See where you stand. A science project Cannot do that....

Edited February 12, 2020 by Guest

[PronatorKyle]

2 hours ago, Lennix said:

Where would you say the line for deadlifts go? 

Definitely not 500 that's for sure that's achievable natty for a completely average joe at 170 body weight. with good training