Ben Johnson squatted 600 pounds for 6 reps

[Coach is Back!]

What a joke. The fact some believe this nonsense is further proof a majority of members haven't a clue about strength.

I lifted at a gym where Ben worked out, perhaps 20-odd years ago. He was muscular but slight (still in his best shape) and wasn't capable of squatting even 405 for several reps, unaided and to legal depth.

Six hundred for six?! Do some of you fools have ANY idea how strong this is?!! Johnson was a tremendous athlete but to suggest you believe such total and outrageous bullshit is unimagineable.

P.S. In that video, he's bouncing off a bench set above parallel with 495 (at the Variety Village community centre in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada). He's got someone pulling on him, as well. And some wank in this thread says he is good for perhaps two at 600 because he does six or whatever reps with five plates in this style?!!!

I'm done with this shit, on this here board. If it's strength-related, it's guaranteed to be full of members who just have no idea.

I agree 600 might be exaggerated but you're equating this in powerlifting terms. It's not powerlifting.

[flinstones1]

What a joke. The fact some believe this nonsense is further proof a majority of members haven't a clue about strength.

I lifted at a gym where Ben worked out, perhaps 20-odd years ago. He was muscular but slight (still in his best shape) and wasn't capable of squatting even 405 for several reps, unaided and to legal depth.

Six hundred for six?! Do some of you fools have ANY idea how strong this is?!! Johnson was a tremendous athlete but to suggest you believe such total and outrageous bullshit is unimagineable.

P.S. In that video, he's bouncing off a bench set above parallel with 495 (at the Variety Village community centre in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada). He's got someone pulling on him, as well. And some wank in this thread says he is good for perhaps two at 600 because he does six or whatever reps with five plates in this style?!!!

I'm done with this shit, on this here board. If it's strength-related, it's guaranteed to be full of members who just have no idea.

 It's funny because I didn't even know ben squatted 600 until I WAS READING AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY LOUIE FUCKING SIMMONS AND HE MENTIONED IT BEN SQUATTED 600 for reps.

[Fortress]

It's funny because I didn't even know ben squatted 600 until I WAS READING AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY LOUIE FUCKING SIMMONS AND HE MENTIONED IT BEN SQUATTED 600 for reps.

Yeah, because Louie knows, right? And besides, what Lou has given to the sport of powerlifting is its own deterioration.

[Coach is Back!]

Yeah, because Louie knows, right? And besides, what Lou has given to the sport of powerlifting is its own deterioration.

I'm going there in April. Please explain this comment.

[flinstones1]

I'm going there in April. Please explain this comment.

I'll take a stab at this.

1. He's probably drug free
2. He probably hates equipment
3. He thinks guys who train with equipment can't lift for shit raw.

just something I've found in common with the guys who can't stand westside.

[Fortress]

I'll take a stab at this.

1. He's probably drug free
2. He probably hates equipment
3. He thinks guys who train with equipment can't lift for shit raw.

just something I've found in common with the guys who can't stand westside.

1. Yes
2. No. But I do think excessive gear has hurt the sport's credibility. No, I KNOW it has.
3. Not at all.

Louie did much for powerlifting, but for everything he's done, he has done even more harm. When an important figure in the sport states, "I don't know why someone who's drug-free would even train", well, what the hell.

[Coach is Back!]

1. Yes
2. No. But I do think excessive gear has hurt the sport's credibility. No, I KNOW it has.
3. Not at all.

Louie did much for powerlifting, but for everything he's done, he has done even more harm. When an important figure in the sport states, "I don't know why someone who's drug-free would even train", well, what the hell.

Where did you read that?

[Fortress]

Where did you read that?

Didn't. The man himself uttered those words to me while speaking with one another on the phone.

[Coach is Back!]

Didn't. The man himself uttered those words to me while speaking with one another on the phone.

I'm not calling you a liar so please don't take it that way. I've spoken to Louie on several occasions as well as email and have never heard him say that. What was the context of that conversation. I will agree you can't get to the elite level without it.

[Fortress]

I'm not calling you a liar so please don't take it that way. I've spoken to Louie on several occasions as well as email and have never heard him say that. What was the context of that conversation. I will agree you can't get to the elite level without it.

I was talking with him about the possibility of a drug-free lifter (and raw) achieving an Elite ranking. He thought long and said there MIGHT be someone out there who could, but to do so would be freakish (true. Those IPF rankings were undoubtably conceived from drug-aided performances). Then when I asked if a drug-free lifter could successfully lift at Westside, he suggested it could happen, but that lifter would be at such a huge recovery disadvantage that it was not likely to happen. I believe it was during this part of our convo that he asked why anyone drug-free would even bother lifting.  

[Van_Bilderass]

I'm not calling you a liar so please don't take it that way. I've spoken to Louie on several occasions as well as email and have never heard him say that. What was the context of that conversation. I will agree you can't get to the elite level without it.

I imagine his attitude is that if you're not on drugs you're not dedicated, you're not doing everything you can to be your best. That's the impression I have from rading his stuff.

He also seems to have the same attitude about gear vs. raw, if you're not in gear you're not
"going all out." Really seems to diss the raw lifters. Gear is a joke, almost all powerlifters agree
actually IME, even the ones who compete in gear. When you bench more than you deadlift it's an absolute joke. I think Louie said his athletes were the strongest even raw, but then some PLer, forgot his name, crazy strong dude, put out a challenge, just show up at a meet and prove it. This wasn't long ago.

As far as Ben, only read this last page, but Ben squatting anywhere close to 600 is a joke.

[Fortress]

I imagine his attitude is that if you're not on drugs you're not dedicated, you're not doing everything you can to be your best. That's the impression I have from rading his stuff.

He also seems to have the same attitude about gear vs. raw, if you're not in gear you're not
"going all out." Really seems to diss the raw lifters. Gear is a joke, almost all powerlifters agree
actually IME, even the ones who compete in gear. When you bench more than you deadlift it's an absolute joke. I think Louie said his athletes were the strongest even raw, but then some PLer, forgot his name, crazy strong dude, put out a challenge, just show up at a meet and prove it. This wasn't long ago.

As far as Ben, only read this last page, but Ben squatting anywhere close to 600 is a joke.

Yeah, I think that's his attitude, you're right. To not use drugs and gear means the lifter isn't dedicated and hardcore.

And the deal with lifters outbenching their deadlift numbers IS madness. I mean, what else need be said, really?

[BB]

I believe Louie said the drug free comment, I've heard him say similar over the years from him and the long term guys.

With Westside, the general thrust is if you're not falling inline with Louie on the main things, then you're screwing up.
If you're not looking for any advantage to put weight on the bar, you're screwing up.

The guys issuing the most challenges to Westside seem to be from Chad Wesley Smith's side, but also Sean Katterle, and Chris Pappillion.

To be fair, this kid coming out of Westside is in serious contention for a record spot -

.

[Coach is Back!]

I believe Louie said the drug free comment, I've heard him say similar over the years from him and the long term guys.

With Westside, the general thrust is if you're not falling inline with Louie on the main things, then you're screwing up.
If you're not looking for any advantage to put weight on the bar, you're screwing up.

The guys issuing the most challenges to Westside seem to be from Chad Wesley Smith's side, but also Sean Katterle, and Chris Pappillion.

To be fair, this kid coming out of Westside is in serious contention for a record spot -

.

Chad is all of 24 years old and needs to learn his place. Nice enough person but he's falling along the lines of the dreaded internet guru's. Louie has been doing this since the 60's.

[Fortress]

He said he doesn't care about his guys totalling Elite. Just breaking records, any way they can.

P.S. I'd rather see a dude hit Elite drug-free and raw than set yet another "record" with questionable depth on the squat (and a mile-wide stance, made only possible with a monolift), a pauseless bench and more gear than you'd find on a bomb-defuser.

[Busted]

Well that was 495 for 6- so maybe 600 for 2 .

Thats 10 years later... He was at his peak in the late 80s

[BB]

Just so everyone has an idea the Elite total Louie was thinking of was probably the old USPF standards -

http://uspf.com/lifter%20classification.pdf .

Those are the numbers most older US lifters use as the standard. The USAPL / IPF standard are similar, usually within 10 pounds or so -

http://www.usapowerlifting.com/lifterscorner/ipfclass.shtml .

Thought I'd mention it since there are so many federations and charts now.

[Wolfox]

Ben Johnson in his prime on steroids I believe could hit 600 for a few reps. At least 600.


Here's Dwayne Chambers jump squating with 405lbs.

[tommywishbone]

I have two masters ratings @220 & 275. I have one Elite rating @242. No one and I mean no one has ever put together an Elite rating drug free.

[Coach is Back!]

I have two masters ratings @220 & 275. I have one Elite rating @242. No one and I mean no one has ever put together an Elite rating drug free.

This

[Darren Avey]

Ben Johnson in his prime on steroids I believe could hit 600 for a few reps. At least 600.


Here's Dwayne Chambers jump squating with 405lbs.

Chambers squatted over 500lbs http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1158422/Dwain-Chambers-Masking-agent-visible-tester-knocked.html

[Conker]

Ben Johnson in his prime on steroids I believe could hit 600 for a few reps. At least 600.


Here's Dwayne Chambers jump squating with 405lbs.

LOL In that vid he does 2 squats with 405 not to parallel with some silly little 'jump' at the top lol ...so the silly 'jump' thing at the top means he could handle a couple more hundred lb and actually go to parellel
Not only that but Chambers had about 30-40 lbs on Johnson too.

[Fortress]

LOL In that vid he does 2 squats with 405 not to parallel with some silly little 'jump' at the top lol ...so the silly 'jump' thing at the top means he could handle a couple more hundred lb and actually go to parellel
Not only that but Chambers had about 30-40 lbs on Johnson too.

This.

AGAIN, Johnson would have been buried under even 500 to an approximate parallel. I used to see him lift in person at his best and he was nowhere CLOSE.

The people who suggest he could have obviously have never had 600 on their backs deep in the hole. The man was muscular but small, essentially. There is a universe of difference between doing some half-rep crud reps with 400 and burying 600.

 

[galeniko]

i have just witnessed some powerlifter doing 6and half plates each side squat, all the way down.

fucking hell, the bar was all bent.

and yes, it loked npothing like the "squats" from johnson and the chmabers clown.

[Coach is Back!]

i have just witnessed some powerlifter doing 6and half plates each side squat, all the way down.

fucking hell, the bar was all bent.

and yes, it loked npothing like the "squats" from johnson and the chmabers clown.

Again, don't compare how a powerlifter squats or benches to how an athlete would squat or bench.