500 X 10

[Titus Pullo]

Bah, who cares, Tommy.  If I could rep 500, I would stomp a half mile before such a set

[NarcissisticDeity]

That's BIG weight. You're a savage

[Fortress]

Sorry. Didn’t know it was ... you.

Brother, that ride you gave 500 is astounding. For ANY age. I’ve been in hardcore gyms for 35 years and such a feat is highly uncommon.

Even amongst the drug guys.

You’re a beast among ants.

[The Scott]

I am envious but happy for you, brother!  I am no longer capable of that.  Those days are long gone but I am also Handicapable now, LOL!  Yup.  I have plates and a placard.   

[Fortress]

P.S. Are you on gas/HRT?

[tommywishbone]

That's BIG weight. You're a savage

Sincerely appreciated sir.  Thank you too for the proper YouTube link.

[tommywishbone]

Sorry. Didn’t know it was ... you.

Brother, that ride you gave 500 is astounding. For ANY age. I’ve been in hardcore gyms for 35 years and such a feat is highly uncommon.

Even amongst the drug guys.

You’re a beast among ants.

Right on Fortress. Appreciated my friend.

[Eulogy]

Just came back from a leg workout and seeing this makes me want to go back and work them harder.

Inspiring mate.

[robcguns]

Damn strong,would have crushed me to dust.

[TheShape.]

That’s some serious old man strength. Your neck is still looking big too. 

[Hypertrophy]

Tommy is quiet about his abilities. Amazing strength- props!

[Matt]

Some old busted geezer in my gym last Saturday 500 X 10.   Link is totally safe.

Saw what you did there.  

How is this even possible?  

My max squat is around 385-lb for a couple of hard reps.  I could probably bring that up to 425-lb @175-lb body weight, with training - but I have never committed long enough on squats to get to that point.  I am 185-lb now [maybe a bit more after the few perogies I just ate], and looking to drop to 170 through fasting, then get up to 180 - CAASA gives competitors a 3-lb weight allowance to account for clothes, so I can be 178.  Looking forward to competing again.

Seeing how strong larger men are...it just makes me grateful for weight classes - that's all I can say!  I can't fathom having to compete with guys who basically warm up with 500-lb like that.

That lift is amazing for any age.  I can't imagine ever getting to that point without a huge commitment to training + some sauce in me.

Great stuff, Tommy!

[keanu]

I've seen 500 lbs squats before but never for more than 5 reps. It is very rare to see such power that lasts. To put things in perspective, Tom Platz did 500 and change for 23 in his prime while Wishbone hit 20 in his. This is very rare. It looked like Wishbone left a couple of reps in the tank there and could have gone further.

[Matt]

I've seen 500 lbs squats before but never for more than 5 reps. It is very rare to see such power that lasts. To put things in perspective, Tom Platz did 500 and change for 23 in his prime while Wishbone hit 20 in his. This is very rare. It looked like Wishbone left a couple of reps in the tank there and could have gone further.

Yep.  I have NEVER seen anyone hit 500 for 10 in real life.  I think Thunder Bay's Strongest Man posted a video of 500 for 10...but he is the strongest man in the city, and placed 9th at Canada's Strongest Man in 2015 [I believe].  His name is Kyle Rayner - not the comic book character.  

I'm assuming that Tommy is structurally advantaged for squats - not to take anything from that lift...just saying that it would seem impossible to do that without some sort of genetic advantage.

I believe in 2014, at age 51, Ed Coan hit 675 for an easy-peasy one rep ATG squat.  It blew my mind watching that.

Found the video - haha!  Wow...how is this even possible?!  I guess for a guy that squatted a grand in his prime, this was only around 70% of his max...still though.

Regarding the number of steps Coan took before getting grounded and squatting...would most lifting coaches say that is inefficient?  Or is a more likely explanation that Coan knew this would be easy weight, and wasn't worried about taking an extra step?

Where is The_Coach_is_Back! to help answer this question?

For perspective - if Tommy did 500x20 in his prime, would it be fair to say that Ed Coan did 600x20?  I think that just goes to show how amazing Tommy's lift is - given that comparison would be him versus one of the best squatters of all time.

[tommywishbone]

Matt, Keanu, iron bothers you are way too kind to an old nobody like me.  Sincerely appreciated.

Addresing my structure and genetics for squatting: Both are absolutely unremarkable. At my current 242 pounds my waist is 36". A bigger thicker waist is much better for moving big weights on the squat. My "levers" are proportional to my 6' 0" height. If anything I'm probably best built for deadlifting.

My best advantage, in my opinion, is that all those years ago when I first started competing I had exceptional coaches and training partners. All the cats I trained with were 650+ competition squatters. Some guys way above that... Lee Moran 1003 @330. Manny Burruel 860 @275. Scott Palmer 804 @242. Ron Morris 770 @242. Repping 500 pounds just seemed normal and expected. Sort of strange I know.

I've had some bad injuries and multiple surgeries but my doctors always fixed everything just right.

The only reason I continue to train heavy is because I still compete in the sport of powerlifting. Once my numbers start to drop and I am unable to stop the regression... I will stop.  

Ed Coan and I are friends in real life. Brother, Ed is just the nicest, most easy going, approachable 10X World Champion you will ever meet. Could Ed have hit 600 X 20 in his prime? Wow! That's big. Real big. I'll ask him next time I see him. I'm leaning  towards "no" but with Ed Coan, who knows.

All the best, Tom



          Mark Bell.                            Tommywishbone.                            Ed Coan.

[Matt]

^ What?!

6'0 and squatting 500-lb for 10 at that depth...I wasn't sure if you were shorter and with legs that would advantage the squats.  So I was way off on that hypothesis.  I couldn't determine your height from your YouTube interview  - the one where you mentioned you could get back to a 500x20 deadlift with minimal training.  I have interviewed Mark Bell a couple of times for my FitnessByMatt YouTube channel, so I know his height.  You are dwarfing Ed in that pictor, Tommy. 

Personally, I am more impressed with a 500x10 squat than a 500x20 deadlift.  Especially for a taller man.  That's debatable...but I think heavy squatting like that is even rarer than heavy deadlifting.

You've inspired me to try to get my below parallel squat to at least 405-lb.  Even at 175-lb, I have no excuse.  I simply don't train legs enough, hence maxing out in the upper 300's.  NO more excuses.  The top 180-lb powerlifter in Thunder Bay hit 440-lb.  Another guy who was actually 170-lb hit 500-lb, but he hasn't competed in a few years.  I have no idea why  I honestly think it's possible that some of the guys in the local scene here refuse to compete unless they know they will get 1st place - and that is part of why I was able to win the CAASA Provincials in 2017.    A handful of guys in town could have given me a good run, but all the guys I worried about didn't show up, and left the door open for me. 

After watching your video [and the Ed Coan video I posted], I realize I am making excuses about age that I really have no excuse to make.

PS - nobody who squats 500x10 is a "old nobody" in lifting terms.  I can't even think of five times I've seen that, outside of the world's elite.  As I said, even Thunder Bay's Strongest Man, who placed 9th in Canada's Strongest Man in 2015, squats around what you do - and he is only 30.  I laugh every time I hear someone say "I know dozens of guys who can lift that."  Uhh...I've been to 17 expos, and probably competed in almost as many contests over the years, and I have NEVER seen that in person - not once.  I don't know if your experiences have been different than mine, Tommy.  You must train at a gym filled with Getbiggers. 

[YngiweRhoads]

Damn impressive man. I'm only 51 and leery about heavy weights now after tearing my bicep tendon. 57? You're a machine dude. Props.