Gene Rychlak (1000lb bencher) has passed away

[Dieter]

RIP...Gene was only 51 and weighed 350 lbs. He benched 1000 lbs showing us all true humility in the process.
He was an amazing bencher, truly world class
He was a role model in the sport of Powerlifting.

[OlympiaGym]

Who?

[BB]

Seemed to be a nice guy, but 5' 9" and #350 isn't a combination for longevity .

[Twaddle]

Isn't this the guy who used that ridiculous suit?  Didn't the suit give him 300 lbs extra?

[Matt]

Isn't this the guy who used that ridiculous suit?  Didn't the suit give him 300 lbs extra?

Yes. 300-lb, or just over.

[Obvious Gimmick]

That sucks. BIP

[wes]

LOL @ 1000 pound bench press !
 

RIP

[Matt]

LOL @ 1000 pound bench press !
 

RIP

There's bench pressing and there is shirt benching. Gene was the latter. But still one of the best at what he did.

[illuminati]

Damn only 51 !!
Carrying 350+lbs of Lard & Muscle Not a Good Idea
Let alone Excess PED usage.

Never cared for them ridiculous bench shirts & the poundages
Hoisted - Though At 1000 pound Bench he must of been
Capable of over 600lbs without a shirt.

[SOMEPARTS]

I remember the above picture going around. One of the big benchers from the heavily assisted early 2000s era. Before that I remember Anthony Clark was the guy that everybody was talking about, at least in mags that sold all that lifting gear...

[MAXX]

Guy was always obese. That in combination with steroids. Yeah...

[Mitch]

BIP (Bench In Peace)

[wes]

There's bench pressing and there is shirt benching. Gene was the latter. But still one of the best at what he did.

Nobody on Earth can bench 1000 pounds,and nobody ever will.
Lets keep it real here.

[Fortress]

... 1000-pound bench he must (must’ve/have) been capable of over 600 lbs. without a shirt ...

Not necessarily.

A lot of these multi-ply bench blasters have seriously unproportional ability through the stroke of a press. Such focus on lifting in a shirt, using boards, etc. robs them of considerable performance development the first several inches off the chest.

If I recall, Gene himself said he’d never pressed, in training, more than 450 without a shirt. And he never would attempt it.

It’s very possible he might have been pinned under much less than six.

[hazbin]

Not necessarily.

A lot of these multi-ply bench blasters have seriously unproportional ability through the stroke of a press. Such focus on lifting in a shirt, using boards, etc. robs them of considerable performance development the first several inches off the chest.

If I recall, Gene himself said he’d never pressed, in training, more than 450 without a shirt. And he never would attempt it.

It’s very possible he might have been pinned under much less than six.

seems like whatever you can pop of the racks ( top 6-8 inches) is what you can bench with those contraptions.

i knew guys that could bench 6plates for 5 in a t-shirt before these crazy fake lifts.

[wes]

Thank you Fortress,and thank you hazbin.

This stupid assisted lifting shit means nothing.

[Fortress]

seems like whatever you can pop of the racks ( top 6-8 inches) is what you can bench with those contraptions.

i knew guys that could bench 6plates for 5 in a t-shirt before these crazy fake lifts.

Then you knew some seriously strong “guys”.

Five hundred-and-eighty-five for five is in the top stratosphere of Elite pressers. Today.

[hazbin]

Then you knew some seriously strong “guys”.

Five hundred-and-eighty-five for five is in the top stratosphere of Elite pressers. Today.

yes, and i absolutely hate bullshit. if my partners fingers even grazed the bar i would not count the lift.

to vet my comment (probably used that wrong) do you recall strangler steve disalvo?

[Fortress]

yes, and i absolutely hate bullshit. if my partners fingers even grazed the bar i would not count the lift.

to vet my comment (probably used that wrong) do you recall strangler steve disalvo?

I’m not calling your integrity into question, my brother. I am merely painting with awe the incredible feats of some you have known.

[hazbin]

I’m not calling your integrity into question, my brother. I am merely painting with awe the incredible feats of some you have known.

i know,  there are way too few of us old school guys left that can appreciate true strength.
Steve, Kazmeier and jeff everson all trained together at the university of wisconsin.
jeff was the weak one with a 560 raw pause bench.
disalvo, Kaz and ted arcidi all trained here in Calgary at the same gym in the early 90s

[Matt]

Not necessarily.

A lot of these multi-ply bench blasters have seriously unproportional ability through the stroke of a press. Such focus on lifting in a shirt, using boards, etc. robs them of considerable performance development the first several inches off the chest.

If I recall, Gene himself said he’d never pressed, in training, more than 450 without a shirt. And he never would attempt it.

It’s very possible he might have been pinned under much less than six.

Crazy if true. Based on body weight alone, I would have no problem believing he could have hit 500 raw in contest form. 600+ is obviously quite elite, and how many guys ever hit over 700 raw? Have there even been six men who have done that?

My friend said he competed with a strongman who bench pressed 700 in a shirt, but could only bench 350 raw in contest.

I'm not sure if that means that proportionally, someone benching 500 raw could hit 1,000 in a shirt. 450 to 1000 seems extreme though.

[jude2]

I saw this guy get crushed by 1000 pounds at the Mr O night show, some years back. His suit ripped and the weight came down fast on him.

[Matt]

I saw this guy get crushed by 1000 pounds at the Mr O night show, some years back. His suit ripped and the weight came down fast on him.

I didn't know that failed attempt was due to equipment failure. Thanks for sharing that.

I recall reading he damaged his spleen in that lift.

One of the announcer's asked if he was going to attempt the lift again, lol.

[BB]

I didn't know that failed attempt was due to equipment failure. Thanks for sharing that.

I recall reading he damaged his spleen in that lift.

One of the announcer's asked if he was going to attempt the lift again, lol.

Here's video of it -

.

[illuminati]

Well seems I could be wrong with thinking he could bench 600lbs raw.
Thanks Fortress & Hazbin For your input.
I’ve never bothered with being remotely interested in assisted shirt
Lifting, so know very little about what they’d bench without them on.

Next they’ll have a fork lift truck assisting them “Lift”  5000+lbs
Totally fraudulent & pathetic endeavour shirted bench press