MaryLand Muscle Machine

[JackTheRipper]

Mentzer and Viator were deadlifting after back and loaded the bar to about 500lbs. Both failed. Samir watching them grabbed the bar and did a bunch of reps while  weighing less than both of them.

Absolutely bullshit
Which mag did you get that from..were you there?
Did you see it happening?

[JackTheRipper]

Hell yeah 

[falco]

Looks great for a fella pushing 60 but why not just do normal exercises

Maybe he is bored and fed up with training and just want to end workouts quickly, exercising multile muscle groups at a time.

Just like me.

[JackTheRipper]

meanwhile Big Jay is Jay-walking 

[joswift]

Absolutely bullshit
Which mag did you get that from..were you there?
Did you see it happening?

its a story, it may be true in may not

Calm the fuck down...

[JackTheRipper]

its a story, it may be true in may not

Calm the fuck down...

[JackTheRipper]

Maybe he is bored and fed up with training and just want to end workouts quickly, exercising multile muscle groups at a time.

Just like me.

Bodybuilders trained in this way years ago, cleans, clean & press... a lot of Olympic lifts were in many a routine.
It was just later that machines took over & the "isolation" training began. Why clean & press a bar when you can sit on a machine & just press.

with regards to Kevin, he likes the old school heavy ass training so i am not surprised he now does these basic, multiple muscle lifts.

[Fortress]

Absolutely bullshit
Which mag did you get that from..were you there?
Did you see it happening?

Allegedly it’s true.

Over the decades I’ve heard this from several solid sources. 

[JackTheRipper]

Allegedly it’s true.

Over the decades I’ve heard this from several solid sources.

But do you have proof you can post? 

[Hulkotron]

Bodybuilders trained in this way years ago, cleans, clean & press... a lot of Olympic lifts were in many a routine.
It was just later that machines took over & the "isolation" training began. Why clean & press a bar when you can sit on a machine & just press.

with regards to Kevin, he likes the old school heavy ass training so i am not surprised he now does these basic, multiple muscle lifts.

Did you watch the video   He's not doing Olympic lifts, he's doing a bunch of weird made-up shit like "squat hammer curls" (hammer curls with too much weight so you have to use your legs to swing them up).

[JackTheRipper]

Did you watch the video   He's not doing Olympic lifts, he's doing a bunch of weird made-up shit like "squat hammer curls" (hammer curls with too much weight so you have to use your legs to swing them up).

still a multi muscle lift. Some do a squat & press lift is that a multi muscle lift?
the comment about Olympic lifting was about his early lifting so therefor the mentality was there.
maybe you missed my meaning.
There is nothing wrong with his training.

[Matt]

But do you have proof you can post?

Lol...well, if the story involved Samir Bannout, Mike Mentzer, and Casey Viator, that would have put it at around, what, 1983?

Cellphone cameras weren't as common back then. 

But your post sort of reminded me of the first meme below. Then I found the other two, while searching for the first one. 

Although that meme would be more appropriate to send to OAK - he literally spent 3+ years believing that Covid was a lethal plague, and no amount of evidence proved otherwise to him. 

I hate posting sources for people who won't change their views no matter how much evidence you give them.

Didn't Mike Mentzer had shorter arms than Samir Bannout? So it would make sense Samir's deadlift was stronger.

Also, I'm not surprised that even a bodybuilder would miss a 500-lb deadlift if they don't specifically train deadlift. And it's not like Mentzer or Viator were mass monsters. They probably just never deadlifted. But who knows?

[JackTheRipper]

Lol...well, if the story involved Samir Bannout, Mike Mentzer, and Casey Viator, that would have put it at around, what, 1983?

Cellphone cameras weren't as common back then. 

But your post sort of reminded me of the first meme below. Then I found the other two, while searching for the first one. 

Although that meme would be more appropriate to send to OAK - he literally spent 3+ years believing that Covid was a lethal plague, and no amount of evidence proved otherwise to him. 

I hate posting sources for people who won't change their views no matter how much evidence you give them.

Didn't Mike Mentzer had shorter arms than Samir Bannout? So it would make sense Samir's deadlift was stronger.

Also, I'm not surprised that even a bodybuilder would miss a 500-lb deadlift if they don't specifically train deadlift. And it's not like Mentzer or Viator were mass monsters. They probabaly just never deadlifted. But who knows?

well who knows maybe someone on here was there or got real information & not just , "i heard it"
know what i mean bro

[Matt]

well who knows maybe someone on here was there or got real information & not just , "i heard it"
know what i mean bro

Yes, good sir.

If it happened at Gold's Gym Venice, there were probably witnesses.

In the "RXMuscle Power Hour" podcast from ~2011, Tom Prince was asked about some of his best lifts, and mentioned his 700-lb deadlift for 3 reps.

I recall 2001 FLEX magazine pictures with Milos Sarcev deadlifting 675-lb.

And of course Ronnie Coleman's 800-lb for 2 reps was legendary. Other big bodybuilder DL's would be Johnnie Jackson who pulled ~805-lb, and Dallas McCarver who pulled 845-lb.

So, IMO, most pro bodybuilders deadlift in the 500-700 range, with only exceptionally strong ones exceeding that.

I would guess that probably 80% of bodybuilders DL between 525-675. Maybe around 60% are between 550-650.

I'm speculating. But if most pros deadlift 700+, they aren't posting videos of it.

So I'm not shocked that two 1980's IFBB pros likely both weighing sub-230, and probably not deadlifting regularly or at all - with shorter arms - failed to deadlift 500-lb. Heck, well under 1% of men deadlift 500+.

But - there is no absolute proof. That said, Fortress used to write for MUSCLEMAG, and was very connected/networked in the bodybuilding industry. He has proven his credibility.

In general, I trust Fortress on such matters.

[JackTheRipper]

Yes, good sir.

If it happened at Gold's Gym Venice, there were probably witnesses.

In the "RXMuscle Power Hour" podcast from ~2011, Tom Prince was asked about some of his best lifts, and mentioned his 700-lb deadlift for 3 reps.

I recall 2001 FLEX magazine pictures with Milos Sarcev deadlifting 675-lb.

And of course Ronnie Coleman's 800-lb for 2 reps was legendary. Other big bodybuilder DL's would be Johnnie Jackson who pulled ~805-lb, and Dallas McCarver who pulled 845-lb.

So, IMO, most pro bodybuilders deadlift in the 500-700 range, with only exceptionally strong ones exceeding that.

I would guess that probably 80% of bodybuilders DL between 525-675. Maybe around 60% are between 550-650.

I'm speculating. But if most pros deadlift 700+, they aren't posting videos of it.

So I'm not shocked that two 1980's IFBB pros likely both weighing sub-230, and probably not deadlifting regularly or at all - with shorter arms - failed to deadlift 500-lb. Heck, well under 1% of men deadlift 500+.

But - there is no absolute proof. That said, Fortress used to write for MUSCLEMAG, and was very connected/networked in the bodybuilding industry. He has proven his credibility.

In general, I trust Fortress on such matters.

was a great source of information this is true, i spoke to Bob Kennedy a few times.
BUT... i trust only my eyes..what i witness
i agree though most do not do heavy deads ..but why should they ?

[Titus Pullo]

Jack,

As Rob said, it was 585, not 500.

The only knowledge I have of it came from Samir himself

He said the Mentzer bros and Viator were doing deadlifts.  They'd loaded the bar to -- yep -- 585, and before any of them attempted it, Samir says he ran up and half-jokingly grabbed the bar and made some smart-ass remark (I think he said, "Ready!", as in "ready to rep this" or somesuch).

Viator allegedly told Samir to get lost -- that he couldn't hang, blah blah. 

They all took their turns.  Again, according to Samir, Mike got one hard rep with the weight; the supposedly much stronger Viator and Ray couldn't get it, and Samir went on to do several reps.

Could be true.  Again, as Rob said, there were supposed witnesses, even though I will say that eyewitness testimony is the lowest form of evidence.

[JackTheRipper]

Jack,

As Rob said, it was 585, not 500.

The only knowledge I have of it came from Samir himself

He said the Mentzer bros and Viator were doing deadlifts.  They'd loaded the bar to -- yep -- 585, and before any of them attempted it, Samir says he ran up and half-jokingly grabbed the bar and made some smart-ass remark (I think he said, "Ready!", as in "ready to rep this" or somesuch).

Viator allegedly told Samir to get lost -- that he couldn't hang, blah blah. 

They all took their turns.  Again, according to Samir, Mike got one hard rep with the weight; the supposedly much stronger Viator and Ray couldn't get it, and Samir went on to do several reps.

Could be true.  Again, as Rob said, there were supposed witnesses, even though I will say that eyewitness testimony is the lowest form of evidence.

OK i believe you... 

[Matt]

was a great source of information this is true, i spoke to Bob Kennedy a few times.
BUT... i trust only my eyes..what i witness
i agree though most do not do heavy deads ..but why should they ?

Bob Kennedy died a bit too young, IMO [age 73], with excessive tanning in his youth what he claimed to be the cause of his skin cancer. Sad stuff - MUSCLEMAG turned to garbage without him, and very quickly folded.

Regarding you asking why bodybuilders should deadlift - exactly...why should they?

Major injury potential, for a lift that you can probably get the same progress on using exclusively other lifts. Although perhaps that's not exactly true. But the injury potential is still there, so it's probably for the best that bodybuilders avoid deadlifting.

[Matt]

Jack,

As Rob said, it was 585, not 500.

The only knowledge I have of it came from Samir himself

He said the Mentzer bros and Viator were doing deadlifts.  They'd loaded the bar to -- yep -- 585, and before any of them attempted it, Samir says he ran up and half-jokingly grabbed the bar and made some smart-ass remark (I think he said, "Ready!", as in "ready to rep this" or somesuch).

Viator allegedly told Samir to get lost -- that he couldn't hang, blah blah. 

They all took their turns.  Again, according to Samir, Mike got one hard rep with the weight; the supposedly much stronger Viator and Ray couldn't get it, and Samir went on to do several reps.

Could be true.  Again, as Rob said, there were supposed witnesses, even though I will say that eyewitness testimony is the lowest form of evidence.

Wow.

Great details, TP.

The deadlift weight being 585-lb makes the story more believable. That's a lot of weight, even among seasoned lifters.

Didn't Ray Mentzer squat 900?

[JackTheRipper]

Bob Kennedy died a bit too young, IMO [age 73], with excessive tanning in his youth what he claimed to be the cause of his skin cancer. Sad stuff - MUSCLEMAG turned to garbage without him, and very quickly folded.

Regarding you asking why bodybuilders should deadlift - exactly...why should they?

Major injury potential, for a lift that you can probably get the same progress on using exclusively other lifts. Although perhaps that's not exactly true. But the injury potential is still there, so it's probably for the best that bodybuilders avoid deadlifting.

Bob was a decent man & straight talking too.  I liked him.

[Earl1972]

The guy is an enigma, was he ever married ? does he have any kids?
I remember watching all his videos and not once you will see him with a girlfriend or sth...just this dude alone in his big old house in Maryland...training all kind of weird hours, from late night to 5 in the morning... cleaning his floor with a toothbrush....having old people cooking his meals...

he was married all throughout the 90's, they divorced then got together again in the mid 2000's and had a son, he's 18 or so now

and yeah he got sexual favors from that old lady in the Maryland Muscle Machine video

E

[Hulkotron]

he was married all throughout the 90's, they divorced then got together again in the mid 2000's and had a son, he's 18 or so now

and yeah he got sexual favors from that old lady in the Maryland Muscle Machine video

E

Wife must have been not exactly a head-turner if he had to pound out the old lady on the side.

[JackTheRipper]

 

[Bevo]

Never seen Kevin do any deadlifts considering he’s a basic old school lifter who does heavy bench presses and squats

[Hulkotron]

Never seen Kevin do any deadlifts considering he’s a basic old school lifter who does heavy bench presses and squats

Many BBs circa 1990-present seem to not like deadlifts.  There are exceptions of course e.g. Big Ron Coleman but it seems to me that most pros do not do them much.