Rob,
Who *were* legitimately strong bodybuilders? What sort of weights were they moving?
Firstly, anyone benching over four is hugely strong, period.
People seem to ignore Arnold’s relatively small body weight. Two hundred and forty-five-odd pounds isn’t big under 500 pounds. Those who can do so at such a weight are almost always specialists and/or are using support gear. Or they’re midgets.
And back then, although the gear they were on was great stuff, they weren’t doing anywhere close to the amounts, and variety, done in the modern age (‘90s and on).
Arnold had huge biceps and pecs, but these do little to accomplish a huge bench press. Triceps and shoulders (and back) are where it’s at, and The Oak had lackluster triceps and non-powerful (nor dense) shoulders.
I’m sure, too, the alleged 440 back in Europe would not have included a pause or much of an adherence to strict judging criteria.
All the big bodybuilders of yesteryear were very strong. But the 500-plus fellas were almost exclusively pure strength athletes. Even the “massive” (in his day he was considered a new frontier) Haney was good for around 2-6 reps with 405, “only”. Peter and David Paul doing five plates was considered freakish in the bodybuilding realm.
Levrone is (when gassing) a very gifted presser. Dorian hitting very controlled and strict inclines with 405 for several reps is amazingly impressive.
With a barbell, Coleman could press five plates, but only for a sloppy few, at best. When he was around 300-or-more pounds.
Michael Francois was suited well to monstrous strength, but I’m not sure what he could bench, if “pressed” (haha).
Labrada told me he once did 365 for one repetition.
The specialists and YouTube spectacles would have many believe a 500 bench is commonplace. It isn’t.
Going over 600 is freakish.
Seven? There are four men who’ve (documented) done this. Three with a legit pause. These guys are WELL over 300 pounds and taking life-threatening amounts of extremely powerful chemicals/hormones.
