No Heavy Bench Press for Mentzer?

[Fortress]

Legit 400+ bench pressing bodybuilders from the 1990's. Guys that I actually watched train in Golds Venice and bench over 400 pounds.

Aaron Baker
Chris Cormier
Rico McClinton
Craig Titus
Tom Prince
Billy Smith
Jim Quinn
Michael Francois
Mike O'Hearn

More coming...

All legit, yep. And Aaron was very strong.

[Fortress]

Franco getting 5 clean reps with 405lbs in the bench.

Exactly. Franco was good for a mid 400s press with a pause.

[Fortress]

so we have franco on video doing 5 reps at 405.

then we have the getbig expert fortress "Franco was good for sets of 8-10 with 315-365. In Pumping Iron he’s working hard to get a decent set with 315."

what gives 

Yes, as said, SETS of 8-10 with 315-365.

The five tough reps with 405 bears this out.

Thanks for playing.

[ratherbebig]

Yes, as said, SETS of 8-10 with 315-365.

The five tough reps with 405 bears this out.

Thanks for playing.

so then we agree that

1. franco and arnold was very strong.

2. arnold was especially strong considering that he a) was only 21 and b) wasnt build for the movement

3. if they would do benching rather than bodybuilding, they would without any doubt have been able to press even more.

[Fortress]

so then we agree that

1. franco and arnold was very strong.

2. arnold was especially strong considering that he a) was only 21 and b) wasnt build for the movement

3. if they would do benching rather than bodybuilding, they would without any doubt have been able to press even more.

Of course they were strong. I’ve stated this. Anyone pressing four or more is VERY strong.

[MAXX]

not sure what maxing out this machine translates to. Mike usually stayed in the 6-10 rep range if I remember right.



regardless I'm sure he was a decent presser with this tricep mass




Strong any which way.

legit 225lbs what seems to be strict curls



squats:

[ratherbebig]

if mike mentzer wouldve known we would talk about him on getbig msg board decades later, im sure he would've put in a few bench pressing sessions just to show how strong he was

[Bevo]

not sure what maxing out this machine translates to. Mike usually stayed in the 6-10 rep range if I remember right.



regardless I'm sure he was a decent presser with this tricep mass




Strong any which way.

legit 225lbs what seems to be strict curls



squats:

Can mike really do 30 reps of 475 on squats?? 

[MAXX]

Can mike really do 30 reps of 475 on squats?? 

probably not full dept Platz type squats

[Fortress]

probably not full dept Platz type squats

Not a chance in all of the nine realms.

[MAXX]

Not a chance in all of the nine realms.

agree like I said those nr are probably at half squats

Because Platz did 525 for 23 and I have never seen anyone eclipse that actually. 475 for 30 would be better.

[Royalty]

probably not full dept Platz type squats

Not a chance in all of the nine realms.

I think that we are now getting to the real meat and potatoes of the issue, Mentzer was a fake (or dramatically exaggerated the facts)

[Hypertrophy]

I think that we are now getting to the real meat and potatoes of the issue, Mentzer was a fake (or dramatically exaggerated the facts)

Mentzer had a great build, IMO. Nothing fake about that.

How he achieved it is half fact and half anybody’s guess since he didn’t publish everything he did. Were there exaggerations of strength in the magazines? of course, for every single guy featured in the mags.

But unlike Arnold in his hey day, Mentzer was open about steroid use, as was Platz and a few others. No one can attain the muscle mass of professional body builders, no matter how they train, without these drugs. So the real fakes are those people who deny they take or took them.

[tres_taco_combo]

Mentzer had a great build, IMO. Nothing fake about that.

How he achieved it is half fact and half anybody’s guess since he didn’t publish everything he did. Were there exaggerations of strength in the magazines? of course, for every single guy featured in the mags.

But unlike Arnold in his hey day, Mentzer was open about steroid use, as was Platz and a few others. No one can attain the muscle mass of professional body builders, no matter how they train, without these drugs. So the real fakes are those people who deny they take or took them.

ive read this on getbig (gulp) mentzer would do excessive deca doses? 2000-3000mg per week?

[IRON CROSS]

Didn't he publish his own bb magz , 3-4 issues only ..................

[Bevo]

agree like I said those nr are probably at half squats

Because Platz did 525 for 23 and I have never seen anyone eclipse that actually. 475 for 30 would be better.

Our resident getbigger “the scott” said he could squat 500+ for 20 reps just drinking a gallon of milk

[The Scott]

Our resident getbigger “the scott” said he could squat 500+ for 20 reps just drinking a gallon of milk

My last day at a big gym that  had enough weights to go around my squat routine was this:

Warm up with 135 and then 225.  First set, 20 reps with 515.  Second set, 20 reps with 535.  Third set, 5 reps with 585  (just to feel something "heavy") and my final set was back down to 515 for 20 reps.  If I had remained at that gym my next leg day would have started out using 520 then 540, 590 and 520.  As I said before, I've seen Platz squat and he goes ass to grass while I go parallel or slightly below that.  I was 6' 1" and Platz was not 6' 1".   His leg development was superior to mine but I could hold my own in leg work and have other personal bests from leg days gone by.

Outside of Platz I never met someone capable of squatting like I could.  I am too old now and have a physical handicap (not related to exercise, LOL!) but getting to that level took me somewhere between 8 and 10 years of consistent squatting, leg presses (the real leg press, i.e., inverted on your back), leg extensions and leg curls.

If people don't believe me, that's fine with me, LOL! 

[Bevo]

My last day at a big gym that  had enough weights to go around my squat routine was this:

Warm up with 135 and then 225.  First set, 20 reps with 515.  Second set, 20 reps with 535.  Third set, 5 reps with 585  (just to feel something "heavy") and my final set was back down to 515 for 20 reps.  If I had remained at that gym my next leg day would have started out using 520 then 540, 590 and 520.  As I said before, I've seen Platz squat and he goes ass to grass while I go parallel or slightly below that.  I was 6' 1" and Platz was not 6' 1".   His leg development was superior to mine but I could hold my own in leg work and have other personal bests from leg days gone by.

Outside of Platz I never met someone capable of squatting like I could.  I am too old now and have a physical handicap (not related to exercise, LOL!) but getting to that level took me somewhere between 8 and 10 years of consistent squatting, leg presses (the real leg press, i.e., inverted on your back), leg extensions and leg curls.

If people don't believe me, that's fine with me, LOL! 

Very impressive kind sir

[The Scott]

Very impressive kind sir 

Well thank you my friend, but to be honest no one outside powerlifters (and I had several as good friends) ever cared about anything other than "howmuchyabench".    My friends stories of J.C. Hise and the 20 rep breathing squat really inspired me.

And I was never a strong bench presser.  Nor deadlifter.  I competed in a few bodybuilding shows but was not nearly good enough.  But it was fun for me and my family and friends showed up to cheer me on if not to victory, then to humiliation! 

[The Scott]

Not a chance in all of the nine realms.

Every time I read this I try to think of ways to use it in the real world.  Thanks, brother! 

[Hypertrophy]

ive read this on getbig (gulp) mentzer would do excessive deca doses? 2000-3000mg per week?

Wouldn't surprise me! He was friends with Dr. John Ziegler who introduced the first synthetic steroids to US weightlifters. Mentzer was very open about it.

Ziegler's experience with bodybuilders and steroids?  "He gave up experimentation with athletes when he learned that some who had taken 20 times the recommended dose of Dianabol had developed a liver condition. He was quoted in Science in 1972 saying "I lost interest in fooling with IQ's of that caliber. Now it's about as widespread among these idiots as marijuana."

Wonder if he was thinking of Mentzer specifically, haha.

[Beefjake]

Well thank you my friend

Surely that 585lbs didn't feel that heavy after 20x 515 and 535?

[MAXX]

Bill Kazmaier claimed that Tom Platz used fake plates in the 525 for 23.

At 3:26 in the above video:https://youtu.be/jJl8MWSGulE?t=204

I saw that and many people that knows Platz and worked out with him throuout the years says that is complete BS and Platz weights where always legit.

And if you watched any interviews with Kaz lately you will notice hes abit out there to say the least...

[Fortress]

I saw that and many people that knows Platz and worked out with him throuout the years says that is complete BS and Platz weights where always legit.

And if you watched any interviews with Kaz lately you will notice hes abit out there to say the least...

Kaz is possibly my favourite strength athlete, but recently, after casting doubt regarding Tom’s squat-off poundage, he spoke some horseshit of his own. He said back in the day he’d squat sets of .... 15 (?) ... with 300 kilograms ... or some such utter nonsense.

I’ve hung with Kaz a few times and like him very much. However, these days he indeed is “out there”, and I suspect his recollections of his feats have become confused with his nocturnal superman dreams.

[tommywishbone]

What about Mike Quinn, Mike Matarazzo, Paul Demayo, Paul Dillet, Flex Wheeler, Melvin Anthony or Jay Cutler?

Never really saw him train heavy.
No. Don't recall Mike M. being a BP guy.
Paul was very strong but I never saw him bench heavy.
Dillet, no sir.
Flex?  Weird, heavy inclines but very little flat BP.
Melvin.  No sir.
Jay? I just never saw it.  He was very strong, I just didn't watch/see him BP ever.