USAWA

61 – the Bent Press is definitely a lift that most lifters today are not aware of. However, I think you will find not too many lifters today who would say that the Bent Press is the ultimate test of strength!!

That’s true!!

I only know one personally. Bob Burtzloff did a Bent Press of 250# weighing around 240 lbs 20 years ago.

Dennis Mitchell has told me that he has done a close to bodyweight Bent Press of 170# at a BW of 180lbs when he was younger.

Does anyone else know any Bent Pressers that have done bodyweight?? Dinoman

[b]Quote from dinoman on September 26, 2012, 10:46[/b]
That’s true!!

I only know one personally. Bob Burtzloff did a Bent Press of 250# weighing around 240 lbs 20 years ago.

Dennis Mitchell has told me that he has done a close to bodyweight Bent Press of 170# at a BW of 180lbs when he was younger.

Does anyone else know any Bent Pressers that have done bodyweight?? Dinoman

Starting with lifters who have competed in USAWA/IAWA competition, I don’t know how much he did when he was younger, but I’ll relate a story about Harrison Skeete (1921-2008). It was a meet during the late 1980s, I believe, when a lifter mentioned that he had done bent presses when he was younger. Another lifter pointed toward Skeete, whom I believe may have been on the platform at the time, and stated “You didn’t do as much as he did!”. At the time Skeete was in his late 60s and still rather strong. So I’m guessing that he probably did over 200 in his younger days, with that exceeding bodyweight. Here is an article about Skeete for those of you who are not familiar with him.
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/19/nyregion/long-island-journal-at-78-breaking-barriers-in-weight-lifting.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

I have seen Dennis Mitchell do a bent press or two but I can’t recall seeing any other USAWA lifter do so.

One day when I was a faculty member at the U. of Iowa, I got started talking about weightlifting with another member of my department. He was in his 60s at the time and husky, probably weighing about 250. He told me that it was commonplace to see guys in gyms in the 1940s doing bent presses and he stated that he had done 220. That blew my mind slightly as one doesn’t expect to encounter a big bent presser as a college professor in a university statistics department!! (This was circa 1987.)

Of course Saxon did an official 370, unofficial lifts with 386 and 389, with the latter performed at Professor Szalay’s Barber Shop in London, and missed with 409.75 when some of the weights tied to the bar started sliding off (see Strength and Health, Oct 1933 p. 25).

Undoubtedly the highest poundage lifted since Saxon was Al Beinert’s 360 performed with a dumbbell in June, 1965. He was 6-4 and weighed 260. Willoughby claimed that his lift was equivalent to about 409 with a barbell. I would like to see someone do 409 with a barbell. I can’t even begin to relate to that!

Tom

Not sure if this the right place for this but I’ve been checking this site out for awhile. I’m from Rochester ny and love iron sport but I have been diagnosed with spondylolisthesis grade 1 and not sure if u can get started in this…any suggestions for a newbie?

One of the GREAT THINGs about allround weightlifting is that no matter what physicial issues you may have, there are so many lifts that you can find something that you can do and enjoy. Now in the USAWA, we have several different Championships that recognize different areas of allround strength – the Heavies, the Grip Champs, OTSM, and team.

Add in the numerous record days, and you have lots of opportunities to find lifts that you can do and excell.

Welcome to the USAWA – and I hope to see you at a future event!!! Al

[b]Quote from abellush on October 3, 2012, 18:41[/b]
Not sure if this the right place for this but I’ve been checking this site out for awhile. I’m from Rochester ny and love iron sport but I have been diagnosed with spondylolisthesis grade 1 and not sure if u can get started in this…any suggestions for a newbie?

I second Al. There are a lot of lifts you can do that won’t load up that disk for now while you rehab it. Thankfully, grade 1 means you’re not very far advanced at all so the prognosis with some general, smart low back/core strengthening is very good. I’d start with chasing any lifts grip- or flat-press wise, and avoid putting anything heavy on your back, pressing overhead, and pulling heavy for now. The lifts will all be here for future attempts!