3 exercises in which strength records are dangerous

The barbell press is a basic physical exercise, often with free weight, but for professionals it is fundamentally large masses. And where professional sports begin, there is doping, and there are records that are sometimes simply amazing. We invite you to find out who they are - the strongest people, the champions of the barbell press. So, 10 records of this difficult sport!

1 Ryan Kennelly

The absolute record in the bench press has been held by this American powerlifter for 8 years now. In 2008, Ryan Kennelly bench pressed a barbell weighing 487.6 kg in equipment with a body weight of 140 kg. Today, the 41-year-old athlete bench presses 297 kg, which is also quite a lot even for champions.

2 Robert Luando

This guy (pictured on the right) is almost a legend in our country and has long been a legend among weightlifters. With his own weight of 110 kg, he bench presses a barbell weighing 453 kg! Of course, the equipment is present, but still, by the standards of this sport, he is not a heavyweight, and not every heavyweight can overcome such weight!

3 Eric Spoto

We put this strongman (pictured on the left) in third place, but if we were talking exclusively about the raw bench press, then Eric would definitely take the top line of the ranking. Two years ago, this American athlete conquered a barbell weighing 327.5 kg. Moreover, the weight was squeezed out so “cleanly” that even seasoned champions gave a standing ovation. Eric Spoto is also known for his championship in arm wrestling, which is not surprising with a weight of 147 kg...

4 Scott Mendelsohn

And again an American. He is more than famous in sports circles, because... back in 2003, he set an absolute record at that time, squeezing 323.4 kg without equipment. And with the equipment, this giant with a romantic surname reached a weight of 457.5 kg. Today, as we know, both records have been broken, but Mendelsohn does not seem to be sad: now he is the owner of a popular fitness center with an area of 2000 m2, which is also not bad.

The Ukrainian athlete lifted a weight of 347.5 kg in the bench press, becoming both the European champion and the record holder in the super heavy weight category. This happened this year at the European Championships, which revealed several promising athletes in this sport.

6 Vadim Dovganyuk

At the same championship, another Ukrainian athlete set a record in his weight: Vadim Dovganyuk took the weight 335.5 kg. The athlete's own weight is 105 kg. This is a more than worthy result in this weight category and, of course, a world record.

7 Kirill Sarychev

In 2014, Russian athlete Kirill Sarychev became the absolute champion of Russia and Europe. A barbell weighing 326 kg gave in to him on the first try. It’s interesting that Kirill is only 25 years old, and the athlete’s own weight is 170 kg. Today he is called the most promising strongman in Russia.

8 Siamand Rahman

The Paralympics revealed a strongman from Iran to the world. He conquered 300 kg of barbell weight. Not every healthy athlete will dare to approach such a weight. So one can only envy the Iranian’s ambitions; he has already announced that he will be the first in the world to lift 300 and 400 kg without equipment. There is no reason not to trust this guy! Experienced athletes are amazed and say that since Siamand lifted 300 kg with such a margin, then he really has amazing prospects.

9 Stan Efferding

A professional bodybuilder nicknamed “White Rhino” proved to the whole world that “jocks” and “strong men” are the same people. Without equipment, Stan pressed a weight of 275 kg, adding victories in the bench press to his numerous victories in bodybuilding.

10 Maryana Naumova

A separate article could be written about this teenage girl. In fact, there are many such young talents now, but still the title of “The Strongest Girl in the World” obliges us to focus on her specifically. Now Maryana is 16 years old and she continues to train hard, not forgetting to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle among her peers. And Maryana has something to be proud of. At the age of 15, weighing 55 kg, she bench pressed a barbell weighing 150 kg! Perhaps this pretty athlete risks becoming “The most popular girl in the world of sports.” In weightlifting, records follow each other at lightning speed. After all, he has plenty of popularity and, of course, followers and admirers among modern strongmen, just an army. Not to mention human abilities, which seem to only increase as time goes on. We will wait for new records and new stars of this difficult sport!

Leg press at a 45 degree angle: the best way to pump up your legs

Classic basic exercises were always performed with a barbell. But times are changing, and new ways of pumping up legs are emerging.

There are two ways:

Squats with a barbell on the chest or shoulders.
Work in a special simulator.

The simulator has its clear advantages over a barbell mounted on racks. First of all, this is safety. Of course, there is always a risk of injury, but in the simulator it is minimal. Advantages:

Pens. You need to hold on to them. This makes it easier and more reliable to fix your body.
Minimal load on the spine.
Complete elimination of falling.
Simplicity of execution technique.
Greater isolation of the muscles being trained.
Quadriceps, buttocks are loaded as they should be.
The hamstrings also experience some strain.
Lower leg involved.
The joints are worked out well and safely.

Presses are performed lying on a bench at the mentioned angle.

Leg press mistakes

Any exercise must be done correctly, only then is it worth something. The most common mistakes:

Incorrect foot placement. Very often it is unreasonably low. To properly work the quadriceps, you need to place your feet just a little lower, but not too low. When lowering your legs in the exercise machine, you should not allow your heel to lift off. The entire foot should always fit snugly on the platform of the exercise machine.
Incorrect position of the athlete's body on the seat. The pelvis and lower back are always pressed tightly against the bench.
The lowering of the cart should not be too fast to avoid changing the position of the bodybuilder’s body in the machine. This is fraught with injury!
At the moment when the squeeze occurs, you cannot fully straighten your knees. This must be done to ensure that the muscles are always toned and the knee joint is not injured.

Features of the leg press

The load on the legs can be set in different ways. Much depends on their production. Clarifications:

Wider foot placement gives greater load.
Narrow setting reduces the load.

The simulator is customizable - you should feel comfortable while performing the exercise.

In addition, the press can be done either with two legs or in steps, moving each leg in turn. All options are effective.

To fully load your legs, it is enough to exercise within one hour. Of course, this is only true for experienced athletes who use split training.

This simulator is also suitable for training girls. You just need to reduce the load.

How it happened

A new world bench press record of 335.5 kg was set by American athlete Julius Maddox. This happened on the last day of August, 31st 2022. It was on this date that the OLD TIME record of the Russian athlete was broken. Although the difference is not great - only 0.5 kg - this is undoubtedly a new record, friends!

In the first approach, Julius ordered 305 kg. This weight was taken very easily, as can be seen in the video.

So far little is known about him. He is 31 years old, born and raised in America. He started training only at the age of 25 and in such a short period of time was able to achieve outstanding results by powerlifting standards.

The athlete weighs just over 200 kilograms. Yes, in fact, you can see his big water belly in the video.

He trains 4-5 times a week. The training time is about 2-2.5 hours.

Street exercise machine: leg press

Street exercise machines are simpler and the principle of their operation is based on the fact that the athlete uses his own weight for training. Types of simulators:

Single-sided - only one athlete can train on these.
Double-sided - two athletes can train on them at the same time.

The muscle groups that are loaded with this simulator are the same as those used on simulators in fitness centers.

The press is performed while sitting.

Women, teenagers and untrained men enjoy training in this machine.

Women's records

Women try not to lag behind men in anything. This also applies to strength exercises.

Tamara Rainwater-Grimwood has remained the undisputed leader in the women's bench press since 1994. With her own weight of 83 kg, she was the only one in the world who managed to lift a barbell of 182.5 kg.

Tamara Rainwater-Grimwood

In the 2011 bench press competition, the record holder was Ukrainian Larisa Solovyova, lifting 165 kg.

Larisa Solovyova

Speaking about “strong women” one cannot help but recall Maryana Naumova. At the age of 15, with a weight of 55 kg, she gave a result of 150 kg! And in 2010, an 11-year-old athlete amazed everyone by lifting 60 kg. Maryana is included in the Russian Book of Records; undoubtedly, she has a great future in strength disciplines.

Maryana Naumova

Another interesting representative of the “weaker” sex is the American Paula Suzuki, recognized as the strongest female bench presser. In 1995, she was able to bench press almost three times her weight! 68 kg of own weight relative to the weight of the bar – 160 kg.

Smith Back Press

The Smith simulator (machine) is more simple in design and is used to train while lying on your back. Essentially it’s just a barbell in a machine, but much safer for training. There is no platform here. The rod moves along the guides. Machine capabilities:

The leg press in Smith is carried out while lying on your back, and your legs rest against the bar of the barbell - this is the position of the legs in the leg press in this device.
The exercise can be done with both legs or one (each in turn).

This device allows you to do very deep presses, to the point where the knees are pushed out to the sides when the legs are fully bent - so there is a variety of technique in the Smith.

World record leg press

Every strength exercise has its own champions. The leg press is no exception to the generally accepted rules.

Since the simulator is as safe as possible and has virtually no impact on the spine, it is possible to lift very large weights compared to a regular squat with a barbell. Records:

Pat Robertson claimed to have bench-pressed around 900 kilograms, and his doctor mentioned a weight of 1225 kilograms.
Ronnie Coleman did it with a machine that weighs 1024 kilograms for eight reps!

There is evidence that there were records with larger weights, but with a smaller amplitude.

Absolute record holders

Yuri Belkin (powerlifting): records
Records are set not only based on the weight category, but also depending on the athlete’s equipment (special wristbands, bandages, shirts, overalls, briefs):

multilayer – can increase the weight lifted by 70-100 kg;
single-layer – can increase the weight lifted by 20-50 kg;
without equipment.

Multilayer equipment

Ryan Kennealy

The absolute world record holder is Ryan Kennealy, who broke the barrier of 487.6 kg in 2008. According to Ryan himself, as a child he was far from sports. He was even kicked out of his school's basketball, rugby and baseball teams. A film starring bodybuilder Lee Haney changed 15-year-old Ryan's attitude towards sports; he decided to practice lifting weights. To everyone’s surprise, he managed to bench press 96 kg the first time, with the junior record in his weight category being 145 kg.

The athlete abused alcohol and was arrested in 2010 for selling anabolic steroids. But after overcoming the craving for alcohol, he was able to significantly improve his strength indicators.

Single layer equipment

Mike Womack

This record belongs to Mike Womack, who lifted 427.5 kg in 2009. This Californian athlete has a very small benching range due to his large abs, which gives him a definite advantage over other benchers in the equipment.

Without equipment

Kirill Sarychev

Here the palm has been held since 2022 by the Russian hero Kirill Sarychev, who “harnessed” a barbell of 335 kg. He is the absolute record holder of Russia, Europe and the world in the heavyweight division. Before Kirill, the maximum weight was 327.5 kg, pressed by the American Eric Spotto.

How to replace leg presses

Not every athlete can afford to visit a fitness center - there are many reasons:

Distance from place of residence.
Expensive subscription.
Some people even prefer to study alone for various reasons.

Of course, not every yard has such a leg press machine, and even if there is, it cannot be used all year round - for example, in a cold winter or rainy autumn. A completely appropriate question arises: what can you use instead of exercise equipment and pump up your legs and buttocks, and how can you do this at home? Alternative:

Squats. Again, they are appropriate in the gym, but not at home, since not everyone has a barbell in their home arsenal, even a light one.
Hack squats. They are used infrequently at home, since the reason lies either in the absence of a barbell, or out of fear that it is still better to do it in at least a more or less equipped gym and preferably under the supervision of a trainer. Dumbbells will do just fine at home.
Squats with a kettlebell or dumbbells. This option is not bad, but you still cannot create the necessary effort with it, although you can increase the number of repetitions - this will at least somehow compensate for the low weight required.

But the isolation that you can never achieve in a barbell machine.

Other types of weighted squats:

Sumo squat. Works the thighs, buttocks and legs. To do this, you need to take the barbell with a narrow grip - the muscles are tense - and place the bar on your back. The legs are spread wide apart, with the toes pointing outward. Squats are done by moving the pelvis back on bent knees. The back is straight.
Half squat. It also allows you to work with significant weights. Can be performed in a power rack. It also perfectly strengthens the core muscles.
Sissy squats. This is how the lower quadriceps is trained. You can do it at home, and you need to maintain balance with one hand, holding on to a cabinet or wall. Raising your heels, move your pelvis forward and begin a squat. The final phase is touching the buttocks with the heels, knees touching the floor.
Plie squats. They exist for pumping the inner thigh. Do better in Smith. Stand with your feet wide and turn your toes to the side. The body is strictly perpendicular to the floor. The squat is smooth.

Notes

Brungardt K.
“Ideal arm muscles.” Chapter 7: Execution technique. — “Medley”, 2003.
Stuart McRobert.
Part 2 - “Technique of performing exercises.” Section 2. “Bench Press.” Section 13. “Incline press.” Section 5: Close Grip Press // The Comprehensive Guide to Weight-Training Technique = The Insider's Tell-All Handbook On Weight-Training Technique. - Wider Sports, 1999. - P. 153. - 298 p. — ISBN 5-8183-0212-1.
World Bench Press Championship: Mens Open - protocol, photos, videos, comments. allpowerlifting.com. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
Wall. new.vk.com. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
bigelzy.
Mike Womack 942 bench press and a 1001 lbs attempt (March 28, 2009). Retrieved June 15, 2022.

Bench press with a narrow grip: technique and recommendations

Execution technique [edit | edit code]

When performing the exercise, athletes vary the position of their feet (high or low), arguing that in this way they can avoid getting used to the weights and the exercise itself [1]. By changing the position of the feet, you can change the emphasis of the load between the quadriceps (quadriceps) and gluteal muscles.

In the starting position, the legs are placed shoulder-width apart on the platform, the feet are slightly turned outward. With this position of the legs, the load is distributed evenly; with a narrower position of the legs, the emphasis of the load on the hip goes to its outer part (long head), with a wider position - to the inner part (short head). With a higher foot position, the load distributed between the quadriceps and buttocks goes to the latter, and with a lower position, to the former. To work the inner surface of the thighs, the feet are placed with their toes facing outward.

Having settled down on the seat, the athlete presses the platform with his legs up, then the lever that fixes the platform is lowered. Then the legs are bent at the knees, the platform slowly lowers down, in the final position the legs at the knees should form a right angle, the knees almost touch the chest. The lower back should constantly touch the seat along with the buttocks, therefore, you cannot bend your legs to an angle less than that at which the lower back begins to lift off the seat, so that the load on the lower back does not increase and there is no risk of injury [1]. Also, the angle should not be less than straight to avoid excessive load on the knee joints, which, if neglected, can cause injury. From the bottom position, the weight is squeezed out by the legs with a powerful, controlled effort, without involving the torso muscles, without rebounding [1]. The knees are not fully straightened, as this forces the knees to bend in the opposite direction and reduces the load on the quadriceps at the top of the movement, and can also lead to injury to the knee joints.

In this exercise, maximum weights are used, but excessive weight can force you to violate the execution technique, then the exercise loses its meaning [1].

Tips and tricks

Do not relax your muscles along the entire trajectory of the projectile, especially at the lowest point.
Do not hold your breath for very long periods of time. On average, 2-3 seconds is enough.
The heavier the projectile, the stronger you need to exhale.
Press your feet firmly into the floor and grasp the bar tightly with your palms.

If you work out in the gym without a trainer, then knowing the correct technique is what will ensure not only the success of your training, but also your own safety. However, I would still strongly advise asking someone in the room to back you up and also make sure you do it correctly.

Autonomous stove (hair dryer)

The device is designed to quickly heat the air in the vehicle interior.

The device consists of:

electromagnetic fuel pump;
electronic control unit;
glow plugs;
heat exchanger with combustion chamber;
electric motor with impeller;
temperature sensors at the flow inlet, in a given place in the cabin and an overheating sensor;
housings.

How the hair dryer works

An electromagnetic fuel pump, controlled by an electronic unit, supplies fuel from a standard or separately installed gas tank to the combustion chamber of the heater. The glow plug ignites the mixture. The flame heats the heat exchanger surrounding the combustion chamber. Cold air supplied by a fan into the space between the device body and the heat exchanger is heated to a predetermined temperature and flows back into the cabin.

Combustion products are discharged through pipes outside the vehicle. Signals from the sensors are sent to the control unit, which regulates the fuel supply, depending on their readings. From the control panel you can set temperature parameters and operating duration. The heater is powered by a standard battery. In some cases, a separate heater battery is installed.

Pros of the system

High efficiency (fuel consumption from 0.1 liters/hour)
Ease of installation (installed anywhere inside the car)
Selecting a program of operating modes.
Efficient interior heating.

Minuses

Does not affect engine temperature.
Drains the battery.

An autonomous heater and engine pre-heating system make operating the car more comfortable, help overcome the difficulties of a long winter, and extend the service life of the engine.

An air-heating stove creates additional convenience during long-term parking, both in frost and in temperate climates. The engine pre-heating system is most effective in frosty winter conditions. The additional costs associated with the purchase and installation of equipment pay off with interest, because not only the ease of use of the car, but also the life of the driver depends on it.

What muscles work

The platform press can be performed in three positions, which will differ in the angle of inclination and, accordingly, in the targeted muscles. What does each of them download?

In a classic simulator at an angle of 45 degrees

This is the good old incline leg press (or, as they also say, incline), with a 98% probability this is exactly what you should do in your gym. It is easy to use, versatile and extremely popular among gym goers.

There won’t be much of a surprise here, but we will additionally note which muscles do not work in this machine: this is where the special benefit of the platform press lies. So, the exercise is designed to strengthen:

on the anterior biceps of the thigh,
inner and back thighs,
gluteal muscles.

In addition, we would like to add that the leg press involves the hip, knee and ankle joints.

In vertical

Street leg press machine
In addition to the classic leg press at an angle, there is also a vertical horizontal platform bench press. This is a not very well known variation that is extremely rare to find in the gym. With a vertical leg press, the platform is perpendicular to your body. The movement is carried out in a short amplitude.

This allows you to isolate the load on the lower part of the quadriceps (teardrop muscle), which will make the leg bulkier in the lower thigh, closer to the knee.

If you need just such a load, then you can perform this exercise in a Smith machine; for normal execution, you only need the help of an experienced partner who will open and close the safety mechanisms.

Sitting

Or horizontal leg press. A more common option than the previous one, but not as much as the classic one. The exercise is also a basic one; the main movement in it is the push. It is usually used to work the muscles of the anterior thigh.

So, what muscles are involved:

main – quadriceps (quadriceps femoris muscle),
synergists – gluteus maximus, adductor magnus, soleus,
dynamic stabilizers – hamstrings, calf.

Don't sell yourself short

Even those who are much, MUCH more serious about their training are selling themselves short when it comes to the goals they set for themselves in the gym. Too many people believe that benching 100 kg is “cool.” Too many people are convinced that 140 kg in the squat is “not bad.” Too many people think that 160 kg deadlift is “decent.” Too many people will rush to assure you that 55 kg on the bench press or 50 kg on the biceps curl is “an excellent result.”

The modern muscleman cannot imagine what phenomenal strength can be developed by exercising correctly. He has no idea about the hidden potential that lies hidden in the human body. He sells himself very cheaply. He settles for modest gains in strength and power because he has no idea how much he can achieve if he puts his heart and soul into his training.

Name of the game

The answer is simple. Modern gym goers have forgotten that what they are doing is called "weight training" and that the word "weight" comes from the word "weight." They have forgotten that the point of this activity is to lift heavy weights. Instead of going to the gym to “lift weights,” people now go there to “pump up their muscles” or “get toned.” And almost no one today is aware of the potential for strength and powerful muscles hidden in every human body.

This (and many other bad things that happened to the Iron Game) should be blamed on popular bodybuilding magazines. These publications have systematically promoted and glorified bodybuilding for many years. The strength aspect of training is relegated to the background in almost all publications. Beginners who have just become interested in weight training are taught to worship certain “champions” because of their “champion” appearance. They began to look at strength as a completely optional attribute. On the contrary, pictures depicting tense biceps are considered as icons. No one is interested in squatting 275kg anymore. A beach boy with sculpted biceps who can't lift a paper bag? It doesn't matter. After all, the “main thing” is how it looks

But there were times when a person's strength matched his appearance - or even exceeded it. Take Arthur Saxon, for example. The man weighed only 95 kg. Chest 118 cm. Arm 42 cm. But Saxon could pick up a 135-kilogram sack of flour from the floor and lift it above his head. If you think that this is not much, then go to a hardware store and buy six bags of sand, 22.5 kg each. Put them all in an old duffel bag - you can buy one for $15 at any military store. And then try to lift it above your head. If you managed to lift a 135-kilogram bag of sand over your head, you don’t need to read any further. You don't need this book because you are one of the most powerful people on Earth, and I can't teach you anything. But if you CANNOT lift a 135kg sandbag, then sit down and think - how did Arthur Saxon, with arms only 42cm in circumference, manage to lift it?

Saxon could lift a bag like that because he ALWAYS trained hard. Constant exercise with heavy weights over many, many years has strengthened Saxon's tendons and ligaments incredibly. And, in addition, they helped him build massive, very dense muscle tissue. Saxon's body was not a "pack" of pumped up, good looking body parts like most of today's "champions" are. No, his body was a single piece of moving steel, forged in the flames of effort and determination, tempered in a sea of sweat. His body was as strong as the iron he lifted—or even stronger than it. Saxon was so far removed from the modern athlete twirling in front of a mirror that any comparison would be absurd.

The history of setting world records in the bench press

Below are the most interesting results for the bare bench press.

Andrey Malanichev – 300
Dmitry Golovinsky - 305
Vladimir Kravtsov – 310 (category up to 140 kilograms)
Scott Mendelsohn – 324.5
Eric Spot - 327.5
Kirill Sarychev – 335
Julius Maddox – 335.5
WHO'S NEXT???

For example, on YouTube there is a video in which an arm wrestler and one of the strongest arm wrestling champions, Denis Tsyplenkov, during the years of preparation and participation in extreme power training, bench pressed 275 kg, with his own weight being more than 140 kilograms. And security officer Mikhail Koklyaev is only 225-230.

Well, that's it, guys! Engage in debate and follow my news. See you!

Absolute record holders

Records are set not only based on weight category, but also depending on the athlete’s equipment (special wristbands, bandages, shirts, overalls, briefs):

multilayer – can increase the weight lifted by 70-100 kg;
single-layer – can increase the weight lifted by 20-50 kg;
without equipment.

Multilayer equipment

Ryan Kennealy

The athlete abused alcohol and was arrested in 2010 for selling anabolic steroids. But after overcoming the craving for alcohol, he was able to significantly improve his strength indicators.

Single layer equipment

Mike Womack

How it happened

In the first approach, Julius ordered 305 kg. This weight was taken very easily, as can be seen in the video.

The athlete weighs just over 200 kilograms. Yes, in fact, you can see his big water belly in the video.

He trains 4-5 times a week. The training time is about 2-2.5 hours.

What does "hard" mean?

Dinosaurs know how much weight the human body can lift if the body is properly trained. Dinosaurs know history well. They can compare their records with those of the strongest NATURAL athletes of the past. That's exactly what they do. Dinosaur does not compare himself to those who use anabolic steroids. He KNOWS that a pure athlete cannot compete with a “chemist”. What does a dinosaur do? He compares himself to those Kings of Power who reigned BEFORE the advent of steroids.