Bent Press Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Charles MacMahon’s Bent-Press

Posted on Wednesday, October 5th, 2022 by John Wood

A classic shot of the great Charles MacMahon bent-pressing an excellent 14-inch exhibition bell at the Milo Bar Bell Company show room, circa 1916. In the original publication of this photograph, MacMahon’s tricep impressive development was highlighted — an almost unavoidable outcome of heavy bent-pressing.

Gregory Paradise

Posted on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019 by John Wood

The great strongman Gregory Paradise, from Hudson New Hampshire, could perform a middle finger chin up with either arm. Paradise weighed around 120 lbs. and is also one of the few men in history to bent press double bodyweight (he could bent-press over 250 lbs. Paradise was chosen first (out of 25,000 entries) in a contest put on by Earle E. Liederman in 1925, winning himself $1000 and a chauffeur-driven week in New York. Paradise won another mail order contest in 1928, this one held by Professor Titus.

Bob Hoffman’s Bent Press

Posted on Wednesday, August 29th, 2018 by John Wood

Bob Hoffman’s favorite lift was the bent press. Here’s Bob pressing about 240 pounds .This lift took place during a visit to Cuba in early 1939. Note the sweat-shirt, this helped create more friction for the upper body and prevent slippage during the lift — a tactic used by many bent-pressers.

Al Beinart

Posted on Sunday, April 8th, 2018 by John Wood

Over a century later, Arthur Saxon still holds the greatest bent press poundage ever recorded. The man who has come the closest under official conditions was Al Beinart who managed 330 pounds and trains at Yaco’s Gym in Detroit. The hardest part of the lift, according to Beinart, is getting the weight to the shoulders. This is the style that he used. and with 300+ pounds, that’s an impressive feat by itself.

Carl Busch

Posted on Friday, February 2nd, 2018 by John Wood

Carl Busch was a great strongman and wrestler who was active in the early 20th century. After winning the 1901 German national title, he toured Europe performing feats of strength and wrestling all comers. He even wrestled the great Frank Gotch to a draw under Greco-Roman rules. Busch also wrestled the likes of George Hackenschmidt, Professor Roller, Heinrich Weber, Yousef Holusane, Fred Beell, and even Farmer Burns. As far as feats of strength, Busch could bent press 250 pounds at a bodyweight of only 175 pounds. In 1891, Busch started his own circus which is actually still going strong today if you can believe it.

Bob Harley

Posted on Friday, January 26th, 2018 by John Wood

Bob Harley, of Sig Klein’s Gym was one of the world’s greatest masters of the bent press. In fact, Bob Harley was the winner of the New York City Bent Press contest (put on by Sign Klein in 1940 — lifting in the 181 lb. class, Harley out bent-pressed the heavyweights (including John Davis) with a winning lift of 254 lbs. Harley was one of the few men to successfully bent-press the Rolandow Dumbbell.

The 2-Hands Anyhow

Posted on Friday, November 10th, 2017 by John Wood

A step-by-step look at the 2-Hands Anyhow. It has been said that this lift is the ultimate test of strength, endurance and agility: it is the method by which the greatest weight has ever been lifted overhead with one hand, the complete lift lasts 12-15 seconds, and it requires practice, balance and the perfection of having to do two things at once. Once the lifter completes a Bent Press an additional weight, in the form of a dumbbell or kettlebell, is then cleaned to the shoulder and pressed overhead. The greatest performance of all time in this lift is 448 pounds, lifted by Arthur Saxon in 1905.

An Interesting Comparison

Posted on Friday, November 10th, 2017 by John Wood

An interesting comparison of bent-press techniques. On the left, Real Lacombe of Toranto, Canada bent-presses a heavy dumbbell. On the right, grandmaster martial artist Wang Zi Ping does something similar with a Chinese stone lock. The bent-press is not, to our knowledge, named so in ancient Chinese training literature, but it is clear that it — or a version of it — was certainly practiced.

Paul Baillargeon

Posted on Wednesday, October 25th, 2017 by John Wood

I have said many times that Arthur Saxon’s records would never be broken… and they won’t be… but the man who has come the closest was Paul Baillargeon of the famed Baillargeon Brothers of Quebec. These six brothers were all incredible wrestlers and strength athletes who toured their native Canada and the US taking on all comers.

Paul, shown here, who was quite possibly the strongest of the brothers, often lifted a horse as the finale of their strength performances. This picture shows him officially bent-pressing a barbell loaded to 321 pounds, a feat which he achieved on May 11, 1951, in front of Harry B. Paschall and other reliable witnesses at the Apollo Health Studio in Columbus, Ohio.

Paul Baillargeon actually did succeed in bent-pressing 375 pounds in practice a few times but never under official conditions.

Bert Elliott in Action

Posted on Thursday, October 19th, 2017 by John Wood

Another look at Bert Elliott’s excellent bent-pressing ability. This rare shot was at the AAU Southern California Weightlifting Championships, circa early 1960’s. This globe barbell was loaded to 270 lbs. Note how balanced (and therefor stable) Elliott is, you could draw a straight line between the arm holding the barbell and his right foot. — That’s the only kind of form that will allow a successful Bent-Press lift.