Powerlifting Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Malcolm “Mac” Richards

Posted on Sunday, December 3rd, 2017 by John Wood

“Mac” Richards started powerlifting when he was 57 years old and within a year set new Masters World Records in each of the three lifts: squatting 425 pounds, benching 308 pounds, deadlifting 479 pounds and totaling 1212 pounds. In the years that followed, he won 18 National titles and four World Powerlifting Championships.

Here were his marks at the age of 75 years and 198 lbs, (Still Masters records for the International Powerlifting Association, by the way.)

* Squat: 440 pounds
* Bench: 330 pounds
* Deadlift: 470 pounds
* Total: 1240 pounds

Mac was inducted into the York Barbell Powerlifting Hall of Fame in the year 2000. He was also a good friend who will be missed.

Wilbur Miller

Posted on Friday, October 20th, 2017 by John Wood

Wilbur Miller is a big reason why the York Barbell Company had to phase out the Deep Dish Plates and go with a slimmer profile. No room for collars … note that the plates here had to be strapped on to the bar!

Strict Bench Press

Posted on Friday, September 29th, 2017 by John Wood

Here’s something you don’t see every day — or pretty much at all these days. Could this bench press get any stricter? Other than the thumb-less grip, I dig it. Dave Moyer of Reading, PA is shown here setting a new Mid-Atlantic bench press record of 255 lbs. in the 123 lb class — That’s more than double bodyweight! Moyer won his class that day with a 1130 lb. total. He was not a tall man.

Interestingly, Moyer was also an Olympic weightlifting champion as well, winning the 123 lb. class at the 1963 AAU Senior Nationals. Lifting for the Reading Barbell Club, Mayor had prior set a world record in his weight class for the Press at the 1958 Middle Atlantic Championships with a lift of 240 lbs, bettering the previous mark of Vladimir Stogov of Russia by 2-1/2 lbs.

Pat Casey’s Squat

Posted on Thursday, December 11th, 2014 by John Wood

Pat Casey Squats

Much of what has been written about Pat Casey focuses on his bench pressing… Pat was the first man to surpass the 600 pound mark bench press but he was an equally impressive all-around lifter. Above you’ll see Pat Casey’s 774½ lb. squat at the San Diego Invitational Power Lifting Contest which took place on May, 21, 1966. This was the contest where Pat became the first man to officially surpass the 2000 pound total. His other lifts were a 592 lb. bench press and a 635 lb. deadlift for a 2001½ lb. total.

Iron Man Lifting News

Posted on Saturday, March 30th, 2013 by John Wood

Iron Man Lifting News October 1968

Peary Rader’s Iron Man magazine covered many different lifting topics but focused primarily on bodybuilding. For those who were more interested in heavy lifting of other types, in June of 1954, Iron Man started “Lifting News” which covered competitive Olympic weightlifting and what would eventually become the sport of Powerlifting. Lifting News ran for 142 issues.

Above, you’ll find the cover of the October, 1968 issue featuring Mel Hennessey, lifting in the 242 lb. class (at a body weight of 217 pounds!), bench pressing 560 pounds at the Northwest Invitational Power Meet held June 22nd of that year in St. Paul Minnesota.

Pat Casey’s 210 Pound Dumbbell Incline Press

Posted on Saturday, August 18th, 2012 by John Wood

Pat Casey 210 Pound Dumbbell Incline Press

On March 25th, 1967 Pat Casey became the first man to break the 600 pound barrier in the bench press with an official lift of 615 lbs. — Keep in mind that was without a bench shirt, elbow wraps or other nonsense that typically goes on these days.

Casey was no one-lift specialist either, as he was also the first man to squat over 800 pounds and total over 2000 pounds in an official contest.

For his workouts, Casey used to grab a pair of 210 pound dumbbells, haul them over to the incline bench, get the dumbbells into position, perform his reps, then return the dumbbells to the rack — all unassisted — quite an impressive feat of strength in its own right.