Heaviest bench press (male)

The heaviest bench press in a single lift is 401.5 kg (885 lbs 2 oz) achieved by Blaine Sumner (b.22 June 1987; USA) at the 2016 Arnold Sports Festival held in Columbus, Ohio, USA, on 5 March 2016.

Blaine also squat-lifted 500 kg during the competition. His bodyweight at the time was 167.51 kg.

The Record Holder 

Sumner, born 22 June 1987 in Conifer, Colorado, USA, is a world champion powerlifter who goes by the nickname “Vanilla Gorilla”.

As well as having his own successful powerlifting career, he also coaches others and has published his own book, Gorilla Warfare, about his experiences in the powerlifting world.

His Instagram account is filled with videos of his intense training regime.

And he even has his own training app, available through his website, that people hoping to get as strong as him can follow.

He has a series of different programmes available, suitable for all levels of experience from beginner to expert.

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A post shared by Blaine Sumner (@thevanillagorilla92)

Sumner’s fitness regime also includes a strict nutrition plan, and he offers tailored nutrition plans for others too.

He also offers personal 1-on-1 coaching.

The Record-Breaking Lift 

Sumner’s record-breaking lift took place at the 2016 Arnold Sports Festival held in Columbus, Ohio, USA, on 5 March 2016.

The festival – also known as the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sport Festival – has been held annually since 1989 in Columbus.

It’s a multi-sport event that attracts professional bodybuilders and strongmen from around the world.

Sumner lifted 401.5 kg (885 lbs 2 oz) to break his record.

To put that into context for you, he basically bench pressed a grand piano.

Or for fans of sea-dwelling mammals, that’s also around the same weight as a manatee.

See the lift in the below video:

Sumner has broken many competition records before and since setting this one.

View his stats on Open Powerliftng.

Training Techniques for Heavy Bench Press 

According to fitness site Iron Bull Strength, there are various things a person can to do to up their bench press game.

It recommends doing things like training your back and tucking in your elbows.

The bench press works the chest, shoulders and triceps muscles, so it’s imperative to warm them up first to avoid injury.

There are also different variations of the bench press – tempo, dead and isometric - and it’s recommended people try them all to see which one works best for them.

A Men’s Health article also tells bench press enthusiasts how they can add 20 kg to their press in just four weeks.

It suggests a series of exercises, including bench presses, dumbbell sets and cable pull downs, to gradually build up to the extra weight.

Notable Competitions and Events 

The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) has competitions all over the world listed in its calendar.

Notable events include the European Classic Master Powerlifting Championship and the World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships.

According to Strength Level, there are various standards of bench press.

For men, a weight of 103 lb is considered beginner level, novice is 154 lb, 217 lb is intermediate, 291 lb is advanced, and lifting a weight of at least 372 lb is considered elite.

Sumner’s lift was more than double the elite level.

Top Bench Press Tips for Aspiring Lifters 

Any aspiring bench pressers out there can pick up many tips and tricks from experts on the internet.

This guide on Barbend goes into detail about the proper form you should adopt while bench pressing, as well as the benefits of it as an exercise.

The site breaks the move down into four steps:

• Step 1: Lie flat on the bench and plant your feet on the floor before arching your back while keeping the upper back and buttocks in contact with the bench.
• Step 2: Inhale a deep breath and hold it while you pull the bar out of the rack so it ends up directly over your shoulders.
• Step 3: Break at the elbows and lower the bar down towards your chest. Where on your chest you make contact with the bar will depend on your anatomy and grip.
• Step 4: When the barbell touches your chest, pause briefly before aggressively driving it back up to the starting position. Move the barbell back towards your head so your shoulders, elbows and wrists are all aligned vertically.

It is recommended to use a spotter while performing the bench press, so that someone else is there to step in if things go wrong.

As the lifter is underneath the weight, there would be a higher risk if the lifter ended up being unable to finish their rep.

Header image: Generic image by Michael DeMoya / Unsplash