First, watch this:
That’s 32-year-old Kentuckian Julius Maddox, who already held the world record for the unequipped (no supportive shirt) bench press at 744.1 lbs at an event in Austin last fall, absolutely demolishing his personal best. According to the Instagram caption, and our unofficial eye-test, Maddox cleanly secures one rep here for 765 lbs. That’s eight 45-lb plates on each side. Yeesh.
During an interview with BarBend last year, Maddox predicted he would bench 800 pounds by June 2020, which — his titanic size (350 pounds) and unparalleled work-ethic notwithstanding — sounded like a pipe dream. And yet, 765 lbs didn’t seem to give him too much trouble; 800 might be well within his sights over the next four months.
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Of course, this particular bench doesn’t count as an official world record. There’s literally some guy casually working out in the background, oblivious to the fact that one of the heaviest bench-press bars in the history of mankind is being successfully lifted 25 feet away. Plus, Maddox will have to replicate it at an event to officially up his record. As any frequent lifter knows, benching is an erratic activity, either fueled or foiled by a myriad of factors: food, mood, rest, confidence, etc.
But we like his chances. To follow his progress, and source some inspiration for your own lifting endeavors, check out his social here.
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