Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Let's continue to talk about re world strength
standards for drug free trainees.
Again, these are taken from the 1956 book WEIGHT
TRAINING IN ATHLETICS by Jim Murray and Dr. Peter
Karpovich. I use the 1950's as a starting point
because we had (1) no drugs, and (2) no support
gear. So these are good standards for RAW lifters
and for those who (wisely) have opted to train
drug-free.
To recap:
1. The Two Hands Military Press with Barbell
Pressing a barbell equal to your own body
weight for one rep is rated as SUPERIOR STRENGTH.
Body weight plus 50 lbs. is rated as UNUSUAL
strength.
Body weight plus 100 pounds is rated as WORLD CLASS.
Note that we're talking about STRICT pressing. No
leg drive, no knee kick, no back bend. Just stand
on your feet and push the bar overhead with arm and
shoulder power.
2. The Two hands Barbell Curl
These are the standards for the STRICT barbell curl.
(STRICT! -- no cheating.)
One rep with 80 pounds under body weight is rated
as RESPECTABLE.
One rep with 50 to 30 pounds under body weight is
rated as SUPERIOR.
One rep with anything approaching body weight is
rated as WORLD CLASS.
Note: WORLD CLASS means as strong as the World and
Olympic champions in weightlifting. John Davis, for
example, curled 205 pounds at a body weight of about
220 pounds.
3. The Bench Press
Once again, we're talking strict. No bouncing. A pause
at the bottom. No raising the hips. No back arch.
Body weight plus 50 lbs. -- SUPERIOR STRENGTH.
Body weight plus 100 lbs. -- the goal of an ADVANCED
lifter.
Body weight plus 200 pounds -- WORLD CLASS.
Marvin Eder, weighing 195 lbs., bench pressed 480
lbs.
Chuck Vinci, a two-time Olympic Gold Medal Winner,
pressed 325 lbs. at a weight of only 125 lbs.
Remember, these were RAW lifts!
4. The Squat
No knee wraps. No super suits. No bouncing. Strict
style all the way.
One rep with body weight -- achievable by any man.
50 lbs. over body weight -- starting to develop
superior strength.
100 lbs. over body weight -- your goal to work toward.
This should be achievable with hard work.
200 to 300 lbs. over body weight -- WORLD CLASS.
5. The Deadlift
Body weight plus 150 lbs. is rated as being within
anyone's reach.
200 lbs. over body weight is rated as SUPERIOR STRENGTH.
300 lbs. over body weight is rated as ADVANCED LIFTER
status.
400 to 500 lbs. over body weight is rated as WORLD
CLASS.
I hope that gives you food for thought and helps with
setting real-world goals for strength and power
training!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. My books and courses are available right here at
Dino Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
