You squatted more than John Davis!

[wk105]

In Dinosaur Training, Brooks Kubik says that John Davis, in his prime, was arguably the strongest man in the world - 12 time US Champion, six time World Champion, and two time Olympic Champion.

His best training lifts were these:

Clean and press - 375
Squat - 550x3, 525x8, 500x10
Deadlift - 705
Bench press - 425
One hand snatch - 215
Strict curl - 215
Two dumbbell clean and press - 284
Bent press - 275
One arm strict curl with dumbbell - 103

He lifted 402.2lb in the clean and jerk at the US Senior Nationals in 1951.

Kubik says Davis' squat looks like a 570-600lb single and that Davis is probably the strongest lifetime drug-free lifter.

You often say you were never a very good lifter, but you squatted 611 in a meet and 600x3 in training. That's amazing. And your bench press wasn't far off Davis'.

Also, Davis' overhead strength is stratospheric compared to that of even very strong lifters nowadays:



What was your best press? Did you ever get over 250lb?

[Mark Rippetoe]

My name and John Davis do not belong in the same paragraph, much less the same sentence. Please do not embarrass me again, no matter how good your intentions might be.

[tertius]

Call me crazy, but a man who could squat 500 x10 could probably have squatted more than 611 if he wanted to do so.

[wk105]

Do you agree with Kubik?

[51M0n]

The most impressive thing in that video was the press.

The second most impressive thing was what happened after the press. He put the weight back on the floor like it was nothing.

[Rezart Erindi]

OP, what do you want to accomplish with this post? Are you trying to tell us that John Davis was really strong, or that Rip is stronger than Godzilla?

[PressesPeople]

Mark: our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...

[hatmanii]

The most impressive thing in that video was the press.

The second most impressive thing was what happened after the press. He put the weight back on the floor like it was nothing.

But but but, I NEED bumpers to do cleans! I cant be bothered to lower metal plates!