Doug Hepburn - Olympic Press, 1954

Doug's winning 380 lb press at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Doug
• Hepburn
• Olympic
• Press

[Skyoneer2007]

From what I saw on the powerlifting records Doug Hepburn dident bench press 500 LBS raw, but yes he is the first to bench press 500 LBS, with a bench press shirt, I think they had bench press shirts back in the 50's. I went to the powerlifting records website and it said that Pat Casey was the First man to bench press 500 pounds without a bench press shirt.

[ontariostrongman]

@Skyoneer2007

Hate to break it to you, but they didn't have bench shirts in the '50s. Pat Casey was the first guy to bench 600 lbs. -- in 1967.

"The first Official 500-Pound Bench Press was performed in Vancouver, British Columbia on December 10th, 1953 by the great Canadian strength athlete Doug Hepburn."

[ontariostrongman]

Doug's best press in this style was 420 lb (191 kg), although he pressed 440 lb (200 kg) off a rack. He was the first to officially bench over 500 lb, going as high as 580 lb (264 kg) before tearing a pec. He had a 705 lb (321 kg) deadlift (740 lb with straps), and his best squat was 760 lb (345 kg), but he also squatted 600 lb (272 kg) for 8 reps -- at the age of 54! That's lasting strength.

[ForAll23]

How much is it on the bar, does anyone know?

[ontariostrongman]

380 pounds.

[thegrapplingguy]

amazing how strong these guy were before the steriod craze

[irishenforcer]

holy crap.not a hint of a push press at all.pure standing press strength.i would venture a guess that not many drug free atheletes of today could match that.

[GChussir2]

He fucking LOWERED the bar. Amazing.

[dustyrustee]

amazing strict technique.....no cheat.....unreal power....

[N0Numberz]

the other doug video isn't in slow motion

[zignationer]

insane raw no-legs pressing power. doug was wide as a door!

[skirts365]

What every lumberjack wishes he could do.

[finrod55]

No bench shirts until the 1980s. Hepburn was raw all the way. And his first 500 B.P. was PRIMITIVE: lying on a cheap flat bench, three guys had to lift the weight off the floor to Doug's chest. Then he pressed from a dead stop, no arch in his back, no leg drive--nothing but arm, shoulder and pec power. And he did benches to assist his overhead press, not as a competitive lift in itself. He also enjoyed a beer or two during a workout!

[sirjerold]

I use watch Pat Casey do singles with 600 lbs. at his gym in norwalk without a bench shirt.

[0219brixton]

The 1st edition of Sports Illustrated had an article on Doug Hepburn. Apparently he would drink bourbon and black coffee while warming up!

[wolfgangle]

now that`s a press, done in that style most would fail even nowadays

[Skyoneer2007]

@herc410 thanks