Julius Maddox has had his eye on 800 pounds for quite some time and seems to be making progress.
It is only a matter of time for Julius Maddox.
A matter of time for what exactly? The powerlifter has had his sight set on being the first person to ever complete an 800-pound raw bench press. After taking some time off from training, Maddox loaded up 735 pounds on the bar and made it look easy.
Maddox laid on the bench with nothing to aid him but wrist wraps. After a lift from his spotter, Maddox took care of the rest. There was a slight pause at the bottom of the lift before Maddox drove it up to the sky. If it looked effortless, it’s because it might have been and he expressed that in his caption on Instagram.
“It’s only a matter of time.. This prep has had a lot of ups and downs. First time I’ve touched over 700 in almost 5 months. When I say this 735 felt like a empty bar is an understatement, It scared me when it come off my chest. Glory to GOD!”
Julius Maddox still holds the raw bench press world record of 782.6lbs from his lift at the Hybrid Showdown III back in February of 2021. Danial Zamani has been on his heels and looks determined to take over the world record.
Zamani recently completed an 804.7lb lift in training. While it does not count as an official world record, Zamani completed the lift with relative ease and it shows that he is determined to take over the title. The 800-pound mark has been a level that both lifters have been working to achieve. It is something that Maddox has failed in the past and it determined to make it official.
Julius Maddox attempted 800 pounds in 2020 but the bar was miscoded and caused an unsuccessful attempt. In August, Maddox prepared for his second attempt at the historic lift after a Chicago Cubs’ game at Wrigley Field. This was another unsuccessful attempt that has given Maddox some motivation.
As if he needed anymore, Maddox has the lift from Zamani to watch and use as a push. If this recent training video is any indication of the work that Julius Maddox has been putting in, he could reach the elusive 800-pound milestone in no time.
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