Athlete

Bruno Sammartino

Italian-American professional wrestler; two-time WWWF World Heavyweight Champion

5 sourced records. Each exercise has a top recorded mark and its evidence. Check the date, age, effort and method before you compare.

Bruno Sammartino bench press

Bruno Sammartino's recorded bench press is 330 lb × 38. Performance date: 1968. Age at the time: 32–33. The set continued to failure. The source at naturalstrength.com gives this mark. Source type: interview. Confidence is medium.

Compare your bench press with Bruno Sammartino

Rep contest at Mid-City Gym, Manhattan · Active professional wrestler

Calculated estimate: at least about 586 lb for one rep, from the recorded set. Formula and limits.

Source quote and limits

“THIRTY-EIGHT repetitions with 330 pounds”

TRAINING WITH A LEGEND - Bruno Sammartino - By Tom Minichiello

Gym owner and training partner Tom Minichiello gives a first-person account of their maximum-rep contest and explicitly dates it to 1968. The page says the account was first posted November 29, 1999; this copy is dated May 21, 2013. His approximate 250 lb bodyweight is excluded.

1968
- Bench press330 lb × 38
  Reps to failureActive professional wrestler
  Trainer said, naturalstrength.com1968 · age 32–33medium confidence
  Quote and details
  “THIRTY-EIGHT repetitions with 330 pounds”
  TRAINING WITH A LEGEND - Bruno Sammartino - By Tom MinichielloRep contest at Mid-City Gym, Manhattan
1963
- Bench press500 lb × 5
  Working setEarly Toronto wrestling career; recalled after retirement
  Said in an interview, slamwrestling.net1963
  Quote and details
  “five reps with 500 pounds”
  Without Toronto, there would have been no Bruno SammartinoToronto YMCA demonstration for the Italian press

Bruno Sammartino Dumbbell lateral raise (per hand)

Bruno Sammartino's recorded Dumbbell lateral raise (per hand) is 35 lb. Performance date: 2013-04-15. Age at the time: 77. This was a working set. The source at muscleandfitness.com gives this mark. Source type: interview.

Home training described in Muscle & Fitness interview · Retired, age 77

Source quote and limits

“35-pound dumbbells for side laterals”

Old-School Ass Kicker Bruno Sammartino Extended Interview

Date is the article’s first publication timestamp. Exact workout day and reps are unknown. Load is per dumbbell. He states his current bodyweight as 215 lb before describing this training. His hedged bench load and approximate abdominal volume are excluded.

2013
- Dumbbell lateral raise (per hand)35 lb
  Working setRetired, age 77
  Said in an interview, muscleandfitness.com2013-04-15 · age 77
  Quote and details
  “35-pound dumbbells for side laterals”
  Old-School Ass Kicker Bruno Sammartino Extended InterviewHome training described in Muscle & Fitness interviewBodyweight 215 lb

Bruno Sammartino Full squat (bar position not stated)

Bruno Sammartino's recorded Full squat (bar position not stated) is 750 lb. Latest year of a range: 1963. This was a working set. The source at slamwrestling.net gives this mark. Source type: interview.

Toronto YMCA demonstration for the Italian press · Early Toronto wrestling career; recalled after retirement

Source quote and limits

“a 750 full squat”

Without Toronto, there would have been no Bruno Sammartino

Sammartino directly recalls completed demonstrations for reporters in his first Toronto career period. The source places that period in the early 1960s and states that by February 1963 he had committed to returning to the WWWF. Stored 1963 is the last year of this source-bounded period under the current date rule. The exact year and day remain unknown. This athlete recollection has no independent official result.

1963
- Full squat (bar position not stated)750 lb
  Working setEarly Toronto wrestling career; recalled after retirement
  Said in an interview, slamwrestling.net1963
  Quote and details
  “a 750 full squat”
  Without Toronto, there would have been no Bruno SammartinoToronto YMCA demonstration for the Italian press

Bruno Sammartino Paused bench press (two-second pause)

Bruno Sammartino's recorded Paused bench press (two-second pause) is 565 lb. Performance date: 1959. Age at the time: 23–24. This was a competition result. The source at muscleandfitness.com gives this mark. Source type: interview.

Recalled judged bench press · Early powerlifting career

Source quote and limits

“565-pound bench press in 1959”

Old-School Ass Kicker Bruno Sammartino Extended Interview

The interviewer gives 1959 and 565 lb; Sammartino confirms a two-second chest pause and a judge’s command. This is his retrospective account. No original meet sheet or record status was checked. Exact day and bodyweight are unknown.

1959
- Paused bench press (two-second pause)565 lb
  CompetitionEarly powerlifting career
  Said in an interview, muscleandfitness.com1959 · age 23–24
  Quote and details
  “565-pound bench press in 1959”
  Old-School Ass Kicker Bruno Sammartino Extended InterviewRecalled judged bench press

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Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped.