Over 50 years on, Pat Casey is still frequently shared on social media, because his strength numbers were impressive even by today’s standards. Casey’s defining lift came in 1967, when he officially became the first man to bench press over 600 pounds [272kg].
Casey hit 617 pounds [280 kg] and some sources also record a 622 pound lift [282kg] without any form of bench suit. His training approach for the lift was built around singles, partials and overhead strength. He mostly relied on extremely heavy weights, low reps and above all: ruthless consistency.
Who Was Pat Casey?
Pat Casey was born in Los Angeles in 1939, He grew from an undersized teenager with a basic weight set into one of the strongest men of the 1960s. His life changed in 1943, when he discovered an old-school gym in Inglewood that pulled him away from petty crime and into a world built around discipline and barbell training.
Reportedly, he fuelled his training with huge amounts of food, drinking 3-6 litres of milk a day and eating mid-workout meatloaf sandwiches swamped in mayo. The fuelling worked well, as he placed 5th at the Teen Mr America competition – and boasted a 400lb [~181kg] bench press at just 17 years old. To put that in perspective, at the time not many adult men had achieved the same numbers.
@instituteofiron//Instagram
Under the guidance of bodybuilder Bill Pearl, Casey made even more progress. In his gym, the 225lb dumbbells were referred to as ‘Pat’s weights’ because no one else could lift them. But his impressive feats didn’t stop there. He once performed eight hours straight of dips. Training in a 10-metre squared shed behind his house, lit by only a candle, he would train daily. On one occasion during a late-night session, his candle blew out as he had 550lbs [~249kg] on the bar. The bar jammed and he couldn’t dump it, but he still managed to emerge unscathed.
Casey set far more than bench press records. He also became the first man to squat over 800lbs [~363kg] and the first to total more than 2,200lbs [~998kg] in competition – all performed raw and decades before modern supportive kit existed. After retiring from powerlifting, he served as a police officer and later worked as a private investigator.
Vintage Bodybuilding//Facebook
Pat Casey’s Bench Press Methods
The following methods and moves were highlighted in an Instagram post from Josh Bryant of Jailhouse Strong.
Lockouts
Heavy partial presses taken from 4 inches and 7 inches off the chest – 5 singles at each height. These recruited maximum fast-twitch fibres with no wasted reps.
3 sets of 3-5 heavy reps. This targeted the chest, delts and shoulders from a different angle. Strong shoulders meant a stronger and more stable bench press.
Weighted Dips
More than assistance work in Casey’s mind – these were essential. He loaded himself with plates to build enormous triceps strength.
Lying Triceps Extensions
A pullover blended into a triceps extension – 5-6 sets of 3-5 reps. Casey reportedly hit 365lbs [~165kg] for a triple in this movement.
Strict overhead work with a wide grip and no lean. Casey believed overhead strength fed directly into his bench press. If you were weak overhead you were losing power on the bench.
@instituteofiron//Instagram
Pat Casey’s Workout Routine
This is Casey’s routine from Strength and Health magazine in 1963, several years before Casey reached his peak. The programme was fairly simple and shows how he built strength without complicated programming.
Monday
Warm up, then 5 paused singles with 500 to 510 pounds – for a total of 15 sets
5 sets of 5 reps with 300 to 500 pounds
3 sets of 3 reps up to 320 pounds
10 sets of 8 reps
Wrestler’s Bridge Pullover and Press
5 sets of 4 reps up to 305 pounds.
WednesdayIncline Press
4 sets of 4 reps with 210-pound dumbbells
Squat
Heavy singles followed by half squats for a total of 15 sets
Dip
10 sets of 3 reps with 300 pounds
Barbell Row
3 sets of 5 reps up to 350 pounds
Incline Lateral Raise
3 sets of 20 reps
SaturdayBench Press
Same format as Monday
Squat
Same as Wednesday
Triceps Press on Bench with a Barbell
10 sets of 4 reps up to 270 pounds
Power Clean
Same as Monday
Neck Bridge
Same as Monday
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Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.