There have been many bench press icons. When we go back into this history of the sport of benching we have heard of great names and benchers who dominated their time. Names like Anthony Clark, Jim Williams, Glen Chabot, Jamie Harris, and George Halbert will always be remembered as the bench presses biggest stars. However, there is a new rising star in the bench press now! A new bencher who is making progress in the bench press in ways that the world has never seen before! A man who out of no where benched 650lbs at 181 and who is just getting started! Here at Critical Bench, we will give you the first taste of one of the best benchers in the world today and possibly the best bencher ever a few years down the road. At Critical Bench we bring you the man, the myth, the bench monster and a future bench press legend, Jay Fry!

1) Critical Bench: I am with the new bench star of the world right now, Jay Fry. Jay, can you tell us about yourself?

Jason Fry: My name is Jay Fry and I'm from Ohio. I have a 650lbs bench press and I weigh 181lbs.

2)Critical Bench: Jay, we all have our stories about how we became great benchers. What got you started in the bench press and what is next?

Jay Fry: If you read Mike Wolfe's interview, he would have told you that he was the fat kid who always got picked on. Well, it was the opposite for me. I was always the scrawny kid who got picked on and that motivated me to become stronger. Well, one thing leads to another and here I am now benching 650@181 and before you know it I will be benching over 700lbs, making me the first person ever to bench 700lbs weighing less than 200lbs! Then I am going to bench 722@181! I want to bench quadruple my body weight! Nothing is going to stop me and I am going to keep on benching more from here on out!

3) Critical Bench: Jay, great goals! Tell us what is it like holding 650lbs in your hands?

Jay Fry: 650lbs doesn't feel much different than 550 or 600lbs. All the heavy weights feel the same in my hands. However, whether I'm benching 550, 600, 650, or 700 there is only one thought that enters my mind and that thought is "Give me the press command before my arms break off." Once I get the press command then the weight explodes up. I have never failed with a weight at lockout as long as I got the weight to touch my shirt properly.

4) Critical Bench: Yeah, holding 650lbs has to put a tremendous amount of stress on your tendons. If you happen to press every weight that touches your shirt, what do you think would happen if you tried to bench press 800lbs right now at 181?

Jay Fry: Well, I'd be scared. I'm not ready for 800 yet but I'm looking forward to benching 700lbs and then constantly shattering my own World Records in the future and hopefully someday getting to the point where I can bench press 800lbs. The sky is the limit.

5) Critical Bench: Jay, your benching is truly phenomenal. So, tell us a little about your training philosophy and how you got so strong, so fast?

Jay Fry: Well, I am one of the laziest powerlifters in the world! You can quote me on that! My workouts never last over an hour and I do the easiest exercises. For example when I do barbell rows I am always leaning next to a bench.

6) Critical Bench: Do you train with boards or rack lockouts? What about full range of motion bench presses? Do you squat? Tell us about your bench press routine?

Jay Fry: I don't train my chest, I don't train with boards, I don't train with rack lockouts, I don't squat deep and heavy (because then I will gain too much weight for my weight class), and my workouts are very short. Instead I do TWO basic exercises twice a week and they are:

1) I do Speed bench press days with bands.
2) I do heavy floor presses or flat bench presses with bands.

The flat bench and floor press with bands are keys! I swear by it. I HAVE NEVER HIT A PLATEAU BEFORE TRAINING LIKE THIS!

7) Critical Bench: Why don't you train with lockout movements?

Jay Fry: I get so much speed from all the bands and the shirt that lockout training just isn't necessary. The flat bench and floor press with variations of band tension make the bench press movement like a core lift. These two movements strengthen all of my weak links in just those two basic movements. This is what has worked for me. Some of the other best benchers do use those other movements but I'm very happy with the results that I'm getting by just doing floor presses and bench presses with bands and these movements have taken me to competing in the Arnold Classic bench meet in Columbus Ohio.

8) Critical Bench: What type of bench press shirt do you use?

Jay Fry: I use a Double Ply Rage X.

9) Critical Bench: So, you are benching over 650lbs at 181! A lot of benchers believe that gear lifters can't bench much RAW. We know that isn't always the case and that many of the shirt benchers are also some of the strongest guys out there without a shirt as well. So, what do you bench without a shirt? And is it easy for you to bench 315lbs for 10 reps at 181lbs without a shirt or don't you have a lot of raw power?

Jay Fry: To be honest I have bench pressed 340lbs for reps of 10 without a shirt and I have also bench pressed 455lbs without a shirt at 181lbs. However. I am focused on benching the most weight in the world with a shirt and benching RAW (without a shirt) isn't my goal.

10) Critical Bench: So, what do you consider to be the 3 most important secrets for getting such strength whether it be benching with a shirt or without one?

Jay Fry: In the following order I would say:

1) Strong Triceps
2) Back
3) Rear Delts.

11) Critical Bench: What is your mindset before a big lift?

Jay Fry: I lift the best when I am tired. Every time I failed in a meet was because I was pumped up and that messed me up. If I am feeling very aggressive I lose focus and I can't concentrate properly.

Critical Bench: Thanks, Jay you are the new big star in bench pressing! Is there anything else that you would like to say as we wrap your interview up?

Jay Fry: I would like to thank my wife for having put up with my powerlifting. I also want to thank George Halbert and Tony Ramos. I wouldn't be where I'm at if it wasn't for their expert training. Special thanks to Mike Wolfe, Scott Vickery, you guys are awesome! Last but not least thanks to Inzer Advanced Design for their generous sponsorship and Get diesel supplements. I also want to thank Ben Tatar and www.criticalbench.com for the interview and all of my fans. Thanks everyone!

Jay Fry.

August 2008 Interview With Jay Fry

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