Ironman Monday 3 Chasing 1000 with Shawn Lattimer
It’s the questioned faced by anyone who has ever been involved in lifting weights, anyone who has spent any amount of time in the gym, anyone who has any kind of musculature, “How much can you bench?”
There was a time not long ago that Big Shawn Lattimer could have answered that question with “935 pounds”, he put up nearly half a ton in a lift during training.
Shawn was a BIG kid, in his teens standing six feet and tipping the scales at close to three-hundred pounds. He was a district wrestling champion as a junior in high school, training for wrestling was Shawn’s introduction into the world of weight lifting.
Lattimer’s first steps into the world of competitive lifting were taken in 1997 at a bench competition he went to with some buddies from the gym, “I benched around four-twenty that day, I was hooked.”
Despite his training slowing while attending college and developing his career, the weight did keep piling onto his bench press: 540 in ‘99, 600 at the 2002 WNPF Worlds. “I started to really learn about training methods and worked my way up to 645 in the spring of ‘03.”
After Shawn became a part of the Metal Militia his benchpress really started to grow, he broke the 800 lb barrier at the WPO Bench Bash in Fall of ‘03 and was invited to the Arnold Classic in 2004 where he placed 2nd, putting up 859 lbs. Guys associated with the Metal Militia are notorious for being able to put up enormous numbers and Shawn Lattimer was certainly no exception, “my best competition lift came in August of 2006: 865 at the Iron Asylum APF Backyard Bench Meet.”
Shortly after his 865 lb bench press, Shawn was diagnosed with diabetes. It’s pretty amazing that he’s been able to move the incredible amounts of weight that he has - Shawn has a veritable grocery list of injuries that have plagued him over the course of the last few years: He’s had tears in both triceps and both pectoral muscles, 7 herniated discs, a substantial right shoulder injury in 2003, and a bone spur in the left elbow that may require a surgical procedure.
In 2005 Shawn dealt with a frightening series of heart related issues stemming from stress, asthma and sleep apnea that resulted in him having two minor heart attacks, and ‘06 brought on the diabetes. The illnesses and injuries caused a drastic change in Shawn’s lifestyle particularly diet, bringing his bodyweight down from about four hundred and twenty pounds to around three-fifty.
Shawn’s last meet was in December of ‘06, it was his first since he’s “slimmed down” and he managed to put up 750 lbs, which is pretty impressive all things considered. “As of right now I pretty much have my health together, and am recovered from most of the injuries. I don’t really take the sport as seriously as I did before, I love competitive lifting and will probably do until the day I die - If it’s not fun, why do it?”
Shawn’s next meet is just around the corner on February 17 in Tribes Hill New York, he’s looking to get back up over the 800 lb mark. I for one would like to see Shawn stay healthy and competitive for as long as it takes him to conquer his quest of the ever elusive 1000 pound bench press.
For more info on Shawn, and to find out how you can get a personalized training program from one of the most impressive bench press specialists go here.
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