Shear'Ree

Shear'Ree is a powerlifter from California who, on November 15, 1982, became the first man to successfully bench press 700.9 pounds without the usage of any aids.

Shear'Ree
Born	Ohio, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Powerlifter, Coach, Politician

Background

The world record bench press of 700.9 pounds without the use of specialized equipment, such as lifting suits or bench shirts, was the first successful attempt of its kind. In powerlifting, Shear'Ree's raw lift has been recognized as a significant milestone in the sport of powerlifting.^[1]

Shear’Ree trained extensively for several years leading up to the Venice Open, where he benched a personal best of 474 lbs while equipped.^[2] He prepared by gradually increasing the weight he lifted.^[3] with the help of his spotter, Ed McGlasson. Following his achievement, Shear’Ree became a coach and mentor^[4] to many aspiring powerlifters, including McGlasson.

As a coach, Shear’Ree trained and mentored the first female firefighters^[5][6][7] in California who passed the Los Angeles City Fire Department^[5] physical aptitude test. He also used his achievement to support various humanitarian causes, including restoring vandalized headstones at Mt. Carmel Cemetery^[8][9] and raising money for victims of the San Ysidro McDonald's massacre^[3][10] by hosting a Lift-A-Thon.^[3][11] Shear’Ree started his own outreach program called Program Shear’Ree^[3] and spoke to schools and troubled youths in gangs.

In addition to his achievements in powerlifting and coaching, Shear’Ree had a career in politics. He ran for President in the 1996 election^{[8][12][13][14]} and is registered as a candidate for the 2024 elections. Shear’Ree also founded Shear’Ree Motorsports and created the Shear’Ree Edition Muscle Truck^[15][16] heavy Chevy, of which only 800 were made. He was interviewed after lane splitting became legal for motorbike riders in California^[17][18] and worked with the Highway Patrol to test the safety and functionality of the maneuver.^{[citation needed]}

Presidential campaigns

Shear'Ree briefly ran for President of the United States in 1996 as a Republican.^[19] He is currently registered as a candidate for the 2024 United States presidential election as an Independent under the name Shear'Ree Shear'Ree.^[20]

References

1. Snyder, Hal (1982-11-16). "Shear'Ree lifts massive weight off his chest". Orange County Register. pp. D1, D6. Retrieved 2023-04-15.(subscription required)
2. "1981 USPF Venice Open". www.openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
3. Scott, Peter (22 May 1986). "Strong cars, strong man highlight Spring Nationals". The Hanford Sentinel. p. 12. Retrieved 2023-04-19.(subscription required)
4. "5 Ways Shear'Ree's Career Shows How One Can Break Away From the Conventional Fitness Influencer Mold?". Times Square Chronicles. 2019-11-20. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
5. "LA to Train First Female Firefighters". Enterprise Record. 28 Jul 1983. p. 6. Retrieved 2023-04-19.(subscription required)
6. "Training Women". The Los Angeles Times. 28 Jul 1983. p. 86. Retrieved 2023-04-15.(subscription required)
7. "Would Be Firefighters make weighty Decision". The Los Angeles Times. 28 Jul 1983. p. 73. Retrieved 2023-04-15.(subscription required)
8. "Shear'Ree has Dreams of White House cont". The Des Moines Register. 2 Oct 1995. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-04-19.(subscription required)
9. "Vandals topple granite headstones in cemetery". UPI. Retrieved 2023-04-19.(subscription required)
10. "San Ysidro McDonald's massacre 🍟 (Warning, Graphic\/NSFW\/Long Read)". boxden.com. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
11. "Weightlifter Plans Fullerton Benefit for Shooting Victims". Los Angeles Times. 6 Aug 1984. p. 36. Retrieved 2023-04-15.(subscription required)
12. "Is he more weighty than a Gramm? cont". The Los Angeles Times. 16 Mar 1995. p. 14. Retrieved 2023-04-15.(subscription required)
13. "GOP Candidates Woo Conservatives In Lively Session". The Arizona Republic. 23 Apr 1995. p. 32. Retrieved 2023-04-19.(subscription required)
14. Harvey, Steve (1995-03-11). "Is he more weighty than a Gramm?..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-04-18.(subscription required)
15. "Muscle Truck!! Shear'Ree Edition HEAVY CHEVY". 4Wd Action. 3 (7): cover, 69. July 1987.
16. "Ultra rare collectible square body trucks?". GM Square Body - 1973 - 1987 GM Truck Forum. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
17. Hsu, Tiffany (2007-08-04). "Lane splitting". The Los AngelesTimes. p. 69. Retrieved 2023-04-16.(subscription required)
18. "Traffic Stalled? For motorists it is time to Split!". The Los Angeles Times. 4 Aug 2007. p. 28. Retrieved 2023-04-15.(subscription required)
19. "AllPolitics - Candidates List #2". from the original on 2011-12-23. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
20. "List of registered 2024 presidential candidates". Ballotpedia. from the original on 2023-08-21. Retrieved 2023-09-11.