Eric Spoto
{{short description|American arm-wrestler and powerlifter (born 1976)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Eric Spoto
| image =
| image_size =
| occupation = Powerlifting (bench press), Arm wrestling
| employer = Super Training Gym (ST)
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|10|22|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Long Island, New York, U.S.
| other_names = "Vanilla Gorilla"
| nationality =
| known_for = Raw (unequipped) bench press world record
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}
| website = https://ericspoto.com/
}}
{{CompetitionRecordTableTop|}}
{{CompetitionRecordSport | Powerlifting - Bench Press}}
{{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{USA}} }}
{{CompetitionRecordCompetition| Kings Of The Bench VIII (Hardcore Powerlifting)}}
{{CompetitionRecordFirst | 2012 |+140kg}}
{{CompetitionRecordCompetition| 2012 SPF Mens Fall Open}}{{cite web|url=http://www.supertraininggym.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2012FallBackyardMeetResults.pdf|title=2012 SPF Mens Fall Open-Lb Results|work=Southern Powerlifting Federation|publisher=SuperTrainingGym.com}}
{{CompetitionRecordDisqualified | 2012 |+140kg}}
{{CompetitionRecordCompetition| SPF California State Championship 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.southernpowerlifting.com/contest_results.php?id=302 |title=SPF California State Championship Results (May 19, 2013) |work=Southern Powerlifting Federation |publisher=SPF |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210084946/http://www.southernpowerlifting.com/contest_results.php?id=302 |archivedate=2015-12-10 }}
{{CompetitionRecordFirst | 2013 |+140kg}}
{{CompetitionRecordBottom}}
Eric D. Spoto (born October 22, 1976) is an American arm-wrestler and powerlifter, who specializes in the bench press. He previously held world record in the raw (unequipped) bench press with 722 lb (327.5 kg) achieved on May 19, 2013.
Early life
Eric Spoto was born and raised in Long Island, New York.{{cite web|url=http://www.lift.net/2013/07/17/eric-spoto-the-man-behind-the-bench-press-world-record/|title=Eric Spoto: The Man Behind the Bench Press World Record|work=LIFT.net|date=17 July 2013|publisher=LIFT.net}} He was interested in strength sports and powerlifting from early on. In the 90s he moved to Las Vegas with his family. While having never competed in a powerlifting meet he started competing in armwrestling occasionally and had unofficial practice match victories against arm wrestling champions including Allen Fisher,[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Nq6DZbZig Eric Spoto practicing against Fischer in a surprise press] Michael Todd, Dave Randall and Travis Bagent.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xghRW88iCdM Eric Spoto in practice against fischer....caught][http://www.xsportnews.com/armwrestling/eric-spoto-722-lbs-327-5-kg-world-record-raw-bench-press-devon-larratt-2013/ Devon Larratt about Eric Spoto]
Powerlifting career
Having previously trained with bench press world record-holder Scot Mendelson in Los Angeles, Spoto broke Mendelson's raw bench press world record of {{convert|715|lb}}. To achieve this, he paused his arm-wrestling career. Spoto became popular in the powerlifting scene after posting bench press videos on YouTube, showing him pressing in excess of {{convert|600|lb}} for multiple repetitions while training at Mark Bell's Super Training Gym in Sacramento, California, with Stan Efferding and Creed Childress.
Eric entered his first official competition weighing {{convert|321|lb}} on October 20, 2012, at Boad's Kings Of The Bench VII in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he bench pressed {{convert|660|lb}} on his first and {{convert|700|lb}} on his second attempt, becoming one of only three men in history hitherto to ever bench press 700 lb raw in an official competition and winning the prize money for the "Biggest Benchpress of the Show".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh4aMZqHprQ|title=Eric Spoto Raw Benches 700 Pounds at BOADApparel.com's Kings of the Bench VIII|work=HardcorePowerlifting.com|publisher=YouTube.com}} Spoto also won the "500 Pound Strict-Bench-For-Reps Challenge" of the competition by pressing the 500 lb raw easily for ten repetitions with plenty more in the tank,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2wl2nWPtZI|title=video: Eric Spoto 500 lbs for 10 easy reps|publisher=YouTube.com}} outclassing the runner-up Al Davis by 3 reps.
In his second competition on November 3, 2012, at the 2012 SPF Mens Fall Open, titled "Backyard Meet of The Century", competing on the raw bench-only flight, Eric Spoto was expected to break the 715.0 lb raw record, but failed three times at attempting {{convert|716|lb}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCGri6cGD0k|title=Eric Spoto World Record Raw Bench Attempts - Backyard Meet of the Century|work=SuperTraining.TV|publisher=YouTube.com}}
At the 2013 Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) California State Powerlifting Meet in Sacramento, California on May 19, 2013, Spoto competed again and finally broke the record. Eric successfully bench pressed {{convert|661|lb}} on his first, 716 lb on his second and 722 pounds (327.5 kg) on his third attempt wearing only a singlet, belt and wrist wraps.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntvjTkdZam8|title=video: Eric Spoto Raw Bench Press World Record - All 3 Lifts (Mark Bell Commentary)|work=SuperTraining.TV|publisher=YouTube.com}} By pressing 722 lb raw Eric Spoto achieved the highest bench press ever performed without the aid of a bench shirt, surpassing the previous mark of 715 lb, set by Scot Mendelson 8 years before in 2005.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwzXjry6s6g|title=video: Eric Spoto 722 lb World Record Raw Bench Press - Official Video|work=SuperTraining.TV|publisher=YouTube.com}} Eric Spoto is currently the #3 ranked raw bench presser in the world, his record having been broken by Kirill Sarychev in 2015, and the latter's record by Julius Maddox on 19 March 2020 with a 770 pounds 350 kg press at the Arnold Sports Classic in Columbus.
=Personal records=
Powerlifting competition records:
done in official powerlifting meets
- Raw Bench press – 722.0 lb (327.5 kg) @ 315.5 lb (SHW) raw with only wrist wraps and belt (May 19, 2013, SPF)
Powerlifting gym records (unofficial):
done in the gym (based on video footage)
- Raw Bench press – {{convert|315|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 45 reps[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZnXl-WvsZc video: Eric Spoto SMASHES 315 x 45 bench press!! ]
- Raw Bench press – {{convert|405|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 26 reps[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK4y3DlVbwk video: Bench Press 405 20+ reps ]
- Raw Bench press – {{convert|500|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 17 reps[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcR3rx47d8Q video: Eric Spoto and Stan Efferding benching]
- Raw Bench press – {{convert|605|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 8 reps
- Raw Bench press – {{convert|645|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 4 reps[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxT1EO11gG8 video: Eric Spoto 645 for 4 Raw]
- Raw Bench press – {{convert|675|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 3 reps[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk3s66GlYCU video: Eric Spoto 675 x 3 raw bench press]
- Raw Bench press – {{convert|735|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 2 reps[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-K0LneTHrQ video: Eric Spoto Board Presses 705 and 735] 3 board press
- Bench press – {{convert|725|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 2 reps[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1zrxZp00LI video: Eric Spoto 725 Sling Shot Bench] with slingshot
- Bench press – {{convert|765|lb|kg|abbr=on}} for 1 rep[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnwhIb1_svQ video: Eric Spoto 765 Maddog Bench] with slingshot
- Raw Bench Press Video Compilation http://ericspoto.com/videos/
Personal life
Born on October 22, 1976, Eric Spoto grew up in Nesconset, New York. He was the second of three children born to Danny and Pauline Spoto. He has two sisters – Stephanie and Gary. Today, he lives in Henderson, Nevada, in the Las Vegas Valley.