Scot Mendelson

{{short description|American armwrestler and powerlifter (born 1969)}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Scot Mendelson

| image =

| image_size =

| occupation = Powerlifting, Personal trainer

| employer = Self-employed

| caption =

| birth_name = Scot Mendelson

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|02|21|mf=y}}

| birth_place =

| residence = Valley Glen, Los Angeles, California

| nickname = "Mendy"

| nationality = {{flag|USA|name=American}}

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}

| weight = 270 - 360 lbs (122 - 163kg) active

| website =

}}

{{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{USA}} }}

{{CompetitionRecordCompetition| WPC World Bench Press Championships}}

{{CompetitionRecordCompetition| World Power Stars International Meet}}

Scot Mendelson (born February 21, 1969) is an American powerlifter and armwrestler who specializes in the bench press.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/NXFrftmieug Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20210105135542/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXFrftmieug&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXFrftmieug| title = Scott Mendelson about fight with Cyplenkov. | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

During his career he set 64 world records{{cite web|url=https://strengthrecord.com/#Strength%20Record%20Pantheon%E2%80%8B |title=STRENGTH RECORD PANTHEON, the most prolific record breakers of all time across all strength sports |website=www.strengthrecord.com |access-date=9 April 2025}} predominantly in bench pressing and was the raw (unassisted) world record holder in the 308-pound weight class with {{convert|701|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} from 2002 to 2020 and the equipped world record holder in the 275-pound class with {{convert|1031|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} from 2009 to 2021. He also held the all-time world record in the raw bench press, regardless of weight class with {{convert|715|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} for 8 years.

He's the only man in the world to hold both raw and equipped (multi-ply) world records, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest bench pressers of all-time.{{cite journal |title=Scot Mendelson, Bench press champion |journal=Monster Muscle Mag |date=February 2006 |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=46–47 |url=https://www.benchpresschampion.com/BIBLIO/Mendelson.pdf}}

Early life

Mendelson is Jewish, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York.[http://www.jewishjournal.com/health/article/menches_you_dont_want_to_mess_with_20050701/ Menches You Don’t Want to Mess With at jewishjournal.com] His maternal grandfather Morris Reif, known as the "Bronxville Bomber" was Rocky Marciano's stable mate and scored 75 knockouts in 115 fights. In his youth Mendelson loved sports and played baseball and American football. Starting strength training when he reached his teens, he moved into the sport of wrestling and boxing, where he first recognized his rapid growth in strength.[http://www.muscle-munch.com/muscle-munch-talks-with-powerlifter-scot-mendelson.html Muscle-Munch Interview with Scot - 2012] Then he moved into bodybuilding. With his pure strength showing even more through his bodybuilding training, Mendelson decided to become a powerlifter.[http://www.musclepowershop.com/2009/03/scot-mendelson.html Scot Mendelson biography at musclepowershop.com]

Powerlifting career

Mendelson started as a raw benchpresser and in 2000, benched {{convert|545.6|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} raw at APF California State & LALC Invitational. He then moved into equipped division in multi-ply category and benched {{convert|600|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} during the same year in APF Los Angeles Lifting Club competition.{{cite web |title=Scot Mendelson (M)|url=https://www.openpowerlifting.org/u/scotmendelson |website=Openpowerlifting.org |author=Anonymous | date=11 September 2021 | access-date=21 November 2024}}

During 2001 APF Senior Nationals, Mendelson benched {{convert|650.3|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} in multi-ply and in the same year at WPC World Championships in South Africa bettered it to {{convert|738.5|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}}. By the end of 2002, he took his equipped PR to {{convert|782.6|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}}.

In 2002 APF Northern California Open Championships in San Francisco, Mendelson bench pressed {{convert|701|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} raw becoming the second person in history after James Henderson to bench press 700 lb raw. It was also the all-time world record for the 308 lb (heavyweight) class.{{cite web|url=http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records/raw/world/|title=All-time RAW Powerlifting world records compiled and updated by PowerliftingWatch.com|accessdate=2007-08-19}}

=Raw world record=

In 2003 APF West Coast Push-Pull championships @ Starks Gym The Live Free or Die Family in San Carlos, Mendelson broke Henderson's five-year old {{convert|711|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} all-time raw bench press world record regardless of weight classes with {{convert|713.2|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} with only his 2nd lift.

In 2003 APF Senior Nationals, he took his equipped PR to {{convert|821.2|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} and then to {{convert|825|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} during Bench America I competition. However in 2004 Mendelson got disqualified thrice in a row at WPO World Record Bench Bash, Senior Nationals and Iowa State & WPO Qualifier.

In 2005 Atlantis New England Bench Press competition, in front of Ed Coan as the head judge, Mendelson broke his own all-time raw bench press world record with {{convert|715|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}}.[http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records/raw/world All-time RAW Powerlifting world records compiled and updated by PowerliftingWatch.com][http://www.criticalbench.com/benchrecords.htm Bench Press Records compiled by criticalbench.com]Katterle, Sean (February 2009). "Power Surge: The Bench Press - History, Records and Raw Lifts". Ironman Magazine, p. 241 The record remained unbeaten for another 8 years until Eric Spoto benched {{convert|722|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwzXjry6s6g |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/xwzXjry6s6g |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=video: Eric Spoto 722 lb World Record Raw Bench Press - Official Video|work=SuperTraining.TV|publisher=YouTube.com}}{{cbignore}}

=Equipped world record=

At 2005 APF Nationals, Mendelson benched {{convert|881.8|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} in multi-ply, becoming only the third man in history after Tim Isaac and Gene Rychlak to achieve this feat.

In 2006 Iron Man Bodybuilding contest's Fit Expo in Pasadena, Mendelson broke Rychlak's {{convert|1005|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} all-time equipped bench press world record with {{convert|1008.6|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} with only his 1st lift.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ryTYfVR70 |title=Scot Mendelson's 1008lb Record Bench Press 2/18/2006 at FIT EXPO in Pasadena, CA |website=YouTube |access-date=21 November 2024}} Eventhough the record didn't last long with the arrival of 'unlimited' equipment category with the rise of the likes of Ryan Kennelly, Will Barotti, Tiny Meeker, Bill Gillespie and Jimmy Kolb, Mendelson improved his multi-ply PR to {{convert|1025.1|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} by 2008 WPC World Championships in West Palm Beach.[http://en.allpowerlifting.com/lifters/USA/mendelson-scot-5521/?unit=kg Scot Mendelson Powerlifting statistics (incomplete) posted at en.allpowerlifting.com]

Mendelson's lifetime PR came in 2009 APF Holiday Festival of Strength in Camarillo, where he benched {{convert|1030.6|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} in multi-ply[http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records All-time Powerlifting world records compiled and updated by PowerliftingWatch.com][http://ireadculture.com/2010/02/news/scott-mendelson/ "Champion weightlifter presses the issue of cannabis and sports" by CULTURE] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130126092204/http://ireadculture.com/2010/02/news/scott-mendelson/ |date=2013-01-26 }} which stood as the all-time multi-ply world record in the 275-pound weight class until Jimmy Kolb in 2020 as well as the all-time multi-ply world record in Masters (40+) category irrespective of weight class until Tiny Meeker in 2013.{{cite web |title=Bench > Rankings > Multi-ply |url=https://www.openpowerlifting.org/rankings/multi/by-bench |website=Openpowerlifting.org |author=Anonymous | date=20 November 2024 | access-date=21 November 2024}}

=Injuries and accidents=

In 2004, Mendelson was involved in a devastating car accident, that sent him to intensive care for three weeks with a fractured skull, broken ribs, broken leg and a right foot held on only by the skin. After a dozen surgeries, his right ankle was finally removed and he was left with one leg about 2 ½ inches shorter than the other. He was also left with an addiction to Vicodin. The ankle injury was also the main reason why he was unable to compete in the other powerlifting disciplines the squat and the deadlift.

In 2013 Mendelson notoriously tore his pec while attempting a raw bench press of {{convert|716.5|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK-mbqdfuPw |title=The Worst Pec Tear In Powerlifting History |website=YouTube |access-date=26 January 2021}}

After another car accident in 2015 that made Mendelson unable to continue as a top level powerlifter, he started armwrestling in 2016 and has placed high in national level championship and attended the zloty tour 2018.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXFrftmieug http://www.zlotytur.com/tour.php?id=25&photo=yes

=Legacy=

Mendelson is a three-times National and five-times World Bench press champion and his career 64 world records in powerlifting is only seconded to Ed Coan. He is the only bench presser in the world to hold both the raw and equipped (multi-ply) world records,{{refn|group=nb|Ted Arcidi held raw and equipped (single-ply) world records.}} and is widely regarded as one of the greatest bench pressers of all-time.

Personal records

done in official Powerlifting meets[http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/files/Records-08-26-12.pdf ALL TIME HISTORICAL MEN AND WOMEN’S POWERLIFTING WORLD RECORDS] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603124709/http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/files/Records-08-26-12.pdf |date=2013-06-03 }}

Raw Bench press – {{convert|715|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} @SHW class (2005) (Former All-time World Record)

:→ Raw Bench press – {{convert|701|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} @308 lb class (2002) (Former World Record)

Equipped Bench press (multi-ply) – {{convert|1030.6|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} @275 lb class (2009)

:→ Equipped Bench press (multi-ply) – {{convert|1008.6|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} @SHW class (2006) (Former All-time World Record)

done during training according to Scot himself

Equipped Bench press (unlimited) – {{convert|1201|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}}[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr5zCoJinTU&list=LPTjftkWNQiZg&index=1&feature=plcp Video: Scot Mendelson - World's Strongest Bench Press Powerlifter]
Raw Bench Press – {{convert|650|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} for 8 repetitions
Squat – {{convert|900|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}} (not to parallel depth)
Deadlift – {{convert|880|lb|kg|abbr=on|1|}}

Personal life

Mendelson is divorced (2008) to his ex-wife, Maricelle, herself a world champion Powerlifter, Kung Fu practitioner and a martial arts champion.[http://www.asianjournal.com/galing-pinoy/59-galing-pinoy/15018-maricelle-garcia-mendelson-worlds-strongest-pinay.html "Maricelle Garcia Mendelson: World's strongest Pinay" at asianjournal.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029130525/http://asianjournal.com/galing-pinoy/59-galing-pinoy/15018-maricelle-garcia-mendelson-worlds-strongest-pinay.html |date=2012-10-29 }} They have three children, two girls and a boy.

Mendelson runs his own 6,000-sq. ft. private personal training gym in Sherman Oaks called "Fitness Individualized Training" (F.I.T.), which teaches strength training and combat sports. Being a supporter for the legalization of cannabis for medical purposes since his first car accident, he opened up his own medical marijuana dispensary "Mendica", together with his friend Eric Roberts in 2009, which goes under the tagline 'one-stop shop for rehab, rebuilding, relaxation and natural pain medication'.