Ben Pollack is a professional physical culturist. In 2017, he won the world's largest powerlifting meet and became the strongest powerlifter in history in the 198-pound class with a 2039 raw total. He earned his Ph.D. studying the history of strength from the University of Texas in 2018. In 2019, Ben qualified to compete for his pro card in bodybuilding and became an IFBB pro in 2021.
It’s that time of year again: when the out-of-shape, inexperienced massed descend upon the sanctity of the weight room. What’s a hard-training powerlifter to do? Encourage them. See a new dude in the gym cranking out reps with 225 on the squat with the bar jammed up on his neck, knick-knocking knees, and a spinal […]
All that matters is how you look, and if using equipment allows you to train heavier and harder, build more muscle, and ultimately look better, then you should use it! Here are my top-5 powerlifting Christmas gifts for bodybuilders.
If you have a free minute or two, I’d really, really appreciate it if you’d use that time to vote in the Mr. Golden Era 2018 competition – whether for me or for someone else!
Instead of just trying to get strong by getting as big as humanly possible, many lifters are paying more attention to their muscularity. Just take a look at Larry Wheels or Dan Green, and you’ll immediately know how successful this strategy can be.
Just as powerlifters can benefit from bodybuilding movements, so can bodybuilders benefit from powerlifting movements. Today we’re looking at the triceps – a muscle group that I really struggle with and, as a result, have spent a lot of time studying and training.
Ben has begun working with Chris Duffin and Brandon Senn to prep for the US Open. Over the course of this month, he'll share some of the best insights from their training together. His focus is on movement quality and the nuances of technique, but, as always, the mental side of the game will be featured in Ben's log, too.
2018 was full of ups and downs for Ben, but he’s back in 2019 and getting bigger than ever. Follow him as he preps for the US Open, plans to qualify for a national-level bodybuilding show, and continues to SFW and GFH! In January, you can expect more on combining powerlifting and bodybuilding using the conjugate method, diet advice, and
Four weeks out is when I suffered a quad tear—I should have dropped out at that point. In fact, I talked to Dave Tate, and that's exactly what he told me to do.
Just because you’re not doing curls doesn’t mean it’s okay to monopolize the monolift for three hours while you do your 100 sets of 5 reps with 225. At least let the next guy work in.
Based on Dave's bench cues and progress made, I’m revising my bench goal for Reebok Record Breakers in November, from 200 kilos up to 210 — a huge jump, especially considering it’s by far my worst lift.
No, hammer curls and pushdowns probably aren’t going to add 50 pounds to your bench, but they very well might keep your elbows healthy enough so that you can train consistently. And getting arms big enough to bust through shirtsleeves is fun.