Bench Press a 'modern' exercise?

[Schuh is my hero]

According to this memoir:

http://www.naturalstrength.com/history/detail.asp?ArticleID=343

a strongman is said to have impressed onlookers by bench pressing (what the
author calls the two-arm barbell press while lying flat...) 363 pounds.

OK, this is impressive poundage, but not exceptional by today's standards.

I gather bench pressing is a more modern fad, and wasn't highly valued by
yesterday's strongmen.

Anyone know anything about the history of weightlifting?

[Curt James]

Just another ANONYMOUS-LOSER-COWARD wrote...

[...]

>Anyone know anything about the history of weightlifting?

No.

This whole bodybuilding, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting,
kettlebell training, exercise nonsense is something that NO ONE HERE
has any interest in or knowledge of. Why would you ask such an absurd
question?

--
Curt