Anthony Wayne Clark (born September 15, 1966 in Philippines — died May 22, 2005 in Friendswood, Texas, U.S.) was an American powerlifter, holder of the world record for the reverse grip bench press and member of the York Barbell Hall of Fame.
He was the first and only teenager to bench press 600 pounds, 1986. World record holder in the squat: 1025 pounds, 1988. First man to reserve grip bench press 700 pounds, 1992.
Most weight lifted in powerlifting competition history: 1015 – pound squat, 725 pound bench, 720 pound deadlift at the 1993 WPA World Record Breakers meet in Pennsylvania, for a total of 2460 pounds.
Anthony’s biggest bench press: 735 pounds at the USPF Northwest Open Bench Press Championships.
According to the following quote Anthony started out as a weakling!
Anthony Clark: “I got beat up at school by the neighborhood bullies, and I got beat up again when I came home. I suffered physical abuse from my dad for years. I felt like I was nothing, the lowest of the low. I even failed at three suicide attempts.
Discovering lifting when I was 13 really helped me a lot, but it was a Jay Streck religious crusade one day at school that totally turned my life around. I remember how excited I was hearing that the Lord loves you unconditionally and that trials and tribulations in life aren’t there to punish you, but to help teach you lessons you need to learn. If you don’t learn, it’s your fault, and the same lesson will keep coming back again and again.
Once I accepted the Lord into my life and put Him first, that put everything in my life into order. I began to develop self-respected, discover my God-given talents, and use these talents for the benefit of myself and others. I’m an instrument of the Lord, and I want to make an impact.”
Anthony used to talk to kids and youth when he was at schools, gyms, detention centers and prisons.
Anthony: “The best thing in the world is to see a kid smile and be happy, to tell you that you made a difference in his life. I’m thrilled, actually, when guys from the detention center where I worked four years ago will come back and tell me what they’re doing right in their lives.”
He did those appearance throughout the year and still worked 10 hours daily!
“It can be tiring. My work days are always at least 10 hours long. You need a strong body to serve the Lord.”
Anthony’s Training Routine
He used to train very carefully, always warmed up first, and very strictly. Tried to avoid injury. His program was a combination of powerlifting, bodybuilding and aerobics, supplemented by racquetball, basketball, fishing, shooting at the rifle range, and playing with whatever kids are around.
Off-season Clark follows a two-on, one-off schedule: Day 1 – Chest, shoulders and tri’s and Day 2 – Legs, back and bi’s.
His pre-contest program is carefully worked out, as per the following workout plan preparing for a 10/23/1993 meet:
Squat attempts: 1st 969lb, 2nd-1022lb, 3rd – 1065. The last squat is 16 days out. The last bench is 9 days out. The last bench is 9 days out. The last deadlift is 26 days out.
Training for the squat. Attempt he tried: 1st 969lb, 2nd-1022lb, 3rd-1065lb. The last squat is 16 days out.
| Week + Date | Exercise | Weight x Rep |
| Week 1: 7/5/93 | Squat | 533×5 |
| Leg Press | 873×8 | |
| Stand Up | 753, 803, 853 | |
| Week 2 7/12/93 | Squat | 703×3 |
| Leg Press | 969×8 | |
| Week 3: 7/19/93 | Squat | 533×5 |
| Leg Press | 1054×8 | |
| Stand up (all 10 seconds) | 806, 856, 906 | |
| Week 4: 7/26/93 | Squat | 756×3 |
| Leg Press | 1140×8 | |
| Week 5: 8/2/93 | Squat | 554×5 |
| Peg Press | 746×8 | |
| Stand-up (all 10 seconds) | 859, 909, 959 | |
| Week 6 8/9/93 | Squat | 809×3 |
| Leg Press | 1203×8 | |
| Week 7: 8/16/93 | Squat | 618×5 |
| Leg Press | 746×8 | |
| Stand-up (all 10 seconds) | 913, 963, 1013 | |
| Week 8: 8/23/93 | Squat | 863×2 |
| Leg Press | 1267×8 | |
| Week 9 8/30/93 | Squat | 618×5 |
| Leg Press | 746×8 | |
| Stand up (all 10 seconds) | 955, 1005, 1055 | |
| Week 10: 9/6/93 | Squat | 905×2 |
| Leg Press | 1321×8 | |
| Week 11: 9/13/93 | Squat | 660×5 |
| Leg Press | 692×8 | |
| Stand up (all 10 seconds) | 998, 1048, 1098 | |
| Week 12: 9/20/93 | Squat | 948×2 |
| Leg Press | 916×8 | |
| Week 13: 9/27/93 | Squat | 660×5 |
| Leg Press | 916×8 | |
| Stand-up (all 10 seconds) | 1046, 1096, 1146 | |
| Week 14: 10/7/93 | Squat | 996×2 |
| Leg Press | 714×8 | |
| Week 15 10/18/93 | Squat | 373 |
| Stand-up (all 10 seconds) | 969, 1022, 1065 |
| Week + Date | Exercise (only bench) | Weight x Rep x Set |
| Week 1: 7/15/93 | Benchpress | 402 x 8 x 2 |
| Week 2: 7/22/93 | – | 440 x 8 x 2 |
| Week 3: 7/29/93 | – | 477 x 5 x 2 |
| Week 4: 8/5/93 | – | 515 x 5 |
| Week 5: 8/12/93 | – | 552 x 5 |
| Week 6: 8/19/93 | – | 468×5 |
| Week 7: 8/26/93 | – | 580 x 3 |
| Week 8: 9/2/93 | – | 608 x 3 |
| Week 9: 9/9/93 | – | 505 3 |
| Week 10: 9/16/93 | – | 636 x 2 |
| Week 11: 9/23/93 | – | 664 x 2 |
| Week 12: 9/30/93 | – | 561 x 2 |
| Week 13: 10/7/93 | Dead Stop Bench | 692 x 1 x 2 |
| Week 14: 10/14/93 | Dead Stop Bench | 726 x 1 x 2 |
| Week + Date | Exercises | Weight x Rep |
| Week 1: 7/5/93 | Deadlift | 515 x 3 |
| Rack Deadlift | 530, 580, 680 x 3 | |
| Week 2: 7/12/93 | Deadlift | 382 x 5 |
| Week 3: 7/19/93 | Deadlift | 554 x 3 |
| Rack Deadlift | 577, 627, 677 x 3 | |
| Week 4: 7/26/93 | Deadlift | 398 x 5 |
| Week 5: 8/2/93 | Deadlift | 593 x 2 |
| Rack Deadlift | 616, 666, 716 x 3 | |
| Week 6: 8/9/93 | Deadlift | 413 x 5 |
| Week 7: 8/16/93 | Deadlift | 632 x 2 |
| Rack deadlift | 655, 705, 755 x 3 | |
| Week 8: 8/23/93 | Deadlift | 429 x 5 |
| Week 9: 8/30/93 | Deadlift | 663 x 2 |
| Rack Deadlift | 686, 736, 786 x 3 | |
| Week 10: 9/6/93 | Deadlift | 449 x 5 |
| Week 11: 9/13/93 | Deadlift | 694 x 2 |
| Rack Deadlift | 710, 760, 810 x 3 | |
| Week 12: 9/20/93 | Deadlift | 468 x 5 |
| Week 13: 9/27/93 | Deadlift | 729 x 2 |
| Week 14: 10/7/93 | Deadlift | 355×3 |
| Rack Deadlift | 710, 749, 780 x2 |
Meet Day: 1st Attempts – (969 – 713 – 710 – 2392); 2nd Attempts (1022 – 733 – 749 – 2504); 3rd Attempts (1065 – 748 – 780 – 2593)
Anthony’s diet
He used to eat eight meals a day and he was pretty much always hungry. He always eaten well and consistently.
Meal 1: 3 cups of cream of wheat, as much lettuce and cucumbers as you want, 1.5 cups of broccoli, 1 cup of corn, 1 apple, 1 cup of lowfat milk, 18 eggs whites
Meal 2: 3 cups of rice, as much lettuce and cucumbers as you want, 1.5 cups of broccoli, 1 cup of corn, 1 banana, 7 ounces of turkey breast.
Meal 3: 3 cups of rice, as much lettuce and cucumbers as you want, 1.5 cups broccoli, 1 cup of corn, 1 banana, 7 ounces of turkey breast.
Meal 4: 3 cups of rice, as much lettuce and cucumbers as you want, 2.25 cups of broccoli, 1.5 cups of corn, 1 apple, 7 ounces of chicken breast.
Meal 5: 3.75 cups of cooked pasta, as much lettuce and cucumbers as you want, 2 tomatoes, 1.25 cups of mushrooms, 1.5 cups of corn, 1 banana, 7 ounces of chicken breast.
Meal 6: 3.75 cups of cooked pasta, as much lettuce and cucumbers as you want, 2 tomatoes, 1.25 cups of mushrooms, 1.5 cups of corn, 7 ounces of chicken breast.
Meal 7: 3.75 cups of cooked pasta, as much lettuce and cucumbers as you wantm 2 tomatoes, 1.25 cups of mushrooms, 1.5 cups of corn, 7 ounces of chicken breast.
Meal 8: 5 cups of cooked pasta, as much lettuce and cucumbers as you want, 2 tomatoes, 1.25 cups of mushrooms, 1.5 cups of corn, 7 ounces of chicken breast.
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