Shear'Ree

Shear'Ree
Born	Ohio, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Powerlifter, Coach, Politician

Shear'Ree is a powerlifter from California who is reported by some, on November 15, 1982, as the first man to bench press 700 pounds raw (without the usage of any aids).

Background

Even-though James Henderson is credited as the first man to officially bench press 700 pounds raw in 1996 ^[1] if the sources are correct, this makes Shear'Ree to have achieved this feat 14 years prior. His bench press of 700.9 pounds without the use of specialized equipment, such as lifting suits or bench shirts, is said to have been the first successful attempt of its kind and has been recognized by some as a significant milestone in the sport of powerlifting nonetheless. ^[2]

Shear’Ree trained extensively for several years leading up to the Venice Open, where he benched a personal best of 474 lbs while equipped. ^[3] He prepared by gradually increasing the weight he lifted. ^[4] with the help of his spotter, Ed McGlasson. Following his achievement, Shear’Ree became a coach and mentor ^[5] to many aspiring powerlifters, including McGlasson.

As a coach, Shear’Ree trained and mentored the first female firefighters ^{[6] [7] [8]} in California who passed the Los Angeles City Fire Department ^[6] physical aptitude test. He also used his achievement to support various humanitarian causes, including restoring vandalized headstones at Mt. Carmel Cemetery ^{[9] [10]} and raising money for victims of the San Ysidro McDonald's massacre ^{[4] [11]} by hosting a Lift-A-Thon. ^{[4] [12]} Shear’Ree started his own outreach program called Program Shear’Ree ^[4] and spoke to schools and troubled youths in gangs.

In addition to his achievements in powerlifting and coaching, Shear’Ree had a career in politics. He ran for President in the 1996 election ^{[9] [13] [14] [15]} and is registered as a candidate for the 2024 elections. Shear’Ree also founded Shear’Ree Motorsports and created the Shear’Ree Edition Muscle Truck ^{[16] [17]} heavy Chevy, of which only 800 were made. He was interviewed after lane splitting became legal for motorbike riders in California ^{[18] [19]} and worked with the Highway Patrol to test the safety and functionality of the maneuver.^{[ citation needed ]}

Presidential campaigns

Shear'Ree briefly ran for President of the United States in 1996 as a Republican. ^[20] He is currently registered as a candidate for the 2024 United States presidential election as an Independent under the name Shear'Ree Shear'Ree. ^[21]

References

1. "STRENGTH RECORD, Landmark Feats and others Records". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
2. Snyder, Hal (November 16, 1982). "Shear'Ree lifts massive weight off his chest". Orange County Register. pp. D1, D6. Retrieved April 15, 2023.(subscription required)
3. "1981 USPF Venice Open". www.openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
4. Scott, Peter (May 22, 1986). "Strong cars, strong man highlight Spring Nationals". The Hanford Sentinel. p. 12. Retrieved April 19, 2023.(subscription required)
5. "5 Ways Shear'Ree's Career Shows How One Can Break Away From the Conventional Fitness Influencer Mold?". Times Square Chronicles. November 20, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
6. "LA to Train First Female Firefighters". Enterprise Record. July 28, 1983. p. 6. Retrieved April 19, 2023.(subscription required)
7. "Training Women". The Los Angeles Times. July 28, 1983. p. 86. Retrieved April 15, 2023.(subscription required)
8. "Would Be Firefighters make weighty Decision". The Los Angeles Times. July 28, 1983. p. 73. Retrieved April 15, 2023.(subscription required)
9. "Shear'Ree has Dreams of White House cont". The Des Moines Register. October 2, 1995. p. 15. Retrieved April 19, 2023.(subscription required)
10. "Vandals topple granite headstones in cemetery". UPI. Retrieved April 19, 2023.(subscription required)
11. "San Ysidro McDonald's massacre 🍟 (Warning, Graphic\/NSFW\/Long Read)". boxden.com. February 2, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
12. "Weightlifter Plans Fullerton Benefit for Shooting Victims". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 1984. p. 36. Retrieved April 15, 2023.(subscription required)
13. "Is he more weighty than a Gramm? cont". The Los Angeles Times. March 16, 1995. p. 14. Retrieved April 15, 2023.(subscription required)
14. "GOP Candidates Woo Conservatives In Lively Session". The Arizona Republic. April 23, 1995. p. 32. Retrieved April 19, 2023.(subscription required)
15. Harvey, Steve (March 11, 1995). "Is he more weighty than a Gramm?..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 18, 2023.(subscription required)
16. "Muscle Truck!! Shear'Ree Edition HEAVY CHEVY". 4Wd Action. 3 (7): cover, 69. July 1987.
17. "Ultra rare collectible square body trucks?". GM Square Body - 1973 - 1987 GM Truck Forum. May 15, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
18. Hsu, Tiffany (August 4, 2007). "Lane splitting". Los Angeles Times . p. 69. Retrieved April 16, 2023.(subscription required)
19. "Traffic Stalled? For motorists it is time to Split!". The Los Angeles Times. August 4, 2007. p. 28. Retrieved April 15, 2023.(subscription required)
20. "AllPolitics - Candidates List #2". Archived from the original on December 23, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
21. "List of registered 2024 presidential candidates". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.