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Political pundits and social media users quickly seized the opportunity to make viral the moment when socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani struggled to bench press a barbell supposedly loaded with an estimated 135 pounds.
During the annual Men’s Day open streets event in Brooklyn last weekend, Mamdani failed to press the weight alone and required full bar support from a spotter.
“If you’re not able to hit that, it’s like a slap to your manhood,” Dr. Chad Teague, NFL and NBA sports doctor, told Fox News Digital.
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NFL and NBA sports chiropractor Dr. Chad Teague told Fox News Digital the key to proper bench press form is an engaged core, stable feet and correct hand placement. (@__eyeg/Dr. Chad Teague)
“I think Biden could probably lift more than that,” Teague said.
“I think that Trump could lift more than Mamdani,” he added. “For sure.”
Teague is a chiropractic physician based in Cleveland where he runs Code Chiro, a practice he co-founded with his wife. Together, they treat professional athletes, including NFL stars like Myles Garrett, David Njoku, Jarvis Landry, Raheem Mostert, and Denzel Ward, as well as NBA players such as Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors and Tre’shaun Mann of the Charlotte Hornets, among others.
“You want to have your feet more grounded on the ground and when he started lifting, his feet came up,” Teague said. “That’s a pretty good sign of struggle.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams took to social media to brand Mamdani as “Mamscrawny” and Andrew Cuomo said of his rival, “This guy can’t bench his own body weight, let alone carry the weight of leading the most important city in the world.”
Teague told Fox News Digital the spotter was superfluous but that it doesn’t look like Mamdani exercises.
“Usually, most people aren’t getting spots at 135,” he said. “It’s usually a warm-up weight for most males in their midlife.”
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Dr. Chad Teague emphasized to Fox News Digital the need for warming up ahead of any functional movements, especially bench presses, to avoid injuries. (@__eyeg/Dr. Chad Teague)
Teague encourages Mamdani to get into the gym, beginning first with form correction, as the NYC mayoral candidate is at risk of injury.
He also emphasizes the importance of proper technique for gym-goers of all levels.
Teague advises starting with a thorough warm-up, including push-ups or rotator cuff exercises like banded external rotations. Additionally, he recommends establishing a solid foundation with stable feet, engaging the core, and ensuring correct hand placement.
The sports doctor advises incorporating exercises that target the key muscles involved in a bench press, such as the pectoralis major, certain tricep muscles, and the rotator cuff for stabilization, at least once per week. To get the blood flowing, it is recommended to perform movements such as Turkish get-ups, incline bench presses, or flat bench presses.
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Teague mentioned that the athletes he trains use landmine presses and single-arm movements to strengthen the anterior side of the shoulder and chest.
“Myles Garrett definitely has to be the strongest person I’ve ever worked with, and if not, that would be a surprise,” Teague said. “Raheem’s got to be up there.”
For beginner lifters, in particular, Teague advises lifters should begin with 10-20 reps using a more manageable barbell or minimal weight to effectively prime your shoulders for the movement.
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“Learn how your body reacts to 8-10 reps at a certain weight and then see how your body recovers,” he said. “Then, maybe try to add a little bit of weight the next time.”
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