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Dave Tate's Table Talk

#408 "You Can't Out-Lift Being An A**hole." | Bob Merkh

Dave Tate's Table Talk

Dave Tate

Fitness, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 586 Ratings

🗓️ 13 April 2026

⏱️ 133 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The strongest man in the classroom returns to the table.

Bob Merkh is back to discuss one of the most unique careers in strength history—highlighted by a sanctioned 1,100 lb squat and 1,100 lb bench press. From the high-stakes platforms of the WPO to a 7th-grade social studies classroom, Merkh has evolved from a "weaponized" athlete into a mentor who understands that true strength is knowing when to walk away.

This episode explores the "Sword and the Ball" philosophy—the tension between chasing elite performance and embracing the grounded responsibilities of being a father, teacher, and leader.

Inside the Episode

  • Holy Wars & The Final Meet
    A look inside Bob's last full power competition, the 10x bodyweight total, and choosing to retire on his own terms.
  • The 1,100 lb Bench Miracle
    The true story of how a Special Olympics athlete's belief helped push Bob to a world-record lift he wasn't prepared for.
  • The WPO Return
    Why Bob is stepping back onto the platform for a bench-only showdown with AJ Roberts this October.
  • The Practice of Excellence
    Translating elite strength principles into a Stoic framework for teenagers and the next generation.
  • Identity After the Platform
    Navigating the "quicksand" of powerlifting and redefining yourself after your best numbers are behind you.

Meet the Guest

Bob Merkh is a legendary multi-ply powerlifter, 7th-grade social studies teacher, and founder of Atlantic City Barbell.

  • 45+ competitions
  • Multiple world records
  • The only person to squat and bench over 1,100 lbs

He is also a two-time published author and a leading voice for Special Olympics powerlifting in New Jersey.

Books:

Instagram: @merkh1776

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I've said you cannot outlift being an asshole.

0:02.3

Your numbers are going to get you attention.

0:03.8

That's not what lasts.

0:05.2

I can comfortably say my best numbers are in the rearview, but they're going to get beaten.

0:08.9

The weights will be there.

0:09.8

You don't want your daughter to look back thinking, my dad wasn't there on Christmas.

0:13.9

And your wife, even though you say she's being supportive and she is, maybe you should take a step back and be supportive.

0:31.6

It's time to sit down, keep it real, and cut the bullshit.

0:33.6

Welcome to Table Talk.

0:38.8

Bob Merck, thanks for coming back out again, world's strongest teacher.

0:43.1

Yeah, according to some. Chris Delafave might want to find out. I believe you're the only one with an 1100 pound bench and 1100 pound squat. I think that's true. And you just wrote

0:49.1

not that long ago, this book, Moderation for Cowards, which is what I wanted to sit down and

0:53.8

talk to you about.

0:54.9

I skimmed it when you first sent it, right, and found a part in there about, oh, God, what's this?

1:01.1

The island of misfits, I remember.

1:02.5

Yeah, the island.

1:03.2

It's kind of why you ended up right in the book, which was odd that I found that first.

1:08.0

But I read through the whole thing yesterday.

1:12.9

And what I really like about it is kind of funny because the sword and the ball, right? The Shogun assassin is a reoccurring

1:18.5

thing. You did a good job writing this, by the way. It's a reoccurring theme that kind of pops up

1:23.3

through there. And it was one of the movies that Louis insisted that I have a good funny story

1:29.0

insisted that I watch right so when I watched this thing 20 some years ago I as soon as I it was like

...

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