Beating Genghis Kahn

Turning a minor disappointment into a measurable victory

By W. Thomas Smith Jr.

Stupidity, defiance, or calculated risk: Probably a bit of all three. Yesterday morning I had routine blood labs done. Everything looked good – Praise God – though my hemoglobin levels (the culprit in my 2024 stroke) were slightly elevated. So – as I periodically have-to-have done and always will – the doctor ordered the drawing of 500 CCs (a little over a pint) of blood off of me. Not pleasant, but necessary. “A nuisance more than anything else,” says my doctor who also warned me not to lift heavy for between 48-76 hours. Yes, I was disappointed because the following day was going to be my flat bench and incline day at the gym. And having recently hit 315 lbs. on bench, and regularly hitting 295 for reps and 305 for about two, I was looking forward to driving home near-PR numbers, again. Yet now I couldn’t. What to do?

Recently, 58-year-old Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khure (aka the “Bronze Axe” also “the Fist”) toured a Mongol Army base where he walked into the outpost’s spartan weight-room, removed his jacket, loosened his tie, and began bench-pressing with his soldiers.

The country’s near-60-year-old chief executive, previous prime minister, former Mongolian Army colonel, and a martial artist reportedly benched 220 lbs. for 20 reps, a remarkable feat of strength and endurance by any measure. In reality, Khure hit 198 lbs. for 20 reps (verified by powerlifters worldwide who saw the video of the president’s lift). STILL a phenomenal lift for 20 reps by a man of his advanced years, or a man of any age actually. It’s not the weight (a light-heavy to intermediate weight) as much as it is the 20 repetitions of that weight.

President Khure is said to be a lineal descendant of Mongol warlord Genghis Kahn, aka “the mighty manslayer” and “the perfect warrior.”

Though there’s no definitive proof of the bloodline, Khure is certainly a spiritual descendant of the great Mongol chieftain. And he [Khure] often openly reveres Kahn and proclaims the greatness of Kahn during official public appearances.

Which brings me to one hour after my doctor’s appointment. Nope, it wasn’t my bench day, but I needed something to mitigate the impact of my disappointment. I couldn’t lift heavy for at least three days, but I might well-attempt to beat President Khure’s recent rep PR. He’s a decade younger than I, and he had not been drained of a pint of blood when he hit approximately 200 lbs. for 20 reps.

So against doctor’s orders and the sage advice of my buddy Bruce Brutschy, a 10th-degree black belt and professional fitness instructor, I did just that: Beat the descendant of Genghis Kahn.

Bruce said, “That’s not very smart.” He’s right and I usually listen to him. Bruce is far more knowledgeable about these things than I ever will be.

But I also ran into my buddy, former Penn State cornerback and Miami Dolphins’ signee A.J. Wallace, also a professional fitness instructor who reminded me: “Nobody knows your body and its limits better than you do.” He’s also right.

Therein comes the stupidity (on my part), the defiance (also me), and the calculated risk (yep, me).

I saddled up to my regular bench at the gym, warmed up with easy sets of light weight then eased up to exactly 200 lbs. before pressing the weight for 21 clean reps. It actually felt phenomenally easy – I could’ve and should’ve done more – and I was thrilled because I knew in my heart I had beaten Genghis Kahn at least in spirit.

I shared this little experience during a business phone call with my dear friend Lisa Broderick, executive director of POLICE2PEACE. She said: “Tom, this is a great story, you’re a great storyteller, and you have to write about this.”

Immediate side effects? Lightheadedness and a bit of nausea. But it was worth it mentally, physically, and spiritually. I DO NOT recommend anyone doing what I did, but sometimes a committed man has to push the envelope if he’s going to beat Genghis Kahn.

– W. Thomas Smith Jr. is a veteran U.S. Marine Infantry leader, a retired field-grade officer in the S.C. Military Department, and a New York Times bestselling editor. Visit him at http://uswriter.com.