At 10 years old, many children probably aren’t thinking about picking up heavy objects and lifting them repeatedly. When not in a fifth-grade classroom, they might be outside riding their bikes or watching anime while eating a “delicious” bowl of sugary cereal. Powerlifter Jordan Mica might still do these things whenever he gets a chance, but he’s certainly rare in the respect of pushing his strength in the gym at his … [Read more...]
Larry Wheels Deadlifts 360 Kilograms (793.6 Pounds) for His Heaviest Pull While on TRT
Larry “Wheels” Williams has never been one to shy away from sharing his ambitious goals. Of late, the powerlifter/strongman/influencer extraordinaire has been on a fresh training journey while using Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). As he neared a “mock” powerlifting meet of one-rep maxes for competitive lifts like the bench press and squat, Wheels shared the latest update on his ongoing strength progress. On Jan … [Read more...]
Tom Stoltman Plans to Deadlift 505 Kilograms (1,113.3 Pounds) in 2024
With two straight World’s Strongest Man (WSM) titles to his name, Tom Stoltman might be the biggest name in strongman. After winning his second consecutive championship in Sacramento, CA, the Scottish athlete didn’t appear in a strongman contest in the final quarter of 2022. A June 2022 soccer charity appearance where Stoltman helped raise $18.8 million was one of his final major public appearances. While he didn’t compete, … [Read more...]
Ivan Makarov Deadlifts 483 Kilograms (1,064.3 Pounds), Puts Himself on Doorstep of History
When all is said and done, strongman Ivan Makarov might be remembered as one of the most prolific deadlifters in strength sports history. As the winner of the Giants Live World Deadlift Championships (WDC) in 2021 and an athlete who makes it a point to mainly focus on heavy pulls in competition and in his training — his resume probably speaks for itself. Makarov’s latest feat might soon set him up for all-time history. On Dec. 3, 2022, … [Read more...]
Powerlifter Tiffany Chapon (47KG) Wins the European Championship Once Again
After an all-around competitive year filled with glowing performances, Tiffany Chapon could’ve theoretically put a cap on her productive 2022 before her most recent contest. No one would’ve blamed her for hanging up her lifting belt months earlier to begin recuperating for another potentially fruitful powerlifting circuit in 2023. Though that thought process probably wouldn’t have matched up with the strength, power, and general … [Read more...]
How to Do the Dumbbell Deadlift for Size and Strength
The barbell deadlift is the king of the jungle when it comes to pulling exercises. It’s a primary movement with the potential to move the most weight. Plus, it’s a competition lift in powerlifting, along with the back squat and bench press. The classic deadlift will always be popular. But if you’re looking for a deadlift variation that’s easier on the spine, builds muscle in your upper and lower body, improves posture, and helps to boost … [Read more...]
Powerlifter Sonja Stefanie Krüger (76KG) Squats World Record 280.5 Kilograms (618.4 Pounds) at 2022 IPF Equipped Worlds
Some powerlifters seemingly have a great passion and energy for displaying their strength under a big spotlight. German athlete Sonja Stefanie Krüger might be one of them. Krüger is just 22 years old, but has already had over 60 competitive powerlifting appearances since her debut in June 2014. Krüger’s latest stellar performance is a yet another example of top-level lifting. During the 2022 IPF Equipped World Championships on Nov. 16, … [Read more...]
How to Do the Trap Bar Deadlift — Variations, Benefits, and Common Mistakes
In growing numbers, most commercial gyms are adding at least one trap bar to their arsenal of available equipment. As a gym member, you should be counting your blessings. With all of the unique benefits a trap bar can provide for almost every serious lifter, there’s a good case to make for it to become the number one tool for lower body training. Sorry, barbell, you had a good run. Credit: carlesmiro / Shutterstock Though the trap bar can … [Read more...]
Powerlifter Kristy Hawkins Cruises Through a Massive 551-Pound, 3-Rep Squat PR
Kristy Hawkins is at a stage in her powerlifting career where the baseline expectation might be that she’ll lift something incredible whenever she gets a barbell in her hands. The athlete didn’t disappoint on this billing with her latest noteworthy feat of strength. On Oct. 25, 2022, Hawkins posted an Instagram clip of herself capturing a 250-kilogram (551-pound) raw back squat for three reps during a training session. According to … [Read more...]
Powerlifter Nabil Lahlou Crushes a Deadlift Nearly 5 Times His Body Weight in Training
One need only see Nabil Lahlou lift once to verify why he’s the so-called “French Phenom,” per his Instagram bio. The 23-year-old powerlifter is a prolific competitor, and his latest demonstration of strength was a doozy. On Oct. 22, 2022, Lahlou shared an Instagram clip of himself capturing a 362.9-kilogram (800-pound) raw deadlift during a training session. According to Open Powerlifting, the feat is a personal record (PR) for … [Read more...]
Hafthor Björnsson Plans to Make His Competitive Powerlifting Return
After almost three years away from competitive strength sports, Hafthor Björnsson is ready to go full throttle again and dial up the unique power that helps him live up to the nickname of “The Mountain.” On Oct. 22, 2022, Björnsson shared a video on his YouTube channel where he trains and works through a light deadlift session while making a significant career announcement — he will be making a return to sanctioned powerlifting. The … [Read more...]
22-Year-Old Powerlifter Zen McCollum Destroys an 860-Pound Squat Double PR
By a relative timeline, Zen McCollum is only at the start of his powerlifting career. However, with the way the 22-year-old has pushed full steam ahead to this point, it might be hard not to view the 120-kilogram-plus athlete as an accomplished veteran. On Oct. 19, 2022, McCollum shared a video to his Instagram profile where he notched a 390-kilogram (860-pound) single-ply squat double during a training session. Per the caption of his post, the … [Read more...]
52-Year-Old Powerlifter Teri Gehring Deadlifts 365 Pounds for a New PR
Teri Gehring doesn’t have your average powerlifter profile. A special education teacher by trade, according to her Instagram profile, the 52-year-old Gehring only started competitive powerlifting when she was 49 years old in May 2019 and has already notched several World Records. Yet, as a recent training feat demonstrates, her competitive fire shows no signs of slowing down. On Oct. 1, 2022, Gehring shared a clip on her Instagram where the … [Read more...]
Powerlifter Jamal Browner Deadlifts a Historic 500 Kilograms (1,102 Pounds) in Training
Only days after a record-breaking performance at the 2022 USPA Raw Pro, powerlifter Jamal Browner might have just outdone himself with a new remarkable feat of strength. On Sept. 29, 2022, Browner captured a 500-kilogram (1,102-pound) raw traditional deadlift during a training session. He is the fourth known person to deadlift at least that much weight while on film. The 110-kilogram athlete used a sumo stance and overhand grip and wore a lifting … [Read more...]
Powerlifter Joe Sullivan (100KG) Squats 848 Pounds to Break All-Time World Record at 2022 USPA Raw Pro
On Sept. 24, 2022, during the latest edition of the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Raw Pro, Sullivan captured a 385-kilogram (848.8-pound) raw back squat. It is a new World Record in the 100-kilogram weight class, surpassing his previous own record mark by 5 kilograms. Sullivan scored that past figure of 380 kilograms (837.7 pounds) at the 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Bucked Up Showdown. The 2022 USPA Raw Pro … [Read more...]
Powerlifter Samantha Eugenie (63KG) Pulls More Than Triple-Bodyweight (216KG), Sets World Junior Record Deadlift
French powerlifter Samantha Eugenie is now the IPF World Junior Record holder in the raw deadlift for the 63-kilogram category. On Aug. 31, 2022, Eugenie pulled 216 kilograms (476.28 pounds) at the 2022 IPF World Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. You can see the lift in the Instagram post below, shared by the IPF. View this post on Instagram A post shared by IPF … [Read more...]
Sherine Marcelle (90KG) Logs Another Squat PR and Unofficially Exceeds the Squat World Record, Again
As she takes a step back to recalibrate, elite powerlifter Sherine Marcelle will not compete in any contests throughout the rest of the year. In the meantime, as the 90-kilogram athlete prepares for a formal return sometime in 2023, it seems she’s showing off incredible strength every time she shares updates on her training. On September 7, 2022, Marcelle posted an Instagram clip where she squatted 263 kilograms (580 pounds) raw while … [Read more...]
Strongwoman Rhianon Lovelace One-Motions an Atlas Stone That’s Almost Double Her Bodyweight
Rhianon Lovelace didn’t become one of the world’s top-tier strongwomen without lofty training ambitions. The self-proclaimed “pound for pound, strongest woman on the planet” latest strength achievement has her join a club of impressive marks throughout her career. On August 23, 2022, Lovelace shared an Instagram clip of herself completing a 120-kilogram (264-pound) Atlas Stone One Motion. According to Lovelace’s … [Read more...]
Amanda Lawrence (84KG) Crushes a 551-Pound Paused Deadlift for a New PR
On August 21, 2022, over Instagram, powerlifter Amanda Lawrence shared footage of herself working through a raw paused deadlift training session. At the end of the routine, after completing pulls of 235, 240, and 245 kilograms (518, 529, and 540 pounds), the American athlete captured a 250-kilogram (551-pound) paused deadlift for a new personal record (PR). Lawrence’s paused deadlift PR is just 10.5 kilograms (23.3 pounds) off her all-time … [Read more...]
2022 Strongman Champions League Portugal Results — George Sulaiman Puts Himself on the Map
On August 6, 2022, the annual Strongman Champions League (SCL) Portugal contest took place in Esposende, Portugal. After the 12-strongman field worked through five successive events, including the Deadlift and Log Lift, the Netherland’s George Sulaiman captured the victory. The 22-year-old Sulaiman’s resounding performance featured the strength athlete amassing 51 of 60 possible points. He overcame the more experienced two-time … [Read more...]
Larry Wheels Withdraws From 2022 Middle East’s Strongest Man After Suffering Back Injury
On July 28, 2022, Larry Wheels revealed that he had strained his back during a recent deadlift session (precise workout date undisclosed) on his YouTube channel. As a result of his unfortunate misstep, Wheels announced that he would withdraw from the upcoming 2022 Middle East’s Strongest Man (MESM), which is set to occur in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on August 27-28, 2022. [Related: How to Do the Bent-Over Barbell Row For a Bigger, … [Read more...]