On Apr. 25, 2023, Russel Orhii shared an Instagram training clip of himself capturing a 337.5-kilogram (744-pound) raw back squat for 2 reps. Based on a floating caption within the video, the strength feat is a private record (PR) for the elite competitor. This lift sees Orhii adding 8.61 kilograms (19 kilos) to a raw squat double PR from late March 2023.
The athlete wore knee sleeves, a lifting belt, and utilized wrist wraps to assist him finish off this massive squat milestone.
More from Breaking Muscle:
The opposite vital portion of Orhii’s lift caption is that he notes his “next meet is gonna be crazy.” On the time of this writing, Orhii has not clarified when that sanctioned competition will come or that he was even training for a particular contest.
Based on his page on Open Powerlifting, Orhii’s last meet was the 2022 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Korea Winter Showdown. The athlete took home a first-place end in the first-ever appearance as a 90-kilogram competitor in his prolonged profession. Orhii’s total of 885.2 kilograms (1,951.6 kilos) was not only his all-time raw competition best, it was the best of any competitive powerlifter in the course of the 2022 calendar yr.
He moreover scored all-time raw competition bests on his bench press (195 kilograms/429.9 kilos), deadlift (350 kilograms/771.6 kilos), and squat (340 kilograms/749.5 kilos).
Orhii is on a seven-competition winning streak and has not fallen wanting first place since a runner-up finish within the 2018 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships. The sterling powerlifter is a two-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion (2019, 2021) within the 83-kilogram division. Orhii has been competing as a powerlifter on sanctioned lifting platforms since November 2015, when he debuted as a Junior athlete.
Every time Orhii does take to his “next meet,” it seems abundantly clear he’ll be prepared for any obstacles. At the least, judging off his Instagram training clips.
Recent weeks have seen Orhii capture a 347-kilogram (765-pound) raw deadlift with ease, in addition to capturing a three-rep squat with 306.1 kilograms (675 kilos) and an eight-rep bench press with 160.1 kilograms (353 kilos) with from mid-April 2023.
More from Breaking Muscle:
Orhii shouldn’t be one to approach his lifts and competitive ventures in a timid fashion. His precedent suggests that he goes full steam ahead each time it’s applicable. For this superstar powerlifting, one other resounding performance in his next powerlifting contest might as well be written down in pen.
Featured image: @russwole on Instagram