Some people had a singular introduction to physical strength. At one point, they might have seen an individual lift a heavy weight — whether it was a member of the family moving an “immovable” piece of furniture, a muscular athlete completing a “bench press challenge” on television, or a superhero hoisting a automobile overhead to avoid wasting the day — and the spark was ignited.

These feats of strength left an indelible impression and, in the end, they found their way into the gym and started developing their very own muscular prowess. A couple of of probably the most straightforward avenues for lifters to check themselves is with “the massive three” powerlifts — the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

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Competitive powerlifting offers a likelihood for lifters of any age, size, or experience to check themselves to modern-day peers in addition to legendary lifters of the past. Here’s a take a look at what it takes to finish remarkable powerlifting performances.

Powerlifting Records

What’s Powerlifting?

To start on page one, it’s necessary to grasp what “powerlifting” actually is. While it’d sound counterintuitive, powerlifting is distinctly different from weightlifting. The game of weightlifting, as presented within the Summer Olympics, challenges athletes with the snatch and clean & jerk movements. Powerlifting tests athletes with the back squat, flat bench press, and deadlift (either conventional stance or sumo) to finish a “total” weight lifted for the competition.

The game of powerlifting formally began in 1964 with “The Powerlifting Tournament of America” being the primary organized and recognized competition of the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Perhaps not coincidentally, the competition was held in York, Pennsylvania — home of US Olympic weightlifting coach and founding father of York Barbell, Bob Hoffman.

As powerlifting continued to grow, each across the US and internationally. By the Eighties, it was considered a full-fledged, albeit area of interest, competitive sport. From the late Seventies until the early 2010s, it garnered enough widespread attention to warrant a dedicated print magazine, Powerlifting USA, which showcased sport-specific news and training features.

Because the sport of powerlifting grew in popularity, recreational lifters found a relatable outlet for testing their strength. While Olympic weightlifting is basically considered to depend on significant exercise technique, the massive three powerlifts are relatively more easy to learn, making them more accessible to the typical gym-goer.

Powerlifting, on the whole, has nearly turn out to be synonymous with simply attempting to construct sheer strength within the gym. Nevertheless, the game itself has at all times revolved around three foundational exercises performed under specific criteria. If lifts are performed with different or “loose” technique, they’re ineligible for an official record.

Squat

In a powerlifting competition, the barbell back squat is the primary of three movements tested. Depending on the precise federation and ruleset, the barbell is either supported on squat stands or in a monolift — a hydraulic-assisted machine which allows lifters to establish in a squat stance without repositioning their feet.

Powerlifting squats are universally tested by requiring lifters to descend until their hip joint is parallel to their knee joint. That is where the common cue “squat to parallel” comes from. Contrary to some common opinions, “parallel” isn’t necessarily related to the lifter’s thigh position because heavily muscled legs may not appear to achieve parallel when the hip is at an acceptable depth.

Lifters may use either a low bar or high bar setup, depending on their individual preference. The important thing performance factor is reaching the goal depth, and the lifter’s body type and mobility will dictate their best technique.

Bench Press

The flat barbell bench press is the only real test of pure upper body strength in a powerlifting competition. Nearly all of powerlifting federations have grip standards, often maintaining a grip that has a minimum of one finger involved with the pre-set ring markers on the barbell. Lifters must keep their head, shoulders, and glutes involved with the bench throughout your entire press, while also keeping their feet touching the ground.

The barbell is lowered to chest-level and must remain involved with the athlete’s body until a judge gives the “press” command to start the ascent. This ensures a consistent depth marker for every lifter while helping to forestall momentum from bouncing the bar off of the chest. The bar is then held within the locked out position until the lifter receives a judge’s command to “rack.”

Controversially, lifters may initially arrange with an arch of their lower back which can add pressing stability and reduce their range of motion, making the lift less difficult. Nevertheless, some federations, resembling the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), have taken steps to limit the degree of arch lifters may use.

Deadlift

“The meet doesn’t start until the bar hits the ground,” is a typical phrase heard in powerlifting circles to emphasise the importance of the competition’s final movement — the deadlift. With the bar starting on the ground, lifters must complete a deadlift in a single smooth motion. Jerking or “hitching” the bar up the thighs disqualifies the lift. Full lockout is achieved when the lifter’s legs are straight and their shoulders are behind the bar.

In competition, powerlifters aren’t allowed to make use of lifting straps, but can grab the bar with a double-overhand, mixed (over/underhand), or hook grip (grabbing the thumbs along the underside of the bar).

Web meme culture seems to enjoy claiming that “sumo deadlifts don’t count,” but no actual powerlifting organization has fallen in step with that approach. Lifters are free to decide on their very own deadlift stance — conventional, sumo, or somewhere in between — in accordance with their individual leverages and optimal power output.

Total

The powerlifter’s total is the sum of their best performance in each of the three lifts. Powerlifters get three attempts for every movement, with only the best weight being tallied for his or her total. If a lifter fails all three attempts at an exercise (aka “bombs out”), they’re unable to post a complete.

Informally and outdoors of competitions, some lifters recognize benchmarks resembling “the 1,000-pound club” (454 kilograms), where a 1,000-pound/454-kilogram total is reached in the massive three lifts in a recreational gym setting.

In competition, an elite total is mostly considered to be 10-times the lifter’s body weight. Nevertheless, in men’s heavier weight classes (generally 220-pounds/100-kilograms), totals approaching 2,000 kilos (907 kilograms) are considered “elite,” and are the sign of a highly advanced strength athlete. Women’s competitors have ideal totals which might be similar, but reduced barely.

Powerlifting Divisions and Categories

Competitors in the game of powerlifting are separated not only by weight class, but by age group, sex assigned at birth, and the use (or lack) of supportive equipment. Each of those variables are relevant aspects to determining powerlifting records.

Weight Classes

In the vast majority of powerlifting federations, weight classes are broken up in roughly 15 to 25-pound (seven to 11 and a half-kilogram) increments. The IPF — the oldest, largest, and arguably most well-known federation — has eight weight classes for men and ladies, all using barely adjusted categorizations in comparison with other federations. Probably the most commonly found weight classes are as follows:

Men’s weight classes:

• 52 kilograms (114 kilos)
• 56 kilograms (123 kilos)
• 60 kilograms (132 kilos)
• 67.5 kilograms (148 kilos)
• 75 kilograms (165 kilos)
• 82.5 kilograms (181 kilos)
• 90 kilograms (198 kilos)
• 100 kilograms (220 kilos)
• 110 kilograms (242 kilos)
• 125 kilograms (275 kilos)
• 140 kilograms (308 kilos)
• 140+ kilograms (above 308 kilos)

Women’s weight classes:

• 44 kilograms (97 kilos)
• 48 kilograms (105 kilos)
• 52 kilograms (114 kilos)
• 56 kilograms (123 kilos)
• 60 kilograms (132 kilos)
• 67.5 kilograms (148 kilos)
• 75 kilograms (165 kilos)
• 82.5 kilograms (181 kilos)
• 90 kilograms (198 kilos)
• 90+ kilograms (above 198 kilos)

At competitions, athletes typically weigh-in not more than two hours before the beginning of the competition and they need to weigh below the burden cap for his or her class. This helps to be certain that athletes in a given weight class are competing at generally comparable body sizes.

Age Groups

Similarly, age divisions are most frequently categorized by younger athletes (Sub-Junior and Junior), open competitors (without specific age guidelines), and Masters (lifters over 40 years old).

Sub-Junior lifters are generally 14 to 18 years old, while Junior lifters are 19 to 23 years old. To more accurately designate competitors, Masters athletes are typically sorted into five to 10-year increments. For instance, “Masters I” may incorporate ages 40 to 49; “Masters II,” ages 50 to 59; “Masters III” would come with 60 to 69-year old competitors, and “Masters IV” collectively compares athletes over 70.

Men and Women

Nearly all of powerlifting federations require athletes to compete in accordance with the gender they were assigned at birth. In recent times, this has turn out to be an increasingly complicated situation particularly with regard to transgender strength athletes.

The categorization, and whether or not the athletes can compete in any capability, often comes right down to the person powerlifting organization. For instance, USA Powerlifting (USAPL) doesn’t permit female-to-male athletes to compete within the Men’s division. The USAPL stands by their consistent stance which forbids any athlete from competing when using external androgens for therapeutic use, whether it’s a transgender athlete maintaining normal-range testosterone levels or an aging cisgender men’s competitor maintaining similar testosterone levels.

The USAPL also doesn’t allow male-to-female athletes to compete within the Women’s division, citing potentially lingering physiological advantages the athlete may experience from the period before transition. Nevertheless, the info on those advantages is mixed, and potentially negligible. (1)

The IPF, nevertheless, follows the International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines regarding transgender athletes. Within the IPF, in addition to several other organizations, male-to-female athletes may compete within the Women’s division so long as they meet specific criteria resembling declaring their gender identity and maintaining it for no less than 4 years, in addition to documenting decreased testosterone levels for a minimum of 12 months prior to competing.

The IPF also allows female-to-male powerlifters to compete so long as their testosterone levels are inside the conventional range for Men’s competitors.

Raw vs. Equipped

Raw lifting and equipped lifting are two of probably the most significant forks within the road in terms of competitive powerlifting. The differentiation is built around whether or not the powerlifting wears specialized clothing to support and assist each movement.

In raw powerlifting, athletes typically use a weightlifting belt to support their core, knee sleeves to stabilize their knee joints throughout the squat, and wrist wraps for joint stability throughout the bench press. Knee wraps, which differ from sleeves and supply more direct profit to increasing squat strength, are sometimes considered a slight variation of raw lifting — often designated “raw with wraps.”

With equipped lifting, competitors are allowed to make use of specially designed shirts and/or briefs (shorts) which aid within the completion of the lifts. The unique gear is actually designed to be extremely stiff, which resists bending or flexing. While this may be a bonus in locking out the burden on a given exercise, it also makes the descent tougher.

Equipped gear is designed in quite a lot of “levels” — single-ply or multi-ply — depending on the quantity of assistance provided, as determined by the thickness and construction of the gear. Equipped lifting generally allows the usage of heavier weights in competition.

Nevertheless, equipped records within the deadlift are, interestingly, rarely higher than raw deadlifts. Likely attributable to standard deadlift technique, starting in the underside position, which doesn’t allow briefs to supply significant assistance.

Current Powerlifting Records

For some general context, here’s a temporary snapshot of several powerlifting records which currently stand (as of the time of this writing).

Squat

• 305 kilograms (672.4 kilos) Men’s Raw — Austin Perkins — 74.9 kilograms (165 kilos)
• 342.5 kilograms (755 kilos) Men’s Multi-Ply — Gerard McNamara — 60 kilograms (132 kilos)
• 366 kilograms (806.9 kilos) Raw with Wraps — Chris Pugh — 82.1 kilograms (181 kilos)
• 471 kilograms (1,038.3 kilos) Men’s Single-Ply — Ed Coan 109.8 kilograms (242 kilos)
• 490 kilograms (1,080.2 kilos) Men’s Raw — Ray Williams — 140+ kilograms (308+ kilos)
• 162 kilograms (354.9 kilos) Women’s Raw — Tiffany Chapon — 47.6 kilograms (105 kilos)
• 263 kilograms (578.7 kilos) Women’s Single-Ply — Carola Garra — 67.1 kilograms (148 kilos)
• 305 kilograms (672.4 kilos) Women’s Raw with Wraps — Hunter Henderson — 82.1 kilograms (181 kilos)
• 285.5 kilograms (629.4 kilos) Women’s Raw — Sonita Muluh — 90+ kilograms (198+ kilos)
• 367.5 kilograms (810.2 kilos) Women’s Multi-Ply — Amber Hanson — 90 kilograms (198 kilos)

Bench Press

• 205.5 kilograms (453 kilos) Men’s Masters II Raw — David Ricks — 93 kilograms (205 kilos)
• 213.4 kilograms (470.7 kilos) Men’s Raw — Eddie Berglund — 67.1 kilograms (148 kilos)
• 272.8 kilograms (600.7 kilos) Men’s Raw — John Haack — 99.8 kilograms (220 kilos)
• 351.5 kilograms (774.9 kilos) Men’s Single-Ply — Kostiantyn Musiienko — 99.8 kilograms (220 Kilos)
• 408.3 kilograms (900 kilos) Men’s Multi-Ply — Jason Coker — 89.8 kilograms  (198 kilos)
• 142.9 kilograms (315 kilos) Women’s Raw — Cosette Neely — 44 kilograms (97 Kilos)
• 146 kilograms (321.8 kilos) Women’s Masters I Raw — Jennifer Thompson — 67.1 kilograms (148 kilos)
• 182.5 kilograms (402.3 kilos) Women’s Raw — Emily Hu — 59.8 kilograms (132 kilos)
• 225 kilograms (496 kilos) Women’s Single-Ply — Rhaea Stinn — 82.1 kilograms (181 kilos)
• 240.4 kilograms (530 kilos) Women’s Multi-Ply — Laura Phelps-Stackhouse — 74.8 kilograms (165 kilos)

Deadlift

• 408.7 kilograms (901 kilos) Men’s Single-Ply — Ed Coan — 99.8 kilograms (220 kilos)
• 410 kilograms (903.9 kilos) Men’s Raw — John Haack — 89.8 kilograms (198 kilos)
• 440 kilograms (970 kilos) Men’s Raw — Benedikt Magnusson — 140+ kilograms (308+ kilos)
• 457.5 kilograms (1,008.6 kilos) Men’s Multi-Ply — Andy Bolton — 140+ kilograms (308+ kilos)
• 487.5 kilograms (1,074.7 kilos) Men’s Raw — Danny Grigsby — 124.7 kilograms (275 kilos)
• 200 kilograms (440.9 kilos) Women’s Raw — Heather Connor — 47.6 kilograms (105 kilos)
• 222.5 kilograms (490.5 kilos) Women’s Single-Ply — Carrie Boudreau 55.8 kilograms (123 kilos)
• 275 kilograms (606.2 kilos) Women’s Raw — Kristy Hawkins — 74.8 kilograms (165 kilos)
• 290 kilograms (639.3 kilos) Women’s Raw — Tamara Walcott — 89.8+ kilograms (198+ kilos)
• 315 kilograms (694.4 kilos) Women’s Multi-Ply — Becca Swanson 89.8+ kilograms (198+ kilos)

Total

• 838.4 kilograms (1,848.5 kilos) Men’s Raw — Taylor Atwood — 74.8 kilograms (165 kilos)
• 985 kilograms (2,171.5 kilos) Men’s Single-Ply — Oleksandr Kutcher — 74.8 kilograms (165 kilos)
• 1,033.5 kilograms (2,254.2 kilos) Men’s Raw — John Haack — 89.8 kilograms (198 kilos)
• 1,152.5 kilograms (2,540.9 kilos) Men’s Raw — Jesus Olivares — 140+ kilograms (308+ kilos)
• 1,360.8 kilograms (3,000 kilos) Men’s Multi-Ply — Donnie Thompson — 140+ kilograms (308+ kilos)
• 428.5 kilograms (944.6 kilos) Women’s Raw — Tiffany Chapon — 47.6 kilograms (105 kilos)
• 687.5 kilograms (1,515.6 kilos) Women’s Raw — Kristy Hawkins — 74.8 kilograms (165 kilos)
• 726 kilograms (1600.5 kilos) Women’s Single-Ply — Agata Sitko — 82.1 kilograms (181 kilos)
• 725 kilograms (1,620.4 kilos) Women’s Raw — Tamara Walcott — 89.8+ kilograms (198+ kilos)
• 816.5 kilograms (1,800 kilos) Women’s Multi-Ply — Laura Phelps-Stackhouse — 74.8 kilograms (165 kilos)

References

1. Roberts TA, Smalley J, Ahrendt DEffect of gender affirming hormones on athletic performance in transwomen and transmen: implications for sporting organisations and legislatorsBritish Journal of Sports Medicine 2021;55:577-583.

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