Kolb’s bench press is the heaviest lift in powerlifting history.
On July 29, 2023, powerlifter Jimmy Kolb recorded a 635.4-kilogram (1,401-pound) equipped bench press through the 2023 International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Tri-Star Bash in Elizabethton, Tennessee. The lift shouldn’t be only an all-time equipped World Record — surpassing the athlete’s own previous mark of 612.5 kilograms (1,350.3 kilos) from the 2023 IPA Hillbilly Havoc — it’s officially the heaviest single lift in powerlifting history. Kolb is the first-ever athlete to interrupt the 1,400-pound barrier on a single lift and was also the primary to interrupt the 1,200-pound and 1,300-pound barriers.
Kolb wore a lifting belt, wrist wraps, and a custom bench shirt to support his remarkable milestone. Kolb initially made two unsuccessful attempts on the bench press mark before pushing through to interrupt the record on his third and final try. It didn’t come and not using a challenge as Kolb seemingly struggled to lift his loaded barbell up off his chest in a clip of the lift.
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With Kolb’s equipped bench World Record within the account, here’s an summary of the present equipped World Record for every of the staple exercises in powerlifting:
All-Time Powerlifting Equipped World Records
- Squat — Nathan Baptist (595 kilograms/1,311.7 kilos)
- Bench Press — Jimmy Kolb (635.4 kilograms/1,401 kilos)
- Deadlift — Andy Bolton (457.5 kilograms/1,008.6 kilos)
Here’s a rundown of the athlete’s all-time equipped competition bests:
Jimmy Kolb | All-Time Equipped Competition Bests
- Squat — 410 kilograms (903.9 kilos)
- Bench Press — 635.5 kilograms (1,401 kilos) — Heaviest Lift In Powerlifting History and All-Time World Record
- Deadlift — 317.5 kilograms (700 kilos)
- Total — 1,093.1 kilograms (2,410 kilos)
Beyond a penchant for incredible, jaw-dropping lifts, Kolb is similarly prolific in overall competitions. After notching the win within the 140-plus kilogram class on the 2023 IPA Tri-Star Bash, the athlete has now emerged triumph in 42 of 51 profession contests dating back to April 2009, per his page on Open Powerlifting.
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In his Instagram, Kolb was appropriately humbled by his achievement and all of the individuals who have helped him along his strength journey.
“1,400 kilos, we did it,” Kolb wrote. “The number of individuals I actually have in my corner which are genuinely good humbles me and this positively wouldn’t have happened without them. Thanks.”
Featured image: @kolbstrong on Instagram