“Down the road, in a gym far away, a young man was heard to say, ‘No matter what I do, my legs won’t grow!’ He tried leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses, too. Trying to cheat, these workouts he’d do! From the corner of the gym where the big guys train, through a cloud of
Squat
If powerlifter Phillip Herndon has a loaded barbell set up in a squat rack, chances are high that he’ll lift something staggering. On July 9, 2022, over Instagram, Herndon shared footage of himself completing a raw 410-kilogram (903-pound) squat during a training session. The mark is roughly 44 pounds more than the current World Record
Your lower body carries the most potential for power and strength than any other body part because half of your entire body is working during the majority of exercises. This makes leg day an essential part of building a well-rounded physique. Leg day can even set the tone for the entire training week. Break from
Over his near-decade-long powerlifting career, Phillip Herndon has built much of his reputation around an increasingly powerful back squat. On June 25, 2022, Herndon completed a sleeved squat of 395 kilograms (870 pounds) while training. That figure unofficially exceeds the raw squat World Record for a 110-kilogram powerlifter. It is five kilograms more than Kevin
In competition, Olympic weightlifters don’t have to worry about having a powerful squat. That didn’t stop Mattie Rogers from showing off some of her recent gains on the compound lift. On June 8, 2022, the 26-year-old Rogers locked out a 190-kilogram (419-pound) squat for a new personal record (PR). Rogers wore a lifting belt and
Powerlifter Sherine Marcelle is on a mission. With recent strength feats like a 233.6-kilogram (515-pound) beltless deadlift personal record (PR) from early June 2022, and a 274.4-kilogram (605-pound) squat from late May 2022, she’s leaving no stone unturned. Marcelle’s latest achievement might be her best yet. On June 6, 2022, Marcelle squatted 297 kilograms (655
On June 6, 2022, powerlifter Tiffany Chapon competed raw in the 2022 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa. After breaking three separate IPF World records on the squat, bench press, and total, she captured her second consecutive IPF World Championship (2021-2022) in the 47-kilogram weight class. Here’s a
As an officer with the U.S. Army and a current doctoral candidate, Ashton Rouska seems to be a person of many talents. It’s his strength as a powerlifter that recently garnered a lot of attention. On May 21, 2022, Rouska shared footage of himself squatting 375.1 kilograms (827 pounds) during a training session. Later, he
Powerlifter Joe Sullivan has several notable marks and victories throughout his career. It’s his latest mission that could be the most ambitious yet. On May 19, 2022, Sullivan shared footage of himself squatting 230 kilograms (507 pounds) for 19 reps. Per the caption of Sullivan’s Instagram post, the set is part of his preparation to
After an approximate one-year absence, Nicolaas du Preez returned to competitive powerlifting, and it’s like he never left. On May 14, 2022, the powerlifter set a new competition PR total of 1037.5 kilograms (2287.3 pounds) during the 2022 Rhino Powerlifting Club (RPC) Elite Raw in Praetoria, South Africa. du Preez’s final top total consisted of
When it comes to lifting incredible amounts of weight, Shahram Saki should get comfortable in the spotlight. The Iranian powerlifter’s latest mark might be his most outstanding strength achievement yet. On May 12, 2022, Saki shared footage of himself squatting 510 kilograms (1,124.36 pounds) during a training session. While unofficial because it occurred outside of
With her latest strength feat, some might point to Shelly Stettner as a consummate example of perseverance. On May 10, 2022, the 71-year-old athlete squatted 106.6 kilograms (235 pounds) for a three-set, three-rep PR during a training session. Per her social media, the squat is a part of her ongoing training for the 2022 Powerlifting
Squatting 400-plus-kilograms isn’t new territory for Phillip Herndon. But two months out from his next competition, on May 9, 2022, the powerlifter posted a 410-kilogram (904-pound) squat in training, punctuating strength gains that very well could trend toward a new world record. For context, Herndon already owns the all-time heaviest squat of 435 kilograms (959
In a spring full of noteworthy milestones, Tiffany Chapon continues to push new boundaries with her strength. On May 8, 2022, the powerlifter — who competes in the 47-kilogram weight class — completed a massive squat of 166 kilograms (366 pounds) during a training session. Chapon donned wrist wraps, a lifting belt, and knee sleeves
On May 3, 2022, Marissa Wilson stepped into the squat rack and showed off impressive strength on the compound lift. During the training session, the powerlifter squatted an incredible 260.8 kilograms (575 pounds). Wilson — who most recently competed in the 110-kilogram-plus weight class — completed the squat while wearing knee sleeves and wrist wraps.
On May 2, 2022, Nicolaas du Preez showed that he’s ready to make waves as a powerlifter again when he squatted 420 kilograms (926 pounds) relatively easily during a training session. du Preez wore wrist wraps, a lifting belt, and knee sleeves for the lift. He also had three spotters on hand, and though the
By now, Hunter Henderson pulling off astonishing feats of squat strength is no surprise. On May 1, 2022, the powerlifter squatted 305 kilograms (672 pounds) for one rep during the 2022 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) FQ Classic 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Henderson’s squat (raw with wraps) is a new all-time record 0 in
A simple barbell in a squat rack may not seem like a piece of modern-day technology, but it kinda is. Up until a few decades ago, lifters were either making their own racks by hand from scrap metal and wood, or they were figuring out how to get the bar lifted by any means necessary.