Overview

Powerlifter Jimmy Kolb set an all-time world record for the heaviest lift ever achieved in a sanctioned competition with a 612.5-kilogram (1,350.3-pound) equipped bench press. The feat was accomplished during the 2023 International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Hillbilly Havoc in Hurricane, WV. Kolb surpassed his own previous world record of 598.7 kilograms (1,320 pounds) from the 2022 IPA State Championships, according to Open Powerlifting. The equipped press is the first lift over 600 kilograms in any powerlifting division or category ever.

Kolb utilized a bench press shirt in addition to wrist wraps and a lifting belt during the lift. The specialized equipment assists the athlete in getting their weight off their chest while also resisting as the barbell lowers toward the athlete. The powerlifter competed in the 140-plus-kilogram weight class, weighing in at an official 147.8 kilograms (326 pounds) for the most recent record-setting contest.

The video of Kolb’s massive lift features spotters on hand giving him requisite support. The athlete lowered his loaded barbell to his chest and struggled into position, fighting against the durable bench press shirt, before receiving the judge’s command to lift up. There appeared to be a measure of strain for Kolb, but he successfully locked out the rep eventually. Once in lockout position, the athlete held the weight securely before the official on hand finally allowed him to re-rack it.

Before Kolb’s new bench press accomplishment, Nathan Baptist was the closest athlete to the 600-kilogram barrier on any single lift, per Open Powerlifting. Baptist successfully squatted 594.7 kilograms (1,311.7 pounds) for a 140-kilogram-plus world record at the 2021 United Powerlifting Association’s (UPA) Utah Kickoff.

Kolb mainly participates in bench-press-only meets and has won his last nine contests dating back to February 2020, only one of which was a full-power meet in the 2022 IPA 814 Strength Spectacular. In a relatively prolific career that began in April 2009, Kolb has only fallen short of a first-place result on eight occasions.

Kolb’s record-setting lift is a testament to his strength, training, and technique. The use of specialized equipment like the bench press shirt and wrist wraps, as well as the governing organization’s weight class and equipment regulations, all play a role in the history of bench press world records. Other notable powerlifters like Julius Maddox, Kirill Sarychev, and Blaine Sumner have also set significant records in the bench press, both raw and equipped, using single-ply and multi-ply suits, lifting belts, and other equipment. The Metal Militia Powerlifting Standards and Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate are two organizations that have also contributed to the history of bench press records significantly.

<p>The post Bench Press World Record: Meet The Strongest Man Alive first appeared on BoxLife Magazine.</p>