On August 8, 2023, powerlifter Jalen Faulk shared on his Instagram profile that features the athlete successfully capturing a 355.1-kilogram (783-pound) raw deadlift during a training session. According to the 19-year-old Faulk’s caption, the pull is an unofficial 18-19 Teen record in the 100-kilogram weight class. Per the records database on Open Powerlifting, the official mark still belongs to Josiah Richardson, who deadlifted 339.9 kilograms (749.5 pounds) at the 2022 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Drug Tested Wisconsin State Championships.
Faulk accomplished his training pull while wearing just a lifting belt in terms of assistive equipment. He deadlifted from a sumo stance while utilizing a hook grip to elevate his loaded barbell off the floor. Per Faulk’s caption, his pulling technique could’ve apparently used some work, implying he might have left some weight and strength on the table for a future date. The athlete wrote that he weighed 100 kilograms (220.4 pounds) at the time of the lift, meaning Faulk deadlifted approximately 3.5 times his body weight.
More from Breaking Muscle:
As someone who isn’t even 20 years old, this is not the first time Faulk’s monstrous lifts have made headlines. The athlete’s social media platforms, particularly his Instagram, are littered with seemingly countless mighty feats.
Aside from his deadlift, recent milestones include a 463-pound bench press single from early August 2023 and a 275-kilogram (606.2-pound) three-rep paused back squat personal record (PR) from early July 2023. In late 2022, he was recorded capturing a 300-kilogram (661-pound) squat for a new PR when he was still just 18 years old.
On a competitive basis, Faulk’s resume to this stage is mostly sterling. According to his page on Open Powerlifting, in nine different competitive appearances, the athlete has lost on just three occasions. The most noteworthy result of his career thus far might have been a win in the 2022 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Nebraska State Powerlifting Championships while competing raw in the Teen division.
More from Breaking Muscle:
At the time of this article’s publication, it is unclear what Faulk’s future competitive plans are. Thus far in 2023, he has appeared in just one contest, the 2023 USAPL Carolina Primetime Pro Qualifier, where he finished in 15th place. Faulk will likely be seen on a sanctioned lifting platform again soon, but he hasn’t confirmed or clarified when.
Nevertheless, in the meantime, the young dynamo is likened to continue showing off incredible jaw-dropping lifts.
On August 7, 2023, strongman Tom Stoltman shared an Instagram video of himself capturing a 500-kilogram (1,102.3-pound) 18-inch deadlift during a training session. Stoltman utilized lifting straps and a conventional stance with a traditional grip, had a lifting belt adorned, and was in his socks during the monstrous pulling feat. It did not appear to come with much of a struggle as the athlete lifted his bar off a shortened rack to a successful complete lockout.
Athletes are usually able to lift more from a higher position because it eliminates the original launch point from the floor. Other variations include the Silver Dollar deadlift, which mostly only differs in presentation. Estonian competitor Rauno Heinla broke the 18-inch deadlift World Record with a pull of 540 kilograms (1,190.5 pounds) at the 2023 Tartu Rammumees ja Rammunaine (TRJR). Stoltman, a former two-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion (2021-2022), is in the final stages of his ongoing preparation for the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC). That contest is set to take place on August 19-20, 2023, in Loveland, CO.
More from Breaking Muscle:
This is not the first instance Stoltman has seemingly been more active with training updates in 2023. That’s especially as it pertains to the 2023 SC, which will now award the title of “The Strongest Man On Earth” to the prospective winner.
In late July 2023, Stoltman shared a clip of himself capturing an 800-kilogram (1,763.7-pound) leg press during another workout. A variation of the leg press featuring a vehicle affixed to a machine is one of the main events at the 2023 SC. (Note: The 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC) champion Evan Singleton also polished up his leg press strength around the same time.)
Moments like this come after Stoltman’s disappointing runner-up result to Mitchell Hooper at the 2023 WSM. Stoltman was in line for a legendary “three-peat” as a dynastic strongman. He would’ve been only the third strongman to ever notch that achievement but instead fell just short. When coupled with a sixth-place result at the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC), it seems Stoltman is on a mission for redemption and plans to use his tremendous leg power to dig himself out of an early hole from the competitive season.
More from Breaking Muscle:
Even with some of his recent competitive shortcomings, Stoltman remains one of the biggest superstars in strongman, and he still hasn’t reached 30 years old. The athlete seems to understand he has plenty of time to rebound. He might put himself back on an elite map with a tentpole victory at the 2023 SC.
Denise Herber has a resume laden with staggering, eye-popping lifts. The German athlete has lost just two competitions in her powerlifting career and is certainly no slouch when it comes to polishing her form and strength in the gym. The superstar’s latest feat fits that very bill.
On July 24, 2023, Herber posted an Instagram clip of herself successfully locking out a 269.9-kilogram (595.2-pound) raw deadlift for two single repetitions. That number is particularly notable considering it is Herber’s all-time competition best, which she achieved at the 2023 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Ghost Clash 2. Herber’s previous best competition deadlift was 255 kilograms (565.1 pounds), achieved 15 months earlier at the 2021 Ireland-UA ABS Pro, making her raw milestone more noteworthy.
Herber completed her recent deadlifts from a conventional stance with a mixed grip and did not appear to have a lifting belt adorned.
More from Breaking Muscle:
One of Herber’s goals earlier this year was pursuing Kristy Hawkins’ all-time raw World Record deadlift of 277.5 kilograms (611.7 pounds) in the 75-kilogram class. Hawkins earned that mark in a first-place performance at the 2022 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) American Pro. Herber had planned to make the World Record attempt during the 2023 Extreme Powerlifting Coalition (XPC) European Championship in late March but withdrew from the contest due to unforeseen health issues.
While Herber didn’t break the record, she eventually returned to form just about two months later. The athlete finally broke the 600-pound raw deadlift barrier in late May 2023 when she pulled 272.5 kilograms (600 pounds) during the 2023 Fitness Store Classic in Singen, Germany. It’s not quite the World Record, but the pull does make Herber only the second 75-kilogram competitor (after Hawkins) to pull at least 600 pounds during a sanctioned contest on camera.
That in itself is quite a way to recover and look forward for an athlete unwillingly falling short of a World Record attempt.
More from Breaking Muscle:
At the time of this writing, Herber hasn’t revealed her upcoming competitive plans. The tenor of her latest deadlift post suggests that Herber is only easing her way back in during a recent training program. However, if such a lift is “easing in,” it might only be a matter of time before the athlete can vie for the pulling World Record again.
When it comes to massive deadlifts, Rauno Heinla comes, he sees, and he almost always conquers. The seasoned veteran strongman now has another conquest to boast about. On July 22, 2023, during the 2023 Tartu Rammumees ja Rammunaine (TRJR) contest, Heinla successfully locked out a 540-kilogram (1,190.5-pound) 18-inch deadlift. An 18-inch deadlift is characterized by having athletes pull a barbell loaded with large diameter plates, leaving the bar 18 inches from the floor. Heinla’s mark is a World Record, surpassing the previous high bar by 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds). The athlete wore a lifting belt and utilized lifting straps to help with the pull.
The past record belonged to 2020 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Oleksii Novikov, who finished an 18-inch deadlift of 537.5 kilograms (1,185 pounds) en route to his WSM title. Now, the record is in the 41-year-old Heinla’s possession — who adds to his hallowed reputation as one of the globe’s greatest deadlifters. Novikov offered Heinla a simple “congratulations” in the comments section of the Instagram post showcasing the record-breaking 18-inch deadlift.
More from Breaking Muscle:
A record deadlift of any variation is nothing new to Heinla. If anything, based on his productive 2022, it might be a surprise it took the Estonian athlete this “long” to add another deadlift accomplishment to his resume.
In early June 2022, Heinla broke the Silver Dollar deadlift World Record with a pull of 579.7 kilograms (1,278 pounds) at the 2022 Silver Dollar Deadlift Estonian Championship (SDDEC). He would follow that performance by breaking the Master’s Deadlift World Record with a pull of 476 kilograms (1,049.4 pounds), winning him the 2022 World Deadlift Championships (WDC) title.
Per his page on Strongman Archives, Heinla has had a highly active competitive run in recent months, most notably finishing as the runner-up in both the 2022 Master’s World’s Strongest Man (MWSM) and the 2023 Australia’s Strongest International (ASI). However, none of his recent full competition achievements can compare to now owning three separate deadlift World Records in three separate pulling events.
More from Breaking Muscle:
After securing another pulling World Record, Heinla will likely shift his focus to one of the biggest unicorns in strength sports: the all-time deadlift World Record of 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds) set by Hafthor Björnsson in May 2020. Heinla will get the opportunity to make history as a member of the 2023 WDC roster, which will take place as a part of the 2023 Giants Live World Open (GLWO) on September 2, 2023, in Cardiff, Wales.
The Giants Live organization is offering a $55,000 prize to any 2023 WDC athlete who can break the record and deadlift at least 505 kilograms (1,113.3 pounds). If there were a pick for any strongman capable of reaching the milestone, Heinla would undoubtedly be one of the more plausible options.
When it’s time to target your posterior chain — glutes, hamstrings, and lower back — many lifters can be spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing effective exercises. Two of the most popular movements that end up in the spotlight are the classic deadlift and its slightly more focused twin, the Romanian deadlift (RDL).
Both of these exercises use a “hip hinge” movement to build muscle while developing the kind of practical, real-world strength that makes you the go-to person when your friends need help moving. Both exercises also have unique characteristics that could make each one an effective choice under certain conditions and training contexts.
Credit: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV / Shutterstock
There is no “right” or “wrong” answer when it’s time to choose your deadlift. You simply need a better understanding of what these two hinging movements can offer. So if you’re in a certain “one deadlift rules the world” camp, your eyes are about to be opened to a new way of thinking about these powerful pulls.
Deadlift and Romanian Deadlift
Exercise Differences
For consistency’s sake throughout the article, “the deadlift” refers to the conventional deadlift, while the Romanian deadlift refers, clearly, to the Romanian deadlift variation. If you’re curious about sumo deadlifts, sorry, but they’re not part of this conversation. However, they do share many of the same characteristics as the conventional deadlift.
Muscle Activation
Both the deadlift and Romanian deadlift involve hip extension, your glutes and hamstrings are activated and trained effectively. However, the deadlift starts from the floor and involves a more significant knee bend aka knee flexion.
This factor alone makes a huge difference because it’s what gives you more leverage to lift more weight with the classic deadlift. This is also why it’s a preferred stance for competitive powerlifters.
Credit: Real Sports Photos / Shutterstock
The improved leverage increases quadriceps activation, making the deadlift one of the most comprehensive lower body exercises by involving the glutes, hamstrings, and quads as one unit. The relatively heavy load and overall stability requirements also increase the demands on your core and back muscles.
Contrastingly, the Romanian deadlift is performed without significant knee flexion. This limits your leverage while involving many of the same muscles — except for the quadriceps. This is why the RDL is often considered a primary hamstring exercise. (1)
Eccentric Emphasis
The Romanian deadlift starts from the top, while you are standing upright, and it focuses on controlling the lowering phase (eccentric). This controlled eccentric emphasis is what gives you relatively more control over the movement.
Generally speaking, many people do not control their eccentrics during conventional deadlifts. They typically lift the weight explosively before dropping the weight nearly as quickly. This drop is often (and unfortunately) accompanied by a celebratory scream after each successful lift regardless of gym etiquette.
This difference in the eccentric emphasis, or lack of, can make the cadence and overall effect of the exercises quite distinct. With the higher degree of eccentric control, Romanian deadlifts may be better for training muscular deceleration (crucial for athleticism) as well as hip and hamstring flexibility-related adaptations.
Range of Motion
In a deadlift, the added knee flexion reduces the necessary range of motion at hip extension — because you’re bending at your knees, you can lift the weight without bending significantly at your waist. This also limits the range of motion for your glutes and hamstrings, especially in their stretched position (at the bottom of the exercise).
The goal of a Romanian deadlift is to push your hips back and not perform any large degree of knee flexion. Combine this with the eccentric control mentioned earlier and you get a much longer range of motion with your glutes and hamstrings, especially in the stretched position which recent research is finding to be incredibly anabolic. (2)
Strength Potential
Between the two movements, the deadlift is often more popular because its nature and overall technique allow you to lift relatively heavier weights. That’s why it made the list as one of the three movements performed in competitive powerlifting.
For non-powerlifters, conventional deadlifts can simply feel invigorating and motivating because of the sheer strength-building potential they offer.
Credit: BigBlueStudio / Shutterstock
Romanian deadlifts allow for less absolute load because of their mechanics. No knee flexion means fewer muscles involved and less loading potential. They’re still a potentially heavy exercise, but Romanian deadlift PRs are not bragged about nearly as often. When people ask how much you deadlift, it’s safe to assume they’re talking about conventional deadlifts from the floor.
Fatigue
This is one of the main differences that many people overlook. Not only is the level of fatigue different, but the type of fatigue is different between the two movements.
Because deadlifts involve more muscles and are often performed heavier, they’re generally more fatiguing. Whether you train with relatively higher reps or low reps, you can often count on feeling pretty beat up after doing deadlifts.
Especially as you get more advanced, one or two sets of deadlifts with a challenging weight or significant volume can leave you fried. This is often described as “systemic fatigue,” where your whole body is affected. Anecdotally, some people also tend to feel more joint stress with deadlifts.
Romanian deadlifts are typically performed with relatively lighter weights, so they trigger less joint stress and are less systemically fatiguing. This makes Romanian deadlifts generally easier to recover from. However, they can produce more fatigue and muscle soreness in the local muscles specifically involved in the exercise.
Romanian deadlifts also involve lots of eccentric stretching. This type of stress through a longer range of motion inflicts a higher degree of muscle damage. After you’ve pushed yourself with Romanian deadlifts, you can feel a clear difference where your glutes and hamstrings may even feel like they’re tearing. This causes your glutes and hamstrings to be more sore.
Exercise Similarities
Both exercises have differences that can be a factor, depending on your goal. However, they also share fundamental similarities and crossover. Most people in the gym, aside from competitive powerlifters, would likely not notice a drastic difference in long-term progress if they were to substitute one for the other.
Hip Hinges
The deadlift and Romanian deadlift are both “hip hinges” — your body primarily moves by bending at the hips. This action trains many muscles throughout your body by coordinating strength, force transfer, and stability from your lower to upper body.
Credit: UfaBiaPhoto / Shutterstock
This comprehensive effect allows you to build strength, muscle, and athleticism. Fulfilling these roles is often more important than some of their unique differences.
Posterior Chain Development
Your glutes and hamstrings, along with your low back, are all targeted with both the deadlift and Romanian deadlift. In other words, these exercises develop that backside many people are after.
You need some sort of basic hip hinge in your training program to efficiently target those eye-catching glute and hamstring muscles, while also strengthening your low back.
Building a powerful posterior chain has also been shown to help maintain strength and potentially decrease the general risk of injury and incidence of back pain. (3)
How to Do the Deadlift
The deadlift is often considered one of the foundational lifts that every beginner in the gym should learn. While that may or may not be true, the deadlift (as a hip hinge) remains a fundamental movement pattern that targets a variety of muscles from your hamstrings to your upper back.
This makes it an efficient and effective exercise for several goals, and mastering this exercise should likely be on the to-do list for the majority of gym-goers.
Stand before a bar with your feet hip-width apart and the bar lined up over the middle of your feet. Grab the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Adjust slightly to get your shins close to the bar.
Bend at your hips and knees, lowering yourself down while maintaining a neutral spine. Your shoulders should be slightly in front of the bar and your gaze should be focused on a spot on the floor a few feet in front of the bar.
Engage your core and lat muscles to stabilize your spine. Grip the bar hard, take a deep breath, and brace your core. Drive through your legs, while extending (straightening) your hips and knees simultaneously.
Keep your chest up. The barbell should move in a vertical path, staying in contact with your legs as you stand up.
Drive through your heels until you reach a fully upright position. At the top of the movement, squeeze your glutes to achieve a strong lockout. Your hips and knees should be fully extended.
To lower the bar, hinge at your hips, push your hips back, and bend your knees slightly. Avoid rounding your back or letting the barbell drift away from your legs. Lower with control — don’t simply drop the bar.
Once the barbell is back on the ground, take a moment to reset your starting position before beginning the next repetition.
How to Do the Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift may have a reputation as being more “for muscle” rather than “for strength,” but that’s not really accurate. The increased glute and hamstring recruitment can definitely benefit muscle-building, but you can still gradually work up to relatively heavy weights in the lift if you choose to train for strength.
Alternatively, some lifters focus on the longer range of motion and increased stretching offered by the Romanian deadlift. In any case, it’s a versatile exercise that can be a key player in any workout routine.
Grasp a barbell using an overhand grip, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, allowing the bar to rest against your upper thighs. Either begin with the bar in a rack or deadlift the bar into position.
Engage your core. Push your glutes backward and hinge at your hips to begin the movement. Keep a slight bend in your knees but avoid excessive knee flexion. Maintain a straight back as you move.
Lower the barbell along the front of your thighs. Continue descending until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Avoid rounding your back during the descent.
To find the bottom position, if mobility allows, aim for your torso to reach almost parallel to the ground with the barbell somewhere between your knees and ankles.
To return upright, drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes. Keep your back straight and focus on feeling your hamstrings and glutes lift the weight. As you stand up, maintain control and avoid any jerking motions.
When to Program the Deadlift vs. Romanian Deadlift
For most people, the most effective way to program these exercises is to simply switch from using the conventional deadlift to the Romanian deadlift. The Romanian deadlift is superior for building lean muscle on your glutes and hamstrings, which is often a higher priority than lifting heavy weights.
In general, if you’re looking to build the highest level of strength and you want a more comprehensive exercise that recruits the maximum number of muscles, consider programming the deadlift.
However, the Romanian deadlift is the better choice for a posterior chain hypertrophy exercise. It takes the glutes and hamstrings through a longer range of motion with a muscle-building stretch.
Both are demanding compound exercises that should be programmed early in your leg day, ideally as your first or second exercise. To reduce cumulative stress and fatigue on supporting muscles, avoid programming anything too demanding on the lower back in the next workout, like back squats or direct back extensions.
Pick Your Heavy Hinges
The deadlift and Romanian deadlift are both highly effective hip hinges that will get you strong and build plenty muscle. While this might sound oversimplified, it’s not entirely wrong to think of the deadlift as a “high leverage lift that cuts range of motion to move big weights” while the Romanian deadlift is a “more controlled, long range of motion muscle-builder for the glutes and hamstrings.” You can’t go wrong with either, but one might edge forward depending on your specific needs.
References
Martín-Fuentes, I., Oliva-Lozano, J. M., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review. PloS one, 15(2), e0229507. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229507
Nunes, J. P., Schoenfeld, B. J., Nakamura, M., Ribeiro, A. S., Cunha, P. M., & Cyrino, E. S. (2020). Does stretch training induce muscle hypertrophy in humans? A review of the literature. Clinical physiology and functional imaging, 40(3), 148–156. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpf.12622
Tataryn, N., Simas, V., Catterall, T., Furness, J., & Keogh, J. W. L. (2021). Posterior-Chain Resistance Training Compared to General Exercise and Walking Programmes for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain in the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine – open, 7(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00306-w
On June 18, 2023, strongman Ivan Makarov shared a video of himself capturing a 476-kilogram (1,049.4-pound) deadlift for two reps during a training session. The strength feat is a personal record (PR) for the Russian athlete and marks another milestone as he pursues the all-time deadlift World Record of 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds), held by Hafthor Björnsson. Makarov will make another attempt at the legendary figure at the 2023 World Deadlift Championships (WDC) on September 2, 2023, in Cardiff, Wales.
To achieve this massive two-rep deadlift PR, Makarov was wore a lifting suit and lifting belt, and utilized lifting straps to help lift his loaded barbell. This equipment is entirely legal under the context of strongman rules. The Russian strongman completed his pull from a conventional stance with a double-overhand grip.
More from Breaking Muscle:
While Makarov has displayed versatility with his strength in the past — a 190-kilogram (418.9-pound) overhead press from November 2022 comes to mind — the athlete is primarily known for his deadlift prowess, and especially of late. Even a quick perusal of Makarov’s events resume on Strongman Archives will lend credence to this fact: most of the athlete’s recent competitive appearances have featured him solely attempting a Max Deadlift.
The same sentiment applies to Makarov’s Instagram profile where, in most any recent instance, a training update is likely of the athlete deadlifting a monstrous amount of weight. That performance is likely expected, as Makarov captured the 2021 WDC title with a 475-kilogram (1,047.2-pound) deadlift. The mark continues to inch higher each year.
“New knowledge, I got new opportunities to stay healthy and very strong.”
In his most recent attempt at the all-time deadlift World Record, Makarov fell short at the 2022 WDC. Thanks to a 453.5-kilogram max pull, the competitor finished tied for second place with three other competitors — the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Mitchell Hooper, the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) victor Pavlo Nakonechnyy, and Graham Hicks. Estonia’s Rauno Heinla captured the eventual title en route to a Masters World Record deadlift of 476 kilograms (1,049.4 pounds), a weight that Makarov has now shown he can pull twice.
More from Breaking Muscle:
At the time of this writing, the 2023 WDC roster features notable returning competitors like the defending champion Heinla, 2020 WSM winner Oleksii Novikov, and even powerlifter Jamal Browner. Giants Live embeds the prestigious annual WDC (or Max Deadlift) into the overall annual Giants Live World Open.
Regardless of a stacked field, Makarov figures to be one of the top contenders for the pursuit of one of strength sports’ more hallowed accomplishments. Should Makarov or any of the other participating athletes achieve it, they’ll be $55,000 richer as a result. One gets the sense the fame of scoring such a mark is worth just as much as any prize money.
In the spring on 2023, powerlifter Inderraj Singh Dhillon put himself within shouting distance of one of strength sports’ more hallowed marks — the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) raw World Record deadlift in the 120-kilogram division. When the athlete successfully pulled 385.5 kilograms (849.8 pounds) for the British powerlifting record and matched the World Record in the process in late March 2023, it was suddenly a distinct possibility that his name would dot the top of the global record books. That possibility is now a clear-eyed reality.
On June 11-18, 2023, during his debut at the 2023 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Valletta, Malta, Singh Dhillon locked out a raw 386-kilogram (850.9-pound) deadlift while competing in his 120-kilogram class. The milestone is officially an IPF World Record. The number surpasses Singh Dhillon’s peer, Bryce Krawczyk, who deadlifted 385.5 kilograms (849.9 pounds) at the 2021 edition of the IPF World Championships. Singh Dhillon wore a lifting belt and completed his massive pull from a conventional stance while utilizing a mixed grip.
More from Breaking Muscle:
Thanks to his record pull, Singh Dhillon would eventually finish with third place in the 120-kilogram division. Singh Dhillon’s countryman, Tony Cliffe, took home the top title in the category. Nevertheless, for Singh Dhillon to finish on the podium and score a monstrous record in his IPF Worlds debut is no small feat.
Here’s an overview of the top stats from Singh Dhillon’s performance:
Inderraj Singh Dhillon (120KG) | 2023 IPF Worlds Top Stats
Deadlift — 386 kilograms (850.9 pounds) | IPF World Record
Total — 906 kilograms (1,997.3 pounds)
While he still has a ways to go, Singh Dhillon has now put himself within official earshot of becoming the first 120-kilogram powerlifter ever to deadlift at least 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds) raw.
More from Breaking Muscle:
In a post on his Instagram, Singh Dhillon reflected on his performance. The athlete seemed taken aback by the gravitas of the moment on an international stage but appeared appreciative of what he just experienced and accomplished.
“What an incredible experience surrounded by the strongest from around the world,” Singh Dhillon wrote. “The speed of the competition was astounding, and we capped it all off with a 120-kilogram World record deadlift at 386 kilograms and the biggest pull of the competition! Thank you, Maharaj!”
Farid’s record pull helped the athlete secure an eighth-place result in her second career IPF World Championships appearance. Evie Corrigan was the eventual 52-kilogram champion, but Farid’s record did surpass the previous World Record, held by Corrigan — a lift of 202.5 kilograms (446.4 pounds) during the 2023 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. Farid appeared to complete her deadlift completely raw from a sumo stance while using a mixed grip. Uniquely, the competitor did not wear a lifting belt during her record-setting performance.
More from Breaking Muscle:
As for Farid’s overall performance, the athlete fared quite well in the context of her career, all things considered. According to Farid’s page on Open Powerlifting, the powerlifter is a three-time Asian Powerlifting Federation (AsianPF) raw World Champion (2018-2019, 2022) in the 52-kilogram division. Technically, Farid did not improve upon her seventh-place IPF Worlds debut in 2022. Still, bringing home a World Record while moving a placing down is likely a result most athletes would stomach.
Here’s an overview of Farid’s top stats from the 2023 IPF Worlds:
Deadlift — 203 kilograms (447.5 pounds) | IPF World Record
Total — 400.5 kilograms (882.9 pounds)
Farid’s top bench press matches her best ever from the 2022 AsianPF Powerlifting Championships. The athlete had scored her latest lift on her third attempt, potentially leaving room for significant improvement in another competitive appearance.
More from Breaking Muscle:
Farid has kept it steady since her official powerlifting debut in December 2018. Making ventures on the IPF Worlds stage still seems relatively new. From that respect, to leave with a World Record is no small feat.
On May 27-29, 2023, during the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman (UKSW), strongwomen Izzy Tait and Sam Taylor combined for a unique milestone of strength. The athletes paired up to deadlift a barbell loaded up with 454 kilograms (1,009 pounds) of weight. The mark is officially a Guinness World Record for the heaviest tandem deadlift between two women’s competitors ever.
Both athletes each wore a lifting belt and utilized wrist straps to pull their mutual CERBERUS Strength Kratos bar — a specialized barbell that is 10 feet in length and adds more of a “flex” challenge to a deadlift from the ground — for the record achievement. The lift was not an official event during the 2023 UKSW. During the actual competition portion, Tait finished in fifth place, while Taylor did not compete in the contest and was on hand solely to participate in the record pull.
More from Breaking Muscle:
Before this tandem Guinness World Record deadlift, Tait and Taylor had developed some measure of renown in their budding careers for different reasons. According to her page on Strongman Archives, the 2023 UKSW was Tait’s second-sanctioned strongwoman appearance, with the first being the 2022 UKSW. The athlete can now boast two top-five results in one of the biggest contests in the sport of strongwoman.
Meanwhile, as an occasional Masters competitor, Taylor has also started to make some relative noise in strength. Before notching this tandem deadlift record, the most noteworthy result of Taylor’s resume might be her third-place podium result from the 2021 Master’s World’s Strongest Woman (MWSW). To date, according to her page on Strongman Archives, Taylor has only featured in four strongwoman competitions.
Now, both Tait and Taylor have found a mutual way to use their combined strength as a way to rewrite one of the more unique record books on the globe.
Tait and Taylor’s Guinness World Record wasn’t the only new Kratos bar pulling record during the proceedings of the 2023 UKSW. Their peer Lucy Underdown, the runner-up in the overall contest, scored a 305-kilogram (672.4-pound) Kratos bar deadlift World Record. It seems when some of the strongest women on the planet gather in one place; iron sharpens iron in a motivating fashion.
More from Breaking Muscle:
At the time of this article’s publication, it’s unclear what the future holds in store for either Tait or Taylor, two strongwomen still relatively new to the sport’s scene. However, if they’re already notching records this early in their career, it might be hard to set a ceiling on their potential.
On May 27-29, 2023, during the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman, Lucy Underdown scored a 305-kilogram (672.4-pound) Kratos bar deadlift World Record. In the context of a strongwoman event, Underdown utilized a lifting belt and lifting straps to help achieve her massive milestone pull. The strongwoman completed her Kratos bar deadlift from a conventional stance with a double-overhand grip. Underdown finished as the runner-up to eventual champion Rebecca Roberts in the strongwoman contest.
More from Breaking Muscle:
The CERBERUS Kratos Strongman Bar (also known as the “Kratos bar”) is characterized mainly by its length. According to the barbell’s description on the CERBERUS Strength website, the Kratos bar measures at a lengthy 10 feet from end to end. The extended length creates an additional “flex” and “whip” an athlete must overcome to complete a full lockout of their deadlift repetition. The bar also has a base weight of 28 kilograms (61.7 pounds) which is more than the standard 20.4 kilograms (45 pounds) for a “normal” barbell.
Despite the added challenge, Underdown seemingly accomplished her record mark with ease based on a clip of her Kratos bar lift.
In a post caption on her Instagram, Underdown seemed appreciative of her overall performance at the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman. Even without the victory, Underdown finishing in second place marks her third podium accomplishment in her last four competitive appearances, per Strongman Archives.
It seems any time an athlete can score a runner-up result and still take home a World Record, they may appropriately gush about their output.
“What an awesome weekend!” Underdown started in her post. “I fought so, so hard for the win. It really came down to the last bag of the last event and unfortunately I came up short against the amazing [Rebecca Roberts]. These things happen and we learn and move on! A [CERBERUS Strength] Kratos bar deadlift World Record of 305 kilograms (honestly, felt like I could have done 320 kilograms yesterday) and a surprise Block Press win with an easy five reps. I can’t be too unhappy!
More from Breaking Muscle:
The final note of Underdown’s competition reflection features the athlete teasing “Euros prep.” At the time of this article’s publication, it is unclear exactly which contest Underdown is referring to, but based on her precedent, it seems likely the strongwoman means the 2023 Britain’s Strongest Woman (BSW) set for late September 2023.
After this kind of new result, the strongwoman world should probably expect another glowing performance from Underdown at the 2023 BSW.
