- Weightlifting at the level of the pros requires a combination of grueling training, purposeful recovery, solid nutrition, and a lot of grit and determination
- Andrzej Stanaszek holds the all-time world record for both the squat and bench press.
- China holds the most Olympic medals in female weightlifting.
Even if you can’t bench press or squat your way to a world record, it’s always motivating to see people who can. Weightlifting at the level of the pros below requires a combination of grueling training, purposeful recovery, solid nutrition, and a lot of grit and determination. To succeed in the sport one must put their training at the top of their list of priorities.
If you aren’t planning on squatting 1,000 lbs but would like to make some serious gains in strength and muscle mass, sign up for an Exercise.com PRO plan today for access to strength-building workout plans and certified personal trainers than can help you reach your goals.
Before we dive into specifics, here’s an overview of the world records that have been set within the sport of weightlifting:
Countries With the Most Olympic Medals in Male and Female Weightlifting Since 2000:
Croatia
Men: 1
Women: 0
Belarus
Men: 5
Women: 1
Ukraine
Men: 0
Women: 1
South Korea
Men: 0
Women: 3
China
Men: 2
Women: 18
Thailand
Men: 0
Women: 1
Bulgaria
Men: 4
Women: 0
Iran
Men: 3
Women: 0
US Men’s Nationals – Snatch Lift
| Name
|
Jim Schubert | Kevin Dittler | Dean Goad | Joel Lackey | Al Reed |
| Location | Cleveland, OH | Mesa, AZ | Newman, GA | Marietta, GA | Spanaway, WA |
| Weight Class | 77 | 85 | 94 | 105 | 105+ |
| Lbs | 264.5 | 286.6 | 319.7 | 330.7 | 339.5 |
| KGs | 120.0 | 130.0 | 145.0 | 150.0 | 154.0 |
US Women’s Nationals – Snatch Lift
| Name | Jacquelynn Berube | Carrie Boudreau | Amorkor Ollennuking | Arlys Maxwell | Inga Denunzio |
| Location | Colorado Springs, CO | Savannah, GA | Lee’s Summit, MO | Seattle, WA | Scarsdale, NY |
| Weight Class | 58 | 80 | 69 | 75 | 75+ |
| Lbs | 196.2 | 176.4 | 165.3 | 192.9 | 182.9 |
| KGs | 89.0 | 80.0 | 75.0 | 87.5 | 83.0 |
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Sign UpAll-Time Historical Men’s Powerlifting World Records for the Squat:
| Name | Nationality | Body Weight (LBS) | Squat (KG) | Squat (LB) |
| Andrzej Stanaszek | Poland | 114 | 300.5 | 662.5 |
| Andrzej Stanaszek | Poland | 123 | 292.5 | 644.9 |
| Mangnus Karlsson | Sweden | 132 | 320.0 | 705.5 |
| Thomas J. Hoerner | U.S.A. | 148 | 365.0 | 804.7 |
| Al Caslow | U.S.A. | 165 | 402.5 | 887.4 |
| Michael Cartinian | U.S.A. | 181 | 421.8 | 930.0 |
| Shaun Frankl | U.S.A. | 198 | 478.5 | 1055.0 |
| Sam Byrd | U.S.A. | 220 | 499.0 | 1100.0 |
| Chuck Vogelpohl | U.S.A. | 242 | 517.1 | 1140.0 |
All-Time Historical Men’s Powerlifting World Records for Bench Press:
| Name | Nationality | Body Weight (Lbs) | Bench Press (KG) | Bench Press (LB) |
| Andrzej Stanaszek | Poland | 114 | 182.5 | 402.3
|
| Anton Kraft | Denmark | 123 | 210.0 | 463.0 |
| Ayrat Zakiyev | Russia | 132 | 225.5 | 490.5 |
| Kevin Harmon | USA | 148 | 274.4 | 605.0 |
| Joe Mazza | USA | 165 | 319.8 | 705.0 |
| Jason Fry | USA | 181 | 340.2 | 750.0 |
| Sawn Frankl | USA | 198 | 385.6 | 850.0 |
| Jason Coker | USA | 220 | 410.0 | 903.9 |
| Rob Luyando | USA | 242 | 410.5 | 905.0 |
| Scot Mendelson | USA | 275 | 487.6 | 1030.7 |
| Ryan Kennelly | USA | 308 | 487.6 | 1075.0 |
You may not necessarily be on track to set any global weightlifting records, but why not set some personal records?
Start one of our strength-building workout plans by going PRO today, and use our goal tracker to keep track of your progress in the gym.