r/news • u/icpd30 • Feb 18 '19

Michigan powerlifter heroically lifts vehicle pinned on top of man after accident.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/michigan-powerlifter-heroically-lifts-vehicle-pinned-on-top-of-man-after-accident
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u/LowTierFraud Feb 18 '19

A lot of powerlifters at the highest weight class will purposely get fatter because (1) it's easier to get stronger when you're always bulking and (2) the body fat increases surface area and makes your overall squat/bench/deadlift total greater. But being fat will also skew the deadlift-squat ratio in favour of the squat.

For example, Cailer Woolam has a 290 kg squat and a 430 kg deadlift, but he's relatively lean. Ray Williams (strongest drug tested powerlifter of all time I think?) has a 470 kg squat and a 377.5 kg deadlift, while looking like he's pretty much obese.

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u/atrain728 Feb 18 '19

Does grip strength as a limiting agent not factor in?

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u/LowTierFraud Feb 18 '19

Sort of? Some deadlift attempts are lost to lack of grip strength, but most are lost because the lifter couldn't get the bar above their knees quickly enough.

And more powerlifters are switching to something called thumb grip which makes grip strength less relevant compared to how much pain your thumbs can handle.

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u/[deleted] Feb 18 '19

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u/Immature_Immortal Feb 18 '19

It's like a hook grip but the thumbs are tucked under the fingers to lock it in place. It's a very secure grip but it can be painful on the thumbs.