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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.

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.

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.

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On May 28, 2023, strength icon Nick Best shared an Instagram clip of himself scoring a 350-kilogram (771.6-pound) back squat with wraps during a training session. The active powerlifter and retired strongman competitor was fully adorned during this massive lift. He donned a lifting belt and knee wraps, and utilized wrist wraps to help assist with the monstrous squat. Moreover, the 54-year-old Best captured this squat with wraps roughly five months in the aftermath of an early January 2023 nephrectomy — the surgical removal of either of the kidneys.

Established powerlifting stars Joe Sullivan and Jayvion Wyche were on hand to spot Best for his squat that took place at their mutual Dragon’s Lair Gym in Clark County, NV. According to the log on Open Powerlifting, Sullivan is the all-time raw squat World Record holder in the 100-kilogram weight class with a lift of 385.9 kilograms (850.9 pounds) at the 2023 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Battle of the Yard 8.

This squat did not come without an apparent challenge to Best. Though the athlete appeared to have full control as he lowered himself into the “hole,” Best seemed to take his time through the rep and saw a little bit of a struggle. Nonetheless, Best managed to finish off the squat single with a successful lockout and notable power milestone after his surgery earlier in the year.

To build on this huge squat with wraps, Best also shared a video of himself capturing a 306.1-kilogram (675-pound) raw deadlift. According to the caption of this specific post, it was the most weight Best has pulled since his January nephrectomy. The athlete capped his deadlift from a narrow stance while wearing a lifting belt and utilizing a mixed grip.

Per BarBend, Best is indeed preparing for a formal return to sanctioned powerlifting. The athlete plans to compete again at the 2023 WRPF National Championship. The contest will take place on Sep. 22-24, 2023, in Las Vegas, NV. It is unclear what weight class Best will feature in, but he will likely be a part of the Men’s 50-54 division based on his age at the time of competition. These two recent training lifts were likely about Best testing his current limits before he makes a return to an official powerlifting platform.

Best’s last sanctioned powerlifting appearance occurred at the 2022 WRPF FQ Classic 2 in early May 2022. The competition saw the athlete finishing in first place in the Men’s 50-54 division with wraps while participating in the 140-kilogram weight class.

From his recent kidney surgery to a lat injury in 2021, Best has seen a number of obstacles appear in his path in recent years. None of these unforeseen circumstances seem to be slowing down a strength dynamo like him because he continues to plow forward in his legendary career.

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Ellie Turner (Individual Women) and Jay Crouch (Individual Men) are the winners of the 2023 CrossFit Oceania Semifinal. On the Teams side, CrossFit Torian Mayhem stood on top of the podium. The 2023 CrossFit Oceania Semifinal occurred on May 25-28, 2023, in Tennyson, QLD, Australia.

Turner’s win earns the athlete her third-ever official berth in the CrossFit Games, with the 2023 edition set to take place in Madison, WI, on Aug. 3-6, 2023. The athlete finished in 18th place during the 2022 CrossFit Games. Meanwhile, Crouch continues his run as a fixture at CrossFit’s annual event. The 2023 Games will be the competitor’s sixth appearance as an Individual or Team performer at the contest. His best-ever individual performance was an 18th-place result from 2020.

Here are the results and top 20 finishers for the Individual Women, Individual Men, and Teams divisions from the 2023 CrossFit Oceania Semifinal. The standard seven-workout format for the Individuals and six-workout setup for the Teams remained static.

Individual Women Results

1. Ellie Turner — 592 points
2. Jamie Simmonds — 568 points   
3. Emily De Rooy — 556 points
4. Katelin Van Zyl — 525 points
5. Madeline Sturt — 524 points
6. Grace Walton — 521 points
7. Georgia Pryer — 457 points
8. Julia Hannaford — 392 points
9. Gemma Hauck — 385 points
10. Laura Clifton — 375 points
11. Danielle Ford — 371 points
12. Madeline Shelling — 327 points
13. Briony Challis — 323 points
14. Katie Brock — 315 points
15. Elly Hutchens — 312 points
16. Chloe Gregory — 301 points
17. Olivia Smoothy — 296 points
18. Daisy McDonald — 274 points
19. Amanda Mackay — 271 points
20. Annika Roberts — 262 points

Individual Men Results

1. Jay Crouch — 600 points
2. Bayley Martin — 554 points
3. Jake Douglas — 531 points
4. William Kearney — 505 points
5. Peter Ellis — 496 points
6. Reilly Smith — 450 points
7. Zac Thomas — 441 points
8. Isaac Newman — 438 points
9. James Newbury — 417 points
10. Mitchell Case — 355 points
11. Riley Martin — 354 points
12. James Thomas — 340 points
13. Darcy Hancock — 338 points
14. Zane Shellabear-Healey — 337 points
15. Rob Watt — 333 points
16. Matt Gilpin — 328 points
17. Luke McMahon — 315 points
18. Johan Roberts — 314 points
19. Andrew Sambell — 306 points
20. Bailey O’Brien — 295 points

Teams Results

1. CrossFit Torian Mayhem — 585 points
2. Plus64 CrossFit 64Army Endgame — 570 points
3. PFC CrossFit 3076 — 505 points
4. CrossFit Torian Black — 500 points
5. 2100 Tribe CrossFit Tribe HQ — 370 points
6. CrossFit Geo Starr Strength — 355 points
7. CrossFit Play Starr Strength — 325 points
8. Concept CrossFit Concept Crew — 290 points
9. CrossFit EXF — 290 points
10. CrossFit East Tamaki Jack’s Pack — 290 points
11. CrossFit Chocolate Box — 280 points
12. Plus64 CrossFit Plan B — 270 points
13. CrossFit Peak Blaxland — 250 points
14. Picton CrossFit NTRS Picton CrossFit — 230 points
15. CrossFit Townsville — 220 points
16. CrossFit Mecca — 215 points
17. Steel Coast CrossFit — 205 points
18. CrossFit Papamoa Mangöpare — 200 points
19. CrossFit Botany — 180 points
20. CrossFit Creative — 165 points

Upcoming CrossFit Semifinal Dates

There are just two remaining 2023 CrossFit Semifinal legs before the 2023 CrossFit Games this late summer. The concluded Semifinals include North America East, Africa, North America West, South America, and now Oceania.

Here are the locations and the remaining schedule for the 2023 CrossFit Semifinals:

• June 1-4, 2023: Europe Semifinal | Berlin, Germany
• June 1-4, 2023: Asia Semifinal | Busan, South Korea

By the start of early June, there will be a definitive understanding of the headline competitors at the 2023 CrossFit Games.

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Victoria Campos (Individual Women) and Kaique Cerveny (Individual Men) are the victors of the 2023 CrossFit South America Semifinal. Campos will attempt to build on her debut at the 2022 CrossFit Games this coming August in Madison, WI. The athlete participated in the first days of competition last summer, but did not make the cut to compete in the final events. Meanwhile, Cerveny earns his first-ever roster spot in the CrossFit Games with this Semifinal victory.

On the Teams side, Templo SA CrossFit Blacksheep Treta emerged victorious to earn its official berth in the 2023 CrossFit Games. This segment of the overall 2023 CrossFit Semifinals took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 26-28, 2023.

Here are the results and top 20 finishers for each of the three divisions that participated in the 2023 CrossFit South America Semifinal. The usual and universal format for all seven 2023 CrossFit Semifinals applied: Individual athletes had seven workouts on their plate, and Teams athletes had six workouts to perform.

Individual Women Results

1. Victoria Campos — 616 points
2. Alexia Williams — 600 points
3. Valentina Rangel — 556 points
4. Andreia Pinheiro — 552 points
5. Fernanda Dotto — 460 points
6. Emily Andrade — 454 points
7. Luiza Marques — 439 points
8. Julia Kato — 425 points
9. Delfina Ortuño — 414 points
10. Amanda Fusuma — 413 points
11. Sasha Nievas — 402 points
12. Bruna Baxhix — 381 points
13. Constanza Cabrera — 378 points
14. Licía Viretti Anino — 323 points
15. Kiara Priscilla Schneider — 309 points
16. Claudia Amaral — 303 points
17. Thais Nunes — 297 points
18. Jane Silva — 282 points
19. Patricia Maciel — 275 points
20. Sabrina Bedin — 274 points

Individual Men Results

1. Kaique Cerveny — 660 points
2. Kalyan Souza — 644 points
3. Guilherme Malheiros — 613 points
4. Benjamin Gutierrez — 504 points
5. Bruno Marins — 496 points
6. Agustin Richelme — 466 points
7. Gustavo Errico — 426 points
8. Brayan Stiven Fajardo — 423 points
9. Lago Guiraldes — 408 points
10. Joao Pedro Barcelos — 386 points
11. Juan Manuel Seitun — 322 points
12. Pablo Chalfun — 317 points
13. Omar Martinez — 317 points
14. Vinicius Stoelben — 313 points
15. Vitor Caetano — 303 points
16. Esteban Ospina — 299 points
17. Bruno Diniz — 297 points
18. Vitor Nunes — 291 points
19. Lukas Ozaki — 282 points
20. Geronimo Beaudean — 263 points

Teams Results

1. Templo SA CrossFit Blacksheep Treta — 535 points
2. Q21 CrossFit — 520 points
3. Sense Fitness CrossFit Mayhem Soul — 460 points
4. Q21 CrossFit Flux Team — 395 points
5. Soren CrossFit Team Soren 1 — 395 points
6. Bushido CrossFit — 385 points
7. Kingbull CrossFit Paraguay — 385 points
8. Vittoria CrossFit Morereps 2023 — 380 points
9. Sense Fitness CrossFit Tuki — 350 points
10. Pam CrossFit — 345 points
11. CrossFit Tyranno — 335 points
12. Compa CrossFit — 295 points
13. BRV CrossFit Fitness Factory — 285 points
14. Cavaleiros CrossFit II Team Cavaleiros LL — 280 points
15. Vittoria CrossFit Team Hungry — 265 points
16. WTC CrossFit Ghostbusters Team — 230 points
17. Overking CrossFit Team DC — 220 points
18. CrossFit Beira Rio Team Beira Rio — 145 points
19. CrossFit Crane — 95 points
20. Inverted CrossFit — Zero points

Upcoming CrossFit SemiFinal Dates

Five of the seven 2023 CrossFit Semifinal segments have concluded. They are as follows: North America East, Africa, North America West, Oceania, and South America.

Here are the scheduled dates and locations for the remaining 2023 CrossFit Semifinals:

• June 1-4, 2023: Europe Semifinal | Berlin, Germany
• June 1-4, 2023: Asia Semifinal | Busan, South Korea

With just two legs remaining in the 2023 CrossFit Semifinals, a concrete understanding of the headline divisions’ rosters for the 2023 CrossFit Games will soon be established.

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On May 20, 2023, during the 2023 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) P3 Grand Prix, powerlifter Austin Perkins scored a 305-kilogram (672.4-pound) raw back squat. The mark is an all-time raw World Record in Perkins’ 75-kilogram competitive weight class, officially surpassing his peer Taylor Atwood by two kilograms (4.4 pounds). According to Open Powerlifting, Atwood achieved the past raw record squat mark of 303 kilograms (668 pounds) in the 75-kilogram division at the 2021 USAPL Raw Nationals.

Perkins wore a lifting belt and utilized wrist wraps and knee sleeves — which still qualifies as raw in a sanctioned powerlifting context — to help achieve his record mark.

In a caption of one of Perkins’ recent Instagram posts, he recaps what went into attaining his raw World Record squat. The athlete steadily built up toward the achievement through his meet performance and needed all three attempts to break the new boundary after a 280-kilogram (617.4-pound) first squat and a 295-kilogram (650-pound) second squat.

Perkins wrote that after a personally disappointing performance at the 2022 USAPL Virginia Pro in December 2022 (a contest he still won in the raw 75-kilogram class), he was motivated to improve the depth of his squats. He also made a grip adjustment, placing his hands wider and getting his barbell in a lower position so the athlete could enjoy more of a “vertical” squat.

Here’s an overview of Perkins’ top stats at the 2023 USAPL P3 Grand Prix. In addition to his World Record squat, the athlete notably scored all-time raw competition bests on his bench press (195 kilograms/429.9 pounds), deadlift (325 kilograms/716.5 pounds), and total (825 kilograms/1,818.8 pounds).

Austin Perkins (75KG) | 2023 USAPL P3 Grand Prix Top Stats

• Squat — 305-kilogram (672.4-pound) | All-Time Raw World Record
• Bench Press — 195 kilograms (429.9 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition Best
• Deadlift — 325 kilograms (716.5 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition Best
• Total — 825 kilograms (1,818.8 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition Best

Note: At the time of this writing, Perkins’ record squat mark is official but has not yet been reflected in databases like Open Powerlifting.

Even with a new World Record and all the work he put into it, Perkins didn’t seem satisfied with his closing note. If anything, he characterized this specific meet as something that might be just the beginning. The powerlifter appeared to tease his next competitive appearance at the 2023 USAPL Equipped Nationals on June 17, 2023, in Dallas, TX.

Perkins was the 75-kilogram runner-up in his last Equipped Nationals berth in 2021. His tenor made it seem he was dead set on a victory this time around.

“To cap things off, this was the most confident on a squat I had ever been,” Perkins wrote of his raw World Record squat. “There weren’t any unknown variables come meet day which I loved. We went in and hit numbers we knew were going to be easy enough. [I’m] following the same protocol for Nats [the 2023 USAPL Equipped Nationals]. Can’t wait to see what we do when we’re actually pushing limits.”

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Alex Gazan (Individual Women) and Patrick Vellner (Individual Men) are the winners of the 2023 CrossFit North America West Semifinal. To notch his Semifinal win, Vellner, the 2022 CrossFit Games runner-up, beat two-time defending CrossFit Games champion Justin Medeiros.

Gazan bolsters her current fifth-place worldwide ranking on the official CrossFit leaderboard with this victory, earning her second-ever placing in the CrossFit Games. Gazan finished in 24th place for the Individual Women in her debut in 2022. Three teams, CrossFit Franco’s Misfits, CrossFit Invictus, and CrossFit Omnia, all finished with an identical number of points to win the Teams portion.

This North America West semifinals — one of the last legs before the 2023 CrossFit Games in early August — took place on May 25-28, 2023, in Pasadena, CA.

Here are the respective final results and top 20 finishers for all three included divisions at the 2023 CrossFit North America West Semifinal. As is the case with other Semifinals legs, the Individual athletes performed seven workouts, while the Teams competitors participated in six.

Individual Women Results

1. Alex Gazan — 538 points
2. Katrin Davíðsdóttir — 527 points
3. Arielle Loewen — 525 points
4. Christine Kolenbrander — 507 points
5. Bethany Shadburne — 504 points
6. Emily Rolfe — 465 points
7. Olivia Kerstetter — 457 points
8. Abigail Domit — 421 points
9. Baylee Rayl — 415 points
10. Kelly Baker — 415 points
11. Dani Speegle — 413 points
12. Kloie Wilson — 402 points
13. Lauren Fisher — 382 points
14. Emily White — 381 points
15. Sydney Michalyshen — 373 points
16. Hannah Black — 370 points
17. Stacy Lerum — 370 points
18. Hattie Kanyo — 359 points
19. Karisa Stapp — 356 points
20. Ellia Miller — 344 points

Individual Men Results

1. Patrick Veller — 612 points
2. Brent Fikowski — 569 points
3. Samuel Kwant — 564 points
4. Cole Greashaber — 528 points
5. Justin Medeiros — 519 points
6. Chandler Smith — 490 points
7. Nick Mathew — 472 points
8. Colten Mertens — 458 points
9. Cole Sager — 458 points
10. Mitchel Stevenson — 422 points
11. Luis Oscar Mora — 418 points
12. John Wood — 417 points
13. Jack Rozema — 402 points
14. Justin Rhodes — 351 points
15. Maximilian Krieg — 349 points
16. Scott Tetlow — 343 points
17. Chris Ibarra — 343 points
18. Isaiah Vidal — 326 points
19. Phillip Muscarella — 325 points
20. Anthony Davis — 324 points

Teams Results

1. CrossFit Franco’s Misfits — 555 points | Three-way tie for first place
2. CrossFit Invictus — 555 points | Three-way tie for first place
3. CrossFit Omnia — 555 points | Three-way tie for first place
4. CrossFit Kilo II — 528 points
5. Koda CrossFit Redemption — 486 points
6. CrossFit Invictus Unconquerable — 483 points
7. Rhino CrossFit Dawgs — 444 points
8. CrossFit Invictus Sea of Green — 432 points
9. Einhorn CrossFit Ascend — 417 points
10. CrossFit Believe — 364 points
11. Verdant CrossFit — 363 points
12. CrossFit 8035 — 354 points
13. CrossFit Overtake Team Destiny — 349 points
14. Undefeated CrossFit — 334 points
15. CrossFit Complex — 327 points
16. CrossFit Queretaro The W Pack — 309 points
17. CrossFit Kemah — 286 points
18. Ben Lomond CrossFit Rise — 265 points
19. CrossFit Condesa Luther MX — 250 points
20. Salty Hive CrossFit — 236 points

Upcoming CrossFit Semifinal Dates

Five legs of the 2023 CrossFit Semifinals — North America East, Africa, North America West, Oceania, and South America — are in the books, and only two remain. Here are the upcoming dates for the remaining 2023 CrossFit Semifinals:

• June 1-4 — Europe Semifinal | Berlin, Germany
• June 1-4 — Asia Semifinal | Busan, South Korea

At the conclusion of both the Europe and Asia Semifinals, the headline divisions (Individual Women, Individual Men, Teams) of the 2023 CrossFit Games will have most of their primary rosters locked in. From there, it’s a two-month sprint (or wait) until the biggest competition in CrossFit in the late summer.

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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.

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!

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.

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Rebecca Roberts (Women) and Paul Smith (Men) are the respective champions of the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman and UK’s Strongest Man. The joint strongwoman and strongman strength contest took place on May 27-29, 2023, in Nottingham, England.

According to her resume on Strongman Archives, this is Roberts’ second consecutive UK’s Strongest Woman title (2022-2023). The athlete previously finished as the runner-up in her UK’s Strongest debut in the year 2021. Meanwhile, the same repeat sentiments can be expressed for Smith, who also successfully defended his UK’s Strongest Man title captured in 2022.

Here are the complete results for the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman competitors. The field of eight athletes was tasked with competing in the Shield Carry, Block Press, Truck Pull, Max Deadlift, and Bag Over Bar. To capture her latest title, Roberts won three of the five events (the Shield Carry, Truck Pull, and Bag Over Bar) and finished as the runner-up in the Block Press and Max Deadlift.

2023 UK’s Strongest Woman Final Standings

1. Rebecca Roberts — 38 points | Two-time defending UK’s Strongest Woman Champion (2022-2023)
2. Lucy Underdown — 37 points
3. Katie Smith — 19 points
4. Claire Myler — 17 points
5. Izzy Tait — 16 points
6. Sarah Reynolds — 13 points
7. Gemma Moore — 12 points
8. Nadine Guy — 7 points

Rounding out the podium for the women after Roberts was Lucy Underdown (second place) and Katie Smith (third place). Underdown’s runner-up result is the third time in her last four contests that the athlete has finished on the podium. Per her page on Strongman Archives, the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman was Smith’s third appearance, and best placing, in this prestigious contest.

Here are the complete results for the 2023 UK’s Strongest Man competitors. The field of eight athletes had a different slate of events from their strongwomen counterparts. They were as follows: the Super Yoke, Incline Log Ladder, Silver Dollar Deadlift, Bull Ring, and Cerberus Steps From Hell. Smith was triumphant on the Super Yoke, Incline Log Ladder, and Silver Dollar Deadlift to eventually notch his overall victory.

2023 UK’s Strongest Man Final Standings

1. Paul Smith — 33 points | Two-time defending UK’s Strongest Man Champion (2022-2023)
2. Matt Dimond — 28.5 points
3. Callum Crozier — 26 points
4. Andrew Flynn — 23.5 points
5. Chris Beetham — 20 points
6. Louis Jack — 19 points
7. Cillein Groom — 16 points
8. Scott Milne — 14 points

Roberts and Smith have already established themselves as bona fide forces to be reckoned with in strongwoman and strongman. They didn’t necessarily “need” the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman and Man titles to do it, either. Roberts is a former World’s Strongest Woman (WSW) champion (2021), while Smith has appeared in two previous World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competitions (2018, 2023).

Now, both strong athletes can add yet another significant notch to their lifting belts.

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Racheal Paveglio may have had as close to a perfect meet as you will see on any platform. On Saturday, May 20, 2023, Paveglio entered the 2023 USAPL Masters World Cup in Arlington, TX as a 140-kilogram Masters amateur competitor.

She not only went nine-for-nine with all white lights on each lift, but she left with a Masters raw world record deadlift of 230 kilograms (507 pounds) and she earned her Masters pro card as well.

According to Open Powerlifting, Paveglio weighed in at 127.1 kilograms (280.3 pounds) going into this meet, putting her in the 100-kilogram+ (220-pound+) class. After the announcer informed the crowd about the record attempt, Paveglio approached the barbell with a conventional stance, took hold of it with a mixed grip, and pulled it in towards her legs before beginning the pull.

Once the barbell left the floor, it was a smooth and consistent lift to a lockout position. She calmly returned the barbell to the floor upon the judge’s signal, and she received three white lights for her efforts. The announcer then came and held Paveglio’s arm up in victory as the audience cheered. She didn’t even wear a weightlifting belt when she made the attempt.

Aside from the world record, she placed first in both the full meet and bench only. Every one of her nine attempts on the day were received with three white lights. The summary of her day is below.

Racheal Paveglio | 2023 USAPL Masters World Cup

• Squat — 190 kilograms (419 pounds)
• Bench Press — 112.5 kilograms (248 pounds)
• Deadlift — 230 kilograms (507 pounds) | Masters World Record
• Total — 532.5 kilograms (1,174 pounds)

The previous deadlift record holder was Aranda Brown, who pulled 225 kilograms (496 pounds) at the 2022 USAPL Mega Nationals in Las Vegas, NV. Beyond the deadlift world record, Paveglio now has second all-time Masters total for her weight class, only behind Jacquelynne Duble (542.5 kilograms/1,196 pounds).

There is no word on when Paveglio’s next meet will be, but she may have that total in her sights as the next record to go after.

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Four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead and 2021 Olympia 212 champion Derek Lunsford aren’t regular training partners, but they are both clients of 22-time Olympia winning coach Hany Rambod. So, when the opportunity presents itself, the two champion bodybuilders do like to trade sets. 

One such session was held in Pittsburgh, PA during the weekend of May 12-13, 2023 where Lunsford guest posed at the IFBB Pittsburgh Pro contest. Bumstead shared footage of the back workout on his YouTube channel.

Lat Pulldown Machine

Both men began the session by focusing on isolating their lats with lat pulldown machine. They performed both reverse-grip and neutral-grip pulldowns on different sets. Rambod was placing emphasis on driving the scapulae and elbows back to get a greater contraction. Both athletes also used slow tempos with their reps, increasing the time under tension. They were staying in the 10-12 rep range for each set. Rambod instructed Bumstead to hold the contracted portion for up to five seconds at the end of one set.

Why Do It: The lat pulldown focuses on the lats as well as the upper back. Using an overhand grip may recruit more of the upper back muscles, while an underhand grip may shift the focus to more of the lower lats and biceps. The neutral-grip can be used to isolate the lats with minimal biceps involvement.

How to Do It: Grab the handles with your preferred grip and sit on the seat of the machine with your knees secured under the pads. Get a stretch at the top before beginning the first rep. With control, drive your elbows down and back as you pull the handles down towards your chest. You can allow your upper body to come back slightly, but don’t use momentum to pull the weight down. Pull in as close to your body as possible and hold this position briefly before allowing the handles to return to the starting position under control. Repeat for the desired reps.

T-Bar Row

Next up was an old-school bodybuilding movement — the T-bar row. A barbell was placed in a corner of the gym while Lunsford stood at the opposite end with a V-handle in his hands. Both men started with three 25-kilogram (55-pound) plates on the barbell, and they eventually added a fourth. Only two sets were shown for each athlete.

Why Do It: This exercise is a basic mass-builder for the upper back. You get the feel of free weights, even though the non-weighted end of the bar is wedged or locked into position.

How to Do It: Once weight is on the barbell with the opposite end secured in a landmine unit, straddle the bar and place the V-handle underneath it so you can hold the handle with each hand. Bend at the hips while keeping your back straight. Lift the handles so the weighted end of the bar comes up off the floor. While maintaining the bent-over position, pull the bar up toward your chest to contract your lats and upper back. Slowly lower the barbell back to the floor, without letting it rest on the ground, and repeat for the desired reps.

Seated Cable Row

Bumstead started the third movement of the session when he did his first set of seated cable rows with a neutral grip. They were pulling the handle to the middle of their torsos to emphasize the upper back, but their execution of the reps were still slow and controlled. Rambod encouraged them to feel the muscles working with each individual rep.

Why Do It: This promotes thickness and detail in the upper back, which both men will showcase on-stage in back-double biceps poses during mandatory callouts or during various back poses in their individual routines.

How to Do It: Place your feet on the foot pad and sit on the bench while holding the handles. You should be able to stretch forward when lowering the handle without the pinned weight touching the stack. Keeping a straight back and slightly bent legs, pull the handle in toward your torso. Squeeze the upper back and hold the contracted position before lowering the pinned weight back toward the stack. Once you feel a stretch in your upper back, repeat for the next rep. Your upper body should move slightly, but you shouldn’t use momentum to pull the weight in. Keep a neutral neck position throughout the set.

Chest-Supported Two-Dumbbell Row

The fourth exercise of the day was first movement to use dumbbells. Both Bumstead and Lunsford placed themselves on an incline bench, chest down, and rowed the dumbbells up using an overhand grip. They allowed their elbows to flare out to emphasize the rear delts and upper back muscles. Rambod focused on their range of motion by having them stretch and lower the dumbbells as close as possible to the floor before beginning the next rep. 

Why Do It: This free weight movement hits the upper back and forces you to work each side independently to maintain stability and control of the weight. Doing this on a bench decreases the possibility of using momentum or cheating the exercise.

How to Do It: Place dumbbells near the head end of the bench. Straddle the bench and place your feet wide on the floor for balance. Place your chest on the bench and use your arms to secure the dumbbells. Pull the dumbbells toward your upper body while keeping yourself connected to the bench. When you feel the contraction of your upper back, slowly lower the weights towards the floor. Once you feel a stretch, begin the next rep.

The video concluded with footage of Bumstead saying some words on stage at the Pittsburgh Pro contest before brief clips of Lunsford’s guest posing was shown.

Not all details of this workout’s were shared, but you can try these movements for yourself by following the sample workout below.

Sample Back Workout

Lat Pulldown — 4 x 8-12

T-Bar Row — 3 x 10-12

Seated Cable Row — 3 x 10-12

Chest-Supported Two-Dumbbell Row — 3 x 10

Both Bumstead and Lunsford will compete in their respective divisions at the 2023 Olympia Weekend in Orlando, FL on the weekend of Nov. 2-5. Bumstead will aim to win his fifth consecutive Classic Physique Olympia title while Lunsford, now a Men’s Open competitor, looks to improve upon his second-place finish at the 2022 edition by overcoming current Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan.

Featured Image: @cbum on Instagram

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