At 26 years old, Jesus Olivares has already established a reputation as the premier powerlifter in the 120+ kilogram weight class. In February, the Texas native hit an International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) raw world record squat of 478 kilograms (1,053.1 pounds) at the 2024 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships.
With only a few months until Olivares and 23 other competitors return to Sheffield City Hall on Jan. 26, 2025, the reigning IPF World Classic champion looks primed for another record-setting performance.
On Oct. 16, 2024, Olivares posted a video on Instagram of a training session wherein he smashed a squat PR of 402.5 kilograms (887 pounds) for five reps.
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A Squat Masterclass
Brute strength will only get one so far. Combining elite power, proper back squat mechanics, and a few of the best gym accessories is a recipe for a record-setting day at the office.
Olivares mixed those ingredients to create the ideal environment for a quintet of mostly buttery-smooth squats. Donning SBD knee sleeves, an SBD lever-style weightlifting belt, and a pair of tightly wound wrist wraps, he approached the Eleiko squat stand with intense focus.
Breaking Down the Lift
- Olivares created a “shelf” for the barbell to sit on by retracting his shoulder blades and engaging his traps.
- He took a three-step walkout before setting his feet just wider than shoulder-width apart with his toes pointed out slightly.
- Olivares maintained a fairly upright torso for the first four reps, driving his hips back and keeping his shins as vertical as possible. He had no trouble driving through his heels to return to the starting position.
- His final rep included more of a forward lean, possibly due to lower-back fatigue. Unlike his first four reps, he had a slight hiccup with the drive but powered through.
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Overall, Olivares displayed a combination of strength and coordination by squatting nearly 900 pounds five times (he may have even had a sixth rep left in the tank). Of course, it’ll take fewer reps and significantly more weight for him to etch his name in the IPF record books again.
Can Olivares Make History at the 2025 Sheffield Championships?
Despite setting the squat record, Olivares didn’t deliver a knockout performance at the 2024 Sheffield Championships. Coming off 11 consecutive first-place finishes across various competitions, he settled for 11th after missing two bench press attempts of 275 kilograms (606.2 pounds) and only nailing his second deadlift attempt of 380 kilograms (837.7 pounds).
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Although Olivares returned to his winning ways four months after an uncharacteristically inconsistent showing in Sheffield, he hasn’t competed since winning the 2024 IPF Classic World Championships in Druskininkai, Lithuania.
Will the 26-year-old translate successful squat training sessions into a title-worthy day in the Oval Hall? Or will he encounter similar challenges on the other lifts that leave him on the outside looking in?
- Anyone on the Sheffield Powerlifting Championships roster who breaks an IPF world record will receive a £5,000 bonus.
Plus, after missing out last year, Olivares can secure a sizable payday of £25,000 if he does what he usually does: finish ahead of the pack.
More Powerlifting News
- Betty Aborah (63KG) Smashes Open World Record Raw Deadlift as a Junior, Again
- David Ricks (93KG) Squats 295 Kilograms at 65 Years Old
- Regin Stergakis (105KG) Breaks IPF Junior World Record Deadlift and Total
Featured image: @mega.gojira / Instagram
