Yoshihiro Higa performed a successful 292.5kg/644.9lb squat at the Japanese Powerlifting Association (JPA) Okinawa Prefecture Powerlifting Championship — a full 9.5kg/21lb above the IPF world record in the -74kg weight class. The lift is also 10kg/22lb above Higa’s previous personal best.
The current squat world record is 283kg/623.9lb was held by Taylor Atwood of the United States from his performance at the 2019 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships (WCPC) in Helsingborg, Sweden. Atwood won that event.
The 28-year-old Higa’s bodyweight was officially 73.7kg and the lift was just 2kg/4.4lb shy of being four times his bodyweight.
If you have not yet seen this unbelievable lift, you can check it out below from Higa’s Instagram page. The post also includes his bench press and deadlift from the event:
View this post on Instagram
[Related: 7 steps for nailing the perfect squat with 2-time IPF world champion Taylor Atwood]
Here were Higa’s stats from the event:
- Squat — 292.5kg/644.9lb
- Bench Press — 150kg/330.7lb
- Deadlift —280kg/617.3lb
- Total — 722.5kg/1,592.8lb
This is not the first time Higa has hit a world record squat. He previously held the record with a 276kg/608.5lb lift at the 2018 IPF WCPC, where he placed third. This was Atwood’s first of two WCPC wins.
In his post, Higa remarked about his disappointment with his other lifts.
Note: caption translated via Google Translate.
“[The squat] was the best, but everything else was tattered! This time I was really amazed at my immaturity! How many times do you make the same mistakes again? If there is an event in November
I want to start from scratch!”
View this post on Instagram
Higa is likely referencing the IPF 2020 WCPC currently scheduled for November 13th-22nd in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Although many powerlifting events have been either canceled or postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 WCPC has not.
If the schedule stays the course, Atwood will be attempting to win his third WCPC in a row. If Higa can shore up his bench press and deadlift to pair with his squat, he may be the competition to watch closest.
Featured image from Yoshihiro Higa’s Instagram page: @yoshihiro.270
