Bobb Matthews is a man on a mission to break a world record. If his recent achievements are anything to go by, it only seems to be a matter of time before the powerlifter realizes that dream. On May 15, 2022, Matthews posted a video on his Instagram of himself deadlifting 383.5 kilograms (845.5 pounds) — in training.
With this lift, Matthews packed almost 13.6 kilograms (30 pounds) onto his own competition best. And though a training lift doesn’t qualify it for a record, it is worth noting that Matthew’s deadlift was 0.5 kilograms above the current USAPL deadlift record, set by Ashton Rouska at the 2020 at the USAPL Virginia Winter Recker. It’s also three kilograms more than the 110-kilogram USAPL Record, also held by Rouska.
Matthews took his time before making the lift, wearing a belt and utilizing a sumo stance along with a hook grip.
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[Related: Rhianon Lovelace Breaks The British Raw Deadlift Record]
Matthews’ Instagram post was quickly spotted by Rouska himself, who in the spirit of camaraderie and great sportsmanship then lent his support, commenting on the video: “Well on your way to becoming the best to have done it.”
Matthews’ Powerlifting Training
The popular powerlifter, who often trains at home or in the park in addition to the gym, loves to undertake difficult lifts in addition to the more traditional ones, and this has gained him a lot of fans.
Never was this more evident when Matthews performed a 192.7-kilogram (425 pounds) Steinborn squat. That lift amounted to more than twice his own bodyweight, which was 85.3 kilograms (188 pounds) at the time.
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To perform the Steinborn squat, the lifter must move the bar from a vertical starting position, lifting the bar into a horizontal position while settling it over the shoulders. At the time of making that lift, Matthews felt he’d reached his limit, but he pushed on and later delivered another PR of 208.6 kilograms (460 pounds).
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[Related: Martins Licis Steinborn Squats An Incredible 565 Lb World Record]
What’s Next for Matthews?
Matthews locked out his 383.5 kilograms deadlift looking like he still had gas in the tank. His current competition personal records include a squat at 330 kilograms (727.5 pounds), a bench press at 212.5 kilograms (468.5 pounds), and a deadlift of 370 kilograms (815.7 pounds).
His next opportunity to better those PR’s, and potentially garner his first USAPL record, will happen in Las Vegas at the 2022 USAPL Mega Nationals, which are set to take place between June 7-12.
Featured Image: @ssjbobb / Instagram
