Despite not competing in the back squat like their powerlifting counterparts, Olympic lifters possess some of the strongest squats in the strength training game. Case in point: On Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, American weightlifter Cesar Flores (+109KG) posted a truly massive squat to social media — 320 kilograms, or 705.4 pounds. For a set of two paused reps.
Not only could Flores’ pause squat stand up against some of the best powerlifting competitors in the States, it’s among the best feats of strength in American weightlifting in the last few years.
[Related: The Real Differences Between Powerlifting vs. Weightlifting]
Flores opted for a lifting belt, Olympic-style knee sleeves, and weightlifting shoes when attempting this new 2-rep max. Read on for some context about how this squat stacks up to the best powerlifters in the world and where Flores is heading over the next few years. Spoiler alert: He’s got his eyes on becoming an Olympian.
How It Stacks Up
While Flores may not be a career powerlifter, his leg strength in the back squat certainly proves he can dance with the best of them. According to their database, the American record back squat in the Men’s Open unwrapped division of USA Powerlifting (USAPL) stands at a gargantuan 490 kilograms (1,080.2 pounds) by none other than Ray Williams himself.
However, the winning squat in the super-heavyweight division of Raw (unequipped) Open powerlifting at the 2023 USAPL Nationals was 342 kilograms (755 pounds) by athlete Nathan Redwing, which is well within striking distance of Flores’ potential given that he’s working with 320 kilograms for more than one paused repetition.
Further, 17 individuals have exceeded the International Powerlifting Federation’s (IPF) Open Classic (unequipped) world standard in the squat (330 kilograms), with the “lightest” of those belonging to Blaine Sumner in 2012, who squatted 365 kilograms. However, most reliable 1-rep-max calculators, including BarBend‘s own, would estimate that Flores can squat well above the IPF’s standard if he went for a true max:
One Rep Max Calculator
[Related: How to Find Your 1-Rep Max (Calculator Included!)]
So while Flores probably couldn’t strut into a world-level powerlifting meet and win the whole thing, his squat strength is more than commendable given that Olympic lifters regard the back squat as an accessory exercise (and some opt out of performing it altogether).
How He Did It
BarBend sat down with Flores for a short text interview over social media to shed some light on how he brought up his leg strength, as well as where he’s headed next in his strength career.
BarBend: What was your previous best squat before this set?
Cesar Flores: Back in 2021 I squatted 310 kilograms for a traditional double. A year prior to that, I hit 330 kilograms for a 1-rep max.
BB: What did your squat training look like leading up to this personal record, broadly?
CF: I actually credit a lot of my positional strength to doing heavy sets of squats without a lifting belt. This helped me develop my core strength so that when it came time to max out with a belt on, those positions were even stronger.
BB: You’ve competed at local and national meets before. Are you working toward making your first international team as part of USA Weightlifting, or is weightlifting more of a hobby?
CF: Making an international team has been a goal of mine since I started weightlifting in 2016. I’ve had some serious injuries in the last few years that have held me back, but my coach Chris Amenta at SoCal Weightlifting and I think things are finally heading in the right direction.
And now that they’ve announced that weightlifting will be in the Olympics in 2028, it’s time for me to make a real run.
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Featured Image courtesy of Cesar Flores
