Daniel Bell, the man who put up the largest wrapped total in powerlifting history competing in the 308+lb weight class, has been adopting some new tricks and showing off some big lifts.
It is tough for any lift to stick out as impressive for an athlete who is able to squat a gargantuan 482.5kg (1,063lb) and deadlift an earth-shaking 400kg (881lb), but this massive 360kg (795lb) raw triple from Bell’s Instagram page does the job:
“360kg 795lbs got some fun this morning.”
As you triple take watching Bell somehow pull the barbell for the third time and quickly lock it out at the top, you might wonder to yourself how thrice lifting 795lb off the floor would be “fun”. Well, if you look past the overhand grip, turns out there is a notable subtlety to Bell’s grip and stance that differentiates these deadlifts from some of Bell’s previous ones: both are wider.
One of Bell’s followers, @adamaclair (who recently hit a 252kg (555lb) deadlift PR, way to go!), had a keen eye for it and mentioned as much in the comments writing:
“Grip looks a bit wider? Strong ass pulls.”
Bell responded and confirmed that not only did he widen his grip but also his feet after receiving advice from older powerlifters at his gym. Check out this video Bell posted on his Instagram page on New Years Eve (because of course he would ring in the new year deadlifting) where he pulls 347kg (765lb) for a triple with a much more narrow stance:
You might notice in that video that Bell bows his knees during the lift. A different follower of Bell’s, Timmy Booger, writes in the comments:
“[Does] bowing your knees out help you spread the floor?”
If you’re unfamiliar, “spread the floor” is a cue used for stronger deadlifts. Although Bell does not directly answer yes or no, he does respond with some pretty universal advice: “Try anything that might work.”
We don’t know if or when Bell will compete in 2020, but we certainly look forward to seeing what other advice those older lifters gave him. If Bell is taking his own advice, the thing that might work for him is, well, fun.
Feature image from Daniel Bell’s Instagram page: @dbell_74