Some athletes seem capable of endlessly adding weight plates to their barbells, regardless of age. David Ricks is one such athlete. The 63-year-old powerlifter took to his Instagram page on Aug. 23, 2022, to share a video wherein he deadlifted 284.9 kilograms (628 pounds) raw in a sumo stance for five unbroken reps.
Ricks performed that deadlift set with a mixed grip while wearing a lifting belt and wrist wraps. Check it out below:
View this post on Instagram
[Related: John LaFlamme (93KG) Sets New Masters 4 IPF Raw Squat World Record of 198 Kilograms (436.5 Pounds)]
Not only was the set immensely heavy — over three times his competition body weight, as Ricks has competed exclusively in the 93-kilogram class since 2011 — each rep was just under six pounds shy of matching his current Masters 3 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) raw deadlift world record of 287.5 kilograms (633.8 pounds).
63 Years old. Still grinding away.
Ricks achieved the Masters 3 IPF raw deadlift world record at the 2021 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Halmstad, Sweden. Below are the stats from his performance at that meet:
2021 IPF World Classic Championships | David Ricks, 93KG, Masters 3
- Squat
- 265 kilograms (584.2 pounds)
282.5 kilograms (622.8 pounds)282.5 kilograms (622.8 pounds)
- Bench Press
- 180 kilograms (396.8 pounds)
- 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds)
- 198 kilograms (436.5 pounds)
- Deadlift
- 260 kilograms (573.2 pounds)
- 273 kilograms (601.9 pounds)
- 287.5 kilograms (633.8 pounds)
- Total — 750.5 kilograms (1,654.6 pounds)
The next sanctioned meet Ricks will compete in is the 2022 IPF Masters World Classic Championships in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, on Oct. 8-15, 2022.
View this post on Instagram
[Related: Powerlifter Kheycie Romero (90KG) Deadlifts 238.1 Kilograms For Five Reps Unbroken in Training]
Ricks will enter the 2022 IPF Masters World Championships with all four current Masters 3 IPF raw world records — in the squat, bench press, deadlift, and total — to his name in the 93-kilogram class. They are as follows:
IPF Masters 3 Raw World Records | Men’s 93KG
- Squat — 305 kilograms (672.4 pounds) — David Ricks, 2022 IPF World Championships
- Bench Press — 202.5 kilograms (446.4 pounds) — David Ricks, 2022 IPF World Championships
- Deadlift — 287.5 kilograms (633.8 pounds) — David Ricks, 2021 IPF World Championships
- Total — 772.5 kilograms (1,703.1 pounds) — David Ricks, 2022 IPF World Championships
We’ll see if Ricks’ massive training sets prepare him to rewrite the record books in Newfoundland in October.
Featured image: @ricks.david on Instagram