How strong is your dad? Fatherhood is close to a superpower — doubly so if your old man is world-renowned strongman athlete and deadlift record-holder Eddie Hall.
On Jun. 11, 2024, Eddie’s 11-year-old son Maximus “Beast Jr.” Hall demonstrated the power of having a superstar strength athlete for a father when he deadlifted 120 kilograms, or 264.5 pounds during a YouTube training vlog.
“You can’t treat this as a normal lift,” the elder Hall coached as Maximus prepared to push his 1-rep max deadlift into personal record territory.
It’s an exceptional feat of strength for any young man, but how does it stack up to the world’s best young powerlifters, and what does the science say about heavy lifting for pre-teens? Take a cue from Beast Jr. and strap in for a crash course.
Maximus Hall 265-Pound Deadlift: How Good Is It?
Make no mistake, any young kid who takes an interest in exercise at an early age is setting themselves up for success, including and especially if they’ve got one of the best strongman athletes in history backing them up.
But does Maximus Hall already have the strength to set records in powerlifting? Let’s take a look at the record books. According to Goodlift, which maintains a records registry for the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), the classic sub-Junior deadlift world records by weight class are:
- 53KG: 190.5 kilograms (419.9 pounds)
- 59KG: 200 kilograms (440.9 pounds)
- 66KG: 230.5 kilograms (508.1 pounds)
- 74KG: 243 kilograms (535.7 pounds)
- 83KG: 290 kilograms (639.3 pounds)
- 93KG: 288 kilograms (634.9 pounds)
- 105KG: 311.5 kilograms (686.7 pounds)
- 120KG: 313 kilograms (690 pounds)
- 120+KG: 365.5 kilograms (805.7 pounds)
[Related: Best Weightlifting Belts for Deadlifts]
We can’t be sure of Maximus’ exact weight when he hit his 120-kilogram personal record, making it difficult to contextualize alongside the best sub-Junior powerlifters in the IPF.
However, the sub-Junior category is open to athletes up to age 18, while Hall Jr. is only 11 years of age. In the video, Eddie remarked that Maximus was adding, “about a kilogram a week” to his deadlift strength on average. If he maintains that momentum for the next seven years, Beast Jr. might be in a position to challenge some of these records.
Is Deadlifting Safe for Children?
In short, yes. Despite its contentious reputation, the deadlift (or any of its variations) is a perfectly safe lower-body exercise, even for youngsters. Strength training is errantly described as being harmful for children due to outdated scientific research.
- According to a 2009 review of strength training data on children, “Youth athletes and nonathletes alike can, “successfully and safely improve their strength and overall health by participating in a well-supervised [lifting] program.” (1)
[Related: The Best Pre-Workout Supplements for Lifting Heavy]
Not only is Maximus getting into the strength game early, he’s got one of the most experienced weight-lifting athletes in the world in his corner. 1-rep maxes may not always look picture-perfect, but it’s evident that Beast Jr. has what it takes to follow in his father’s footsteps.
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References
- Dahab KS, McCambridge TM. Strength training in children and adolescents: raising the bar for young athletes? Sports Health. 2009 May;1(3):223-6. doi: 10.1177/1941738109334215. PMID: 23015875; PMCID: PMC3445252.
Featured Image: Maximus Hall – Beast Jnr. / YouTube
