The only human to bench press 600 kilograms in competition has raised his all-time world record even higher. On July 29, 2023, Jimmy Kolb broke his previous world record equipped bench press with a 635.4-kilogram (1,401-pound) lift at the 2023 International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Tri-Star Bash in Elizabethton, TN.
Kolb’s lift is not only the heaviest bench press attempt ever; it’s the single heaviest single lift in powerlifting history. The first human to break the 1,200 and 1,300-pound barrier has done the same with 1,400 pounds. Check out the lift in the video below, courtesy of Kolb’s Instagram page:
This was an equipped meet, meaning that the lifters could wear bench press shirts, which assist the lifter at the bottom of the lift. Aside from his custom bench press shirt, Kolb wore a lifting belt and wrist wraps. The monumental lift came on his final of three attempts, with the first two being misses.
Though his third attempt wasn’t the smoothest press, as Kolb appeared to struggle throughout, the barbell never dropped. Kolb locked it out long enough to receive the rack command. Kolb expressed gratitude for those that support him in a comment on his Instagram post following the new record:
1,400 pounds, we did it. The number of people I have in my corner…this absolutely wouldn’t have happened without them. Thank you.
Before this lift, Kolb’s previous record was 612.5 kilograms (1,350 pounds), set on Feb 4, 2023, at the 2023 IPA Hillbilly Havoc meet in Hurricane, WV. He remains the only lifter to eclipse a 600-kilogram bench press.
Among those congratulating Kolb for the accomplishment were fellow powerlifters Joe Sullivan and Dave Tate, strongman Martins Licis, and bodybuilding media personality Dave Palumbo. At the time of this article’s publication, there is no word on when Kolb will compete next. If history is an indicator, he may already have 1,500 pounds in his sights.
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Featured Video: @kolbstrong on Instagram
