Pete Rubish is a 220/242 pound powerlifter who posts some truly crazy sets on Instagram, including sets of 10 back squat and glute ham raises using training partners as extra weight. But his most impressive feat of strength so far may be this 10 second pause deadlift, which he performs at 655 pounds.
It’s a move that’s challenging at almost any weight — seriously, try it with just an empty barbell for a few sets and tell us you don’t feel something in your posterior chain.
Here’s another angle, posted on Rubish’ YouTube channel. If it weren’t for some slight shaking in his legs, it’s be easy to think the video was stuck buffering.
The Knoxville, Tennessee-based powerlifter is still only 24 years old, and if he can stay healthy, his best strength days may still lie ahead. (Powerlifters often perform well into their 30s and beyond if their joints hold up.)
His competition bests at 242 are currently a 672 pound squat, 424 pound bench press, and 832 pound deadlift — but if training videos are any indication (they aren’t always), he’s still a way from hitting a true plateau.
The secret to ungodly strong hamstrings that can accomplish a hold like Pete’s? Maybe it’s the aforementioned partner-weighted glute ham raises, which Pete executes with the help of a 130 pound volunteer.
A video posted by Pete Rubish (@pete.rubish) on
Word to the wise: Maybe try these unweighted, then with a band, before telling your buddies to hop on your back.