Rudy Kadlub may just be the strongest septuagenarian alive. The 71-year-old powerlifter competed at the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Drug-Tested North American Championships in San Diego, CA, and set International Powerlifting League (IPL) world records in all three big lifts and total in the 110-kilogram weight class.
However, despite being able to compete up to 110 kilograms (242 pounds), Kadlub competed at a bodyweight of just 101 kilograms (222 pounds).
Here were the stats of Kadlub’s historic meet:
- Squat — 195 kilograms (430 pounds)
- Bench Press — 137 kilograms (303 pounds)
- Deadlift — 235 kilograms (518 pounds)
- Total — 567 kilograms (1,251 pounds)
According to Open Powerlifting, Kadlub now holds IPL world-record totals in the Masters 70-74 division in the 90-kilogram (198-pound), 100-kilogram (220-pound), and 110-kilogram (242-pound) weight classes.
Check out all three of Kadlub’s lifts in the videos below:
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[Related: The Ultimate Guide To Strength Sports For Masters Athletes]
If you watched the videos of Kadlub’s lifts, you saw how much depth he was able to get in his squat, the clear pause at the bottom of his bench press (as signaled by the referee who was in frame), and the absolute grind that was his deadlift. Of course, this isn’t his first time smashing heavy weights.
At 70 years old, Kadlub could deadlift 229 kilograms (505 pounds) for a pair of singles. Then, he celebrated his 71st birthday in April of 2020 by deadlifting 227 kilograms (500 pounds) on his front porch. That means in the six months since his birthday, he was able to increase his strength again and add 18 pounds to his deadlift.
Kadlub began his powerlifter career at the age of 55 and has since set over two dozen American and world records. He is the CEO and Co-Owner of Kabuki Strength alongside Chris “The Mad Scientist” Duffin.
Even at 71 years old, Kadlub doesn’t seem to be slowing down. With records in this division across three different weight classes, he seems to be his only competition. We look forward to seeing if he can advance these records even further when he competes next.
Featured image via BarBend’s Instagram (@barbend) page featuring Rudy Kadlub (@rudykadlub)
