Chinese weightlifter Tian Tao has once again taken the weightlifting social media scene by storm with another monstrous lift. About two weeks ago, we wrote about Tao’s huge 280kg/617 lb front squat, which clocked in at well over 3x his projected bodyweight, and now we’re back writing on Tao again for his latest clean.
In a recent video shared on his Instagram page, he shows an incredibly heavy clean, which many fans and followers have speculated to be 230kg/507 lbs. What might be most impressive is how clean Tao made the lift look. Again though, it’s tough to say how much exactly is on the bar, so the 230kg/507 lbs is an educated guess. Also, it’s worth noting that it looks like Tao was preparing to go for a jerk before the video cut out, so it’s tough to say if he completed the lift or even went for it for that matter.
There are couple of other things to keep in mind about this video and why it’s so significant. Tao hasn’t shared his current bodyweight, but we’re guessing he’s sitting slightly heavier than what he’s competed at in the past, which has traditionally been -85kg (more than likely, we’re guessing he’s working towards the newly formulated -89kg). Regardless, the lift below is huge no matter what Tao’s current weight is — check it out below.
[Want more Tian Tao lifting videos? Check out this article covering his absolutely insane 310kg beltless back squat!]
This video may have sparked more questions than answers, but it’s definitely spurred excitement about what we can expect from Tao in the future. With new weight classes and a (probable) heavier bodyweight, we’re optimistic that the big lifts will keep coming from Tao, and what he’ll be able to do in competition.
Feature image from @tiantao85kg Instagram page.
