Rickey Dale Crain was a phenomenal powerlifter in his time. He was also one of the strongest advocates for the importance of lifting well. That was one of the key factors behind his success.
When it comes to these factors, there are of course several things that play a role. To make it easier to understand and talk about, he broke it down into three parts.
Rickey often talked about “Form, Style, and Technique.” So maybe what we usually just call “technique” actually needs to be divided into these three. Through this breakdown, he not only helped himself but also many others. Ricky was a smaller lifter, yet he coached much bigger guys—people with completely different body types to great success.
Form
Form is the visible structure, the look or posture of a movement — how it appears when performed correctly.
It’s the ability (or inability) to execute a lift properly how the different parts of the body move through the eccentric and concentric phases. Especially as the weight gets heavier. In the squat, there are three common points where most lifters tend to struggle:
Knees collapsing in. At the bottom of the squat, the knees cave in because the lifter can’t keep them aligned. This often causes the hips to shift back.
Hips rising up and back. Sometimes you even see the lower back arching hard as the hips shoot up and back. The lifter can’t keep the hips under the bar like they could with lighter weights.
Back folding forward. A forward lean isn’t always bad, but when it becomes more aggressive as the weight increases, it’s probably not ideal.
Rickey Squating 256 kg / 565 lbs at 67 kg / 148 lbs in 1976
In the bench press and deadlift, we see similar breakdowns in form. In the deadlift, the back might round much more at the start with heavy weights than with light ones, and the knees might cave in as well. In the bench press, it’s common to see the elbows drift back toward the head under heavier loads, or the hips start to move too much.
Form is general it applies to everyone. No matter what style or technique you use, the execution of that chosen method is yours to own. Anyone can lose position in a lift; that’s not a matter of technique, it’s a matter of weak points or poor execution.
Style
Style is what’s most connected to the individual. It’s the part that says the most about you in a still photo. Some simple examples of what defines style are:
Bench press
Grip width
Arch
Foot placement
Squat
Bar placement on the back
Stance width
Deadlift
Stance width
Grip style
Your style can and probably should change over time, especially early on. Most of us don’t lift the same way now as we did when we started. Maybe you had one style during your first months of training, another a year later, and several years in, it may have evolved again.
Your style should be influenced by your body’s leverages, but also by your strengths and weaknesses. Of the three concepts, style is the most and maybe the only truly individual one.
Technique
Technique is the broader concept that ties all three together. It’s the method you choose to lift with how you breathe, how you set up, create tension, start, and drive the lift.
We often talk about cues short reminders or commands that help the lifter focus on key elements of the lift. The technique you use forms the basis for those cues: bracing the core through the entire squat, driving the chest up toward the bar in the bench press, or pushing the hips through in the deadlift.
Technique is where the finesse and fine details come in the things that turn a lift from just moving the bar from A to B into how you move it. Technique is also partly shaped by style; some technical details fit certain styles better than others. It also supports form, helping you lift as efficiently and safely as possible.
Summary
No matter what form, style, or technique you use, there are a few things that always matter. You have to maintain your form once that breaks down, your style will fall apart, and you’ll have to work much harder technically.
By constantly refining your technical details, you can maintain your form and lift in the style that makes you feel strong, confident, and efficient.
Here’s a video of Ricky talking us through his squat workout, discussing technique and working up to 363 kg / 800 lbs.
For training program and instruction videos, get the Built Strong App
Beverley “Bev” Francis: A Pioneer in Women’s Powerlifting
Beverley, or Bev Francis as most know her, was one of the very first big names in women’s powerlifting. She entered the sport and became the first woman to truly dominate it.
Born in 1955 in Australia, Bev started her athletic career in track and field. She competed in several events but was especially successful in shot put. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she represented Australia on the national athletics team. The only official result I’ve found is a throw of 15.16 meters / 49 ft 9 in the shot put in 1979.
Bev stood around 165 cm / 5 ft 5 in tall, with a physique that combined compact power and dense muscle mass. Traits that would later define her dominance in both powerlifting and bodybuilding.
Her track and field coach was Brian Hewson, who had also trained Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. It was Hewson who introduced Bev to strength training. He believed that women were capable of far more than people thought at the time.
From Track to Powerlifting
In the late 1970s, Bev began experimenting with competitive powerlifting. Her first competition was in 1977, the same year the first official women’s powerlifting championships were held. At just 22 years old, she competed in the 75 kg / 165 lbs class and totaled 412.5 kg / 909 lbs, which included a classic (raw) bench press of 102.5 kg / 226 lbs.
Her success quickly earned her a spot on the national team. At the first Women’s World Powerlifting Championships in 1980, she competed in the 75 kg / 165 lbs class and won with a 460 kg / 1,014 lbs total. Keep in mind that this was during the early days of squat suits and knee wraps, so the lifting was still very close to what we’d now call “classic” or raw.
The following year, at the World Championships in Honolulu, she returned, this time in the 82.5 kg / 182 lbs class, and totaled 575 kg / 1,268 lbs, benching 150 kg / 331 lbs in just a T-shirt. The runner-up that year was Vicky Hembree, who would go on to become a strong advocate for classic bench pressing.
Bev sometimes competed in the 75 kg / 165 lbs class and sometimes in 82.5 kg / 182 lbs, but it didn’t really matter. When she lifted in the lighter class, she often beat the totals of the heavier one anyway. Much of this was to set records in both classes. In the 75 kg / 165 lbs class, she posted an incredible 550 kg / 1,213 lbs total, with a 140 kg / 309 lbs raw bench press.
Transition to Bodybuilding
By the 1985 World Championships, Bev decided to step away from competitive powerlifting and focus more on bodybuilding, something she had been doing alongside her lifting career. Today, she’s probably better known as a bodybuilder, even though her accomplishments in powerlifting were even greater.
She competed in several Ms. Olympia contests and placed as high as second multiple times. It’s often said that she never won because she was simply “too muscular” for what the judges wanted at the time. However, she did win the 1987 IFBB World Pro Championships. Had she competed twenty years later, the standards would likely have been different, and with her physique, she probably would have been the champion back in the 1980s.
Breaking Barriers
Bev appeared in Pumping Iron II: The Women, which followed her journey and the debate around what women’s bodybuilding should look like. The judges back then were searching for something between what Jane Fonda represented and what Bev Francis embodied. Bev was the first woman to truly push the limits of muscular development, and that made her difficult to fit into the existing mold.
She made her first Ms. Olympia appearance in 1986, just one year after her last World Powerlifting Championship. She finished eighth, a result that caused the audience to boo. It was obvious that she had been marked down for being “too big.”
Strength Records and Legacy
In competition, Bev reportedly squatted 230 kg / 507 lbs, benched 152.5 kg / 336 lbs, and deadlifted 227.5 kg / 502 lbs. Her best total came at the 1983 World Championships in Australia: 577.5 kg / 1,273 lbs in the 82.5 kg / 182 lbs class, weighing in at 80.0 kg / 176 lbs.
She broke major barriers, becoming the first woman to squat and deadlift over 500 lbs (227 kg) and the first to bench over 300 lbs (136 kg). To this day, a 150 kg / 331 lbs raw bench press by a woman is extremely rare and truly remarkable.
Bev Francis won six consecutive World Championships, setting over 40 world records along the way, before moving on to the world of bodybuilding.
Bevs Best Official Lifts
Belt and Bandages:
Class – 75 kg Squat: 145 kg Bench Press: 102,5 kg Deadllift: 165 kg Total: 412,5 kg
Single ply (no bench shirt):
Class -75 kg Squat: 212,5 kg Bench press: 140 kg Deadlift: 200 kg Total: 550 kg
Single ply (no bench shirt):
Class -82,5 kg Squat: 217,5 kg Bench press: 150 kg Deadlift: 215 kg Total: 577,5 kg
Rickey Dale Crain was born in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 18, 1953. He started training at an early age, and his family was, and became even more, known for lifting iron. Rickey went on to become one of the greatest powerlifters of all time, with many impressive performances to back that up.
At just 13 years old, he was already squatting 90 kg (198 lbs), and by 17 he was squatting over 180 kg (397 lbs). Keep in mind that Rickey was never a big guy. He stood a little over 160 cm (5 ft 3 in) tall and weighed around 60 kg (132 lbs) at that age.
He established himself in the 67.5 kg (149 lbs) and 75 kg (165 lbs) weight classes during the 1970s. In 1976, he took a major step forward by winning both the Pan American Championships and the U.S. Nationals. Competing in the 67.5 kg class, he totaled 677.8 kg (1,495 lbs) using little to no supportive equipment, just a belt and basic knee wraps.
He was the favorite to win the World Championship that same year, competing in the 75 kg class, but bombed out in the deadlift after pushing too hard. Instead, Bill West from Great Britain took the win with 677.5 kg (1,494 lbs). Bill would go on to remain among the top contenders in many championships thereafter as well.
Rickey after a 300 kg / 661 world record at worlds in 1980
It took a few more years before Rickey reached the World Championships again, but when he did in 1980, he won. That year, he totaled 730 kg (1,609 lbs) in the 67.5 kg class, now wearing one of the first generations of squat suits. Rickey became synonymous with the squat suit and powerlifting gear in general after founding Crain’s Muscle World, which grew to be one of the largest powerlifting equipment companies in the world.
Beyond that, he owned gyms and coached many lifters. Rickey was deeply focused on technique. He might not always have been the physically strongest lifter, but he was strongest when it mattered most in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. This led to numerous world records, both with and without supportive gear. Rickey won every World Championship he entered from 1980 until 1987 in Norway, where he placed second with one of his lower totals in years, 750 kg (1,653 lbs).
Over 227 kg / 500 lbs no hand squat
In 1996, Rickey became the lightest man ever to squat 800 lbs (363 kg) at 43 years old, competing in the 75 kg class. That year, his lift ranked as the 87th heaviest squat in the world, regardless of federation or weight class.
To reach those numbers and maintain longevity in the sport, Rickey devoted himself to mastering the art of lifting. Of course, training methods, equipment, and the use of performance-enhancing substances all played a role in those massive lifts of the 1990s, but style, execution, and technical mastery transcend all that. His approach remains inspiring and educational for lifters of any era.
Rickey broke down the lift into “Form, Style, and Technique.”
These terms are often used interchangeably, but Rickey distinguished between them.
Form refers to execution, maintaining proper movement regardless of your chosen style or technique.
Style is more about appearance, how your lifts look based on your body proportions and stance. For example, in the deadlift, your style might be sumo or conventional, but the technique and execution can still be equally sound.
Technique is the method or approach, how you initiate and perform the lift. Do you start smoothly, building tightness throughout your body, or do you yank the bar off the floor? Those are two different techniques. Regardless of style, maintaining good form is key. The lifter who yanks the bar often loses position and control.
These three principles are incredibly useful when analyzing and improving your lifts. Two lifters can share the same technique but differ in style, and two lifters with the same style may not execute with the same level of form.
Born on January 17, 1946, in Rome, New York, Larry Pacifico later moved to Dayton, Ohio, where he made a name for himself in powerlifting. Known as “Mr. Powerlifter” in the 1970s, he is recognized as one of the greatest powerlifters of all time. With nine consecutive world titles in three different weight classes and 54 world records, he remains a true legend in the history of strength sports.
Although powerlifting was still a new sport, Larry got into it quickly. As a teenager in Ohio, where the sport was growing faster than in many other places, he discovered powerlifting early and began training seriously. He reportedly won a U.S. Teen National Championship in the mid-1960s.
Larry squatting at the Nationals in 1975
At the 1969 U.S. Nationals, he placed third in the -90 kg / 198 lbs class with a total of 750.7 kg / 1,655 lbs. The following year, he won the class and went on to remain undefeated for more than a decade. Competitors from the 1970s often said that when you competed against Larry, you were really fighting for second place. He had an exceptional sense for attempt selection, weight classes, and meet strategy, which allowed him to secure wins even when he was not in peak form.
Pacifico set numerous world records in the squat, bench press, and total. He also once broke a deadlift world record with a pull of 500 kg / 1,102 lbs together with Jane Todd. Although he excelled in the squat and bench press, he was primarily known as an outstanding overall lifter. Even when others surpassed him in a single lift, the margin was small and rarely in more than one event. His deadlift was also strong, despite facing legends like Vince Anello and James Cash. Larry sometimes took the final deadlift of the meet, but he had often already secured the victory after his openers, which allowed him to take bold jumps on his second and third attempts.
Like many lifters of his era, Larry competed under varying equipment rules. Below are some of his most notable results, with notes on the equipment used. In those days, the same suits worn for squats and deadlifts were also worn during the bench press, which gives perspective on how much, or how little, support they provided.
Here are some of Larry’s best lifts and the equipment he wore.
1968: Olympic weightlifting
Class -82,5 kg / 181 lbs
Clean and press: 143 kg / 315 lbs
Snatch: 122.5 kg / 270 lbs
Clean and jerk: 145 kg / 320 lbs
1972: Weightlifting belt and knee wraps
Class -110 kg / 242 lbs
Squat: 317.5 kg / 700 lbs
Bench press: 268.7 kg / 592 lbs
Deadlift: 317 kg / 699 lbs
Total: 895.8 kg / 1,975 lbs
1973: No belt, no wraps or bandages
Class -110 kg / 242 lbs
Squat: 340.1 kg / 750 lbs (nearly 362.8 kg / 800 lbs)
Bench press: 247.2 kg / 545 lbs (nearly 263 kg / 580 lbs)
Deadlift: 317.5 kg / 700 lbs
Total: 904.9 kg / 1,995 lbs
1974–1975: Belt and knee wraps
Class -100 kg / 220 lbs
Squat: 322.5 kg / 711 lbs
Bench press: 257.5 kg / 568 lbs
Deadlift: 350 kg / 771 lbs
Total: 907.5 kg / 2,003 lbs
1976–1977: Belt, squat and deadlift suit, knee wraps
Class -90 kg / 198 lbs
Squat: 315 kg / 694 lbs
Bench press: 230 kg / 507 lbs
Deadlift: 324.3 kg / 715 lbs
Total: 865 kg / 1,907 lbs
1977–1978: Belt, squat and deadlift suit, knee wraps
Class -100 kg / 220 lbs
Squat: 365 kg / 804 lbs
Bench press: 255 kg / 562 lbs
Deadlift: 342.5 kg / 755 lbs
Total: 935 kg / 2,061 lbs
He also squatted 377.5 kg / 832 lbs in the -110 kg / 242 lbs class in 1980 but did not perform a deadlift at that meet.
Pacifico’s best lifts outside competition, at exhibitions and similar events, were slightly higher. Because the Round System was not introduced until 1985, the conditions were often less favorable for making very heavy attempts. He reportedly squatted 401.4 kg / 885 lbs, deadlifted 369.7 kg / 815 lbs, and benched 276.7 kg / 610 lbs, which is consistent with an exhibition bench without a competition pause. In a standing press from racks, he lifted 200 kg / 440 lbs overhead.
He could also blow up hot-water bottles, a feat of lung power and grip that Franco Columbu was famous for as well.
Both Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting rely on precise attempt selection and a clear lifting order. However, the two sports use fundamentally different systems, shaped by their history, safety considerations, and competition logistics.
Understanding how the attempt order works — and how it evolved — is essential for athletes, coaches, and fans. This article explains:
The two systems (Rising Bar vs Round System)
How they affect lifters in real competition
Why the sports developed differently
A full historical breakdown of events and lifts from 1896 to the present
Weightlifting: The Rising Bar System
Olympic weightlifting uses a rising bar system. The barbell only increases in weight throughout the session and is never lowered unless no lifter has requested that weight.
How it works:
All lifters submit their openers.
The bar starts at the lightest declared weight.
Lifters are called when their chosen weight is loaded.
The bar keeps rising until all attempts at that weight are finished.
Lifters may follow themselves if they take small jumps.
Consequences for the athlete:
Rest times can be extremely short (even 1 minute), especially if a lifter increases by small increments.
Athletes who choose conservative jumps often lift multiple times in a row.
Attempt timing is unpredictable and depends heavily on other lifters.
This system emphasizes strategic weight selection and real-time coaching decisions.
Powerlifting: The Round System
Powerlifting uses the Round System, introduced officially by the IPF in 1985.
How the Round System Works
All lifters take their first attempts (starting lightest to heaviest).
After everyone finishes, the bar is reset, and lifters take their second attempts.
The same happens for third attempts.
Consequences for the athlete:
Rest times are consistent and predictable.
The bar can be drastically reduced between rounds.
Coaches have clearer time frames for warm-up planning.
Historical Note
Powerlifting originally used the rising bar system — the same as weightlifting — up until 1984. The change occurred after years of complaints about:
unpredictable attempt timing
lifters being forced to follow themselves
unfair advantages for heavy openers
The Round System made the sport more fair and logistically stable.
Practical Examples of Attempt Order
Example of the Rising Bar System (Weightlifting)
Three athletes:
A: 100 / 105 / 110 kg
B: 120 kg opener
C: 150 kg opener
Order will be:
A – 100
A – 105 (follows himself)
A – 110 (follows himself again)
B – 120
C – 150
Lifter A may have extremely short rest intervals.
Example of the Round System (Powerlifting)
Round 1 (openers):
A – 100
B – 120
C – 150
Round 2:
A – second attempt
B – second attempt
C – second attempt
Round 3: Same order again for third attempts.
Predictable rest, predictable timing.
3. Weightlifting Events and Order Through History (1896–1972)
Weightlifting has changed dramatically over time. Early competitions included one-arm lifts, two-arm lifts, multiple press variations, and events that barely resemble modern weightlifting.
From 1896 to 1924, Olympic weightlifting involved 2–5 events, depending on the host nation.
Common Events in Early Era Weightlifting
One-hand snatch
One-hand clean and jerk
Two-hand snatch
Two-hand clean and jerk
Press variations (often very different from the modern press)
Rules were not standardized, and judging varied widely.
It was considered the strict “pure strength” test.
Athletes could perform their best strict strength effort while fresh.
The snatch was seen as technically demanding but not highly fatiguing — a form of active rest before the final lift.
Why the Press Was Removed (1972)
By the 1950s and 60s, judging had become nearly impossible:
Excessive layback (sometimes 30–40 degrees)
Body thrusts resembling a jerk
High risk of lumbar injury
Inconsistent judging from country to country
The press had become a different lift entirely, no longer reflecting what the rules intended.
It was officially removed after the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Since 1973, weightlifting has consisted solely of:
Snatch
Clean and jerk
History of Powerlifting Lifts and Order (Pre-1964–Present)
Before powerlifting was formalized, the sport was known as:
Odd Lifts
Strength Lifts
Heavy Lifts
Events varied widely depending on the organizer. A competition might include:
Squat
Bench press
Deadlift
Curl
Press variants
Hand-over-hand lifts
Partial movements (lockouts, rack pulls)
There was no unified system.
1964: First Official Championship
At the first U.S. National Powerlifting Championships, the sport was standardized:
Bench press
Squat
Deadlift
Yes, bench press was originally listed first.
This order lasted until late 1972.
Formation of IPF and Final Standardization
In November 1972, at the AAU World Championships, the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) was created.
IPF established the modern order:
Squat
Bench press
Deadlift
This order has been used worldwide by nearly all federations ever since.
Why This Order?
The squat is the most demanding lift and requires the most warm-up.
The bench press gives a structured rest period before the deadlift.
Many deadlift specialists prefer minimal warm-up, making the transition ideal.
Today, nearly every powerlifting federation follows this exact sequence.
Vasily Alekseyev competed during the 1970s and 1980s and set 80 world records in the press, snatch, clean and jerk, and the total.
Final Summary
Weightlifting has always used the rising bar system, from 1896 until today. Until 1924 the sport included two hand and one hand lifts, and from 1928 to 1972 the competition consisted of the press, the snatch, and the clean and jerk. From 1973 onward weightlifting has consisted of the snatch and the clean and jerk.
Powerlifting began with various strength feats known as odd lifts. In 1964 the squat, bench press, and deadlift were established as the official powerlifting lifts. The order of the lifts was standardized by the IPF in 1973 and in 1985 the sport changed from the rising bar format to the round system.
For training program and instruction videos, get the Built Strong App
If you are involved in powerlifting or strength training, you have probably heard about powerlifting gear, supportive suits and wraps designed to help you lift heavier weights. This is known as equipped powerlifting.
What is Powerlifting Gear?
In the squat, lifters wear suits that look similar to singlets, but the material is much stiffer and tighter. This makes it harder to sit down while also giving extra support and helping you out of the bottom position. The suit helps you stay upright and keep your hips aligned.
The knees are supported by knee wraps, stiff, highly elastic bands wrapped tightly around the knees, sometimes so tight that bending them becomes nearly impossible. Lifting with knee wraps requires heavy weights and solid technique to descend and stand back up properly. Usually, the biggest challenge in an equipped squat is reaching proper depth, not standing up again.
In the bench press, lifters use a bench press shirt. It is made from the same stiff material as the squat suit, but the sleeves are set closer together. When wearing a bench shirt, your arms are forced slightly forward. Just like in the squat, the hardest part is lowering the bar, bending your arms, and bringing it to your chest. If you can touch your chest under control, you will usually be able to complete the lift.
The deadlift is different. You wear more or less the same type of suit as in the squat, but since the movement begins with a concentric phase, lifting the weight rather than lowering it first, you do not get the same opportunity to load or compress the suit. This means you gain less assistance from the material compared to the squat or bench press.
Even in classic powerlifting today, a belt and some knee sleeves might add 15 to 25 kilograms / 33 to 55 pounds in the squat. On the equipped side, carryovers of 50 to 150 kilograms / 110 to 330 pounds with suits and knee wraps are common. In the bench press, carryovers can reach up to 200 kilograms / 440 pounds.
With the biggest carryovers comes the greatest expertise. Some people get a lot out of the equipment the first time they try it, while others never make it work. Those who master it practice diligently and truly make it their craft. For some lifters who were not the most genetically gifted, the equipment offered an opportunity, and an extra skill was required to maximize its benefit.
Early Equipment: Belts and Wraps
If we look at the history of powerlifting gear, suits appeared around 1976. But wraps and belts were used earlier. Wrapped knees and weightlifting belts were part of the sport from the mid-1960s, when powerlifting emerged from Olympic weightlifting, where belts and wraps were already standard.
From the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, lifters mainly used traditional weightlifting belts. Around the mid-1970s, the power belt appeared, a belt with the same width all around, unlike the weightlifting belt, which was wider in the back and narrower in the front.
Jim Williams with elbow wraps in 1972
Many lifters experimented by turning the weightlifting belt around, positioning the wider back portion at the front to create greater abdominal pressure during the squat and deadlift. At first it was not allowed to turn the belt around. But over time that rule changed.
Wraps were initially similar to pharmacy bandages. From 1964 until 1972, it was allowed to wrap both elbows and knees. When the IPF, International Powerlifting Federation, formed in November 1972, they banned elbow wraps. Had they not, elbow wraps might still be used in powerlifting today.
Larry Pacifico turning his Olympic belt backwards for extra abdominal stability
Why Equipment Appeared
In all sports, athletes want to perform their best. If something makes lifting easier, you use it. In modern raw or classic powerlifting, belts and knee sleeves are standard. If a sleeve can add a few kilos or pounds, lifters will use it, unless tied to a specific brand. Essentially, everyone wants to get the most from their supportive gear.
In 1973, belts and wraps were not widely used. By 1974, they were reintroduced, and most lifters wore them. Squat suits appeared in 1976, and by 1977, most lifters had adopted them. From that point, the equipment evolved gradually, first the squat suit, then wraps, deadlift suits, and bench press shirts.
Add to Powerlifting USA in the 1980s.
The same progression can be seen in classic powerlifting, but on a smaller scale. In 2012, the IPF held its first World Cup, an unofficial world championship. The rules allowed belts, wrist wraps, and 7mm knee sleeves. Lifters used Rehband and Titan sleeves. In 2013, SBD appeared with knee sleeves that could actually add a few kilos / pounds. Not much, but if you got a tight pair you could slip them on your knees. Some said it could add up to 10 kilograms / 22 pounds. I believe the physical carryover is closer to 5 kilograms / 11 pounds, but there could also be a mental carryover resulting in close to 10 kilograms / 22 pounds.
In the early 2020s, Inzer introduced stiff knee sleeves. These can add around 10 kilograms / 22 pounds to your squat, and some say even more. From 2012 until 2025, we have gone from ordinary knee sleeves used for all-day activities, to harder performance sleeves, and then to the stiffest sleeves designed solely to maximize kilos in the squat. The same progression is happening in classic lifting, but it is only a matter of a few kilos / pounds.
It is not surprising that the evolution of equipment happened as it did. It would be strange if progress had stopped in the first ten years, because we probably would not have equipped or classic powerlifting today, only raw powerlifting.
The Squat Suit
I cannot pinpoint exactly when the first squat suit was made or worn, but talking to lifters and reading accounts from the time, it seems clear that the suit appeared around 1976.
I am from Sweden, and Swedish lifters who competed at the World Championships from 1973 onward report first seeing suits at the 1976 Worlds, worn by American and British lifters. The World Championships took place in November, so at the Swedish Nationals in 1977, lifters who had brought suits home were not allowed to wear them in competition. They were allowed to use them in exhibitions.
Ulf Morin becoming the first Swede to squat 300 kg / 661 lbs in 1977
This made Ulf Morin the first Swede to squat 300 kilograms / 661 pounds at an exhibition in Malmö, Sweden, in February 1977. Knee wraps also evolved during the mid- to late 1970s. Both the wraps and suits were extremely hard and stiff, often cutting into the skin and causing bruises, wounds, or even bleeding.
Even with suits and wraps, the difference in squat weight was small. Looking at results from 1973, 1974, and 1975, you see that nothing was allowed in 1973, and belts and wraps were allowed in 1974 and 1975. Despite the introduction of suits in 1976–1977, there was no dramatic jump in squat totals.
Lars Hedlund with an early generation squat suit and power belt
By around 1980, a general carryover in the squat with equipment became noticeable. Considering that belts, wraps, and suits evolved during the mid- to late 1970s, it is difficult to say which piece of equipment contributed most. Some lifters only added five to ten kilograms / 11 to 22 pounds from 1973 until the 1980s, despite significant evolution in gear.
The early 1990s saw the official introduction of multi-ply equipment, after the federation split. Lifters began adding extra layers to suits. Some wore double suits or modified them to create extra layers around the hips, like underwear made from suit material. In federations other than the IPF, such as the WPC, multi-layered fabric suits were allowed.
Laura Phelps was the best multiply lifter in the late 2000s and early 2010
Today, in the 2020s, we have seen both single-ply IPF-standard suits and multi-ply suits evolve, along with knee wraps. Because the sport is practiced primarily in raw or classic divisions, however, suit development has been less dramatic than it was from the 1970s through the 2010s.
The Bench Press Shirt
When exactly the bench press shirt first appeared is difficult to confirm. It became popular in the U.S. in 1985 with John Inzer’s Blast Shirt, which was introduced in 1984. Some indications suggest that Ernie Frantz made an early version in the late 1970s.
A 1980 issue of Powerlifting USA included an ad for “The Bench Press Powerlifter’s Super Shirt” from Statesboro Fitness Gym. Even with the ad, there is no evidence that lifters gained real advantage from shirts at that time. Most still competed in a T-shirt or bare-chested.
The real breakthrough came with John Inzer in 1984, and in 1985 when Ted Arcidi broke the 318 kilograms / 700 pounds barrier with a 320 kilograms / 705 pounds bench press at the Hawaii Record Breakers meet.
Initially, the carryover from bench shirts was minimal. Whatever you could lift touch-and-go, you could pause in a shirt. Typical carryover was around ten kilograms / 22 pounds, with some lifters gaining less, others slightly more.
The big evolution of the bench press shirt occurred in the 1990s when John Inzer’s patent expired. In the following years, a fifteen kilograms / 33 pounds carryover became 150 kilograms / 330 pounds. The shirts favored stockier lifters with shorter arms. Raw lifters who may have been physically stronger could no longer keep up without gear. One of them was Brad Gillingham.
Brad Gillingham’s bench pressing in the mid 90s
In the 1990s and early 2000s, a 250 kilograms / 551 pounds bench press in the super heavyweight class was considered impressive due to the small carryover. Brad, known for his deadlift, actually won the bench press at the IPF Powerlifting Worlds in 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2001. In 1999, he equaled the heaviest bench but weighed more.
The Deadlift Suit
The deadlift suit does not share the same history as the squat suit or bench press shirt. In the late 1970s, when the deadlift suit appeared, lifters more or less just used the squat suit as it was, or turned it around backwards.
Squat suits often cracked open during the squat. The deadlift suit, however, did not experience the same pressure. This is because you do not generate as much tension in the deadlift. Even with a lot of movement, the suit was not tight, so you could squat down without any weight.
Larry Pacifico with the first generation of deadlift suits at the 1976 IPF worlds
While carryover from squat equipment evolved greatly in the decades following the 1970s, deadlift equipment did not. Even today, many lifters get little benefit from a deadlift suit, and some even lift less because it becomes too much of a struggle. Most gain at least something, usually more in the sumo stance, since the shorter range of motion allows for greater tension and tightness in the suit.
Lifters who have been around for decades often mention the Marathon suit, created by Larry Pacifico in the late 1970s. It became the foundation for all lifting suits. Many considered it the best deadlift suit. You got more or less the same carryover as other suits, but it was easier to handle and wear.
John Kuc is one of the greatest deadlifters in world history
The limited carryover of the deadlift suit is clear. In 2011, when the IPF changed weight classes, squat and bench press records had increased significantly since the 1970s and early 1980s. The deadlift, however, had barely changed. John Kuc’s 395 kilograms / 871 pounds deadlift from the 1980 World Championships still stood.
Advertisements
In the early 1980s several new suppliers of powerlifting equipment entered the market. Everyone wanted to sell their products, so advertising exploded, especially in powerlifting magazines. Companies promoted how much extra strength their gear could provide and explained which sizes lifters should choose based on waist, thigh and hip measurements, back length and how tight or supportive they wanted the equipment to feel.
More than 20 percent of the pages in Powerlifting USA became filled with ads, each manufacturer trying to convince lifters that their suit, belt or knee wraps offered the greatest advantage. It was a period of rapid equipment development and aggressive marketing that shaped the sport.
Want to Learn More About Strength History? Check Out This Article
Through the years, I’ve had the privilege of coaching many skilled athletes and lifters, from casual trainees to the very top of the world’s elite. Along the way, there have been numerous records and medals won, both nationally and internationally. Here are a few of the athletes I’ve coached who stand out a little extra.
Vilma Olsson
I met Vilma Olsson in the spring of 2016 and have more or less coached her ever since. She competed in her first powerlifting meet in March 2017 and has since accumulated an impressive list of achievements. During our collaboration, she has set world records in the squat for sub-juniors, juniors, and the open category. She has also won world and European championships in both powerlifting and bench press across all age divisions. I do not have an exact count of all the national and international records or medals Vilma has earned over the years, but the number is undeniably high.
Karolina Arvidsson
I met Karolina Arvidsson in 2010. Over the years, we trained together and competed for the same club. Karolina was already a successful bench presser and powerlifter, but she had not yet claimed a world title. In 2016, she placed second at the World Championships, and in 2017 and 2018 she won the World Championship in bench press. Throughout our collaboration, Karolina consistently reached the podium at international events. She also won a national powerlifting title during these years and collected a total of eight medals from European and World Championships in bench press, both classic and equipped.
Jonathan Henningsson
I began coaching Jonathan Henningsson on January 1, 2020. As a junior, he became extremely successful, winning both European and World Championships and setting world records in the junior categories of 83 kg / 183 lbs, 93 kg / 205 lbs, and 105 kg / 231 lbs within just 15 months. Jonathan competed for gold at the 2025 Open World Championships in his first year as an open lifter. He received a 2-1 decision against one of his lifts, which was a gold-medal attempt.
Axel Samuelsson
I first met Axel Samuelsson at the Swedish Open Nationals in 2019. He placed third in the 74 kg / 163 lbs open category as a sub-junior. He bench pressed 157.5 kg / 347 lbs, a personal record improvement of 12.5 kg / 28 lbs after completing the 10×10 program by J.E. This also set a Swedish sub-junior record in the bench press. Since then, we have worked together and Axel has gone on to win national, European, and World Championships as a junior. He also had a strong attempt at the world record in the 93 kg / 205 lbs class, aiming to surpass Jonathan Henningsson, but he needed to secure the gold with 217.5 kg / 480 lbs.
Steven Örenerstedt
I first met Steven Örenerstedt, also known as “Big S,” during a training session in Norrköping, Sweden, in the fall of 2017. At the time, he was a sub-junior in the 120 kg / 265 lbs class. We began working together in 2018, and since then he has performed well as a powerlifter, but has particularly dominated in bench press. As a junior, he won national championships, Nordic championships, European championships, and World Championships in the 120 kg / 265 lbs class. When he moved into the open category, he decided to cut down to 105 kg / 231 lbs. He had a few challenging years but has successfully returned to similar weights as in the heavier class, now bench pressing 220 kg / 485 lbs and reaching the podium at the European Championships.
Livia Blomqvist
In the fall of 2022 I met Livia Blomqvist when she joined a strength training project I was running. The project later became known as the Barbell Built program. She had just started competing in powerlifting and was eager to improve in the sport. After the project I began coaching her, and she has achieved some great results. She has won medals at the senior national championships in both powerlifting and bench press, as well as winning the Nordic Junior Championships in powerlifting. In bench press she has had remarkable success, winning both the European and World Championships. She competes in both classic and equipped bench press. At the Junior European Championships she won both her classes, classic and equipped, and was also awarded Best Junior Lifter by points.
Neo Yngström
One day in the summer of 2022 my neighbor came over with his 17-year-old son Neo Yngström. He had been training a bit at the gym and wanted to learn more about bench pressing. Neo is what I would call a good soldier; he follows instructions and is not afraid to do what it takes if he knows it will make him better. His progress came quickly. Since then my neighbor’s son Neo has gone on to win national championships as both a junior and a senior. He has also competed at the European and World Championships as a junior, where he won the Junior World Championship in bench press. After competing his first seasons in the 66 kg / 146 lbs class he has now moved up to 74 kg / 163 lbs. Neo might become the first athlete I coach from a sub 100 kg / 220 lbs bench press to a 200 kg / 441 lbs bench press.
Emil Lundgren
If I have ever had a fan it was a young Emil Lundgren. Like Neo he was a very talented lifter who responded strongly to training. I had some early contact with him when he was still learning, but after a while he trained on his own. With the help of the 10×10 program he increased his bench press from 140 kg / 308 lbs to 150 kg / 331 lbs. Later, with the guidance of another coach, he achieved great success as a youth and continued to progress as a junior. After a period of stagnation I took over his training again. The result was a junior world record in the 83 kg / 183 lbs class at the 2025 World Championships.
Marcus Yngvesson
Over the years I have been involved in many strength related sports. I first met Marcus Yngvesson through strongman in 2017 when he competed in his first Swedens Strongest Man final. Before the 2021 final he had finished seventh two years in a row and reached out to me for training advice. I ended up taking over his full training program, and fourteen weeks later he won Swedens Strongest Man. He did not just win the title, he also won the final event, the Atlas Stones. That was the same event that had previously been one of his weakest and had cost him valuable points. For me it was proof that the same philosophy and methods I use in powerlifting and bench press can be successfully applied to strongman as well.
For training program and instruction videos, get the Built Strong App
Donald “Don” Reinhoudt was a legendary powerlifter and strongman throughout the 1970s. He began powerlifting in his mid-20s and totaled 793 kg / 1,748 lbs in the late 1960s. In the early 1970s, he competed at the AAU Nationals, consistently placing high. At the first IPF World Championships in 1973, Don won the super heavyweight class with a 408.2 kg / 900 lbs squat, a 263 kg / 580 lbs bench press, and a 362.8 kg / 800 lbs deadlift. This gave him a total of 1,034.1 kg / 2,279.9 lbs.
Every lift, as well as the total, was an IPF world record, making Don one of the few lifters ever to hold world records in all three lifts plus the total simultaneously. During his competitive years in the IPF, from 1973 to 1976, none of his records were broken. All of Don’s lifts were performed without supportive gear. At the 1973 IPF Worlds, even belts and wrist wraps were not permitted.
In 1978, Don was invited to compete at the World’s Strongest Man, where he placed 2nd behind Bruce Wilhelm, who had also won the previous year. The following year, in 1979, Don claimed the title and was crowned the World’s Strongest Man, defeating notable athletes such as Bill Kazmaier, Lars Hedlund, Bob Young, and Cleve Dean.
Don managed to put up extraordinary numbers, though not all were done in official competition. He was reported to have squatted 454 kg / 1,000 lbs in training. In competition, he attempted 430 kg / 950 lbs but was called for being just one inch shy of depth. At one point, he also deadlifted 408 kg / 900 lbs for three repetitions in training, although he never pulled 900 lbs in official competition. In the bench press, he completed a 281.2 kg / 620 lbs lift at Nationals, but it was turned down by two referees because his head lifted off the bench—a rule that has been removed and reinstated in the IPF rulebook multiple times.
Like many powerlifters from the 1960s to the 1990s, Don was influenced in some ways by Terry Todd.
Don’s best official lifts
Powerlifting
Class +110 kg / +242,5 lbs
Squat: 422.5 kg / 931.5 lbs
Bench Press: 275.5 kg / 607 lbs
Deadlift: 400 kg / 881 lbs
Total: 1,097.5 kg / 2,420 lbs
Weightlifting
Class +110 kg / +242,5 lbs
Snatch: 118 kg / 260 lbs
Press: Unknown
Clean and Jerk: 168 kg / 370 lbs
Total: 286 kg / 630 lbs
Don Reinhoudt is also an IPF Hall of Famer.
Supportive Gear Don only used a weightlifting belt as supportive gear, and only when it was permitted. Even though knee wraps were allowed from 1974, he chose not to use them.
I am Josef Eriksson, founder of Built Strong and perhaps one of the biggest proponents of high-rep bench press training for building strength.
I started out in the strength training world fairly early, learning a lot at a young age. But it wasn’t until I was 14 that I really began taking it seriously, even though I had gotten a feel for it from the age of 9. I wasn’t an athletic kid, quite the opposite. From the age of 9 to 14, I struggled with many physical problems, often being on and off crutches and gaining a lot of weight.
Me at 13 years old
When I was 14, I decided to push myself in the bench press. My lifetime goal was to one day bench press 120 kg / 264 lbs. Little did I know that I would reach that and much more.
I didn’t develop fast. After a year of training, I my PR was 96 kg / 214 lbs and weighed over 100 kg / 220 lbs. I trained in my garage, mostly with my dad and a friend. When I started getting close to a 100 kg / 220 lbs bench press, I felt that I needed to lose weight. I began taking walks while keeping up my training. Some time later, I finally benched 100 kg / 220 lbs while weighing 95.2 kg / 210 lbs, the first time I benched my bodyweight. It took me a full year of bench pressing several times a week to get there.
I wanted to start competing but felt too weak and too heavy. I began adding short runs to my walks. At first, I couldn’t run very far, not even to the end of the street, which was only 400 meters. But I stuck with it and lost 10 kg / 22 lbs before my first competition, about 10 weeks after that 100 kg / 220 lbs bench press.
Me during my weight loss journey in 2008/2009
I competed for the first time in January 2009, weighing 85.1 kg / 188 lbs. My goal was to break the Swedish sub-junior bench press record, which stood at 135 kg / 298 lbs in the 75 kg / 165 lbs class. I had just gone from being a 110 kg / 242 lbs lifter, to 100 kg / 220 lbs, and now a 90 kg / 198 lbs lifter. In the spring of 2010, I benched 125 kg / 275 lbs in the 82.5 kg / 182 lbs class. I only had six months left before aging out of the sub-junior category, and the record had increased to 135.5 kg / 299 lbs. I knew I had to make a change.
I felt desperate. In January 2010, I benched 127.5 kg / 281 lbs in training and 120 kg / 264 lbs in competition at 82.5 kg / 182 lbs bodyweight. In August 2010, I benched 130 kg / 286 lbs in training. I decided to take some weight off the bar and increase my reps. My 5s, 3s, and singles were gone. Instead, I started doing sets of over 10 reps. During late August and September, I chased 15 reps at 100 kg / 220 lbs. I only managed 14, but it was still progress from the 11 or 12 reps I had managed a month earlier.
In about eight weeks, I went from 130 kg / 286 lbs, which I had hit for a max single in training, to a 140 kg / 308 lbs training bench and a 135 kg / 298 lbs paused bench. I had been stuck at 130 kg / 286 lbs for over six months. My bodyweight was even lower at the time, around 74 kg / 163 lbs, and sometimes below that. I had found something new, and I wanted more.
Nationals in 2010
To fast forward a bit, I managed to break the national bench press record for sub-juniors with 136 kg / 300 lbs. I also benched 140 kg / 308 lbs in a full meet the following week, weighing 75.4 kg / 166 lbs at the time. This was in 2010. In 2017, I placed second at the World Championships in bench press, and later that same year won the European Championships, setting a new European record. In 2021, I won the World Championships in bench press. I have multiple medals from both European and World Championships in bench press. At my peak in training, with my glutes on the bench, I have lifted 250 kg / 551 lbs.
Besides strength training, I also took up running in 2008 when I wanted to lose weight. When I weighed 105 kg / 231 lbs, I was able to run 20 km in 1 hour and 47 minutes. My best 10 km time is 39:38 from when I was a lightweight teenager. At the age of 32 and weighing 87 kg / 192 lbs, I officially ran 5 km in 20:55 and 10 km in 43:25.
How I started out as a coach
When I started coaching depends on how you look at it. From the time I was 12 and had training equipment in my room, I helped friends learn their way around the weights. That continued until I was 16 and joined the powerlifting club. Like most lifters in a club, I helped beginners by teaching technique and writing programs the best way I knew how. I got a lot of school friends to come train, and I enjoyed helping them.
Me coaching my neighbor to his first 100 kg / 220 lbs bench in high school
I got my first email in 2011 from someone outside my circle who wanted me to help with training. So you could say I’ve been an online coach since then. During the spring of 2011, I coached three people remotely. In 2013, I started charging for helping people I didn’t know — around 15 to 20 clients at most. During this time, I also held some small workshops.
At the end of 2014, I noticed that many people wanted me to coach them, so I started a company and became a part-time coach. In 2016, I realized I could do this full-time, but it wasn’t until 2019 that I quit my job and went all in on the strength training business.
Me as a coach
I have coached many successful lifters at both national and international levels. Since 2015, I have trained lifters competing internationally and taking medals on the world stage. In bench press specifically, I have trained numerous athletes who have achieved great success and stood on the podium at the National, European, and World Championships.
Me and Karolina Arvidson training for the Bench Press Worlds in 2015
I have mostly trained people in Sweden, primarily in my powerlifting club. One thing I take pride in is coaching my training partner Karolina Arvidson to her first world title after she had competed for a decade. She actually won two in a row. I also brought Vilma Olson into powerlifting and trained her to break the sub-junior, junior, and open world records in the squat.
Other people close to me, like my wife, brother, and neighbor, have also achieved great results through my training. My younger brother benched 170 kg / 375 lbs in a full meet when the national sub-junior bench-only record stood at 167.5 kg / 369 lbs. My wife has done 3 reps at 100 kg / 220 lbs at a bodyweight of 63 kg / 139 lbs.
One day, my neighbor came over with his 17-year-old son, Neo Yngström, who wanted to start training with me. He has since won several open and junior national championships in bench press, placed second at the European Championships, and even won the Junior World Championships.
Me and Neo Yngström before the European Championships 2025
I have trained lifters of all ages to win regional, national, and international medals and championship titles in both bench press and powerlifting. I’ve also coached Marcus Yngvesson, Sweden’s Strongest Man 2021. In the two previous years, he had finished seventh and struggled with the Atlas Stones, his weakest event. But in 2021, he not only won the overall competition, he also took first place in the Atlas Stones.
Marcus Yngvesson winning Sweden’s Strongest Man in 2021
For me, this was proof that my training philosophy and methods are applicable not only to bench press or powerlifting, but also to developing general functional strength.
I haven’t only coached powerlifters and bench press specialists. Most of the people I’ve worked with over the years have been recreational athletes and people who simply want to train for themselves and reach personal goals. These goals have included improving their squat, bench press, and deadlift, but also bodyweight movements like chin-ups, dips, and the military press, and even running. I’ve also worked with people whose main goal is to build muscle, gain strength, and lose fat.
For training program and instruction videos, get the Built Strong App
Richard Douglas Young August 21, 1944 – October 7, 2005
Richard Douglas “Doug” Young was born, raised, and lived in Texas. He played football in high school and took up powerlifting in his late 20s. During his football years and after training ended, he got out of shape and gained quite a bit of weight. At work, his colleagues teased him about it. Weighing over 110 kg (242 lbs), he decided it was time to make a change.
Doug lost a lot of weight in a short period of time. One day, while weighing himself at a gym, he noticed a bench press nearby. Remembering his strength training days from high school football, he decided to see how much he could still lift. From that moment he was hooked, bitten by the iron bug.
It didn’t take long for Doug to regain the weight he had lost, but this time it came back as muscle mass. His strength skyrocketed, especially in the bench press, and within less than a year he had reached a world-class level.
He went on to win three national titles and several world titles in the -110 kg / 242 lbs category. This was considered the heavyweight class until 1979, when the -125 kg class was officially introduced. After that, he began competing in the -125 kg / 275 lbs class.
Doug broke two world records in the bench press. The first came in 1978 in the super heavyweight +110 kg / +242 lbs class, where, weighing only around 120 kg / 264 lbs, he benched 277.5 kg / 611.8 lbs. Breaking Don Reinhoudtrecord at 275,5 kg. Later, when the -125 kg / 275 lbs class was introduced, he set another record with a bench press of 267.5 kg / 589.7 lbs.
Doug Young before squatting at the 1976 Worlds
Doug Young’s Training Style Like many lifters in the 1970s, Doug followed more of a powerbuilding style of training. His workouts included the bench press, squat, and deadlift, but also many other muscle-building exercises. However, he didn’t use the traditional approach of 3 sets of 10 or 12 reps. Doug preferred to train heavier with fewer repetitions, even in his bodybuilding or accessory work.
He often used routines built around 6 sets of 6 reps for exercises such as triceps presses, lat pulldowns, cable flyes, and dumbbell curls. For a man of his size and strength, the weights he used in those exercises, even with only 6 reps, were extremely heavy.
Doug, like many powerlifters from the 1960s to the 1990s, was influenced in some ways by Terry Todd.
Doug’s Best Official Lifts
Class -110 kg / 242 lbs
Squat: 327.5 kg / 722 lbs
Bench: 255 kg / 562 lbs
Deadlift:335 kg / 739 lbs
Total: 915 kg / 2,018 lbs
Class -125 kg / 275 lbs
Squat: 327.5 kg / 722 lbs
Bench: 267.5 kg / 589,7 lbs
Deadlift: 340 kg / 750 lbs
Total: 932.5 kg / 2,056 lbs
Class: +110 kg / +242 lbs
Bench press: 277,5 kg / 611 lbs (weighed around 120 kg / 264 lbs)
Supportive Gear Doug used supportive gear for his squat and deadlift, but this was during the very early days of powerlifting equipment. At the World Championships in Perth, Australia, in 1977, you could see Doug wearing the same “singlet”/suit for the squat, bench press, and deadlift—something you would never do if a squat suit were truly tight and supportive.
