Built Project 2026 – Manual

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

Built Project 2026

The program for those who want to train efficiently and hard! Your fitness level determines how hard you can push yourself in a set where you give it everything you have and then recharge for the next exercise. All workouts can be completed in 45–60 minutes. This means you can train to become stronger, more muscular and improve your overall physical condition in just 3 hours per week! However, this is not a program for the faint-hearted or those with low training integrity. The program demands something from you as a lifter!

The program is now available in the Built Strong App!

Instructions

Built Project, or Built Project 2026 as the program is called in the Built Strong App, is a program that runs for 4 weeks, excluding a deload week. I personally never did the deload week, but instead took a full week off from training. For most people, however, I think many would rather not take a full week completely off training, but instead keep training lightly during that week.

This is a manual for the program. In the app, you will find the prescribed exercises, percentages and more. However, there are some adjustments you can and should make. These adjustments are based on the fact that you may not have all the equipment available or may not be able to perform all the exercises. In my own case, I had to change some exercises depending on which gym I trained at.

The program consists of four workouts per week for four weeks. There are two upper-body workouts and two lower-body workouts. One lower-body workout focuses on the squat and one focuses on the deadlift. Both upper-body workouts have the bench press as their main focus. After that, there are several assistance exercises to be performed after the main lifts.

Main Lifts and Variations

The choice of exercises for the bench press, squat and deadlift can be changed slightly. For the squat, I personally used the box squat instead of the regular squat. The idea here is that you should primarily use your competition or preferred max-effort squat style. Alternatively, for some variation, you can use the box squat, high-bar squat or something else.

The program is not intended to be a pure powerlifting competition program. Rather, it is an off-season powerlifting program or a general strength training program. Therefore, it can be both useful and beneficial to occasionally use a slightly more challenging or different variation. Just make sure to adjust your 1RM according to the variation you choose, as well as whether you choose to use a belt or not. You can also add variation by using different bars, such as a Safety Squat Bar.

For the bench press, you use different grip widths. Since you use wide, medium and close grips, different variations are already built into the program. If you want to increase the variation even further, you can choose to use more or less incline. This gives you different degrees of incline bench pressing. You can also use more of the narrower grips, such as medium, medium-close and close grip, or even extra close grip. There are also so-called multi-grip bars or cambered bars that you can use for the bench press.

When it comes to the deadlift, you can choose to use a belt or not. You can stand on a slight elevation or even use a trap bar. If you pull sumo, you can use a narrower stance. If you pull conventional, you can try a little sumo. You can vary the exercise. It does not have to be the first thing you change, but generally I think you should aim to make the exercises slightly harder for yourself. By using a lower 1RM, you can often get a similar training effect with a lower absolute load. This often contributes to greater general strength that you can then more easily transfer into your specific strength.

Assistance Exercises

The program contains other exercises that are almost as complex as the powerlifts, but are not established competition lifts themselves. These include pull-ups, overhead press, dips, push-ups, press behind the neck, lunges, box squats, stiff-legged deficit deadlifts and split squats.

Lunges and split squats are variations of one another. The pull-ups should be performed both supinated and pronated. The overhead pressing is performed both in front of and behind the neck.

Single-leg exercises can be difficult for many people. The app contains instructional videos to guide you if the exercises are difficult or too heavy for you. Adjust the load and difficulty of the execution to match the program.

Pull-ups can be difficult for many people, but they can be replaced with lat pulldowns or a pull-up machine. There is also a good video showing how you can perform assisted pull-ups with resistance bands, how to attach the bands and how to position yourself so that the exercise feels natural.

The overhead pressing is performed both behind and in front of the neck. This exercise can be problematic for some people. If you have problems with the exercise, you can use these two exercises instead or use them as warm-up exercises to get into the movement.

As soon as you can press a barbell loaded to 5, 10, 15 or 20 kg without pain, you are at a point where you can train the exercise. However, you may need to be conservative with the load and reps.

Substitute/rehab for overhead press:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VS8Q_e_Tz6s

Substitute/rehab for press behind the neck:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VS8Q_e_Tz6s

Dips can be difficult for some people, but they can also be assisted with bands or performed on a machine. There is an instructional video in the app showing how to perform assisted dips. Push-ups should be performed at different difficulty levels when possible. If you can perform regular push-ups from your toes, do that. Otherwise, perform them from your knees and follow the instructions for the knee-supported version instead of the toe-supported version.

Stiff-legged deficit deadlifts are regular stiff-legged deadlifts performed from an elevation, preferably 4–8 cm. Box squats should be performed high bar, and you should sit to a height that is approximately parallel at its highest point. In other words, the knee and hip joints should be at roughly the same height. Going deeper is completely fine. If you do not have a 1RM in the box squat, a recommendation is to use approximately 80% of your squat 1RM. When it comes to exercises for which you do not have the equipment or cannot perform the prescribed movement, choose something similar. When I did not have a reverse hyper, I used reverse leg raises. When I did not have a leg extension machine, I used sissy squats. When I did not have a leg curl machine, I used seated band leg curls. The idea is to find or use good substitutes or variations for the prescribed exercise.

Warm-up

When warming up for the main lifts, warm up as much as you need based on your individual needs. For me, this varies between different lifts. For the bench press, my warm-up consisted of four sets in total. If I was going to lift over 160 kg, I did five sets.

That would be one set with the bar, one set at 60 kg, one set at 100 kg, one set at 140 kg and sometimes one set at 160 kg. No other activation work or anything similar beforehand. I simply had no need for it. When I then moved on to medium- and close-grip bench press, I simply stripped the weight down to the prescribed load and started. Others may need a warm-up set for that movement, but I believe you should be able to manage without one.

For the squat, or box squat in my case, I had a greater need for warm-up work. I started with 10 reps of bodyweight lunges to an 8 cm high platform, followed by 4–5 sets before reaching the working weight.

On the squat day, stiff-legged deadlifts came afterwards, and because the box squat already warmed up the posterior chain so well, I only did one warm-up set for the stiff-legged deadlift. My working weight was often between 100–130 kg from an 8 cm elevation. So I would often use 70–100 kg from a 4 cm elevation as a warm-up, for around 8 reps. The deadlift workouts start with box squats. I warm up in the same way as for the box squat workouts, but perhaps with 3–4 sets before the working weight since the load is lighter. Once I got to the deadlift, my working weight was between 175–205 kg. I then performed 3–4 warm-up sets in the deadlift before the working set.

For the assistance exercises, the warm-up is usually one set. I would either use the same weight or half the weight I was going to use. I would then perform 1/2 or 1/3 of the number of reps I expected to be able to complete. For example, if I was going to perform overhead press, I would often do around 10 reps at 30 kg if I was then going to perform max reps at 50 kg and expected to get around 15 reps. The most important thing is to warm up according to your needs. What I did during the program, however, was to push my warm-ups. When I performed every rep very carefully and strictly, even during the warm-up, I noticed that I did not need as much warm-up work.

Rep Integrity

It is always important to have good rep integrity. Always!

A good video to watch, but even more importantly, listen to, is this one. It is a clip from an episode of EliteFTS Table Talk with Jim Wendler, the man behind 5/3/1. A program with many ideas and principles that go hand in hand with this program.

Good rep integrity is a prerequisite for this program to work. The effectiveness and safety of the training are extremely important when it comes to performing the reps correctly. It is better to perform 5 super-strict reps with good execution that you have to fight for than to perform 10 sloppy reps with inconsistent execution where you lose your position during the reps. This applies to the warm-ups, the main lifts, the final reps and the assistance exercises just as much as it does to the main lifts.

If you swing slightly on the final repetition of an assistance exercise such as barbell curls, that is okay. That is not the same as breaking down a deadlift with a rounded back or lifting your butt off the bench. To have good rep integrity, you need to start with an honest 1RM and have a mental strategy where you work one rep at a time. It is not necessarily about making every rep perfect, but rather about striving to make every rep perfect.

Fight to perform good reps and keep performing good reps. Do not just blast through the set.

Max Reps

In several exercises, you will perform max reps. This is particularly the case with the main lifts. For several reasons, it can be difficult to push yourself to your absolute maximum in many exercises. It is, for example, easier in the bench press than in the squat. Therefore, pushing yourself to absolute physical, technical and mental failure is not necessarily what you need to do. Some people need to practice this and learn how to push themselves correctly. If you have a 1RM of 150 kg, you will use 102.5 kg during the first week. It can be difficult to push yourself to the absolute limit there. So during the first week, you can try to establish a standard.

10 reps should not be impossible, even if they are difficult. If you reach 10 reps and from there start thinking one rep at a time and make it to 12 or 13, that is great! Physically, and if you have good rep integrity, you should perhaps be capable of 15. However, pushing yourself that far can be very difficult.

Getting 10–12 reps is absolutely acceptable. You now have a standard for next time. Even though the weight will be heavier, it may be easier to reach the same number of reps because you know what it feels like to perform 12 reps under high levels of effort. So during the first cycle, and especially the first week, it is not extremely important to push yourself to the absolute maximum. Instead, test yourself, see where things become very difficult and try to challenge that point.

The next time you run the program, you will have learned how to push yourself and continue working through difficult sets. You will also have developed a better understanding and feel for what happens to your body. In the squat, for example, your hips may want to shoot backwards and upwards while your knees want to cave in. In that situation, you need to actively work on pushing your knees out and driving the hips forward. This means you are actively working on the issue from early in the set, as well as during the warm-up, to activate the correct movement pattern.

1RM

Several exercises are based on your 1RM. If you are going to perform your reps with good rep integrity, your 1RM needs to be honest. You should therefore be able to lift your 1RM using a given standard and an execution that you can and want to stand behind. That is the execution you should practice and work with throughout the entire program.

If you can squat 150 kg, but you are not completely satisfied with how it looks, for example because your knees cave in and your hips shoot backwards, then 150 kg is probably too heavy. If instead you are happy with 135 or 140 kg and can stand behind that performance, that is a much better weight to use as your starting point. It gives you a starting point from which you can develop in the right way.

Run the Program Again

After completing the deload week, or even taking a full week off from training, you can run the program again. You do not have to max out to get new 1RM numbers. You can repeat the program using exactly the same weights in the exercises where specific weights are prescribed. Then simply try to beat the number of reps you performed previously. Another option is to take your heaviest working set, including the weight and number of reps you performed, and enter that into the rep calculator. Then use the estimated 1RM you get from it.

“Rep Calculator” – Bench Press | www.bankpress.nu

If you have your own data and statistics from your lifts and know what a certain number of reps at a certain weight produces in terms of 1RM, use that instead. The calculator can be used for all lifts, even though it is primarily designed for the bench press. If you enter the reps you performed with a given execution, it will calculate what you should be capable of with that same execution. The paused calculation is an adjustment of what you should be capable of with a pause in the bench press. You do not need to take this into account for other lifts.

Max Out

If you want to test your 1RM strength after completing a cycle of the program, I recommend 3–7 days of complete rest, or that you complete the deload week. Then rest for another 1–2 days and max out. After maxing out, the recommendation is to perhaps rest for a few more days or perform workouts 1 and 2 of the deload week. Then start the program again using your new 1RM numbers.

How to Get Started and Good Luck!

Download the Built Strong App if you do not already have it. It is available on the App Store and Google Play. It costs SEK 149 per month or SEK 1,399 per year. You get access to more than 30 different programs. Several of them follow the same approach and structure as this one. Enter your 1RM for squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press. For all overhead presses included in the program, use your overhead press 1RM. Also enter a 1RM for the box squat. If you are not used to box squats or do not have a 1RM for the exercise, use 80% of your squat 1RM.

Minimaxlist Training: Program Idea

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

Minimaxlist Training

Minimaxlist training, then…

Well, the original idea was to train and write about minimalist training. But after giving it some more thought, I realized that just because I can complete the training I have prescribed for myself in under an hour, that doesn’t necessarily make it minimalist. Not even when some sessions have taken less than 45 minutes. From one perspective, sure. But when looking at the bigger picture, no. Let me explain how I think about it.

I primarily operate within powerlifting and bench press circles. I have also spent time around and gained some insight into CrossFit, strongman and bodybuilding. What we all have in common are different kinds of truths, beliefs, rules and, perhaps most importantly, fixed ideas about how things MUST be done. There are certain things that MUST be done in a certain way.

You don’t have to agree on what those things are, but everyone has their own. Sooner or later, you develop them. They can change over time, but they are there. It can be anything from certain exercises that have to be included, to having to perform a certain number of sets or reps at a certain weight. It can be how the warm-up should be done, how many days of rest you need, what progression has to look like, and so on.

We don’t have to ignore these things or try to justify them. Instead, I think it is useful to be aware that we all have our own fixed ideas, even when they are based on reasonable principles. So, when I was putting together an “off-season program” for myself, with a general strength-training focus around powerlifting, I had a few rules I wanted to follow:

  • The sessions should be possible to complete in under an hour.
  • Only one working set per exercise.
  • The exercises should cover all the joints.

Looking at the first point, I have managed to complete every session in under an hour, assuming I’m training by myself. At the athletic club, training with my son and other people, it took around two hours. That was partly because I had to look after my son and partly because I was helping other people. However, when I have trained by myself at home in the garage, the sessions have taken around 50 minutes, give or take.

The one-set approach is also good because if you feel dissatisfied with how hard you pushed yourself, you have to live with that and remember it next time. It encourages you to push harder and work closer to failure. I want people to work on strength as well as mobility through all the “primary” joints. That means using longer ranges of motion where you actually challenge the joint and the muscles around it. A typical example is elbows and knees becoming problematic for people who don’t regularly train elbow or knee extension under challenging loads.

The sessions and exercises are as follows, with the understanding that some exercises may be replaced with similar alternatives if the required equipment isn’t available.

Workout 1

  • Box Squat
  • Deadlift
  • Lunges
  • Good Mornings
  • Sissy Squat
  • Leg Curls
  • Sit-Ups
  • Back Extensions
  • Lying Side Leg Raises

Workout 2

  • Bench Press
  • Medium-Grip Bench Press
  • Close-Grip Bench Press
  • Pronated-Grip Chins
  • Military Press
  • Dips
  • Pronated Barbell Row
  • Bench Extensions
  • Barbell Curls
  • Reverse Flyes

Workout 3

  • Box Squat / Squat
  • Stiff-Leg Deadlift
  • Split Squat
  • Good Mornings
  • Leg Extensions
  • Leg Curls
  • Lying Leg Raises
  • Reverse Hyper
  • Seated Abductions

Workout 4

  • Bench Press
  • Medium-Grip Bench Press
  • Close-Grip Bench Press
  • Supinated-Grip Chins
  • Behind-the-Neck Press
  • Push-Ups
  • Dumbbell Extensions
  • Dumbbell Row
  • Barbell Curls
  • Face Pulls

What I do is perform several warm-up sets before the first exercise, and then generally fewer warm-up sets for the remaining exercises. Usually anywhere from 1–3.

For example, the deadlift in Workout 1, after the box squats, has required three warm-up sets so far. Some sessions may require four. After the box squats, you have already activated the same muscles quite well.

Calling all of these exercises minimalist training, even if you are in a gym with a lot of equipment, doesn’t feel right to me.

The program may be adjusted after more people have completed their test runs with it.

A lot of people think of minimalist training purely in terms of equipment. But many people train in gyms where there is a huge amount of equipment available. If you are paying several hundred kronor a month for that gym, I think you should be able to make use of some of it.

You can, of course, work around this by choosing different variations or exercises based on the equipment you have available. So why do I still feel that this doesn’t belong in the minimalist training category? Because there is simply too much of it. You could achieve a very similar effect and very similar results with much less.

That is where the made-up term Minimaxlist Training comes from.

It can be a way for me, and for those of us who aren’t quite ready to commit to more primitive minimalist training, to feel like we are doing things quickly and efficiently while still working the muscle groups properly through several angles and ranges of motion.

The program I am currently running will eventually get a name along the lines of Built 26. For now, it is simply called Built Project 2026.

The program I am currently running, from the end of summer 2026 into autumn 2026, will be available in the Built Strong App shortly.

It will most likely be called Built Project 2026.

For anyone who wants to try the app and the programs in it, you can use this code to get 100 SEK off your first purchase:

Code: aJ3TvSpy

Train at a top wegith of 180 kg – Bench 245 kg!

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

Tommy Påhls set a new personal best in the bench press this weekend with 245 kg / 540 lbs at a bodyweight of 124.2 kg / 274 lbs. Tommy achieved this PB at the age of 42, which also made it a Swedish veteran record. Tommy has been strength training for more than half of his life, so setting a personal best at that age and at this level is certainly not something that comes for free.

Tommy has trained for many years using many different models. He is naturally very explosive and has always had a lot of power in his lifts. What has lagged behind for him has been the technical side and his ability to keep everything stable. Because of this, the priority has been to lift in a stable and controlled manner. His explosiveness and power have therefore been held back, which means that his lifts have not necessarily moved as fast as they could have. Instead, they have become smoother and more stable. This has not only increased the weight on the bar, but also raised the level of Tommy’s performances in competition as he has become a more stable lifter. More and more often, Tommy is able to complete all three attempts.

The improvement in technique has not come from doing few reps with heavier weights. Instead, it has come from light weights and a lot of reps. By setting high standards for himself and his execution, combined with keeping the weights light, good conditions are created for developing good technique. Despite pressing heavier weights than ever this year, Tommy has trained lighter than ever. His heaviest training weight has been 73%.

One thing you can see in Tommy’s 245 kg / 540 lbs lift is that his shoulder blades spread out toward the end. This is a weak point for him, just as it is for several other lifters. For Tommy, one solution, in addition to actively working on maintaining his position, has been to train with a slightly narrower grip. His grip has been one or two fingers inside the rings instead of the maximum-width grip he uses in competition. In that setup, his index finger is on the ring.

Tommy’s training in broad terms

Session 1 – Monday:

Several sets of bench press with sets of 10. The weight is often 140-160 kg / 309-353 lbs. Sometimes slightly heavier, but always light enough to be able to perform sets of 10. Each set usually has five or more reps in reserve. The purpose is to build a broad base through volume and high-quality reps. Even if Tommy could press 10 reps with 180 kg / 397 lbs, the weight may stay at 160 kg / 353 lbs or lower because that is already enough weight for the purpose of the session.

Session 2 – Wednesday:

This session can vary. Either light bench press with several sets of 20 reps, or some bench press combined with other chest training, such as push-ups. The purpose here is to provide muscular stimulation and develop other qualities that can help with technique and training.

Session 3 – Friday:

The final session of the week is really the only hard session. Here, there are usually a few sets of max reps with weights between 120-160 kg / 265-353 lbs. The heaviest weight is 180 kg / 397 lbs. This session is the last one of the week, which means that you are not fully rested. At the same time, it is a good session for getting reference points and seeing where you are.

Each session is also usually supplemented with other upper-body training. The purpose is for it to help the bench press. Preferably more complex exercises with a lot of “bang for the buck” and fewer isolation exercises.

The heaviest weight Tommy trained with leading up to the competition where he made 245 kg / 540 lbs was 180 kg / 397 lbs. That is 65 kg / 143 lbs lighter, which comes out to 73%. For many people, this is incomprehensible, but it has been proven to work well over and over again at all levels.

There are no heavy singles or other heavy sets. For most people, this would be a very difficult thing to do psychologically. To go into a competition without even touching 80%, for that matter. At the same time, perhaps this is the best way to get rid of the mental barriers. For someone to be able to do this and handle it, they have to be honest with themselves and strive for the best execution they can achieve. They also have to ignore misconceptions such as the idea that you have to lift a certain weight or build up a specific weight familiarity.

The concept is that you work on the technical aspects and build a motor pattern that becomes deeply ingrained. After that, you learn to develop force and strength in those positions. From there, with training and recovery, you will be able to perform at maximum weights, including singles.

The principle behind this training is the same as the one you find in the bench press program “Junk Volumes Kings & Queens Bench Press”, which you can find in the Built Strong App.

During the fall of 2026, Tommy has been running the program “Built Prodject 2026”, which will be available in the Built Strong App. From there, he will move on to “Fast & Strong”.

All programs are available in the Built Strong App.

Lars Norén – Profile

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

Lars Norén is one of Sweden’s historically greatest powerlifters. He is one of only a few Swedes to have won the World Championships in two different weight classes, as well as in both the junior and open categories. Alongside that, he also set several historic world records in the deadlift.

He started powerlifting after being forced to quit Olympic weightlifting due to injuries. That said, he was certainly no bad weightlifter! In the picture below, we can see him performing a clean and jerk with 180 kg / 397 lbs as a junior lifter. His best lifts as a junior were a 150 kg / 331 lbs snatch and a 190 kg / 419 lbs clean and jerk.

His powerlifting career was short, but incredibly productive. As a junior, he won the 1983 Swedish Junior Championships with a 900 kg / 1,984 lbs total in the -125 kg / 276 lbs class. This qualified him for the Nordic Championships in Iceland that same year, where he won with a massive 967.5 kg / 2,133 lbs total in the -125 kg / 276 lbs class. His only equipment was an inferior squat suit and a pair of basic knee wraps. He squatted 380 kg / 838 lbs, benched 220 kg / 485 lbs and deadlifted 367.5 kg / 810 lbs. This became a Swedish junior record that was never broken.

Only a couple of months after Iceland, it was time for the World Championships at Scandinavium in Gothenburg. Lars had a considerably worse competition and only managed an 890 kg / 1,962 lbs total, which initially placed him second. The fact that he weighed only 116.3 kg / 256 lbs may have had something to do with it. That second-place finish became a gold medal when the winner, John Gamble, failed his doping test. Gamble had totaled 967.5 kg / 2,133 lbs, the exact same total Norén had achieved in Iceland.

And so Norén won his first World Championship title. It would be the first of several.

At this time, raw powerlifting wasn’t really a thing. Equipment was just starting to enter the sport and become more serious. By serious, I mean that you could get noticeably more out of it in the squat. Suits and wraps could give some advanced lifters up to 50 kg / 110 lbs. Others would still only get around 20 to 30 kg / 44 to 66 lbs. The bench press, on the other hand, did not have shirts until around 1984, and they did not really become a thing until the mid-90s. The deadlift suit was a thing, but most lifters pulled about the same. Lars was one of those.

With that said, Lars, as well as others, trained mostly without equipment. Here is a picture of him squatting 370 kg / 816 lbs in training with just knee wraps. Mike Lambert, the publisher of Powerlifting USA, regarded him as Sweden’s Ed Coan.

Lars squatting 370 kg with only knee wraps in the -125 kg class

Lars squatting 370 kg / 816 lbs with only knee wraps in the -125 kg / 276 lbs class

His second World Championship title came in 1986 in the Netherlands. He totaled 942.5 kg / 2,078 lbs in the -125 kg / 276 lbs class, which was enough to win the championship by a considerable margin. His squat and deadlift were not at their best in this competition, but he had managed to bring his bench press up to 232.5 kg / 513 lbs.

Lars had a huge capacity in both the squat and the deadlift that sometimes did not come out in competition. In the deadlift, it was due to grip issues. His legs and back could pull a monstrous weight, but his grip could not hold onto it. He figured out a “trick” that would help him. Something that would make it possible for him to set multiple world records in the deadlift and even beat records from Bill Kazmaier.

Then came the big year for Lars Norén: 1987

He began the year by winning the superheavyweight class at the Swedish Championships with a 1,032.5 kg / 2,276 lbs total and a new world record deadlift of 402.5 kg / 887 lbs. Lars went in as a very light superheavyweight. He was not finished with his accomplishments in the -125 kg / 276 lbs class. The change Lars had made in the deadlift to solve the grip issue was to grab the bar with a hook grip.

Remember, Lars was a weightlifter from the start and was therefore familiar with the hook grip. Today, in the 2020s, the hook grip isn’t that uncommon. But it was not until the end of the 2010s and the beginning of the 2020s that the hook grip in powerlifting really became a thing. So back then, no one was really doing it.

But here’s the “twist”. Lars didn’t pull with a conventional overhand hook grip. He used a mixed hook grip. He would also let the thumbnail grow a bit longer on the hook grip hand to get an extra grip on the bar.

A few months later, when it was time for the European Championships, he dropped back down to the -125 kg / 276 lbs class. That spring, he won the European Championships in Birmingham, England, with a 987.5 kg / 2,177 lbs total, a new European record. Norén had long been strong enough to lift weights above 370 kg / 816 lbs, but he simply could not hold onto them. With the new grip, he was able to pull 387.5 kg / 854 lbs for a world record deadlift.

And there he stood: a man who had won the Swedish, Nordic, European and World Championships in the -125 kg / 276 lbs class.

What would come next?

The World Championships in Fredrikstad, Norway, were six months away. It seemed that there was no one in the world who could challenge him in the -125 kg / 276 lbs class. And, finally, his deadlift had started to take off. Lars decided to spend the following six months moving up to the superheavyweight class and taking on the reigning world champion, Mike Hall of the United States.

Mike Hall was a giant of a man who weighed roughly one kilogram / 2.2 lbs for every centimeter of his height. He was 188 cm tall and, by the late 1980s, usually weighed over 180 kg / 397 lbs. He had several totals above 1,000 kg / 2,205 lbs, with his best at the time being 1,027.5 kg / 2,265 lbs. Squatting over 400 kg / 882 lbs was nothing unusual for him, and he also had a 280 kg / 617 lbs raw bench press.

So Lars was going to have quite a challenge on his hands at this World Championships.

When the day finally came, November 15, 1987, Lars weighed in at 140.15 kg / 309 lbs. He opened his squat at 400 kg / 882 lbs and increased it to 422.5 kg / 931 lbs on his second attempt, which would mean a European squat record. He walked the bar out and stood ready for the signal. Several seconds passed, but he received nothing. Frustrated and confused, he walked the bar back into the rack, looked around, and heard his coaches shouting at him to take the bar out again. He got back under the bar, stood up with it, walked it out, and received the start signal.

Just as quickly as he descended, he came back up!

Despite how easy it looked, he did not take a third squat. Why remains unclear, but one explanation could be that the confusion during the second attempt made him more cautious. He also knew that 422.5 kg / 931 lbs was enough for his total and was eager to save himself for the deadlift. As it turned out, 422.5 kg / 931 lbs was more than enough, as Mike Hall only managed 410 kg / 904 lbs.

It was better than anyone could have hoped for. Hall was a great squatter and bencher, so being able to beat him in one of those lifts was a major advantage for Lars.

In the bench press, the difference between Lars and Mike was expected to be enormous. Hoping to beat Mike there would almost have seemed arrogant. Lars pressed 250 kg / 551 lbs. Just like his squat, this was a massive personal best. Mike Hall put up the better bench press, but not by much. He managed 255 kg / 562 lbs. That was only 2.5 kg / 6 lbs below what he had benched at the American Championships a few months earlier, and the same weight he had managed at the World Championships the previous year.

Then came the deadlift, Lars’s obvious specialty. He was already leading by 7.5 kg / 17 lbs. That is not a huge lead, but when you are the deadlift specialist and your primary opponent is not, it is a significant advantage. Mike Hall managed 337.5 kg / 744 lbs, giving him a 1,002.5 kg / 2,210 lbs total. It was not his best competition, but still a respectable performance. Lars, meanwhile, had everything in his hands. All he had to do was make his opening deadlift and secure the total.

He opened at 362.5 kg / 799 lbs and barely had time to get his grip on the bar before he was standing completely upright with it. With that lift, he secured a 1,035 kg / 2,282 lbs total and the World Championship title. On his second deadlift, he decided to go after his own record. He was already the world record holder with 402.5 kg / 887 lbs. Now he would attempt 405 kg / 893 lbs. In front of a wild and expectant crowd, he walked onto the platform, surrounded by a semicircular grandstand. He grabbed the bar and locked out 405 kg / 893 lbs.

A new world record deadlift and a 1,077.5 kg / 2,375 lbs total!

At the 1988 Swedish Championships in Gothenburg, he would do it again and break his own world record. This time he used what was known as a record increase, choosing 406 kg / 895 lbs for the bar. When attempting a record, the weight can be increased by any amount, with the minimum increase being 0.5 kg / 1 lb. If he had wanted to attempt 409.5 kg / 903 lbs, for example, he could have.

Lars pulled the record once again and increased his world record. He finished with a massive 1,056 kg / 2,328 lbs total.

At a Swedish team championship, he also reportedly pulled 400 kg / 882 lbs so easily on his second attempt that it looked as though something close to 420 kg / 926 lbs might have been there. Unfortunately, he received two red lights and one white light for the lockout, meaning the lift was disqualified, and he did not get another opportunity to attempt the record.

Shortly afterward, Lars retired from competition and stepped away from powerlifting.

Besides powerlifting, Lars also competed in some strongman events, as did a lot of strong powerlifters of the 80s. In 1984, Lars competed in the 1984 Europe’s Strongest Man competition. He finished 6th out of 8. This was not necessarily because he was the sixth strongest guy. It had more to do with him not being familiar with the sport and its events. Lars simply jumped into the competition with no strongman experience at all. In one event, where they were supposed to pull a boat, he slipped and fell into the water.

In training, Lars also did some extraordinary things. Some said that Lars had a hard time with the mental side of lifting. That the heavy weight would weigh on him even before he lifted it. So one time, training buddies reportedly said that when Lars was doing sets of 3 at 320 kg / 705 lbs in the gym, they put an extra 20 kg / 44 lbs on each side when he went to the toilet. When he got back to continue with his sets of 3, he pulled 360 kg / 794 lbs for 3 reps without any problem.

His best bench press in training during his peak was 270 kg / 595 lbs. No shirt or elbow wraps, just pure strength.

He has also put up a 400 kg / 882 lbs squat with just wraps and a belt. And in 1991, with a bodyweight of only 118 kg / 260 lbs, he pulled an EASY deadlift in an exhibition during the Swedish Championships in bodybuilding. Taking into consideration the speed of that pull, no wraps, no suit, and an Eleiko stiff bar, that lift is still of a high standard today.

Even though more than 40 years have passed, Lars Norén remains a recurring name in Swedish strength sports.

Best results Across Weight Classes

Weightlifting

+110 kg / 243 lbs class

Snatch: 150 kg / 331 lbs
Clean & Jerk: 190 kg / 419 lbs
Total: 390 kg / 860 lbs

Powerlifting

-125 kg / 276 lbs class, Early 80s equipment

Squat: 380 kg / 838 lbs, 1980s single-ply equipment
Bench press: 232.5 kg / 513 lbs, raw
Deadlift: 387.5 kg / 854 lbs, raw
Total: 972.5 kg / 2,144 lbs

+125 kg / 276 lbs class, Early 80s equipment

Squat: 422.5 kg / 931 lbs, 1980s single-ply equipment
Bench press: 250 kg / 551 lbs, raw
Deadlift: 406 kg / 895 lbs, raw
Total: 1,077.5 kg / 2,375 lbs

Lars Hedlund – Profile

Emil Lundgren training for Bench Press world´s 2026

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

Emil Lundgren has won the Sub-Junior World Championship, as well as Junior European and World titles in bench press. He also holds both Sub-Junior and Junior world records. In this video, you will see how he prepares for Worlds with 12 days out while running a custom version of the program Junk Volume Kings & Queens.

In this video, you will hear his coach, Josef Eriksson, explain much of how they warm up and what they look for technically. As a viewer, you will be guided through what they aim to achieve, what they place more and less emphasis on in the lift, as well as the approach they take to different weights and sets.

Learn more about Team Built Strong at the World Championships here:
https://builtstrong.se/articles/championships/bench-press-worlds-2026/

Athletes I’ve trained over the years

Bench Press World´s 2026

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

The 2026 Bench Press World Championships in Warsaw are here, and the team from Built Strong, coached by Josef Eriksson, consists of a total of 14 lifters. In total, 17 athletes qualified, but 3 of them have chosen not to compete.

All athletes competing share one thing in common: they have won Nationals in their respective categories. The team includes several World Championship debutants, but also many athletes with experience from multiple international competitions.

Here you can find the official page for results, nominations, and livestreams:
Goodlift Live Results

Below you can see which athletes are competing for the team, their weight classes, best competition lifts, and competition times.

Saturday, May 24

Annica Åberg

Master 3 -84 kg / 185 lbs
Best bench: 90 kg / 198 lbs
Start: 12:00

Måndag, May 25

Jörgen Overgaard

Master 2 -105 kg / 231 lbs
Best bench: 172.5 kg / 380 lbs
Start: 11:00

Wednesday, May 27

Ayda Kayed

Junior -69 kg / 152 lbs
Best bench: 105 kg / 231 lbs
Start: 11:30

Neo Yngström

Junior -74 kg / 163 lbs
Best bench: 177.5 kg / 391 lbs
Start: 15:00

Jonathan Eriksson

Junior -83 kg / 183 lbs
Best bench: 175 kg / 386 lbs
Start: 15:00

Emil Lundgren

Junior -83 kg / 183 lbs
Best bench: 211 kg / 465 lbs
Start: 15:00

Thursday, May 28

Julia Starck

Open -57 kg / 126 lbs
Best bench: 115 kg / 254 lbs
Start: 08:00

Jennifer Ljunggren

Open -69 kg / 152 lbs
Best bench: 115 kg / 254 lbs
Start: 08:00

Josef Eriksson

Open -83 kg / 183 lbs
Best bench: 207.5 kg / 457 lbs
Start: 12:00

Vilma Olsson

Open -84 kg / 185 lbs
Best bench: 125 kg / 276 lbs
Start: 15:00

Hildeborg Juvet Hugdal

Open +84 kg / 185+ lbs
Best bench: 142.5 kg / 314 lbs
Start: 15:00

Jonathan Henningsson

Open -93 kg / 205 lbs
Best bench: 225.5 kg / 497 lbs
Start: 17:30

Kim Gundersen

Open -93 kg / 205 lbs
Best bench: 222.5 kg / 491 lbs
Start: 17:30

Steven Örnerstedt

Open -105 kg / 231 lbs
Best bench: 220 kg / 485 lbs
Start: 17:30

Friday, May 31

Kim Gundersen

Open -93 kg / 205 lbs
Best equipped bench: 300 kg / 661 lbs
Start: 09:00

Hildeborg Juvet Hugdal

Open +84 kg / 185+ lbs
Best equipped bench: 239 kg / 527 lbs
Start: 09:00

Information regarding Team Built Strong at the World Championships will be updated continuously on the builtstrong.se/articles/championships/ pages.

If you want to learn more about Team Built Strong, you can read about it here:
https://builtstrong.se/articles/builtstrong/athletes-ive-trained-over-the-years/

Running – How to Get Started

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

Start Running Like Forrest Gump

Now that summer is here, more and more people are drawn outdoors by the nice weather. Many want to get outside and go for walks, maybe even finally commit to becoming more active several times a week. Others start cycling or adding some other form of cardio once the sun is out for most of the day.

Personally, I love running. Even though I run year-round regardless of the weather, summer still gives it something extra. Part of it is simply practical. You can dress lightly and easily. Shorts and a T-shirt are enough, and I do not have to overthink what clothes I need. The other part is the long daylight hours. I can run almost anywhere from early morning until late at night. As someone who loves evening runs, it is a huge advantage that it stays bright late into the evening and night.

As for me and my own running, I am not some amazing runner. I have put up times over the years that are enough to impress people in lunchrooms, but this article is not about becoming an elite runner. It is about becoming a recreational runner.

The actual process of starting to run is simple for most people. You go outside and run, done. Despite that, it is not always easy. Usually, something else is holding people back.

“How should I start running?” is not a question I get constantly, but it comes up regularly. At least once a month, which over the years adds up to quite a lot of times. I also get variations of the question whenever I post about my running on social media. I have helped many people get started with running and, more importantly, continue running. Not necessarily to compete seriously, but simply for health and enjoyment.

How I Started Running

I personally started running at the end of 2008 without any conditioning background at all. Honestly, I did not really have any athletic background either besides lifting weights. On top of that, I had a BMI well over 30, which made the whole thing feel even heavier.

The goal of my very first run was simply to jog as far as possible, no matter how slowly I had to move. I told myself that I would never have both feet on the ground at the same time. The street where I lived was about 400 meters long, and I could not even make it the entire way, but I really tried.

I moved so slowly that it felt ridiculous, but even without increasing the pace I was completely exhausted before reaching 400 meters. That was my starting point. From there, I would build my capacity, something that happened faster than I expected.

When your starting point is so low that you cannot even run half a kilometer, improvement also comes quickly. For me, it became about reaching the next mailbox or the next streetlight. If I could not do it before but could do it now, then I had improved.

It took me five or six sessions over almost two weeks before I managed to jog one kilometer continuously. It was not fast, but I managed to jog one kilometer. Simply being able to jog it was the goal. Once I could do one kilometer, it became fairly easy to reach two kilometers, then three, and so on. In less than two months, I ran my first 10 kilometers.

What time did I run? Slowly. Very slowly. It took another month before I could complete it in under an hour, just to give some perspective on how slow that first attempt was. Six months later, I had lost a lot of weight and my BMI was now 23 instead of 31. I could run over 40 kilometers, and it was an incredible feeling.

The reason I bring up BMI is because I see bodyweight as very relevant in running. Weighing 100 kg at 190 cm is very different from weighing 100 kg at 170 cm.

Forrest Gump Running

I kept running a lot and eventually started putting up times that were not bad at all. In the beginning, it was mainly to lose weight so I could compete in the -75 kg class in powerlifting and bench press. Once I comfortably made weight, running became something I did simply because I loved it.

It made me feel good, capable, and free. It was incredible. If a group of us were going swimming somewhere, the others would drive or bike. I would run. Sometimes it was 2 kilometers to the lake, other times 20 kilometers.

If I was going somewhere social, I would often ask the people I was meeting to bring a change of clothes for me. Either so I could run there or run home afterward and shower and change there. No matter the weather or conditions, I kept running and I have continued ever since. One summer in 2009, a friend asked me what I was actually going to do with all this running.

“What are you going to do with all this running? You run all the time and almost everywhere.”

My answer came out with a laugh:

“I do like Forrest Gump. I run because I can.”

Like many others, I loved and still love the movie Forrest Gump. It has so much to it. I have watched it many times. When Forrest is young, he struggles to walk and wears braces on his legs to help him move. At the same age as he is in the movie, I also had physical issues. Not to the point of wearing braces, but walking and moving around could be difficult. Some days were worse than others. During certain periods, I even needed crutches.

So when Forrest breaks free from his braces and starts running in the movie, it looked so freeing to me. It almost looked like he could fly.

Even today, more than 20 years later, that scene still gives me a rush and makes me want to run. Thinking about that scene while I am running still gives me that feeling. Simply being capable of running is a blessing.

How to Start Running

If you want to start running, my recommendation is to begin very simply, just like I did. Before I started jogging, I had already begun taking longer and longer walks. Eventually, I could walk 10 kilometers, even though it was not fast. How fast you move is a recurring theme throughout this article.

You should not care how fast it goes.

You simply want to do it.

Put one foot in front of the other.

So if you are currently at a stage where even regular walks feel far away and are not something you do every week, then start there.

Make sure you get outside and walk several times per week, and ideally work your way up to being able to comfortably walk 5 kilometers before you start jogging. Then begin sneaking short jogging intervals into your walks. It is enough to jog 25–50 meters a few times during the walk. Get your heart rate up a little and recover by walking between the jogging sections.

The total distance you jog during your walks should gradually increase every walk or every other walk. Maybe you jog 50–100 meters instead of 25–50. It can also simply mean adding more 25–50 meter jogging intervals. The important thing is that you are covering more meters running than you were before.

Try to do this at least twice per week and no more than four times if this is significantly more physical stress than your body is used to. If it does not wear you down too much, it might actually be best to do something every day just for the sake of building a routine.

Stick with this consistently for several weeks. Once you notice that you are jogging close to a total of one kilometer during your walks, then go out specifically to jog. Jog as far as you can and walk the rest.

Choose a distance of maybe no more than one kilometer and try to complete it without stopping or walking. Maybe you cannot do it the first time, but remember where you had to stop and next time try to beat it by getting a little farther. Remember to keep it easy. The pace does not matter. What matters is jogging for as long as you can without having both feet on the ground at the same time.

Eventually, you will complete your first kilometer. Then one becomes two, and so on. Your 5-kilometer walk turns into a 5-kilometer run with short walking breaks. After that, it eventually becomes a full 5-kilometer run.

Going from being sedentary to running, or even regular walking, can be a huge step for many people. In that situation, a 5-kilometer run sounds absurd. That is why it is important to follow these guidelines.

In the beginning, shoes and running surfaces can also be sensitive factors. Because of that, it is important to have a pair of walking or running shoes that work well for you. If you can walk 5 kilometers in them without pain or problems, you can probably jog in them too.

The world of running shoes is a jungle, but if your goal is simply fitness and general health, you will probably do fine with something basic, assuming you do not have issues that require special shoes. The surface does not have to be exclusively concrete or asphalt either. In the beginning, it is often good to mix in forest trails and gravel roads if possible.

Milestones

Depending on where you are starting from, the journey toward becoming a runner will look different. Here are some milestones you can focus on before moving on to the next step to create a smooth transition. If some of these points feel too easy for your current level, simply skip ahead to the one that matches where you are.

  • Shoes that are comfortable and work for both walking and jogging
  • A walking and jogging surface that works for you
  • Building the habit of getting outside several times per week
  • Being able to walk 5 kilometers without feeling destroyed
  • Starting to jog short distances up to 100 meters during your walks
  • Jogging a total of at least one kilometer during your 5-kilometer walk
  • Going out and trying to jog one kilometer continuously without stopping or walking
  • Jogging more than you walk during your 5-kilometer session
  • At this point, you can begin going on dedicated running sessions

Also remember that you do not need to improve every single workout. Build your minimum level over time. One bad session does not mean things are going poorly. In the same way, one bad week does not mean your progress is ruined. We often confuse what a good and bad workout actually is.

A good workout is usually truly a good workout, but a bad workout is often just a workout. Just because something is not great does not automatically make it bad. In the end, every session you complete as part of this journey is a good session.

Start Now

So if you want to start doing this, begin now. Do not wait until Monday or tomorrow. Get it done today. Go outside and walk. If you can, try jogging a little. If you are already capable of jogging, then do it. You do not need to jog 5 kilometers or even 1 kilometer. It is okay if you cannot even make it 400 meters. What matters is that you start now and that you do not quit tomorrow.

Most importantly, a month from now you should be able to look back at today and realize that what felt difficult and exhausting today now feels easy.

Thank you for reading this article.

Josh Bryant – Profile

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

Josh Bryant was born in 1980. Raised in California, he later moved to Texas, where he has spent most of his career. He was introduced to strength training early in life. By the age of 12, he had already started lifting weights and naturally became the one teaching his friends how to train. This gave him an early foundation not only in training himself, but also in coaching others.

Here you can listen to the first episode of Built Strong Chat with Josh Bryant. Recorded on May 6, 2026.

At 16 years old, Josh worked at a hardcore gym under the guidance of his first mentor, Steve Holl. Steve was a hard-nosed powerlifter who helped shape Josh’s mindset, attitude, and work ethic toward training.

Josh Bryant, Steve Holl

Josh entered his first competition at age 15 in 1996. It was the same meet where Richard Schoenberger benched 277 kg / 611 lbs while being cheered on by C.T. Fletcher. Witnessing a moment like that firsthand was undoubtedly inspiring for a young lifter.

Josh continued training and competing through his teenage years, but it was after football, around age 19, that he truly dedicated himself fully to powerlifting. He invested enormous amounts of time into training and sought knowledge from some of the best athletes and coaches in the sport.

For deadlifting, Josh trained with George Brink, the first man over 50 years old to deadlift 363 kg / 800 lbs. He also trained with Gary Frank, who shattered total records during the early 2000s. During his strongman period, Josh trained with Odd Haugen while Odd was still actively competing. Later in his education and coaching journey, Josh spent significant time learning under Fred Hatfield. Josh and Fred even held multiple seminars together before Fred’s passing.

??, Josh Bryant, Fred Hatfield, Lee Haney

As for Josh’s own accomplishments, he achieved a great deal within strength sports. His final powerlifting meet was the Mountaineer Cup VII in 2005. The lineup included legends such as Ed Coan, Gene Bell, Beau Moore, Travis Mash, Scott Cartwright, and Brian Siders. Josh totaled 1,040 kg / 2,292 lbs at a bodyweight of 142.4 kg / 314 lbs using the equipment standards of that era.

Equipment never played a major role in Josh’s lifting success. He deadlifted without a suit, and in the bench press he only gained around 5 kg / 11 lbs from wearing a bench shirt. In the squat, Josh rarely maxed out in the gym. His best competition squat was 412.5 kg / 909 lbs at the Mountaineer Cup. In training, wearing nothing but a belt, he performed a smooth 352 kg / 775 lb top single in the middle of a regular training cycle. His true max is unknown, since he rarely tested it, but it was clearly above 352 kg / 775 lbs.

At the APF Senior Nationals in 2003, Josh earned a strong second-place finish in a field where nearly everyone else competed in multi-ply gear while he lifted in single-ply.

During Josh’s era, raw competitions were rare. However, the Atlantis New England Bench Press Championship was one of the few prestigious raw bench press events. It featured what many consider one of the strongest top-three lineups ever assembled in bench press history. Josh placed third with a 281 kg / 620 lb raw bench. Brian Siders finished second with 294.8 kg / 650 lbs, while Scott Mendelson won with his 324 kg / 715 lb world record, a mark that stood for years until Eric Spoto eventually broke it.

Josh retired from competitive powerlifting in 2005 but later made a comeback with the goal of achieving a personal best in the deadlift. After an intense 13-week training cycle, he entered the annual deadlift competition at Metroflex Gym, held every first Friday of December. He opened with 329 kg / 725 lbs, which moved easily. On his second attempt at 367 kg / 810 lbs, he missed the lift after gripping one side of the bar too wide in his excitement. On his third attempt, he successfully locked out the 367 kg / 810 lb deadlift. An impressive accomplishment for someone with his build.

Josh also spent time competing in strongman. While he never reached the biggest international contests, he dedicated himself seriously to the sport for a period and learned a great deal from it. One particularly unique competition was the Atlantis Strongest Man in America Contest, a hybrid between strongman and powerlifting. Athletes earned points based on placement rather than the amount lifted, meaning a 272 kg / 600 lb bench press victory counted the same as a 318 kg / 700 lb victory. Events included the bench press, rack push press, trap-bar deadlift, weighted pull-ups, and a one-handed Thomas Inch dumbbell deadlift variation.

Josh’s best performances and competition results are listed further below.

When it comes to coaching, methods, and books, Josh is known for different things in different circles. Some know him for his own achievements as a lifter. Others recognize him for coaching some of the greatest bench pressers of all time, including Jeremy Hoornstra and Julius Maddox. Josh has also helped produce more 272 kg / 600 lb, 295 kg / 650 lb, and 318 kg / 700 lb bench pressers than almost anyone else in the world.

Another athlete Josh is widely known for coaching is Tom Haviland. Tom is not a competitive powerlifter, but rather what many would call a tactical athlete. Someone who combines high-level strength with serious conditioning. The tactical strength athletes Josh coaches are far from average. Many of them would easily rank within the top 10% of the population in both strength and conditioning, especially considering the amount of bodyweight they move.

Josh is undeniably someone who deeply understands strength training and performance. Perhaps the best way to learn from him is through his books, where you get his thoughts, methods, and philosophy explained directly in his own words. You can find all of Josh Bryant’s books on Amazon:

Josh Bryant on Amazon

You can also follow Josh on his platforms:

Josh Bryant – Personal Bests and Competition Results

(Competition bodyweight: approximately 140 kg / 309 lbs)

Weighted Pull-Ups: +59 kg / +130 lbs (light)

Squat (single-ply): 412.5 kg / 909 lbs

Squat (belt only in training): 352 kg / 775 lbs (light)

Box Squat to 9-inch box (training): 318 kg / 700 lbs

Bench Press (single-ply): 287.5 kg / 634 lbs

Raw Bench Press: 281 kg / 620 lbs

Raw Deadlift: 367 kg / 810 lbs

Trap Bar Deadlift: 381 kg / 840 lbs competition / 386 kg / 850 lbs training

Push Press from Rack: 202 kg / 445 lbs

Fred Hatfield – Profile

Fred Hatfield – Profile

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

He Squatted Four Times His Bodyweight in Four Weight Classes

Fred Hatfield – “Dr. Squat”

Fred Hatfield was an elite powerlifter with two World Championship titles and multiple world records. He was also known as “Dr. Squat.” This was partly because he held a doctorate in sports science, psychology, physiology, and motor learning, and worked as a professor at several universities and colleges. Of course, his actual ability in the squat also contributed to the nickname.

He broke numerous world records across several weight classes, and at one point held the heaviest squat ever performed at 460 kg / 1014 lbs. Hatfield enjoyed teaching and sharing knowledge. He wrote over 60 books, many of which became bestsellers and were used as study material. He also founded the International Sports Sciences Association. In addition to that, he consulted Lee Haney in his training on his way to winning Mr. Olympia eight times.

Hatfield was also one of the first Americans allowed to travel to the Soviet Union to study how they trained and to learn their principles and methods.

More than just a squatter

Hatfield was not only great in the squat, he was a strong powerlifter overall.

He started powerlifting in the early 1970s, but already had a background in strength. He had been both a gymnast and an Olympic weightlifter, which was evident in his explosive ability and jumping power.

His first American Championship was in 1977, where he placed third in the 82.5 kg / 181 lbs class. At the North American Championships in 1979, he won with a total of 830 kg / 1830 lbs in the same class, a total that at the time could have been enough to win the World Championships.

World champion without a national title

What makes his two World Championship titles interesting is that he never won a national championship at the senior level. He qualified for Worlds by being the best runner-up in 1983 and 1986. At the World Championships, he was among the American lifters who dropped the least in performance. There are also indications that his academic knowledge may have extended into understanding performance enhancement, but that remains speculation. He won his first World Championship in Gothenburg in 1983 in the -100 kg / 220 lbs class. His second came in 1986 in the Netherlands, in the -110 kg / 242 lbs class.

James Cash, Joe Ladnier, Fred Hatfield at the 1983 nationals

What makes his two World Championship titles interesting is that he never won a national championship at the senior level. He qualified for Worlds by being the best runner-up in 1983 and 1986. At the World Championships, he was among the American lifters who dropped the least in performance. There are also indications that his academic knowledge may have extended into understanding performance enhancement, but that remains speculation. He won his first World Championship in Gothenburg in 1983 in the -100 kg / 220 lbs class. His second came in 1986 in the Netherlands, in the -110 kg / 242 lbs class.

His best placements at the American Championships were multiple second and third places, which is what qualified him for Worlds. At the 1983 Worlds, he and Joe Ladner (who had won the American Championships) totaled the same, but Hatfield was 0.4 kg / 1 lbs lighter and therefore won.

The federation split and the 1986 Worlds

When Hatfield won his second World Championship in 1986, there had been a federation split.

APF (American Powerlifting Federation), affiliated with WPC internationally, held its first national championship the week before USPF (United States Powerlifting Federation). Many lifters moved to APF, which made the USPF classes less competitive.

In the -110 kg / 242 lbs class, there were two world champions: Fred Hatfield and Dave Jacoby. Jacoby won the national championship, but bombed out in the bench press at Worlds. Hatfield went on to win his second World Championship, closely followed by Swedish-Finn Samuli Kivi in second place.

Other titles

Even though Hatfield never won an open national title, it is worth mentioning that he won Junior Nationals in 1982. At that time, Junior Nationals in the US was not strictly age-based. Hatfield was 39 years old when he won. It functioned more like a secondary national championship with lower qualification standards.

He also won a masters title. At 45 years old, he totaled 855 kg / 1885 in the -90 kg / 198 lbs class and won the American Masters Championships.

Fred jumping before a deadlift in 1988 at age 43.

Bench press and deadlift

His bench press and deadlift were solid and competitive:

  • Bench press: 237.5 kg / 523 lbs (raw) in the 110 kg / 243 lbs class
  • Deadlift: 345 kg / 761 lbs in the 100 kg / 220 lbs class
  • Deadlift: 347.5 kg / 766 lbs at 111.5 kg / 246 lbs bodyweight

Despite this, it was the squat where he truly stood out.

His deadlift was likely better than what he showed in competition, but after his heavy squats he was so drained that he could not hold onto heavy weights. According to his own accounts, he pulled 825 lbs / 375 kg in training, which is believable, as he often missed deadlifts due to grip.

Four times bodyweight

He is one of the few lifters to squat four times his bodyweight across four weight classes:

  • 327.5 kg / 722 lbs @ 81.5 kg / 180 lbs
  • 375 kg / 827 lbs @ 90 kg / 198 lbs
  • 400 kg / 882 lbs @ 100 kg / 220 lbs
  • 460 kg / 1014 lbs @ 115 kg / 254 lbs*

I have not found confirmation of this in the -110 kg / 242, lbs class, but it is not unlikely. The most I have found there is a 410 kg / 903 lbs squat.

When he squatted 460 kg / 1014 lbs it was the heaviest squat ever regardless of weight class. The year before, he squatted 457.5 kg / 1008 lbs, which was also the heaviest at the time.

He is also said to have squatted 500 kg / 1102 lbs in training by having training partners move the racks forward so he did not have to walk the weight out. This was before the monolift was introduced in the 1980s.

*Fred’s actual weight when he squatted 460 kg / 1014 lbs is not documented. However, he has said in an interview that it was four times his body weight, which would mean he weighed around 115 kg / 254 lbs. This is not hard to believe due to the fact that he performed squats of around 453 kg / 999 lbs at a body weight of approximately 111–117 kg / 245–258 lbs.

It is worth remembering that this was done with equipment, but not like what we have today. By watching old footage, you can clearly see how much more freely they could move in their suits and knee wraps. If you want to learn more about the equipment of that time, you can read about it here.

Fred with 478,5 kg / 1055 lbs

Training and method

Hatfield developed the training method C.A.T – Compensatory Acceleration Training.

According to Hatfield, C.A.T is one of the most effective methods for developing force. You train explosive strength together with maximal strength. What you compensate for are your weakest positions, where you are most vulnerable. In powerlifting, this is typically the bottom of the lift.

Even if you miss a lift halfway up, the outcome is usually decided in the start. The higher up in the lift you go, the better leverage you get. If we only trained and competed in the top half of lifts, we would lift more weight.

The goal is therefore to apply maximum force from the bottom, on all weights, not just the heaviest. Think about that next time you train above 50% of your 1RM. Apply full force and you might be surprised how light it feels.

Hatfield suggested using C.A.T in the middle phase of a training cycle. First, you build a base with lighter weights and higher reps. Then heavier training, followed by a C.A.T phase, and then moving on again.

C.A.T typically involved weights up to 80%, with sets of 6–8 and 1–3 reps per set.

This type of training later became very common and is still widely used today, sometimes under different names. It has also been popularized by Westside Barbell through their speed and dynamic effort training.

Andy Bolton, the first man to deadlift 1000 lbs (454 kg), also made explosive deadlifts with moderate weights popular. Even Josh Bryant was heavily influenced by this in his training, as well as in the coaching of the athletes he coached. You can see top world-class benchers like Julius Maddox and Jeremy Hoornstra doing speed work.

Age Is Just a Number

Fred’s greatest achievements in the world of strength were accomplished after he had passed the age of 40. This despite the fact that he had already dedicated many years of his life to strength training.

Some might see him as a late bloomer, but considering all the methods, variations, and ideas he applied to his training, that seems unlikely. Rather, it is more probable that his understanding of training and his ability to apply different approaches were key reasons behind it.

Fred performed his heaviest lifts after the age of 40, including a 460 kg / 1014 lbs squat, a 237.5 kg / 524 lbs bench press, and a 347.5 kg / 766 lbs deadlift.

He also claimed to have achieved, again after the age of 40, a 500 kg / 1102 lbs squat, a 375 kg / 827 lbs deadlift, and a bench press variation of 272 kg / 600 lbs.

Best results Across Weight Classes

If you want to learn more about what equipment was used, you can read about it here.

-82.5 kg class – Late 70s equipment
Squat: 327.5 kg / 722 lbs
Bench: 185 kg / 408 lbs
Deadlift: 317.5 kg / 699 lbs
Total: 830 kg / 1830 lbs

-90 kg class– Early 80s equipment
Squat: 375 kg / 827 lbs
Bench: 195 kg / 430 lbs
Deadlift: 332.5 kg / 733 lbs
Total: 877.5 kg / 1935 lbs

-100 kg class – Early 80s equipment
Squat: 400 kg / 882 lbs
Bench: 227.5 kg / 502 lbs
Deadlift: 345 kg / 761 lbs
Total: 952.5 kg / 2100 lbs

-110 kg class – Early 80s equipment
Squat: 410 kg / 904 lbs
Bench: 237.5 kg / 524 lbs
Deadlift: 340 kg / 750 lbs
Total: 975 kg / 2150 lbs

-125 kg class – Early 80s equipment
Squat: 460 kg / 1014 lbs
Bench: 237.5 kg / 524 lbs
Deadlift: 347.5 kg / 766 lbs
Total: 992.5 kg / 2188 lbs

How High Reps Can Increase Your 1RM

The Evolution of Weightlifting Weight Classes

Posted on by Josef Eriksson

Weightlifting is the oldest scandalized strength sport. However, it has not always looked like it does today. At the first Olympic Games in 1896, weightlifting was 1 of 9 sports. These 9 sports had a total of 43 events. Of these, 2 events belonged to weightlifting. The other sports that participated in the Olympics were.

Wrestling
Tennis
Swimming
Athletics
Shooting
Gymnastics
Fencing
Cycling

Despite the fact that these sports are still part of the Olympics today, both the sports and the events look different. The same applies to weightlifting. Weightlifting consisted of two events then as now, but they were not the same events. One-hand lift and Two-hand lift, which involved moving as much weight as possible from the ground to straight arms overhead. At that time, there was no total; competitions were decided event by event.

The competition movements in weightlifting varied between one-hand and two-hand lifts during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was not until 1928 that the competition model was established, setting the standard with Press, Snatch, and Clean & Jerk. Later, from 1973 onwards, the press was removed, and only Snatch and Clean & Jerk remained in the sport.

Regarding weight classes over these 130 years, they have looked different. Weight classes were first introduced in 1913. Before that, no consideration was given to bodyweight. Since 1913, weight classes have changed several times. Initially, classes were only added. The super heavyweight class up to and including 1968 started from +90 kg / 198 lbs. It was not until 1969 that the +110 kg / 242 lbs class was introduced, and with it the -110 kg / 242 lbs class.

Later, in 1993, the first wave of weight class changes occurred. If we consider that in 1913 a framework for weight classes was established and only expanded from there, and that the first major shift occurred in 1993, then a total of 5 weight class changes have taken place, including what is seen in 2026.

The reasons behind these changes are primarily to erase old records and create conditions for new records to be set. Of these weight classes, several have returned, but not with their old records. Some of these classes and their records, and when they were set, are as follows:

-60 kg / 132 lbs class (1913–1972)
Snatch: 152.5 kg / 336 lbs – Naim Süleymanoğlu 1988
Clean & Jerk: 190 kg / 419 lbs – Naim Süleymanoğlu 1988

-75 kg / 165 lbs class (1913–1972)
Snatch: 170 kg / 375 lbs – Angel Genchev 1987
Clean & Jerk: 215.5 kg / 475 lbs – Aleksandar Varbanov 1987

-110 kg / 242 lbs class (1969–1992)
Snatch: 210 kg / 463 lbs – Yury Zakharevich 1988
Clean & Jerk: 250.5 kg / 552 lbs – Yury Zakharevich 1988

+110 kg / 242 lbs class (1969–1992)
Snatch: 216 kg / 476 lbs – Antonio Krastev 1987
Clean & Jerk: 266 kg / 586 lbs – Leonid Taranenko 1988

Yury Zakharevich

New records or standards must be achieved within the same classes in order to be recognized as records.

-60 kg / 132 lbs class (2025–)
Snatch: 141 kg / 311 lbs – Standard
Clean & Jerk: 173 kg / 381 lbs – Theerapong Silachai 2025

-75 kg / 165 lbs class (Introduced 2026)
Snatch:
Clean & Jerk:

-110 kg / 242 lbs class (2025–)
Snatch: 196 kg / 432 lbs – Akbar Djuraev 2025
Clean & Jerk: 237 kg / 522 lbs – Standard

+110 kg / 242 lbs class (2025–)
Snatch: 218 kg / 481 lbs – Standard
Clean & Jerk: 260 kg / 573 lbs – Standard

All lifts in all classes were higher in the past. The only result that is higher in the new classes is the clean & jerk, where a standard of 218 kg / 481 lbs has been set. The heaviest snatch in the +110 kg / 242 lbs class up to 1992 was 216 kg / 476 lbs. Much of this is claimed to be linked to more widespread doping in the past, and that it was easier to both use and avoid detection.

The heaviest snatch and clean & jerk ever performed were by Lasha Talakhadze. At his best, he lifted 225 kg / 496 lbs in the snatch and 267 kg / 589 lbs in the clean & jerk. However, Lasha was caught for doping in 2013 as a teenager, before achieving these results. He also weighed in at 177.45 kg / 391 lbs when he made these lifts.

All weight classes throughout the years

1913 – first weight classes
60 kg / 132 lbs
67.5 kg / 149 lbs
75 kg / 165 lbs
82.5 kg / 182 lbs
+82.5 kg / 182 lbs

1920–1972
56 kg / 123 lbs
60 kg / 132 lbs
67.5 kg / 149 lbs
75 kg / 165 lbs
82.5 kg / 182 lbs
90 kg / 198 lbs
110 kg / 242 lbs
+110 kg / 242 lbs

1973–1992
52 kg / 115 lbs
56 kg / 123 lbs
60 kg / 132 lbs
67.5 kg / 149 lbs
75 kg / 165 lbs
82.5 kg / 182 lbs
90 kg / 198 lbs
100 kg / 220 lbs
110 kg / 242 lbs
+110 kg / 242 lbs

1993–1997
54 kg / 119 lbs
59 kg / 130 lbs
64 kg / 141 lbs
70 kg / 154 lbs
76 kg / 168 lbs
83 kg / 183 lbs
91 kg / 201 lbs
99 kg / 218 lbs
108 kg / 238 lbs
+108 kg / 238 lbs

1998–2018
56 kg / 123 lbs
62 kg / 137 lbs
69 kg / 152 lbs
77 kg / 170 lbs
85 kg / 187 lbs
94 kg / 207 lbs
105 kg / 231 lbs
+105 kg / 231 lbs

2018–2025
55 kg / 121 lbs
61 kg / 134 lbs
67 kg / 148 lbs
73 kg / 161 lbs
81 kg / 179 lbs
89 kg / 196 lbs
96 kg / 212 lbs
102 kg / 225 lbs
109 kg / 240 lbs
+109 kg / 240 lbs

2025–2026
60 kg / 132 lbs
65 kg / 143 lbs
71 kg / 157 lbs
79 kg / 174 lbs
88 kg / 194 lbs
94 kg / 207 lbs
110 kg / 242 lbs
+110 kg / 242 lbs

From 2026 (planned)
60 kg / 132 lbs
65 kg / 143 lbs
70 kg / 154 lbs
75 kg / 165 lbs
85 kg / 187 lbs
95 kg / 209 lbs
110 kg / 242 lbs
+110 kg / 242 lbs

Women – 1987
44 kg / 97 lbs
46 kg / 101 lbs
48 kg / 106 lbs
52 kg / 115 lbs
56 kg / 123 lbs
60 kg / 132 lbs
67.5 kg / 149 lbs
75 kg / 165 lbs
82.5 kg / 182 lbs
+82.5 kg / 182 lbs

Women – 1993–1997
46 kg / 101 lbs
50 kg / 110 lbs
54 kg / 119 lbs
59 kg / 130 lbs
64 kg / 141 lbs
70 kg / 154 lbs
76 kg / 168 lbs
83 kg / 183 lbs
+83 kg / 183 lbs

Women – 1998–2018
48 kg / 106 lbs
53 kg / 117 lbs
58 kg / 128 lbs
63 kg / 139 lbs
69 kg / 152 lbs
75 kg / 165 lbs
+75 kg / 165 lbs

Women – 2018–2025
45 kg / 99 lbs
49 kg / 108 lbs
55 kg / 121 lbs
59 kg / 130 lbs
64 kg / 141 lbs
71 kg / 157 lbs
76 kg / 168 lbs
81 kg / 179 lbs
87 kg / 192 lbs
+87 kg / 192 lbs

Women – 2025–2026
48 kg / 106 lbs
53 kg / 117 lbs
58 kg / 128 lbs
63 kg / 139 lbs
69 kg / 152 lbs
77 kg / 170 lbs
86 kg / 190 lbs
+86 kg / 190 lbs

Women – 2026 →
49 kg / 108 lbs
53 kg / 117 lbs
57 kg / 126 lbs
61 kg / 134 lbs
69 kg / 152 lbs
77 kg / 170 lbs
86 kg / 190 lbs
+86 kg / 190 lbs