Derek Ng weighs just nine stone (130 lbs) but deadlifted an epic 275 kilograms at the recent IPF World Championships
At over four-and-a-half times his 59kg bodyweight, this saw Ng smash a new world record. He’s truly the master of deadlifts in his category.
The sport of powerlifting tests your strength on three main lifts: the bench press, squat and deadlift.
For most gym goers, a lift of double bodyweight is rightfully viewed as excellent. Three times your bodyweight? You’d likely be a strong, competitive powerlifter. But over four times your own weight? That’s something else entirely.
This superb 275kg lift meant Ng took gold at the IPF World Championships, and also set a new world record in his 59kg weight class.
You’ll notice Ng pulled a sumo deadlift, rather than the conventional kind. This involves adopting a much wider stance with your legs, and pulling with your hands inside (rather than outside) your thighs.
Sumo deadlifts: the one for you?
The sumo deadlift is a wise choice if you’ve got long legs and relatively short arms. By taking this wider stance, you’ve effectively moved your legs out of the way of your arms as you pull the barbell up.
Critics claim the sumo deadlift is less impressive than the conventional kind because moving your legs sideways creates a shorter range of motion.
In other words, the bar has to travel a much shorter distance when you’re performing a sumo deadlift, which makes the lift easier. This may be true, but people pulling sumo are disadvantaged when they try a conventional deadlift – so there isn’t a great deal of difference.
Deadlift domination from The Mountain and Eddie Hall
Two of the world’s strongest in the deadlift are Eddie Hall, 2017 World’s Strongest Man, and Game of Thrones actor Hafthor Björnsson.
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Björnsson plays The Mountain in the hit TV show, but is also the reigning World’s Strongest Man too. Not a bad CV, right?
Earlier this year, Björnsson beat his own deadlift record twice. In one week. Hall, on the other hand, holds the world record for deadlifting 500kg, which caused him to burst the blood vessels in his face and almost pass out completely.
