Kolb's bench press is the heaviest lift in powerlifting history.
Written by Robert Zeglinski Last updated on Aug 1, 2023
On July 29, 2023, powerlifter Jimmy Kolb recorded a 635.4-kilogram (1,401-pound) equipped bench press during the 2023 International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Tri-Star Bash in Elizabethton, Tennessee. The lift is not only an all-time equipped World Record — surpassing the athlete’s own previous mark of 612.5 kilograms (1,350.3 pounds) from the 2023 IPA Hillbilly Havoc — it is officially the heaviest single lift in powerlifting history. Kolb is the first-ever athlete to break the 1,400-pound barrier on a single lift and was also the first to break the 1,200-pound and 1,300-pound barriers.
Kolb wore a lifting belt, wrist wraps, and a custom bench shirt to support his remarkable milestone. Kolb initially made two unsuccessful attempts at the bench press mark before pushing through to break the record on his third and final try. It did not come without a challenge as Kolb seemingly struggled to lift his loaded barbell up off his chest in a clip of the lift.