Kolb’s bench press is the heaviest lift in powerlifting history.
Written by Robert Zeglinski
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.
With Kolb’s equipped bench World Record in the account, here’s an overview of the current equipped World Record for each of the staple exercises in powerlifting:
All-Time Powerlifting Equipped World Records
- Squat — Nathan Baptist (595 kilograms/1,311.7 pounds)
- Bench Press — Jimmy Kolb (635.4 kilograms/1,401 pounds)
- Deadlift — Andy Bolton (457.5 kilograms/1,008.6 pounds)
Here’s a rundown of the athlete’s all-time equipped competition bests:
Jimmy Kolb | All-Time Equipped Competition Bests
- Squat — 410 kilograms (903.9 pounds)
- Bench Press — 635.5 kilograms (1,401 pounds) — Heaviest Lift In Powerlifting History and All-Time World Record
- Deadlift — 317.5 kilograms (700 pounds)
- Total — 1,093.1 kilograms (2,410 pounds)
Beyond a penchant for incredible, jaw-dropping lifts, Kolb is similarly prolific in overall competitions. After notching the win in the 140-plus kilogram class at the 2023 IPA Tri-Star Bash, the athlete has now emerged triumph in 42 of 51 career contests dating back to April 2009, per his page on Open Powerlifting.
In his Instagram, Kolb was appropriately humbled by his achievement and all the people who have helped him along his strength journey.
“1,400 pounds, we did it,” Kolb wrote. “The number of people I have in my corner that are genuinely good humbles me and this absolutely wouldn’t have happened without them. Thank you.”
Featured image: @kolbstrong on Instagram
About Robert Zeglinski
Robert is a seasoned and adept editor and writer with a keen, passionate penchant for the writing craft. He’s been a leader in newsrooms such as SB Nation, USA TODAY, and WBBM Newsradio, with various other content and art production teams, and first made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago. When not knee-deep in research or lost in a stream of consciousness for a thorough piece, you can find Robert inhaling yet another novel, journaling his heart out, or playing with his Shiba Inu, Maximus (Max, for short).