Hey ironfreaks!! I hope lifting has been good to you as it has to me. I hope to increase the involvement of power lifting by delivering news from the power lifting world every other month or so. I hope you all are interested in this stuff and I know I can't get enough of it. Since this is first one, I'll try my best to cover the events that occurred over the last few months

Ed Coan

First off, For a while Ed Coan was the biggest squatter of all time with a 1026 squat(let me know if this isn't correct). This was a long while before Brent MikeSell come out of nowhere is hits 1041 on the squat. This was back last year. He shocked the powerlifting world by surpassing Ed Coan on the squat. What makes this guy even more unreal is that he broke his own record several months later with a 1074 squat which now stands to this day.

Brent Mikesell

I read an interview about the new squat king and he's very down-to-earth. Could you imagine one of your teachers squatting over 1000lbs...yes you heard right...Brent Mikesell is a teacher by day. Brent Mikesell is also one of those guys who don't "sugar coat" things. Brent Mikesell also has nine fingers which means that his gripping strength is amazing. Look for this guy to hit 1100 either this year or the next.

These days, more and more guys are hitting 700 on the bench press so that long list of big bencher is getting bigger with 31 lifters in the US hitting 700 or more on the bench press. Now those guys are shooting for the big 800 which only one man has achieved...Anthony Clark. But two guys that should be recognized is Scot Mendelson and George Halbert.

Mendelson competes in the 308 weight class and back last year, he blasted up 716 and from what I read it sounds like he did it with ease, thanks to a few "knockdown" slaps from his wife. Then months later, benched 738 the same way...with ease.

Mendelson was rising to the 800 mark quickly. Then lastly, just a few months ago, Mendelson does it again with 766!!! and does it with a torn quad...what a powerlifter!! At USAPowerlifters, I mentioned that Mendelson and Brandenburg, another 308 lifter whose after the 800 on the bench, were the guys who I thought would hit 800. But then out of nowhere, Ryan Kennelly, hits 768 and then a few weeks later hits 780. I also heard recently that he's hit 800 in the gym so this guy maybe even closer to that mark than Mendelson and Brandenburg.

George Halbert

But then what about George Halbert... Halbert made his mark in powerlifting last year. He competes in the 220s, but he's bench can hang with the big boys of the superheavyweights. When he was a 198 lifter, he benched an amazing 683.

If you thought that was unreal, Halbert does 733 at 220(3.40 time BW) at the bench for cash meet. Halbert did more times his bodyweight than Mendelson, Kennelly, or Brandenburg putting him in a class all by himself.

He eventually won $4500 for that amazing feat of strength. Halbert is also on of Louie Simmons' lifters out of the infamous Westside Barbell Club (www.westside-barbell.com) in Columbus which as produced lots of lifters benching 500 and 600 and a handful benching 700 with their training techniques. He also has a video out on benching as well. Halbert has now been considered to be one of the World's Strongest Men because of his bench and it hard to say that he isn't folks!!

The 2500 Club

And last but not least, there also has been someone who been trying to do the best total of all time. For a long while, powerlifters here in the US has been trying to break the 2500 barrier that powerlifters in Germany and elsewhere has been making....until now. Up do date, Ed Coan was the only lifter to total out in the upper 2400s. Garry Frank, last year, squatted 1003, benched 738 and deadlifted 859 (missed 903) to finish out with an amazing 2601.

He previously broke the 2500 barrier and then does 2530 thereafter and before he did 2601, so he broke this barrier three times. He competes in the superheavyweight class at powerlifting meets but this was amazing still. Then before the end of 2001, Frank does it again squatting 1008, benching 733, and deadlifting 865 totaling out an amazing 2606 making it the fourth time breaking the barrier and record. People say and I agree...Frank has the power to hit 2700 this year or the next, but stay tuned!!!

There is more news, but you'll have to wait. Gotta keep ya on your seats folks!! Oh, forgot to mention this.. Brent Mikesell also has a video on squatting so if you want more info about how to get Brent Mikesell's squatting video or Halbert's benching video or any other video on powerlifting, email me at fusionmuscle@w3.to and hopefully I can help out.

In issue #2, I'll talk about the smaller...more powerful guys in the sport as well as the young ones that are rising to the top. I hope to introduce Bodybuilding.com to powerlifting as it is and I want to introduce the lifters in them. Well, until next time ironfreaks....stay big!!

Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail by clicking here

Curtis D.
hybridstrength@yahoo.com
http://www.angelfire.com/al3/optimummuscle/system.html

YES, I WANT TO READ MORE OF CURT'S POWERLIFTING ARTICLES

Click here to find out more information on Curtis Dennis Jr.

Email Curtis Dennis Jr:  ironhercules@hotmail.com

Website: NATURALFREAK ONLINE