Progression of the squat world record

Listed below is the progression of raw squat world record since its introduction as the 'knee bent' and through the emergence of powerlifting and segregation into sleeves and wraps.^[1]^[2]

Key
Measured weight

Historical

Weight	Holder	Date	Event	Location	Equipment	Ref.
240 kg (529.1 lb)	Karl Moerke	1919	Moerke vs. Goerner Duel	Cologne, Germany	None	^[3]
251 kg (553.4 lb)	Henry 'Milo' Steinborn	1920	Knee-bent Exhibition	Düsseldorf, Germany	None	^[4]
272.2 kg (600 lb)	Doug Hepburn	Dec 1951	Manhattan's Greatest Physical Fitness Show of the Year	New York City, USA	None	^[5]
299.6 kg (660.5 lb)	Paul Anderson	Dec 1952	Chattanooga & Tennessee Weightlifting Championships	Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA	None	^[6]
324.2 kg (714.8 lb)	Paul Anderson	May 1953	Boys' Club Exhibition	Georgia, USA	None	^[7]
345.8 kg (762.3 lb)	Paul Anderson	Jul 1953	Bill Colonna's Strength-Fest Picnic	Norfolk, Virginia, USA	None	^[8]
408.2 kg (900 lb)	Paul Anderson	1965	Exhibition at powerlifting contest	Silver Spring, Maryland, USA	None	^[9]
421.4 kg (929 lb)	Paul Anderson	Jul 1965	Region 3 Power Lift Championships	Dallas, Texas, USA	None	^[10]^[11]

From this point onwards, powerlifting became mainstream and knee wraps and knee sleeves were introduced.

With wraps

Weight	Holder	Date	Event	Location	Equipment	Ref.
423.9 kg (934.5 lb)	Don Reinhoudt	Apr 1976	AAU/IPF Senior Nationals	Ohio, USA	Belt & Wraps	^[12]
430 kg (948.0 lb)	Mark Henry	Jul 1995	ADFPA Men's Nationals	Pennsylvania, USA	Belt & Wraps	^[13]
432.5 kg (953.5 lb)	Mark Henry	Oct 1995	WDFPF World Championships	Sussex, England	Belt & Wraps	^[13]
442.5 kg (975.5 lb)	Robert Wilkerson	Jun 2010	SPF National Powerlifting and Bench Press Championship	Texas, USA	Belt & Wraps	^[14]
450 kg (992.1 lb)	Andrey Malanichev	Dec 2010	BB Worldlifting	Moscow, Russia	Belt & Wraps	^[15]
453.6 kg (1000 lb)	Robert Wilkerson	Mar 2011	SPF Ironman Classic	Texas, USA	Belt & Wraps	^[14]
460 kg (1014.1 lb)	Andrey Malanichev	Feb 2014	RUPC Raw Unity VII	Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA	Belt & Wraps	^[15]
475 kg (1047.2 lb)	Andrey Malanichev	Dec 2015	WRPF World Championships	Moscow, Russia	Belt & Wraps	^[15]
485 kg (1069.2 lb)	Andrey Malanichev	Oct 2016	ProRaw Big Dogs	Frankston, Victoria, Australia	Belt & Wraps	^[15]
500 kg (1102.3 lb)	Vlad Alhazov	Jul 2017	NPA Open Israel Championship	Rishon LeZion, Israel	Belt & Wraps	^[16]
505 kg (1113.3 lb)	Vlad Alhazov	Mar 2018	ProRaw X	Melbourne, Australia	Belt & Wraps	^[16]
510 kg (1124.4 lb)	Vlad Alhazov	Dec 2018	WRPF Adrenaline Grand Prix	Minsk, Belarus	Belt & Wraps	^[16]
525 kg (1157.4 lb)	Vlad Alhazov	Dec 2018	WRPF Adrenaline Grand Prix	Minsk, Belarus	Belt & Wraps	^[16]

With sleeves

Weight	Holder	Date	Event	Location	Equipment	Ref.
438 kg (965.6 lb)	Ray Williams	Jun 2016	IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships	Killeen, Texas, USA	Belt & Sleeves	^[17]
456 kg (1005.3 lb)	Ray Williams	Oct 2016	USAPL Raw Nationals	Atlanta, Georgia, USA	Belt & Sleeves	^[18]
477.5 kg (1052.7 lb)	Ray Williams	Mar 2017	NAPF Arnold Slingshot Pro American	Columbus, Ohio, USA	Belt & Sleeves	^[17]
485 kg (1069.2 lb)	Ray Williams	Mar 2018	USAPL Arnold SBD Pro American	Columbus, Ohio, USA	Belt & Sleeves	^[17]
490 kg (1080.3 lb)	Ray Williams	Mar 2019	USAPL Arnold SBD Pro American	Columbus, Ohio, USA	Belt & Sleeves	^[17]

References

^ "The History of the Squat". Bodybuilding.com. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ "Superstars of the Squat World Record by STRENGTH UNIVERSE". YouTube. 4 October 2021.
^ Sig Klein (2 February 2018). "Squat". strongman.org/. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ Jake Boly (31 July 2023). "Milo Steinborn Is One Reason We Squat The Way We Do Today". Barbend. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ Thurston, Tom (2003). Strongman: The Doug Hepburn Story. Vancouver: Ronsdale Press. ISBN 1553800095.
^ Strossen p. 17
^ Randall J. Strossen (30 May 1999). "Paul Anderson, King Of The Squat". Clarence and Carol Bass. Ripped Enterprises. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ Jim Murray (December 1994). "Paul Anderson, Superman From the South" (PDF). Iron Game History. 3 (5): 11.
^ Strossen p. 70
^ Wilhelm, Bruce (April 1993). "Paul Anderson: Force of Nature". Milo. Vol. 1, no. 1. p. 11.
^ David Chapman (August 1994). "Paul Anderson 1932-1994" (PDF). Iron Game History. 3 (4): 3.
^ "900 Pound Unequipped Squat Hall of Fame | Powerlifting Watch". Archived from the original on 7 November 2006.
^ ^a ^b Open Powerlifting (26 July 1997). "Mark Henry #1 (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b Open Powerlifting (26 June 2021). "Robert Wilkerson (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Open Powerlifting (3 August 2019). "Andrey Malanichev (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Open Powerlifting (22 December 2018). "Vladislav Alhazov (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Open Powerlifting (4 August 2024). "Ray Williams #1 (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ Powerlifting by Fred (17 October 2016). "Ray Williams, 1005 lb Raw Squat, USAPL, 2016". YouTube. Retrieved 12 September 2025.

[1] "The History of the Squat". Bodybuilding.com. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[2] "Superstars of the Squat World Record by STRENGTH UNIVERSE". YouTube. 4 October 2021.

[karl-3] Sig Klein (2 February 2018). "Squat". strongman.org/. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[milo-4] Jake Boly (31 July 2023). "Milo Steinborn Is One Reason We Squat The Way We Do Today". Barbend. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[Thurston-5] Thurston, Tom (2003). Strongman: The Doug Hepburn Story. Vancouver: Ronsdale Press. ISBN 1553800095.

[6] Strossen p. 17

[paul1-7] Randall J. Strossen (30 May 1999). "Paul Anderson, King Of The Squat". Clarence and Carol Bass. Ripped Enterprises. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[paul2-8] Jim Murray (December 1994). "Paul Anderson, Superman From the South" (PDF). Iron Game History. 3 (5): 11.

[9] Strossen p. 70

[Wilhelm-10] Wilhelm, Bruce (April 1993). "Paul Anderson: Force of Nature". Milo. Vol. 1, no. 1. p. 11.

[paul3-11] David Chapman (August 1994). "Paul Anderson 1932-1994" (PDF). Iron Game History. 3 (4): 3.

[900_pounds_squat_hall_of_fame-12] "900 Pound Unequipped Squat Hall of Fame | Powerlifting Watch". Archived from the original on 7 November 2006.

[mark-13] Open Powerlifting (26 July 1997). "Mark Henry #1 (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[robert-14] Open Powerlifting (26 June 2021). "Robert Wilkerson (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[andrey-15] Open Powerlifting (3 August 2019). "Andrey Malanichev (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[vlad-16] Open Powerlifting (22 December 2018). "Vladislav Alhazov (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[ray-17] Open Powerlifting (4 August 2024). "Ray Williams #1 (M)". openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 19 September 2024.

[18] Powerlifting by Fred (17 October 2016). "Ray Williams, 1005 lb Raw Squat, USAPL, 2016". YouTube. Retrieved 12 September 2025.

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