The iconic powerlifter continues to show impressive longevity.
On July 10, 2023, World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Mitchell Hooper posted a video to his YouTube channel featuring a leg-training session with strength sports icon Nick Best. After a few practices and a deliberate conversation with his final spotter at Hooper, the 54-year-old Best successfully locked out. 364.2-kilogram (802.9-pound) back squat With the wraps starting at about the 4:45 mark in the video. According to Best in the video, This is now the 27th consecutive year The athlete weighs at least this much for one rep. In a post on her Instagram, Hooper called it an “absolute privilege” to watch the best continue her personal tradition.
“That makes it 27 years now. The first time was in 1996.
Best wore a lifting belt, knee sleeves and wrist wraps. Such equipment set-up counts under the “Wraps” qualification during sanctioned powerlifting. Best remains an active professional powerlifter but retired from competitive strongman in November 2022.
After finishing his squat, Best and Hooper spend the rest of their session performing some deadlifts. At the peak of his pulling division, Best deadlifted 227 kilograms (500.4 pounds), while Hooper worked with 275 kilograms (606.2 pounds). Best wore a lifting belt and lifting straps for his deadlifts, while Hooper just used lifting straps.
Best’s latest milestone comes on the heels of the athlete pushing himself full throttle nearly half a year after a squat nephrectomy — the surgical removal of a kidney. In April 2023, Best shared footage of himself performing seated isolateral rows with a maximum weight of 244.9 kilograms (540 pounds) for eight repetitions. Then, roughly a month later, at the end of May 2023, the best record was A 350-kilogram (771.6-pound) squat with rounds.
If the athlete has seen any ill effects from his surgery recovery, it’s not clear with these two training tidbits. It’s not entirely clear if Best can squat the same weight he’s been squatting for nearly three decades.
At this point in the year, the legend seems to have returned to its traditional full power.
At the time of publication of this article, according to his personal page Open Powerlifting, it has been a year since Best last competed in a powerlifting competition. The athlete has not yet announced when he will compete again but has not ruled out a return. Best might be waiting to fully recover before making any commitments – a logical bet that seems to be working out at the gym with flying colors.
Featured Image: @nickbeststrongman on Instagram
