Jamal Browner became a household name in powerlifting because of the staggering amount of weight he could deadlift. Full stop. However, the athlete is mainly known for the bar-bending weight he can pull off the ground from a sumo stance. It’s his conventional, traditional progress that’s entering the limelight lately.
On Apr. 18, 2023, Browner shared an Instagram video of himself capturing a raw 435-kilogram (959-pound) deadlift from a conventional stance. According to the caption of the athlete’s post, the lift is a personal record (PR) for this deadlift variation. It improves upon a raw conventional deadlift PR from late March 2022 by 2.4 kilograms (5.5 pounds) in just about a month’s time of apparent diligent training. Browner wore lifting straps, donned a lifting belt, and also utilized a traditional grip for the pull.
Browner getting his conventional deadlift to catch up to his sumo deadlift probably shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s paid attention to his training exploits. Though, it might still take some time and consistency before the athlete’s conventional pulling matches his sumo pulling. After all, some might consider deadlifting from a sumo stance “easier” for athletes, considering the wider stance lowers the range of motion that a person needs to pull their stacked barbell off the ground.
If anyone can make rapid progress and transcend past such potential deadlift disclaimers, it’s probably Browner. The powerlifter has been steadily sharing clips of different examples of his raw conventional deadlift preparation. In mid-April 2023, Browner posted a video of himself completing a 365-kilogram (804-pound) raw conventional pulling session for five reps. Shortly before that, Browner disclosed a clip where he deadlifted 422.5 kilograms (931.4 pounds) with stunning ease.
Browner has not clarified what his precise goals are from a conventional deadlift pulling stance. Presumably, at the very least, the athlete wants to break the raw 1,000-pound barrier in a sanctioned competition. Browner already achieved this officially from a sumo stance when he scored the raw all-time deadlift World Record of 455 kilograms (1,003 pounds) in the 110-kilogram division at the 2022 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Raw Pro.
From a macro scale, Browner has nothing to prove as a deadlifter. For many, he has probably cemented himself as one of the greatest pullers of all time. That said, if he can make deadlifting at least 1,000 pounds from the sumo and conventional stance, his already sizable legacy may only grow in scope.
Featured image: @jamal_b15 on Instagram
