Some bodybuilders make it a point mainly to showcase their ripped, stacked physiques. They typically demonstrate their remarkable training progress through pictures and posing videos. Versatile bodybuilder and powerlifter Joe Mackey still generally adheres to these unofficial principles, but he’s a bit more unique in the strength presentation regard.
On Apr. 15, 2023, Mackey shared an Instagram video of himself capturing a 362.8-kilogram (800-pound) deadlift for four repetitions during a recent training session. According to the caption of the athlete’s post, the set is a four-rep personal record (PR). Mackey donned a lifting belt and utilized lifting straps to help him with the monstrous strength feat. He used a conventional stance with a traditional grip.
Scoring titanic deadlifts that literally bend a loaded barbell is nothing out of the ordinary for Mackey. He regularly makes it a point to showcase his deadlift-focused power, especially over his Instagram profile. The approximate past year alone has meant tremendous progress for the athlete in a few extraordinary cases.
In late April 2022, Mackey officially joined the 408.2-kilogram (900-pound) raw deadlift club with a massive single PR. Later, at the Iron Wars VI in May 2022, Mackey recorded a 385.5-kilogram (850-pound) raw pull. Then, in January 2023, Mackey officially topped his previous single PR with a raw deadlift of 412.8 kilograms (910 pounds) at the Iron Wars VII.
In a display of pure leg prowess, Mackey has shown off other aspects of his strength lately, too. A 449-kilogram (990-pound) hack squat for five reps from March 2023 is a perfect example. Because an athlete must primarily rely on their quads to finish hack squat repetitions by the nature of the machine, it’s clear Mackey hasn’t neglected other aspects of his lower body.
Outside of a powerlifting and strength context, Mackey fared relatively well in some of his most recent bodybuilding forays. Mackey finished in fourth place in the Men’s Open division at the 2022 Tampa Pro and followed that up with a ninth-place performance at the 2022 Texas Pro. While unconfirmed at the time of this article’s publication, Mackey will presumably work on qualifying for his first-ever Mr. Olympia in November after falling short of reaching the sport’s pinnacle competition in 2022. To achieve that theoretical mission, he will have to win an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League contest on the 2023 calendar.
With a solid portion of 2023 remaining, it seems Mackey is able to make this year his oyster in various respects as an athlete. Whatever his upcoming plans are, if there’s a fitness box to check, it’s apparent Mackey will make every effort to fill it up with his metaphorical graphite pencil.
Featured image: @jmackey33_ifbbpro on Instagram
