On Dec. 10, 2022, Matthews (105KG) won the 2022 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Virginia Pro when he captured a 952.5-kilogram (2,099.3-pound) raw total. Per Open Powerlifting, Matthews’ total is an all-time competition personal record (PR) of 22.2 kilograms (49 pounds). Perhaps not by coincidence, Matthews’ past PR total of 930 kilograms (2,050.3 pounds) occurred at the 2022 USAPL Mega Nationals — the only other win of the athlete’s career.

En route to his best-ever competition total, Matthews notched all-time competition PRs on his bench press by 17.5 kilograms (38.6 pounds) and deadlift by five kilograms (11 pounds). He also matched his all-time best on the back squat. To put a cherry on top, Matthews’ DOTS score of 582.79 — the ratio of an athlete’s body weight to the weight they’re lifting — was the highest recorded in the USAPL this year. The athlete had a body weight of 101.4 kilograms (223.5 pounds) at the contest.

Here’s an overview of Matthews’ top stats from the 2022 USAPL Virginia Pro:

Bobb Matthews (105KG) | 2022 USAPL Virginia Pro Top Stats

• Squat — 340 kilograms (749.6 pounds) | Equals All-Time Raw Competition Best
• Bench Press — 232.5 kilograms (512.6 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition Best
• Deadlift — 380 kilograms (837.8 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition Best
• Total — 952.5 kilograms (2,099.3 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition Best

Matthews usually competes in the 100-kilogram weight class, but moved up in weight for the 2022 USAPL Virginia Pro. Such a competitive decision had him cross paths with peer Ashton Rouska — one of the more prolific competitors in that division, and who has won noteworthy titles like the 2021 USAPL Raw Nationals. Rouska was the defending Virginia Pro champion in the 105-kilogram category, and Matthews’ recent performance ultimately dethroned him.

That said, Matthews’ PR/winning total at the 2022 edition of the Virginia Pro was actually 2.7 kilograms (6.1 pounds) less than Rouska’s winning total at the 2021 iteration of the Virginia Pro. That suggests this pair of powerlifters could have some neck-and-neck battles in the future.

In the comments of Matthews’ Instagram post detailing his results, Rouska deferred to the athlete, offering hearty, congratulatory words of praise. At the same time, he looked ahead to when the two might next square off.

“You did well, Bobb, I am so proud of how far you’ve come,” Rouska wrote. “You have a heart of gold and deserve every ounce of success that is coming your way. This 10-year powerlifter won’t just kneel over and let you win the Arnold [2023 Arnold Sports Festival], though. Time to get to work!”

Featured image: @ssjbobb on Instagram

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On Oct. 1, 2022, Faulk posted a video on his Instagram where he completed a back squat of 300 kilograms (661.4 pounds) raw with wraps during a training session. Faulk also wore a lifting belt and knee sleeves. Per the caption of his post, the staggering squat is a new personal record (PR).

While an unofficial feat, this training squat is 19.8 kilograms (43.7 pounds) more than Faulk’s all-time raw competition best of 280 kilograms (617.3 pounds). The 100-kilogram athlete achieved that mark during a second-place performance in the Men’s Collegiate division at the 2022 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Collegiate Nationals.

 

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[Related: Back Squat Vs. Front Squat: Which, When, and Why]

Faulk’s lofty squat is connected to his preparation for an upcoming mid-October 2022 competition. The same can be said for a 344.7-kilogram (760-pound) deadlift PR from late September 2022. The latter lift drew the attention of fellow 100-kilogram powerlifter and 2022 Mega Nationals champion Bobb Matthews, who wrote to Faulk in the comments of that post, telling him, “I think you are the next guy.”

Notably, for an athlete who has only ever lifted under the USAPL umbrella, Faulk has not specified which contest he will soon feature in at the time of this writing. There are a number of competitions on the USAPL calendar happening from Oct. 15-16, 2022 — the dates that line up with Faulk’s teasing caption of “14 days” and other recent social media posts.

According to Open Powerlifting, Faulk has been a competitive powerlifter since February 2021. As a then-93-kilogram competitor, Faulk won his debut at the 2021 USAPL High School Barbell Bash while competing in the Men’s Teenage division. At the time of this article’s publication, he has only ever competed raw and has won six times while finishing in second place in just one instance.

Here’s a rundown of Faulk’s complete career results to date:

Jalen Faulk | Complete Career Results

• 2021 USAPL High School Barbell Bash (Teenage) — First place
• 2021 USAPL High School and Teen National Championships (Teenage/Varsity) — First place
• 2021 USAPL Warrior Collegiate Open (Collegiate) — First place
• 2021 USAPL Midwest Collegiate Regionals (Collegiate) — First place
• 2022 USAPL Collegiate Nationals (Collegiate) — Second place
• 2022 USAPL Nebraska State Powerlifting Championships (Teenage) — First place

Here’s an overview of Faulk’s all-time raw competition bests:

Jalen Faulk | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat — 280 kilograms (617.3 pounds)
• Bench Press — 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds)
• Deadlift — 328.2 kilograms (722 pounds)
• Total — 784.1 kilograms (1,725.1 pounds)

 

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[Related: Workout Splits Explained — How They Work and Why You Need Them]

Whichever contest Faulk does end up competing in this October, if it’s in line with his past performance, then this young powerlifter may well turn some more heads around the sport.

Featured image: @jj.fau1k on Instagram

The post Watch 18-Year-Old Powerlifter Jalen Faulk Squat 661 Pounds for a New PR appeared first on Breaking Muscle.