Connor’s raw IPF World Record deadlift eclipses her own previous massive pulling feat of 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds). The athlete captured that accomplishment during the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. Approximately a calendar year later, Connor has rewritten the record books by herself, adding an astonishing 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds) to the 47-kilogram class’s raw deadlift record. Connor wore a lifting belt while utilizing a sumo stance and a mixed grip on her loaded barbell for the historic pull.

A former two-time IPF world champion (2017, 2019), the 2023 IPF Worlds was, officially, Connor’s second attempt at regaining the top mantle in the 47-kilogram division. Unfortunately for the athlete, Connor’s efforts have aligned with the rise of the now three-time 47-kilogram world champion in Chapon. Nevertheless, taking home a record on a signature lift is never a bad consolation prize.

Here’s an overview of Connor’s top stats from the 2023 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships:

Heather Connor (47KG) | 2023 IPF Worlds Top Stats

• Squat — 132.5 kilograms (292.1 pounds)
• Bench Press — 75 kilograms (165.3 pounds)
• Deadlift — 200 kilograms (440.9 pounds) | IPF World Record
• Total — 407.5 kilograms (898.4 pounds)

Notably, per a reflective post on Connor’s Instagram profile, the powerlifter almost had to overcome a measure of health adversity to score her latest World Record deadlift. The athlete wrote that she heard “popping sounds” while performing a back squat and that the prospect of competing while injured was “terrifying.” At the time of this writing, Connor has not provided more specifics on the extent of her ailment or clarified if there was anything even wrong.

It appears to have merely been a minor scare in the latest chapter of a powerlifting great.

“This is the happiest and healthiest I’ve been in a long while,” Connor started. “Being able to go back and forth with attempts to pull a massive World Record to get on the podium was unreal. It was exciting and what I believe makes the sport [of powerlifting] so much more fun to watch.”

Based on her previous competitive precedent, Connor will likely compete in at least one more sanctioned contest before the end of 2023. For one, the athlete is the defending Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Girl Power champion. Plus, further appearances are just more golden opportunities for a famous deadlifter to break more of her own records.

Featured image: @theipf on Instagram

The post Heather Connor (47KG) Deadlifts 200 Kilograms (440.9 Pounds) For IPF World Record appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On May 5, 2023, Connor posted an Instagram reel of herself performing a unique cluster set — a training technique that involves very brief rest between repetitions. She began the set by deadlifting 190 kilograms (418.9 pounds) for a single rep. Her spotters immediately added more weight to the bar and, a few seconds later, she quickly performed a rep with 195 kilograms (430 pounds). Connor appears to have mistakenly listed the 195-kilogram lift as “424” pounds in the post’s caption.

The second repetition was above her current all-time World Record of 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) that she pulled at the 2021 USAPL Raw Nationals. Both reps were above her current IPF World Record of 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds) that she achieved at the 2022 IPF World Classic meet, which she referenced in the text on the video.

Connor approached the bar in her familiar sumo stance, grabbed the barbell with a close grip, and lifted it straight up to a lockout. Once she returned the barbell to the floor, she stepped away while the other plates were added outside of the collars.

She then quickly returned to the barbell, repositioned herself, and began the second pull. The second rep was slower than the first, but she successfully locked out the rep before ending the set with a shout of excitement. She was wearing a singlet and weightlifting belt during the lifts.

Connor is a two-time IPF world champion in the 47-kilogram division, having won those championships in 2017 and 2019. She placed second to Tiffany Chapon at the 2022 edition of the contest. Her most recent meet was at the 2023 AMP Classic National Championships, where she placed second to Jessica Espinal. Connor’s lifts at that meet are as follows.

Heather Connor | 2023 AMP Classic National Championships

• Squat — 137.5 kilograms (303.1 pounds)
• Bench Press — 70 kilograms (154.3 pounds)
• Deadlift — 187.5 kilograms (413.3 pounds)
• Total — 395 kilograms (870.7 pounds)

If Connor were to win her weight class at the upcoming meet in Malta, it would be her third world championship. With four weeks remaining until the competition, this recent training clip may lead some powerlifting fans to believe that Connor has the potential to pull 200 kilograms (440 pounds). If she were to achieve that lift, she would be the first woman in her weight class to break that barrier.

Featured Image: @heather.e.connor on Instagram

The post Powerlifter Heather Connor (47 KG) Deadlifts 195 Kilograms (430 Pounds) in Training, Unofficially Breaks Her Own World Record appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Dec. 31, 2022, Connor posted a video to her Instagram where the athlete successfully deadlifts 177.5 kilograms (391.3 pounds) raw for six reps. According to a black bar caption in Connor’s clip, it’s a six-rep personal record (PR).

Ending 2022 off strong. Period.

Connor completed the PR pull from a sumo stance while utilizing just a lifting belt.

A staggering PR deadlift is nothing new for Connor. It actually follows her increasingly growing precedence as one of the powerlifting world’s premier active deadlifters.

Connor is the current International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) 47-kilogram raw deadlift World Record holder, with a massive pull of 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds) from the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. After a three-year absence from the tentpole international powerlifting contest, that World Record deadlift helped Connor secure a second-place finish to French phenom Tiffany Chapon.

According to Open Powerlifting, Connor also possesses the all-time raw deadlift World Record deadlift in the 47-kilogram weight class. The athlete set that benchmark when she pulled 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) at the 2021 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals in a fourth-place performance.

Some of Connor’s recent non-competition deadlifts before she went all out on New Year’s Eve 2022 are also eye-opening. They might even tease inevitable continued greatness for a powerlifter that pushes the boundary with a loaded barbell in her hands.

After showing out at the 2022 IPF Worlds, Connor completed a deadlift double of 190 kilograms (418.9 pounds) in a mid-September 2022 training session — roughly 11 pounds more than her current IPF World Record. Then, not to be outdone (by herself), in mid-November 2022, Connor deadlifted 202.5 kilograms (446 pounds). That pull was more than 20 pounds over her record mark. Perhaps most notably, it was her heaviest-ever pull — either in a sanctioned competition or in general training.

A former two-time IPF World Champion (2017, 2019), it seems as if Connor is gearing up for another powerful run in 2023. For one of the world’s true powerlifting fixtures, it will very likely feature an assortment of earth-shattering deadlifts in the coming weeks and months.

Featured image: @heather.e.connor on Instagram

The post Heather Connor Looks Ahead to 2023 After a 177.5 Kilogram (391.3-Pound) Six-Rep Deadlift PR appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Nov. 17, 2022, Heather Connor shared an Instagram clip of herself capturing a raw 202.5-kilogram (446-pound) deadlift during a training session. According to the caption of her post, the earth-shattering pull is a personal record (PR) for the athlete. It’s also her heaviest-ever deadlift (in training or competition), finally surpassing her previous training PR, a 200-kilogram (440-pound) pull from December 2020. The competitor wore a lifting belt to help her with her strength achievement.

Per Open Powerlifting, while unofficial because it didn’t occur during a sanctioned lifting contest, Connor’s deadlift exceeds her own all-time raw World Record of 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) in the 47-kilogram weight class by 9.8 kilograms (21.6 pounds). Connor achieved that record mark at the 2021 USAPL Raw Nationals.

Not that it’s particularly surprising based on her consistency, but it’s generally been a steady year of excellence for Connor across the board.

The 47-kilogram powerlifter participated in three major contests — the 2022 Powerlifting America (AMP) Classic Open Nationals Presented By SBD , the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships, and the 2022 Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Girl Power. She captured a victory in two of the contests (the AMP Nationals and the FFForce Girl Power) while still finishing in second during the IPF Worlds to potential new competitive rival Tiffany Chapon. That same competition saw Connor set the 47-kilogram division’s IPF World Record deadlift of 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds).

On purely a training basis, it’s seemingly been nothing but raw milestone after raw milestone for Connor.

In May 2022, Connor deadlifted 195 kilograms (429 pounds) — 4.3 times her body weight of 45 kilograms (99 pounds) at the time of the accomplishment and two kilograms (4.6 pounds) above her current World Record. Then, in August 2022, the athlete showed off her leg power on the squat, notching a 152.5-kilogram (336-pound) PR. That mark eclipsed her official raw all-time competition best of 143 kilograms (315.2 pounds) from the 2021 USAPL Raw Nationals. Finally, in September 2022, Connor achieved a 190-kilogram (418.9-pound) deadlift for a double PR; a mark also five kilograms (11 pounds) more than her IPF World Record.

At the time of this writing, Connor doesn’t appear to have any plans for a powerlifting competition before the close of the 2022 calendar year. Connor’s probably earned the right to bask before her next potential wave of strength glory.

Featured image: heather.e.connor on Instagram

The post Heather Connor Deadlifts More Than 20 Pounds Over Her Own World Record in Training appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Additionally, Connor’s training deadlift unofficially exceeds her current International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) raw deadlift World Record in the 47-kilogram weight class by five kilograms (11 pounds). Per the IPF database, Connor achieved that official mark of 185 kilograms (407.9 pounds) during a second-place performance at the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa, this past early June. 

Check out Connor’s new PR in the video below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Heather Connor (@heather.e.connor)

[Related: How to Do the Goblet Squat for Lower Body Size and Mobility]

According to the caption of Connor’s post, she went to the hospital on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, but did not share details. Connor noted that she was back in the gym, notching her latest deadlift training milestone just a few days after her hospital visit.

Connor’s latest display of deadlift prowess is part of her preparation for the upcoming 2022 Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Girl Power in France. While the precise location of the competition in France is unclear at the time of this article’s publication, it will take place on Oct. 15, 2022. It will also serve as Connor’s debut in a sanctioned French powerlifting environment. 

This example of leg power continues a recent excellent string of achievements for Connor in the gym. Roughly a week before her new double PR, in mid-September 2022, Connor scored a 185-kilogram (407.9-pound) deadlift double. Earlier in the same month, Connor successfully locked out a 200.5 kilogram (442-pound) deadlift single-rep PR, unofficially exceeding her World Record by 15.5 kilograms (34.1 pounds).

Factor in Connor taking home a back squat PR by over 20 pounds in late August 2022, and it seems the two-time IPF World Champion (2018-2019) is on the ascent in training. Here’s an overview of her all-time raw competition bests:

Heather Connor (47KG) | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat (Raw) — 143 kilograms (315.2 pounds)
• Bench Press (Raw) — 75 kilograms (165.3 pounds)
• Deadlift (Raw) — 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) | American Record 
• Total (Raw) — 410 kilograms (903.9 pounds) 

Connor could see her new potential competitive rival, Tiffany Chapon, at the 2022 FFForce Girl Power. Chapon finished ahead of Connor for first place in the 47-kilogram weight class with record-breaking results at the 2022 IPF Worlds. Aside from a reference to disappointment for Connor after the IPF Worlds, neither athlete has made any public allusions to one another since the competition. Chapon has also not confirmed she would compete in France in mid-October. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Heather Connor (@heather.e.connor)

[Related: How to Do the Standing Calf Raise for Complete Leg Development]

If Chapon locks in her place in the 47-kilogram division with Connor at the contest, this category might have yet another battle between two elite strength sports athletes in store. 

Featured image: @heather.e.connor on Instagram

The post Watch Heather Connor (47KG) Deadlift 11 Pounds More Than the IPF World Record Twice appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On August 29, 2022, Connor shared an Instagram clip of herself completing a 152.5-kilogram (336-pound) raw back squat during a training session. The feat is a personal record (PR) for Connor, and it also eclipses her all-time competition best by 9.4 kilograms (20.8 pounds). Connor previously notched her competition best back squat of 143 kilograms (315.2 pounds) at the 2021 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Raw Nationals. 

Connor wore a lifting belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves while achieving her new squat PR. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Heather Connor (@heather.e.connor)

[Related: The Best Landmine Workouts for More Muscle and Better Conditioning]

Connor’s strides with her squat are a part of her overall preparation for the upcoming 2022 Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Girl Power in France. The competition will take place on October 15, while its precise location is still unclear at the time of this writing. The contest will mark Connor’s debut in a sanctioned French lifting setting.

The athlete has competed on an international lifting platform before. Connor is a two-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion in the 47-kilogram weight class (2018-2019). Her most recent appearance at the IPF Worlds earlier this summer saw the American athlete score a new deadlift IPF World Record of 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds). That staggering pull helped Connor to an eventual second-place finish behind the victor, Tiffany Chapon. 

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

Heather Connor (47KG) | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat (Raw) — 143 kilograms (315.2 pounds)
• Bench Press (Raw) — 75 kilograms (165.3 pounds)
• Deadlift (Raw) — 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) | American Record 
• Total (Raw) — 410 kilograms (903.9 pounds) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Heather Connor (@heather.e.connor)

[Related: How to Do the Kettlebell Swing for Explosive Power, Strength, and Conditioning]

At the time of this article’s publication, Chapon has not made a public allusion to competing in the 2022 FFForce Girl Power against Connor. After falling short to Chapon at the 2022 IPF Worlds in South Africa, Connor seemed disappointed at her performance while giving credit to her peer.  

“Not my best, certainly not my worst, but today is what I had in me,” Connor wrote in a reflective June 6 Instagram post. “The stronger lifter [Chapon] won today, and I’m perfectly okay with that.”

A win at the Girl Power contest, regardless of whether Chapon participates, would undoubtedly be a quality way for Connor to bounce back from her finish in South Africa. In the event there is a confirmation, Connor and Chapon could start making for a fascinating, back-and-forth rivalry in the 47-kilogram weight class in the coming years. 

Featured image: @heather.e.connor on Instagram

The post Powerlifter Heather Connor Captures a Squat PR By Over 20 Pounds appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

It’s been a little while since Connor lifted on one of the more prestigious international lifting platforms. The powerlifter hadn’t competed in the IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships since 2019, where she came in first place for the second time in her career (2017, 2019). She made her return to the 2022 edition in Sun City, South Africa, and she didn’t disappoint. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by IPF Powerlifting (@theipf)

[Related: Why You Should Be Greasing The Groove During Your Workouts]

Notably, Connor surpassed her own deadlift World Record by nine kilograms (18.8 pounds). Connor previously set that figure with a pull of 176 kilograms (388 pounds) during the 2019 IPF World Championships — her last appearance at the competition before this month. Connor completed the deadlift from a conventional stance while wearing a lifting belt. 

Here’s a complete rundown of the top stats from her entire performance:

Heather Connor (47KG) | 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships Stats

• Squat — 142.5 kilograms (314.2 pounds)
• Bench Press — 70 kilograms (154.3 pounds)
• Deadlift — 185 kilograms (407.9 pounds) —  IPF World Record 
• Total — 397.5 kilograms (876.3 pounds) 

Connor had been especially hard at work with her deadlift in preparation for this year’s competition. The American athlete actually pulled 195 kilograms (429 pounds) —  roughly 21 kilograms more than her new World Record — during a recent May 2022 training session. She also captured that pull from a conventional stance with just a lifting belt. The powerlifter did make a 193-kilogram (423.5-pound) attempt during the competition but was unable to lock it out successfully.

Connor’s Performance in Context

Thanks to her World Record deadlift, Connor fared quite well in the overall results for the 47-kilogram weight class. Her 397.5-kilogram (876.3-pound) total was enough to finish in second place. Thanks to a few records of her own, fellow 47KG powerlifter Tiffany Chapon took home first place. 

That said, while she notched a new deadlift World Record, Connor didn’t seem pleased with her results in a post on her Instagram.

“Not my best, certainly not my worst, but today is what I had in me,” Connor wrote. “The stronger lifter [Chapon] won today, and I’m perfectly okay with that.”

According to Connor, part of her second-place finish may have resulted from travel issues, which interfered with her training routine. Though, she seemed to be accepting of her unfortunate situation. 

“My circumstances weren’t ideal no matter what way you look at it: Constant cancellations and five days of travel to get somewhere which at one point almost seemed impossible,” Connor wrote. “Missed training days due to these circumstances, and all I can say about it is: ‘It is what it is.'”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by IPF Powerlifting (@theipf)

[Related: Deloading 101: What Is A Deload And How Do You Do It?]

If it’s any consolation for Connor, making the podium at an international competition is still noteworthy in the powerlifting sphere. It might be even more impressive that she managed to do it at the IPF Worlds after not participating for two years.

There’s assuredly a lot more for Connor to achieve through the rest of her career. She might even use this second-place, deadlift-record-breaking performance as added motivation to get back to the top. 

Featured image: @theipf on Instagram

The post Heather Connor (47KG) Breaks Deadlift World Record With 185-Kilogram Pull At 2022 IPF World Championships appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On May 21, 2022, Connor deadlifted 195 kilograms (429 pounds) while wearing just a lifting belt during a training session. According to the caption of Connor’s Instagram post, the pull is her heaviest ever in a pre-competition phase. Connor will take part in the upcoming 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships on June 6-12, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa. 

Check out the deadlift that is 4.3 times Connor’s bodyweight of 45 kilograms (99 pounds) below, via her Instagram profile:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Heather Connor (@heather.e.connor)

[Related: Rhianon Lovelace Records 241-Kilogram (530-Pound) Deadlift, Breaks British Raw Deadlift Record]

Notably, the 195-kilogram (429-pound) pull is actually Connor’s second-heaviest deadlift ever — in training or sanctioned competition. The powerlifter’s heaviest deadlift came in training on December 31, 2020, when she lifted 200 kilograms (440 pounds).

“Heaviest I have pulled before a competition, not bad after traveling almost 16 hours the day prior,”

Meanwhile, Connor’s best-ever deadlift in a competition is 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) from both the 2021 Ireland-UA ABS Pro and the 2021 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Raw Nationals. That figure gives Connor the current American record in the 48-kilogram weight class. 

Connor in Context

Connor has made a name for herself in the strength sports world with her deadlift prowess. The American athlete is the current owner of the IPF 47-kilogram deadlift World Record, thanks to a pull of 176 kilograms (388 pounds) from the 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. 

Here’s a rundown of each of Connor’s best-ever marks in competitions:

Heather Connor | Top Lift Stats

• Squat (Raw) — 143 kilograms (315.2 pounds)
• Bench Press (Raw) — 165.3 kilograms (364.4 pounds)
• Deadlift (Raw) — 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) | American Record 
• Total (Raw) — 410 kilograms (903.9 pounds) 

While her two IPF World Championships are some noteworthy peaks, they’re not all Connor can point to when it comes to stellar finishes. Here are some of Connor’s standout results from her career:

Heather Connor | Notable Career Results

• 2014 USAPL Fall Festival of Power (Raw) — First place | Juniors
• 2015 USAPL Battle on the Border IX (Raw) — First place | Juniors
• 2015 USAPL Raw Nationals (Raw) — Second place | Open
• 2016 North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) Arnolds StartingStrength.com Pro Raw Challenge (Raw) — First place | Open
• 2016 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships (Raw) — Second place | Open
• 2016, 2018-2019, 2021 USAPL Raw Nationals (Raw) — First place | Open
• 2017, 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships (Raw) — First place | Open
• 2020 USAPL Palmetto Classic (Raw) — First place | Open
• 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals (Raw) — First place | Open

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Heather Connor (@heather.e.connor)

[Related: Powerlifter Jessica Buettner (76KG) Captures 4 National Records During 2022 CPU Nationals]

The IPF Worlds Are Next 

Connor will soon take her impressive deadlift strength to a formal lifting platform. After a two-year absence from the competition, she’ll feature in the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships on June 6-12, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa. If all goes according to plan, she may well even extend the current IPF World Record. 

Featured image: @heather.e.connor on Instagram

The post Powerlifter Heather Connor Deadlifts 195 Kilograms (429 Pounds) at 44.9KG Bodyweight appeared first on Breaking Muscle.