On July 22, 2023, the administrator of Mica’s Instagram account shared an update on his latest exploits as a 56-kilogram competitor. A clip from the 2023 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Barbell Brigade Open features Mica squatting 80 kilograms (176.3 pounds), bench pressing 42.5 kilograms (93.7 pounds), and deadlifting 90 kilograms (198.4 pounds). According to the caption of the post, all of the top lift stats are all-time raw competition PRs for Mica. At the time of this writing, while shining with strength milestones, it is unclear how Mica fared in the overall competition. The same clip does show Mica receiving a medal, but the distinction wasn’t specific.

In terms of assistive equipment for his lifts, it doesn’t appear Mica needed much help, who weighed in at 53.4 kilograms (117.7 pounds) during the contest. Mica didn’t wear a lifting belt or wraps for any of his top lifts. Knee sleeves for his squat were the extent of his additional equipment. Mica achieved his top deadlift pull from a conventional stance while utilizing a mixed grip. He competed in the contest beltless and raw, adding to his mystique as a rapidly-developing powerlifter.

Notably, the athlete locked out all nine of his allotted attempts.

Here’s an overview of Mica’s performance at the 2023 USAPL Barbell Brigade Open:

Jordan Mica | 2023 USAPL Barbell Brigade Open Top Stats

• Squat — 80 kilograms (176.3 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best
• Bench Press — 42.5 kilograms (93.7 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best
• Deadlift — 90 kilograms (198.4 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best
• Total — 212.5 kilograms (468.4 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best

Mica, whose parents choose not to have him lifting year-round, apparently had a different approach to his pre-competition training. The caption of Mica’s competition post dictates that the athlete participated in wrestling and jiu-jitsu in addition to spending quality time with barbells, refining his technique. Such a “balanced” preparation process appears to have benefitted Mica’s strength prospects to a personal boundary-breaking degree.

When considering that Mica doesn’t practice strength-training year round, it becomes easier to see his ceiling as a powerlifter. For an athlete of any age to showcase this much strength despite only specific periods where he actually lifts weights is an excellent sign of his long-term prospects. Time will only tell for Mica, but these are the kinds of happenings usually only derived from the career of an established powerlifting star.

Featured image: jordan_mica on Instagram

The post 11-Year-Old Jordan Mica (56KG) Scores 4 New Competition PRs Including 80-Kilogram (176.3-Pound) Squat appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 17, 2023, the parent/manager who runs a public Instagram account for Mica shared footage of the young man successfully completing a 83.9-kilogram (185-pound) beltless deadlift. Not only does the 10-year-old Mica get his barbell into a locked-out position completely raw, without a belt, but he makes the lift look rather easy and shows no sign of struggle or hesitation. According to Open Powerlifting, this pull nearly surpassed Mica’s all-time raw competition best of 85 kilograms (187.4 pounds) with ease.

Mica’s massive deadlift is part of his ongoing preparation for the 2023 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Third Street Barbell Open. As a younger competitor, he will feature in his usual Youth Division in the contest currently scheduled for Feb. 4, 2023, at the Third Street Barbell gym in Sacramento, CA. Mica will compete in the 52-kilogram (114-pound) weight class. Notably, his competition category throughout the 2021 competitive year was 47 kilograms (105 pounds) and he moved up to the 52-kilogram class in 2022.

Per the parent/manager of Mica’s Instagram, he takes his time with his training and never goes full throttle at the risk of harming his long-term health. The young man is apparently a multi-sport athlete, also focusing on being an adept wrestler, and usually takes off roughly two to three months from lifting weights to let his body fully recuperate. When he returns to strength training, he always starts from “square one” — a barbell with no added weight — and progressively works his way back up to a strong place.

“Jordan never attempts to pick up from where he left off. This is a life-long strength journey.”

In a precursor to his upcoming contest, Mica’s competitive history is rather impressive from a glance, regardless of his youth. According to Open Powerlifting, one of the notable contests from Mica’s career came during the 2021 USAPL WARCATs Iron Initiative. He took first place in the Youth 47-kilogram weight class. He followed up that victory by replicating his first-place success at the 2021 USAPL California State Championships, and again did the same during the 2021 USAPL Warcat Open.

The upcoming USAPL Third Street Barbell Open contest in early February 2023 will mark Mica’s first contest appearance in 2023. It will also be his first competition since the August 2022 USAPL California State Championships, where Mica set California state records for his squat (72.5 kilograms/160 pounds), bench press (37.5 kilograms/82.7 pounds), deadlift (85 kilograms/187 pounds), and total (195 kilograms/430 pounds).

It’s abundantly clear Mica is not like other children his age. As he continues to carve out an impressive early powerlifting career, his wide-spanning journey is only just beginning.

Featured image: @jordan_mica on Instagram

The post 10-Year-Old Powerlifter Jordan Mica Scores a Beltless 83.9-Kilogram (185-Pound) Deadlift appeared first on Breaking Muscle.