To close his output in the 89-kilogram weight class, Nasar successfully clean & jerked 221 kilograms (487.2 pounds) for a World Record. The record feat of strength not only earned Nasar the 89-kilogram gold medal, it helped him break four Junior and Senior World Records in his division with a single lift. Perhaps more importantly, it may have officially painted the Bulgarian athlete as one of the premier young faces of weightlifting.

Here are the four World Records that Nasar’s staggering 221-kilogram (487.2-pound) clean & jerk record lift allowed him to break in the 89-kilogram weight class:

• Junior World Record Clean & Jerk
• Junior World Record Total
• Senior World Record Clean & Jerk
• Senior World Record Total

Nasar was already in possession of three of these four World Records and merely extended his dominance of the division. With an all-time competition best snatch of 174 kilograms (383.6 pounds) in the account, Nasar’s total of 395 kilograms (870.8 pounds) officially eclipsed competitive rival Antonino Pizzolato’s past Senior World record 89-kilogram total. Pizzolato withdrew from competing in the 2023 EWC at the last minute. Nasar’s snatch was also a Junior World Record in the 89-kilogram division, marking his fifth record of the contest.

Here’s an overview of the 89-kilogram podium at the 2023 EWC and the athletes’ respective top totals:

2023 European Weightlifting Championships | 89KG Podium

1. Karlos Nasar (Bulgaria) — 395–kilogram (870.8-pound) total | (174-kilogram/383.6-pound snatch and 221-kilogram/487.2-pound clean & jerk)
2. Andranik Karapetyan (Armenia) — 374-kilogram (824.5-pound) total | (178-kilogram/392.4-pound snatch and 196-kilogram/432.1-pound clean & jerk)
3. Marin Robu (Moldova) — 364–kilogram (802.4-pound) total (166-kilogram/365.9-pound snatch and 198-kilogram/436.5-pound clean & jerk)

On an official basis, his multiple World Records aside, Nasar outperformed his peers by a dominant 21-kilogram (46.2-pound) margin to win the 89-kilogram gold medal at the 2023 EWC.

It’s potentially mind-blowing to consider, but Nasar is still just 18 years old. Despite his youth, he’s already a clear weightlifting powerhouse. He seems to be making an early case as one of the greatest weightlifters of all time. With what feels like a prolific career ahead of him, this 2023 EWC performance might end up only being a footnote in Nasar’s resume.

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The post Weightlifter Karlos Nasar (89KG) Breaks 5 World Records at 2023 European Championships appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Dec. 13, 2022, during the 2022 IWF WWC, Rogers captured a 109-kilogram (240.3-pound) snatch and a 138-kilogram (304.2-pound) clean & jerk for a 247-kilogram (544.5-pound) total. The podium performance garnered Rogers silver medals in the 76-kilogram division on each figure. Not to be overlooked, Rogers also locked in a unique individual mark. By medaling at the Worlds once again, the athlete became the first modern American weightlifter ever to notch a medal in five consecutive appearances.

Rogers’ run of international excellence on this stage dates back to the 2017 IWF Worlds when she took home a snatch silver medal, a clean & jerk bronze medal, and a total silver medal in the 69-kilogram weight class. After only notching a clean & jerk bronze medal at the 2018 iteration of the IFW Worlds, Rogers has now captured three medals in three consecutive World Championships since 2019. At the time of this writing, she is the most decorated active American weightlifter at this international level, with 13 Senior medals since her Worlds debut in 2015.

Note: There was no 2020 edition of the IWF Worlds so as to not overlap with the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in the same year. Those, however, would be postponed until Summer 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns.

Here’s an overview of the Women’s 76-kilogram podium at the 2022 IWF Worlds, featuring Rogers in second place:

2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships | Women’s 76-Kilogram Podium

• First place — Sara Samir Ahmed (Egypt): 261-kilogram (575.4-pound) total | 113-kilogram (249.1-pound) snatch | 148-kilogram (326.3-pound) clean & jerk
• Second place — Mattie Rogers (United States): 247-kilogram (544.5-pound) total | 109-kilogram (240.3-pound) snatch | 138-kilogram (304.2-pound) clean & jerk
• Third place — Kim Su-hyeon (South Korea): 245-kilogram (540.1-pound) total | 108-kilogram (238.1-pound) snatch | 137-kilogram (302-pound) clean & jerk

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In a post on her Instagram, Rogers beamed with pride at her latest Worlds accomplishment. As the weightlifter looked ahead to a likely transition to the 81-kilogram category moving forward — especially in qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games — she seemed appreciative of what she achieved as a 71-kilogram athlete.

“Fifth consecutive Worlds medals!” Rogers wrote. “Not my best day, but also not my worst, and silver is silver! I’m walking away, both bummed and proud. It’s always hard to be pleased with so many missed attempts on the stage, but I can’t be mad at my medal streak living on for one more year … Time to actually bid farewell to the 76-kilogram category (for real this time) and keep on working. My favorite thing to do.”

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The post American Weightlifter Mattie Rogers (76KG) Captures 3 Silver Medals at 2022 IWF Worlds appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Dec. 12, 2022, Toma successfully notched a 119-kilogram (262.3-pound) snatch. The feat in Bogotá, Colombia, set a Senior World Record for the 71-kilogram division, helped Toma win the 71-kilogram World championship, and is five kilograms more than Toma’s previous all-time personal record of 114 kilograms (251.3 pounds). She captured that mark at the 2021 European Weightlifting Championships (EWC).

With the 71-kilogram weight class relatively new to the international stage, Toma’s World Record snatch also set a precedent for the previously untouched World Standard. The said snatch World Standard mark of 117 kilograms (257.9 pounds) stood for four years without being claimed before Toma eclipsed it at the 2022 IWF Worlds. The IWF established the World Standard on lifts for competitive weight classes when the organizing body reorganized its divisions in 2018.

On her clean & jerk, Toma was able to lock out 137 kilograms (302 pounds) to give herself her 256-kilogram (564.4-pound) World title-winning total. Here’s a quick rundown of Toma’s individual performance at the 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships:

Loredana Elena Toma | 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships Top Stats

• Clean & Jerk — 137 kilograms (302 pounds)
• Snatch — 119 kilograms (262.3 pounds)
• Total — 256 kilograms (564.4 pounds)

While Toma’s World Record snatch mark and World title are undoubtedly the primary highlights of the 71-kilogram weight class’ output at the 2022 IWF Worlds, it wasn’t the only notable figure or performance. For example, fifth-place finisher/American weightlifter Olivia Reeves took home a clean & jerk bronze medal of 139 kilograms (306.4 pounds).

For further context on a macro scale, 104 kilograms (229.3 pounds) was enough for a gold medal on the snatch at the 2021 WWC. At the 2022 edition of the WWC, nine of the participating 71-kilogram Women’s athletes snatched more than 104 kilograms. Meanwhile, 135 kilograms was enough for the clean & jerk gold meal at the 2021 WWC. In 2022, six of the featured competitors clean & jerked more than 135 kilograms.

Here’s an overview of the Women’s 71-kilogram podium at the 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships:

2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships | Women’s 71-Kilogram Podium

• First place — Loredana Elena Toma (Romania): 256-kilogram (564.4-pound) total | 119-kilogram (262.3-pound) Senior World Record snatch | 137-kilogram (302-pound) clean & jerk
• Second place — Zeng Tiantian (China): 253-kilogram (557.7-pound) total | 113-kilogram (241.1-pound) snatch | 140-kilogram (308.6-pound) clean & jerk
• Third place — Angie Palacios Dajomes (Ecuador): 252-kilogram (555.5-pound) total | 116-kilogram (255.7-pound) snatch | 136-kilogram (299.8-pound) clean & jerk

With a new World Record and another World title to her name in a different division, Toma could theoretically stop lifting heavy barbells overhead immediately and still be remembered as a great. Instead, something says that the superstar may write another illustrious chapter of her career in 2023.

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The post Weightlifter Loredana Elena Toma (71KG) Captures 119-Kilogram World Record Snatch En Route to World Championship appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Dec. 12, 2022, Reeves captured a clean & jerk bronze medal during the 2022 edition of the WWC. She earned the result thanks to a successful clean & jerk of 139 kilograms (306.4 pounds). The strength feat officially surpasses Reeves’ all-time competition best — that 71-kilogram Senior American Record of 138 kilograms (304.2 pounds) from the 2022 USAW Championships. It is the first Senior Worlds medal of any color in Reeves’ young career and the first medal for Team USA at the 2022 IWF Worlds at the time of this writing.

In addition to her bronze medal, Reeves’ mark is also only two kilograms short of the Junior World Record, held by Egypt’s Sara Ahmed (141 kilograms/310.8 pounds) in 2018. With an eventual top snatch of 106 kilograms, Reeves pieced together a 245-kilogram (540.1-pound) total to cap a solid fifth-place performance at her Worlds debut.

Here’s an overview of Reeves’ performance at the 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships:

Olivia Reeves (71KG) | 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships Top Stats

• Clean & Jerk — 139 kilograms (306.4 pounds) | IWF Worlds 71KG Bronze Medal | All-Time Competition Best | Matches Senior American Record
• Snatch — 106 kilograms (233.7 pounds)
• Total — 245 kilograms (540.1 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best

As for the overall Women’s 71-kilogram podium — a relatively new international category that will be part of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games — now two-time World Champion Loredana Elena Toma (2017, 2022) set the bar for her peers. Here’s a rundown of the Women’s 71-kilogram podium at the 2022 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships:

IWF World Weightlifting Championships | Women’s 71-Kilogram Podium

• First place — Loredana Elena Toma (Romania): 256-kilogram (564.4-pound) total | 119-kilogram (262.3-pound) snatch | 137-kilogram (302-pound) clean & jerk
• Second place — Zeng Tiantian (China): 253-kilogram (557.7-pound) total | 113-kilogram (241.1-pound) snatch | 140-kilogram (308.6-pound) clean & jerk
• Third place — Angie Palacios Dajomes (Ecuador): 252-kilogram (555.5-pound) total | 116-kilogram (255.7-pound) snatch | 136-kilogram (299.8-pound) clean & jerk

While her next competition is unclear, Reeves will undoubtedly try to parlay her first Senior Worlds medal and overall stellar 2022 into qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Such a class for Team USA could feature Reeves and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games silver medalist (76KG) Kate Vibert. Whoever comes out, the American team may have a dynamo under sports’ biggest international spotlight.

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The post American Weightlifter Olivia Reeves (71KG) Scores 139-Kilogram Clean & Jerk for Senior Worlds Bronze Medal appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Dec. 11, 2022, Nasar successfully locked out a 220-kilogram (485-pound) clean & jerk for a Junior and Senior World Record in the 89-kilogram weight class during the 2022 IWF WWC. The feat of strength saw Nasar eclipse Antonino Pizzolato’s previous Senior World Record of 217 kilograms (478.4 pounds) from the 2022 EWC by three kilograms (6.6 pounds). Nasar also surpassed his own Junior record by 11 kilograms (24.2 pounds). Notably, Nasar had attempted to beat Pizzolato’s clean & jerk mark at the late-spring 2022 contest but couldn’t finish his 220-kilogram attempt at that time.

The impressive milestones aside, Nasar was unable to officially place because he didn’t record a final total.

Nasar didn’t log a total because he couldn’t finish a successful snatch attempt. The athlete tried to snatch 173 kilograms (381.4 pounds) twice and 174 kilograms on his last try but couldn’t follow through. Ultimately, this may have been a result of the athlete putting much of his energy into his World Record clean & jerk. Nasar might still appreciate that kind of record output even if he couldn’t place overall at the 2022 IWF Worlds.

The athlete who took advantage of Nasar leaving the door open in his weight class was 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Keydomar Giovanni Vallenilla Sanchez. The Venezuelan athlete eventually took home the 89-kilogram gold medal with a 385-kilogram (848.8-pound) total.

Here’s an overview of the 89-kilogram podium at the 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships:

2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championships | Men’s 89-Kilogram Podium

• First place — Keydomar Vallenilla Sanchez (Venezuela): 385-kilogram (848.7-pound) total | 175-kilogram (385.8-pound) snatch | 210-kilogram (463-pound) clean & jerk
• Second place — Brayan Santiago Rodallegas Carvajal (Columbia): 381-kilogram (839.9-pound) total | 170-kilogram (370.8-pound) snatch | 211-kilogram clean & jerk
• Third place — Liu Huanhua (China): 381-kilogram (839.9-pound) total | 166-kilogram (365.9-pound) snatch | 215-kilogram (474-pound) clean & jerk

It’s unclear what Nasar’s plans are for the immediate competitive future. Despite his miss at a total and official placing at the 2022 IWF Worlds, it seems clear the 18-year-old is ready to shine in the sport of weightlifting for years to come. The world might be this Bulgarian prodigy’s oyster, and he seems prepared to lift it over his head.

Featured image: @one_kilo_ on Instagram

The post Weightlifter Karlos Nasar (89KG) Captures World Record with 220-Kilogram Clean & Jerk appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On July 24, 2022, during the IWF contest in Colombia, Morris scored a 162-kilogram (357.1-pound) clean & jerk. The figure is a new Junior World Record for the 61-kilogram weight class. Per Team USA Weightlifting, Morris surpassed his own previous competition best of 161 kilograms (354.9 pounds) from the 2022 USA Weightlifting (USAW) National Championships in Las Vegas in early July. The new top clean & jerk figure in an international competition helped Morris win the 61-kilogram division overall en route to a gold medal and his second Pan-American title (2020).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Related: How To Do The Overhead Dumbbell Press For Wider Shoulders And Upper-Body Strength]

Here’s a complete rundown of Morris’ performance during the 2022 IWF Pan-American Championships:

Hampton Morris (61KG) | 2022 IWF Pan-American Championships Top Stats

• Snatch — 117 kilograms (257.9 pounds)
• Clean & Jerk — 162 kilograms (357.1 pounds) | Junior World Record (61KG)
• Total — 279 kilograms (615.1 pounds)

Morris’ output at these Pan-American Championships was mostly clean. The athlete missed just two of six overall lifts — a 117-kilogram (257.9-pound) first snatch attempt and a 122-kilogram (268.9-pound) third snatch attempt. He finished each of his clean & jerk attempts, finishing with the Junior World Record of 162 kilograms (357.1 pounds) on his third successful try. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Related: The Best Shoulder Workouts For More Muscle, For Strength, For Beginners, And More]

A Decorated Profile

Morris might be only 18 years old, but he’s amassed quite the weightlifting resume. With Morris’ second Pan-American title, the athlete now has six victories in international contests dating back to the Pan-American Youth Championships in August 2019. He possesses just one finish out of first place in that time frame — a second-place result at the 2021 Junior Pan-American Games in Cali and Valle, Colombia.

Here’s a rundown of Morris’ recent stellar output in sanctioned international weightlifting contests, per the IWF directory:

Hampton Morris (61KG) | International Competitive Ledger 2019-2022

• 2019 Pan-American Youth Championships — First place
• 2020 Pan-American Junior Championships — First place
• 2021 Youth World Championships — First place
• 2021 Pan-American Championships — First place
• 2021 Junior Pan-American Games — Second place
• 2022 Junior World Championships — First place
• 2022 Pan-American Championships — First place 

Morris’ new Junior World Record clean & jerk is a major step up from his last appearance at the Pan-American Championships. In 2021, the weightlifter completed a 151-kilogram (332.9-pound) clean & jerk on the way to a gold medal. That means Morris has improved that number by 11 kilograms (24.2 pounds).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Related: The Best Sled Workouts For Muscle, Strength, Fat Loss, And Recovery]

Full Steam Ahead

Morris’ upcoming schedule as a weightlifter should stay busy. Team USA Weightlifting has stated that performances in the 2022 Pan-American Championships would significantly influence who the Americans pick to represent them at the 2022 IWF World Championships. That competition will also take place in Bogotá, Colombia sometime this December. (At the time of this article’s publication, the IWF has not confirmed a concrete date.)

At the time of this writing, Morris is on the 17-person roster for that competition, including noteworthy names like reigning Women’s 76-kilogram National Champion Mattie Rogers. Should Morris perform well at the IWF Worlds, he might be in contention for his first-ever appearance in the Olympics in Paris 2024.

At his pace, that might just be one of many eye-opening milestones in due time. 

Featured image: @atginsta on Instagram

The post Weightlifter Hampton Morris (61KG) Captures 162-Kilogram Clean & Jerk for New World Record appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

After demonstrating some of her new strength progress on a sanctioned lifting platform, here are Estep’s top stats from this competition:

Katie Estep (59KG) | 2022 USA Weightlifting National Championships Top Stats

• Snatch — 92 kilograms (202.8 pounds) | Junior American Record | All-Time Competition Best
• Clean & Jerk — 114 kilograms (251.3 pounds) | Junior American Record | All-Time Competition Best
• Total — 206 kilograms (454.1 pounds) | Junior American Record | All-Time Competition Best

 

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[Related: How to Build Muscle: The Training And Diet Guide For Beginners And Advanced Lifters]

At just 17-years-old, Estep is no stranger to notching records, especially at different levels of competition. In 2021, during the IWF Youth World Championships, Estep notched both the snatch (89 kilograms) and total (198 kilograms) Youth World Records for the 55-kilogram division. She also set the Youth American record on the snatch, clean & jerk (109 kilograms), and total.

Approximately eight months later, the young and rising American athlete can lay claim to a few gold medals and each of the current Junior American Records for a 59-kilogram competitor.

Estep at a Glance

Given her youth, Estep’s relative lack of inexperience as a competitive weightlifter should be no surprise. That said, it’s apparent she has had little trouble as an athlete since her first official IWF competition in May 2021. In fact, Estep has generally seen marked progress in just about a year of official competition.

Here is Estep’s complete career resume to this stage:

Katie Estep | Complete Career Results

• 2021 IWF Junior World Championships (55KG) — Eighth place
• 2021 Pan-American Youth Championships (55KG) — First place
• 2021 IWF Youth World Championships (55KG) — First place
• 2021 Junior Pan-American Games (55KG) — First place
• 2022 IWF Junior World Championships (59KG) — Second place
• 2022 USAW National Championships (59KG) — First place

 

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[Related: The Best Shoulder Workouts For More Muscle, For Strength, For Beginners, And More]

Estep’s Goals

At the time of this writing, Estep hasn’t confirmed when she’ll aim to compete next. That said, if she’s able to train well and continue her rapid progression over the coming years, the American athlete could potentially challenge for a spot with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She’s not the only young women’s weightlifter that could be ready for the Olympics challenge.

Estep’s new top Junior total of 206 kilograms (454.1 pounds) is just 11 kilograms (24.2 pounds) off the best American mark for a Senior 59KG competitor. Team USA member Taylor Wilkins is the current Senior American Record holder on each of the snatch (95 kilograms), clean & jerk (122 kilograms), and total (217 kilograms). Notably, Wilkins’s only international contest to date was the 2021 Pan American Weightlifting Championships where she competed at 64 kilograms.

It would be a tall order for anyone to overcome Wilkins for a formal roster spot at this moment in time. Still, the youthful Estep might eventually be in line for it, provided she continues the blazing start to her career. Team USA did not send a 59-kilogram competitor to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The organization doesn’t always send weightlifters from every division to international contests. That could change in the near future if Estep has anything to say about it.

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The post Weightlifter Katie Estep (59KG) Sets 3 Junior American Records at the 2022 USA National Championships appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The last time Rogers competed on a national lifting platform was during the 2022 USAW North American Open Series 1 in March 2022. She took home first place in the 81-kilogram weight class. With three records and some gold medals in the 76-kilogram division at the 2022 USAW National Championships, Rogers has shown off her continued versatility.

Here are her top stats from this contest:

Mattie Rogers (76KG) | 2022 USAW National Championships Top Stats

• Snatch — 112 kilograms (246.9 pounds) | Senior American Record
• Clean & Jerk — 140 kilograms (308.6 pounds) | Senior American Record
• Total — 252 kilograms (555.5 pounds) | Senior American Record

 

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[Related: How To Build Muscle: The Training And Diet Guide For Beginners And Advanced Lifters]

Rogers’ snatch figure topped Kate Vibert’s former American Record from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by one kilogram. She extended the current clean & jerk by two kilograms, surpassing Jenny Arthur’s mark from 2018. Finally, Rogers’ top total exceeded Vibert’s former best American Record total of 249 kilograms (548.9 pounds), which Vibert also set at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Rogers actually left subsequent attempts at extending her snatch and clean & jerk records on the table. The American athlete notched her American Record snatch on her second attempt, then waved off the rest. Meanwhile, on the clean & jerk, Rogers made an opening lift of 140 kilograms for the American Record, then declined further opportunities.

Here is the podium for the 76-kilogram division at the 2022 USAW National Championships:

Women’s 76KG Podium | 2022 USAW National Championships

1. Mattie Rogers 

• Snatch — 112 kilograms (246.9 pounds) | Senior American Record
• Clean & Jerk — 140 kilograms (308.6 pounds) | Senior American Record
• Total — 252 kilograms (555.5 pounds) | Senior American Record

2. Estelle Rohr 

• Snatch — 93 kilograms (205 pounds)
• Clean & Jerk — 122 kilograms (268.9 pounds)
• Total — 215 kilograms (474 pounds)

3. Christine Middleton

• Snatch — 92 kilograms (202.8 pounds)
• Clean & Jerk — 118 kilograms (260.1 pounds)
• Total — 210 kilograms (463 pounds)

 

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[Related: The Best Arm Workouts For Beginners, With Dumbbells, And More]

In an Instagram post on her performance, Rogers reflected on her dominant performance and what to possibly expect moving forward.

“Only took three of the six attempts to stick with our training plan with a quick hop over to the training hall after to finish up the day with a nice personal record triple,” Rogers wrote. “Got to compete in the class my body is most comfy in and set all-new American records for the snatch, CJ, and total. Happy with this checkpoint!”

 

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[Related: The Best Shoulder Workouts For More Muscle, For Strength, For Beginners, And More]

Rogers’ Near Future

Another 2020 Tokyo Olympian, Rogers has made steady progress since that fateful competition. In each of her last two contests — the 2022 USAW North American Open Series 1 and 2022 USAW National Championships — the American athlete has shown steady improvement despite moving around weight classes.

For Rogers to do that while competing in lower weight classes than her time in Tokyo might say a lot about her prospects as qualifications for the 2024 Paris Olympics start to ramp up. Rogers competed in the 87-kilogram division in Tokyo. Based on her Instagram caption, it appears that 76 kilograms is where the athlete feels most comfortable as a competitor. Her best finish in this division is a bronze medal from the 2021 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships.

Unfortunately, while it is still a category in International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and American contests, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will not include the 76-kilogram division for Paris 2024. That means Rogers will have to either bulk up and compete at 81 kilograms or +81 kilograms, or she may feature at 71 kilograms. In that case, she might square off against Vibert and even rising star Olivia Reeves for a spot on the Team USA roster in an intriguing battle.

Depending on the division she chooses to qualify for, Rogers could have a very different journey to Paris. As that competition starts to get closer and closer in the side mirror, she’ll undoubtedly push herself even more in training and other contests.

Featured image: @mattiecakesssss on Instagram 

The post Weightlifter Mattie Rogers (76KG) Breaks 3 Senior American Records at 2022 USA National Championships appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

By the competition’s end, Murakami’s overall weightlifting performance was enough to garner him three Japanese National Records on his snatch, clean & jerk, and an overall total of 425 kilograms (936.9 pounds). Check out a video of Murakami’s record snatch, courtesy of his Instagram profile:

 

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[Related: Olympic Weightlifter Katherine Nye Squats 186 Kilograms (410 Pounds) For A New PR]

Elite Class in Japan

Murakami’s record performance is nothing new in his native Japan. Each of those Japanese records on the snatch, clean & jerk, and total were all previous marks held by the dynamic weightlifter — which he eclipsed by one, two, and three kilograms, respectively. One of Olympic weightlifting’s current elite performers, “Tank,” might be a more than appropriate nickname for Murakami, who is a three-time Japanese National Champion, according to his Instagram.

Through other stellar feats of strength, like a 175-kilogram (385-pound) strict prone row in mid-February 2022, the 25-year-old has developed a social media reputation for staggering power. Here are some of the notable results for the weightlifter, who has enjoyed steady progress in recent years, via the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) athlete directory:

Eishiro Murakami | Notable Career Results

• 5th International Qatar Cup (+109KG) — 6th place
• 2019 Ready Steady Tokyo (+109KG) — 1st place
• 2019 IWF World Championships (+109KG) — 11th place
• 2019 IWF World Cup (+109KG) — 1st place
• 2020 Asian Championships (+109KG) — 3rd place
• 2021 Open Championships (+109KG) — 1st place
• 2022 All-Japan Championships (+109KG) — 1st place

Notably, Murakami did not participate in the 2021 IWF World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This 425-kilogram (936.9-pound) total would have slotted him in with a sixth-place finish at that competition.

 

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[Related: Powerlifter Shahram Saki Logs 1025-Kilogram Total (2,259.7 Pounds), The Highest In Asia]

The Road Ahead

A good portion of Japan’s top weightlifters used the All-Japan Championships competition as a springboard toward a place in the 2022 IWF World Championships, which is set to occur sometime between November 1 and December 31, 2022, in Bogota, Colombia. At the time of this writing, the IWF hasn’t confirmed a definite date. That competition will, in turn, be a part of the eventual qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

Murakami aside, three Tokyo 2020 Japanese weightlifter male Olympians — including Yoichi Itokazu (67KG), Mitsunori Konnai (73KG), and Masanori Miyamoto (73KG) — were all participants during the 2022 All-Japan Championships. Notably, Toshiko Yamamoto (96KG) was not present. A woman Japanese weightlifter — Mikiko Andoh (59KG), who captured bronze in Tokyo — won the competition for her weight class.

Thanks to Murakami at the forefront, it appears Team Japan is ready to achieve more greatness over the rest of 2022.

Featured Image: @tank_murakami on Instagram

The post Weightlifter Eishiro Murakami (+109KG) Sets 3 National Records During 2022 All-Japan Championships appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Check out the stellar PR squat below, via Nye’s Instagram profile:

 

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[Related: Jamal Browner Notches A 345-Kilogram Squat (760.6 Pounds)Triple PR & 410-Kilogram Deadlift (903 Pounds) Double PR]

Nye completed the squat while wearing a lifting belt, knee sleeves, and heeled weightlifting shoes. These shoes allowed her to use more of her ankle flexibility and better engage her quads.

In addition, Nye uses a women’s weightlifting bar, which is lighter (15 kilograms) than a traditional barbell (20.4 kilograms). Along those same lines, women’s weightlifting bars have more flexibility. That might explain why Nye’s bar bends and shakes a bit more as she finishes the PR rep.

Given that Olympic weightlifters only focus on the snatch and clean & jerk in competitions, Nye’s squat is an impressive mark. In context, amongst fellow strength sports competitors, Nye’s 186-kilogram squat (410 pounds) compares well. Per Open Powerlifting, her squat would rank as the eighth-heaviest raw squat in history by female powerlifters who compete around the approximate 76-kilogram weight class.

Here’s where Nye’s squat PR stands all time:

Highest Squats — Female Lifters (~76KG)

1. Vilma Olsson (Sweden) —  209.9 kilograms (462.9 pounds)
2. Rachel Torres (United States) — 199.9 kilograms (440.9 pounds)
3. Amelia Mauritzon (Sweden) — 197.5 kilograms (435.4 pounds)
4. Jackie Garzez (United States) — 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds)
5. Agata Sitko (Poland) — 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds)
6. Kristen Dunsmore (United States) — 187.4 kilograms (413.3 pounds)
7. Alice Francis-Freeman (Scotland) — 187.4 kilograms (413.3 pounds)
8. Katherine Nye (United States) — 186 kilograms (410 pounds)
9. Jessica Buettner (Canada) — 184.9 kilograms (407.8 pounds)

Nye at a Glance

At only 23-years-old, Nye has built up quite the resume for an Olympic weightlifter. She last competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she captured a silver medal for Team USA. It was her first Olympic medal in her first career Olympic Games.

Since her debut in 2016, across the Youth, Junior, and Senior divisions, Nye has made a name for herself as one of the top names in Olympic weightlifting. She’s done so well, Nye even appeared in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2019.

Here are the best results on the snatch and clean & jerk from Nye’s career:

Katherine Nye — Best Olympic Lifts

• Snatch — 112 kilograms (246.9 pounds) | 2019 World Weightlifting Championships
• Clean & Jerk — 138 kilograms (304.2 pounds) | 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Nye has built up quite a baseline of finishes throughout her career. According to the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), she has qualified for the podium in nine of 10 IWF events.

Here’s a tally of Nye’s overall medal tally to date:

Katherine Nye — International Medals

• Gold — 5 (2019 Junior World Championships; 2019 World Championships; 2019/2021 Pan American Championships; 2019 IWF Championships)
• Silver — 3 (2018 Junior World Championships; 2020 Pan American Games; 2020 Tokyo Olympics)
• Bronze — 1 (2019 Pan American Games)

Note: These medal counts are medals awarded in the Total, which is the total sum of the athlete’s top snatch and top clean & jerk.

The Road to Paris

In anticipation of potential drug-related offenses, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) — the organization for the Olympics — has reorganized its categories for Olympic weightlifters. Come the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nye’s 76-kilogram weight class will no longer be a division. Nye has previously stated over Instagram that she plans to compete at 71 kilograms again — her division prior to Tokyo 2020.

Nye will undoubtedly be looking to improve upon her silver medal finish approximately two years from now. She’ll likely have to overcome the Neisi Dajomes — the reigning 76-kilogram Olympic Champion who beat Nye for the gold medal in Tokyo. If Nye’s new all-time powerful squat is any indication, she’s well on her way toward that ambitious goal.

Featured Image: @katherineenye on Instagram

The post Olympic Weightlifter Katherine Nye Squats 186 Kilograms (410 Pounds) for a New PR appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The Difference Between a Narrow and Wide Grip

The exact width of grip has been heavily influenced by the style of pulling used at the time any particular grip was recommended. In the old days when snatching was accomplished mainly by back-and-arm pulling, grip width was a trade-off between the lifter’s gripping and pulling strength, pulling distance, and shoulder flexibility. What this translates into is a choice between taking a narrow enough grip to obtain good purchase on the bar, but wide enough that shoulder flexibility is not impinged upon, while keeping pulling height to a minimum.

If you took too wide a grip, then with the arm pulling tactics used in those days made it difficult to move the bar very far. But if you moved your grip in, you could certainly hold on to the bar a lot better but then potentially have problems locking this thing out overhead. And the pull was longer. In those cases, lifts were often lost frontwards if the flexibility was insufficient or lost at the back door if the grip was too wide and flexibility was too extreme.

Nowadays when the so-called pull is mainly a push from the legs, grip width considerations for the snatch are somewhat different. Certainly sufficient gripping strength is still important, as it is all lifts. It should be remembered that the wider the grip the fewer fingers there will be that do any significant work in gripping the bar. Collar-to-collar grips for some lifters will mean that only the thumb and first two fingers (the pointer and the middle finger) are doing any work. The ring and baby fingers are just along for the ride. Move the grip in and the ring finger will come into play, and further still at some point the baby finger as well, but even with a clean grip those last two fingers are doing less work than the other three.

I remember this myself many years ago when my summer job had me operating a jackhammer. After a relatively short time on the machine being shook up all day, it started to affect my gripping strength. I was holding onto the machine for long periods of time and eventually realized that, especially in my baby and ring fingers, I had no gripping strength whatsoever. It apparently had done something to the nerves in those fingers that activated the gripping muscles. I even had to enter competition during that time and still had enough grip to set a personal record on my clean and jerk, proving that those last two fingers did not do too much work. I was also still able to snatch since those fingers did even less work there. Fortunately, I was soon taken off that machine and my gripping strength returned to normal.

Modern Lifting = Wider Grips

With the modern pulling style, arm-pulling is no longer significant. It’s all in the legs, fortunately. This has one valuable advantage. It means that wider grips can now be contemplated if necessary. You will still need sufficient gripping strength in your middle and index fingers and the thumb, but bicep-pulling strength is no longer so important.

This is also good news for those who have problems with shoulder mobility or those tall athletes with long arms. The latter will want to take a wider grip, in absolute terms, of course. They will still be limited by the 1310mm inside dimensions of the bar. Nevertheless, many lifters still opt for narrower grips, and many coaches still have their recommendations as to grip width.

Traditional Methods of Determining Grip Width

And so what are these recommendations? Every coach seems to have his or her preferred method of calculating grip width. One recommendation is to extend the arms out sideways as if demonstrating your wingspan. Have somebody measure the distance from one elbow bone to the other. That’s how wide you should snatch. This is a good rule of thumb (pardon the pun), but what its supporters don’t consider is the relative lengths of the humorous and ulna. Those with long ulnae are going to have more problems with this grip. Those with shorter ones will have fewer problems. Another recommendation is holding the arms at a certain angle to the trunk. This works on a rough-and-ready basis, however the angle is often difficult to measure precisely.

Both of these methods still have to be adjusted according to the lifter’s current gripping strength and flexibility, and on a purely subjective basis – just what feels good to the lifter. Coaches supporting either method always temper their recommendations by allowing the lifter to move his or her grip in or out from the standard in order to find the ideal gripping width.

Modern Methods of Determining Grip Width

Today things have progressed on, especially under the influence of the new pulling styles. What many are advocating now appears to be somewhat more practical than older methods. Coaches now ask the lifter to hold the bar, stand up erect, and then move the grip in or out until the bar rests at the point where it should contact the hip joint at the start of the second pull.

This will be the best possible biomechanical position for sending the bar on its path overhead. If the hands grip the bar at a narrower position, the bar will then rest somewhere on the upper thighs. At that point the thigh is effectively made shorter and therefore is less efficient. If the grip is moved out wider, resulting in the bar coming to rest above the hip crook, that will also be less efficient and at the same time the lifter will probably be holding the bar at such a wide angle that he or she is going to have flexibility problems and pulling mechanical problems.

So aim for that hip crook. This is your best mechanical position as far as the legs are concerned. Hopefully it will be also comfortable enough from a grip standpoint. If the grip is not strong enough at that position, two things have to be done. Number one, you better build up that grip strength. That will take a little while. Number two, in the meantime you may have to pull your grip in a little bit. This will sacrifice some pulling strength, but the bar will feel a little better in the hands for the time being. But keep working on your grip so you can move your hands out to where they should ideally be.

One final consideration is concerning the recommended grip width, how does it affect your flexibility? Advice here is similar to the previous one, except that if flexibility is insufficient the grip will have to be moved out, not in. Work that flexibility until you can do a shoulder dislocate at the recommended grip width.

Finally, as with the older-fashioned snatch grip advice, your ideal snatch grip is going to depend on your gripping strength, your flexibility, and your mechanical efficiency. And just like in the older days, that is determined more by trial and error than by any formula. Lifters will eventually find their ideal grip in that manner. At least today we have this hip crook area to serve as our initial guide.

Next week: Tips on the jerk grip width.

Photos courtesy of CrossFit Impulse.

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