When it comes to lifting incredible amounts of weight, Shahram Saki should get comfortable in the spotlight. The Iranian powerlifter’s latest mark might be his most outstanding strength achievement yet.
On May 12, 2022, Saki shared footage of himself squatting 510 kilograms (1,124.36 pounds) during a training session. While unofficial because it occurred outside of a sanctioned competition, Saki’s figure surpasses Daniel Bell’s current all-time raw w/wraps record of 505 kilograms (1,113.3 pounds). Bell achieved that feat during the 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Kern US Open. Both athletes typically compete in the 120-kilogram-plus division.
[Related: Front Squat Versus Back Squat: Which One Is Best For You?]
Notably, some might find the depth of Saki’s squat questionable. He doesn’t — or barley does — reach the powerlifting competitive standard of below parallel (or getting his hip crease below the plane of his knees). As such, it potentially would not have counted in a full power meet.
A Powerful Profile
It’s been an eventful few weeks for Saki, to say the least.
Before notching this unofficial record squat w/wraps, the Iranian athlete recorded a 1025-kilogram (2,259.7-pound) total during the 2022 Iran Bodybuilding Federation (IranBBF) National Classic Powerlifting & Bench Press Championships in late April. That number gave Saki the highest total in Asian Powerlifting Federation (APF) history.
In the same competition, Saki broke the APF records with a squat of 440 kilograms (970 pounds) and a bench press of 235 kilograms (518.1 pounds). These three respective records surpassed Ray Williams’ 425.9-kilogram squat (939.1 pounds), 229.9-kilogram bench press (507 pounds), and 1008.4-kilogram total (2,223.3 pounds) from the 2015 APF Asia-Oceania Raw Championships.
Here’s a complete record of each of the three sanctioned competitions Saki has under his belt:
Shahram Saki (120KG+) | Career Results
- 2017 World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) Amateur European Championships (Amateur Open) — First place | W/Wraps
- 2021 IranBBF International Classic Club Powerlifting Championships (Open) — First place | Raw
- 2022 IranBBF National Classic Powerlifting & Bench Press Championships (Open) — First place | Raw
Meanwhile, here are Saki’s all-time competition bests. Notably, they are all from the 2022 IranBBF National Classic Powerlifting & Bench Press Championships:
Shahram Saki (120KG+) | Top Career Stats
- Squat — 440 kilograms (970 pounds) | APF Record | Iranian Record
- Bench Press — 235 kilograms (518.1 pounds) | APF Record | Iranian Record | PR
- Deadlift — 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds) | APF Record | PR
- Total — 1,025 kilograms (2,259.7 pounds) | APF Record | Iranian Record | PR
[Related: Powerlifter Nicolaas Du Preez Squats 420 Kilograms (926 Pounds) With Ease During Training]
What’s Next
At the time of this writing, Saki has not announced any formal plans for his next sanctioned meet. The main updates that the athlete provides are of him capturing a usually staggering strength accomplishment on his Instagram. His feed has almost entirely consisted of heavy squats in recent weeks, which makes sense with his latest mark.
While Saki’s next competitive appearance is up in the air — for now — there is one thing to note for sure. If he can transfer over this massive squat from training (while getting more depth), he might soon be able to call himself a World Record holder.
Featured image: @shahram_power_lor on Instagram
