With a sheer amount of weight, Graciano Rubio pressed a squat in just one hike. He posted this load on June 30, 2022, to his social media feed. It was a very heavy activity, as it would take 20 of his peers doing the same lift to equal its weight!
Rubio loaded a barbell onto his shoulders and stepped out of the squat rack while wearing wrist wraps and a lifting belt. He pressed the barbell overhead, then deep squatted with it for about eight seconds.
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If you’re wondering just how Rubio’s monstrous stack up in weightlifting and strongman alike, rest assured that it is impressive in both disciplines.
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The most noteworthy thing about Rubio’s lift is that it weighs 200 kg, which makes it the current record in his weight class.
Weightlifters often perform overhead squats as an accessory.
Weightlifter Yang Zhe of China also hit the record. The lifted the same weight that Rubio has, which is 105 kilograms, at the Asian Weightlifting Championships on April 20th of 2021. As of now, this is the only record to have been set in this category and is not likely to be broken soon.
Rubio also exhibits many qualities that every weightlifter uses when they must catch a heavy barbell overhead. An overhead squat, performed with a wide grip and near-the-collar attachment to the bar, allows an Olympic lifter to perform the snatch in a more upright position.
This exercise requires that the weight be placed across your upper back in order for you to balance and move. To do this, Rubio uses his wrists, elbows, and shoulders to align vertically to prevent slippage of the barbell.
As Rubio lowers the weighted barbell to his back, he keeps his tempo slow in order that the weight stays fixed.
Rubio’s shoes enhance his posture and balance, making him feel less fatigued.
While not a competitive weightlifter, Rubio can nail the technical elements in his sport.
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Rubio’s lift is also comparable to a notable lift in strongman that made its elite competition return to the 2022 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest — the Flintstone Barbell. The Flintstone Barbell is effectively a behind-the-neck press for max weight.
The number of strongmen who can perform this difficult lift is surprisingly few, even though they’re often found to have the necessary mobility in the shoulders. Today, Rubio (one such exception) achieves this by performing a successful behind-the-neck press as part of his lift.
Rubio’s behind-the-neck press is heavier than the first round of the Flintstone Barbell event and just 20 pounds shy of the second round. Given that Rubio competes as a U105KG strongman but also trains CrossFit with heavy weightlifting influence, his ability
to combine such technically complicated lifts with that much weight makes sense for an athlete like him.