Love the fact that the Worlds Strongest Man titleholder is posting, excitedly, about someone lighter than him being stronger than him, and getting the guy’s name and accomplishments out there to be recognized. Lifting heavy and being kind (and humble). Making Canada proud, big fella!
That's one of the reasons why I like strength sports and being around these athletes and practioners. They're usually very down to earth people and will treat you kindly, no matter how big you are or how much you lift. I'm new to strength sports, but my experience so far is way better than those 10 years I've spent in bodybuilding circles.
Colton is amazing and honestly someone needs to throw a bunch of money his way so he can compete internationally. He is doing Pro Raw in Australia soon and hopefully that helps get him some more exposure. He deserves every single good thing coming his way.
@@Blairo0 I realized after I posted that I should have said “a” titleholder instead of “the” titleholder, but I didn’t correct it because I didn’t think anybody would nitpick over such a minor point not relevant to the point of my post. Looks like I was wrong twice :)
His sumo actually has quite a large ROM, it's not like some of the more egregious sumo's we see like Dany Grigsby. And the fact both his squat and deadlift are potentially over 1000 lbs just show how freakishly strong he is all around.
A 2 year old Strength Universe video has Colton as a junior competitor (21 yrs old) standing 188 cm or 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 110 Kg. He squatted 360 kg. Benched 200 kg. Dead lifted 370 kg. He didn't seem to struggle with any of the lifts, he didn't look huge, and claimed he only did that competition as a warmup for something else and only did 2 only out of every 3 lifts to save his body. And he started lifting when he was 16 years old.
Powerlifters only train for 3 lifts, it's much easier to specialise than the countless strongman lifts and pulls where you have to train differently for each competition.
@@anthonyclark9159 Incorrect. They're only being CONTESTED on three lifts; what they do for their accessories only builds toward those three. Strongmen are CONTESTED on 25+ events, all of which feature the top guys going balls-out against their competitors. Being strong at lat pulldowns isn't the same as being strong on keg toss.
He's never as much as touched a Kabuki deadlift bar, we don't even have one in the country. He's pulled on Okie's and Texas bars which has been around for decades.
It’s the total . U could be a leveraged freak doing sumo , as is the hated stereotype, but your total will expose this .. Having a massive total nullifies this . There’s no issue about his sumo anymore . Move on .
Few things to consider here, John Haack did it in sleeves which is a lot different. I’ll give you the 3x4 squat, but the 507x4 was touch n go which in my opinion doesn’t transfer over to a 562 competition pause, and then sumo is a shorter distance to cover so you can get more reps than someone who does conventional but still have the same 1 rep max as them. I’ve seen it many times so I don’t think he’s anywhere close to 1,064 pounds on that. Doing it on the platform all in the same day to standard vs a gym lift is WAY DIFFERENT. I will say tho he’s eventually gonna get 700 dots and be the best ever, he’s a freak of nature.
Haha maybe. He would need to basically tie Dan bell’s record @ 242. Or record somewhere in the ballpark of 2685-2700 in the 275 class to hit 700. That’s a very tall task, even for Colton. IMO he has a legit shot at tying Dan’s record in the 242 with a successful weight cut and snagging the 700 dots but would definitely have to be a perfect 9/9 day
I don’t know about that.. his best bench in comp is 550 and before the show he hit 518 TNG for 2. Right now he already hit 530*3 which means he will most likely destroy 562. For the deadlift in the last prep he hit 920*4 and he was good for 980 in the meet. This time around he already hit 960*4 so I would expect him to be good for around 1000 in the meet. 1064 is ofc an overshoot
@@dominikhanus9320 open powerlifting says his best bench is 540 and yeah I’m not sure it really depends on how easy the 518x2 was as well. But regardless the kid is for real and I hope he does hit all those numbers just like I still want Julius to bench 800 one day lol
Absolutely Sumo is a different lift from Deadlift. As Hooper said "if it's within the rules do it", which means any organization that allows lifting Sumo is just inadequately regulated, the same as IPF Bench Press prior to 2023 (and yes all of the IPF bench records from before 2023 should be wiped).
A great quality Mitch has is that he isn't hungry for attention and instead shines a light on those that maybe aren't getting the recognition they deserve. I look forward to following this mans career. What a beast.
Sumo with a spaghetti bar is definitely not "just lifting the weight from A to B". I have no problems with sumo, but it should be separate from the conventional deadlift and any WR should be on a standard bar.
The sumo argument has boiled down to this for me: Are you trying to find the biggest deadlift? - Sumo should be categorised separately as it is as much of a variation as an elevated pull in my opinion. Are you trying to find the heaviest weight lifted from the floor with your hands? - Sumo is fine to be categorised alongside. Powerlifting specifically looks for the heaviest deadlift in the deadlift portion of the competition so in my opinion should be kept as such with sumo separate, similar to strongman. Sumo is not any less impressive but it IS a variation and requires different leverages and strengths than a conventional deadlift and thus is a totally different lift that cannot be compared to conventional. Why aren't hack deadlifts, jefferson deadlifts, etc. allowed if the style of deadlift does not matter?
@@kavishU0902 In that case if they are categorised separately you excell in the one you are better at - I am just stating the two are not comparable as the same lift
This is one of the more reasonable takes I’ve seen. Sumo isn’t cheating or easier or unimpressive or whatever, but they should be classified separately as they are somewhat different movemenrs
Strongman Antonio Gutierrez makes the same point that you made about squat and bench going up when you're larger while deadlift goes down. He says it's because of fatter/thicker hands struggling on grip, poorer mobility for the pickup and difficulty to fully lock out.
So people with long arms should have their own category too? What about people with super short femurs on the squat? What about people with T rex arms on the bench?
The problem is you're describing physical attributes of lifters that they can't change, whereas sumo is a technique choice, it's literally a different lift than a conventional deadlift@@Micheldied
excellent video, and much respect for highlighting another lifter like this (as one of the greatest of all-time yourself) - speaks much to your caliber, modesty!
I could be wrong, but I think that the idea of the strongest person comes from real world exhibitions of strength, mostly in blue collar settings. Seeing a mechanic lift an engine by himself, Seeing a framer lift a frame on his own that 3 people together struggled with, seeing a guy carry sandbags like they are nothing, one in each arm, while you struggle with one. It’s really impossible to fully quantify that level of strength, but that’s what people think of when they think strong. (Or used to before the gym became so huge). I think with that notion of strength, that’s what strongman tries to measure. Not gym strength, but real world strength. Obviously all top powerlifters are going to be insanely strong in that regard. But I think that strongman does a pretty decent job of testing you in that kind of strength.
I agree 100% there has to be a element of functionality- strongman could pickup a huge log, lift to there 1 shoulder and walk it out of the forest- that to me is the strongest man not just move a bar with plates through a practiced range of motion.
@mozzer920 You do realize they practice things like logs, stones, and sandbags right? Practice is simply refining technique to become more efficient so it’s impossible to eliminate “practiced movements” as even someone with no idea of how to lift will use somewhat efficient technique
@joemama226 You one of those guys who doesn't think loaded carries are important? Loaded carry guys are always all-around stronger. That's all farmers do- carry loads...all day long. They'll also beat gym guys at things like wresting with ease.
@@joemama226 Powerlifting is strength in a single plane of motion, the term "functional strength" is an influencer gimmick I agree, but someone having a higher BSD total doesn't necessarily make them stronger. Technique is a huge factor. Most people never bother to learn perfect PL form. One of the guys I work out with is a half-decent national powerlifter, sumo, low bar, arched back. He is 100lbs lighter than me and outlifts me in BSD by a good 200lbs, mostly from his deadlift. I'm stronger than him in just about every accessory we do where his PL technique doesn't help, for example, machine chest press, he can still arch his back so he out-lifts me. But skull crushers, OHP, DB rows, BB rows, shrugs, I outlift a guy who is supposedly way stronger than me, so is he really stronger? He says no, he says it's 50% technique. PL is not the be-all and end-all of strength, it's the opposite, it's incredibly niche.
Sumo already is a different lift, just like a jerk is different than a press, but as long as federations allow them, I don't see a problem if an athlete is using them.
Strongman covers strength in many more of the functional movements of everyday life (push, pull, squat, hinge, carry, grip, etc) than powerlifting (only push, squat, and hinge). Therefore, imo strongman tests who is overall the strongest in the world much better than powerlifting.
Time is evolving, old school and new school are still present. You are part of the new school to bring forth the next generation of lifters with your knowledge to make more stronger and efficient strongman and powerlifters. You are the current world's strongest man, sit on your throne and build the kingdom which is yours. Remember and respect the old-school and make a stronger newschool. Thank you Mitchell hooper.
this guy would beat dan bell atwr today if he didnt injure his hand on his 2nd deadlift attempt... let that sink in this guy on a dirt bulk, getting fat over 300lb is the one to finally reach 1200kg mark most impressive powerlifter ever. already the goat of this sport. so absurd
ATG frontsquat with a full Olympic rack position, beltless snatch pull in a legitimate snatch grip, and a power clean + strict press, from an 'honest to God' front rack = the true strongest person.
Strongest by powerlifting standards are all static lifts. They are a great way to get stronger, but I don't think it qualifies as strongest in a functional sense. In everyday life moving an object is more applicable than lifting it up and putting it down.
@@jimmygeeraets9039 sorry about my misuse of vernacular. Let's replace that with the word practical. As in to succeed or be effective in real circumstances; feasible.
1 you are right 2 the world strongest could be ANDREY SMAEV . He doesnt do usual strongman lifts but probably no eny strongman if dedicated to Andreys lift will probably never reach Andreys level.... Many people are sayng that he could be the strongest in history😱😱
@@Perinio-inlove Smaev? Really? He won't be in top 20 in the world in any single lift and not even close to being in top 100 in a multi-lift comp. The guy is a clown.
Haack is only about 1 dot point lower despite the fact that Haack doesn't use wraps while Colton does. So actually, considering that Haack' Dot score in more impressive and that training deadlift of 410KG x 6 was with wraps so in a powerlfiting comp that wouldn't translate into 1064 pounds (wouldn't come even close to translating into that high of comp deadlift)
Great video Mitch!👏 Personally id prefer if sumo where seperated from conventional in competition because the lifts are so different and sumo having about 25% less ROM..
One more consideration here, often overlooked, if a Powerlifter is squatting or deadlifting and is bulky, but not useable bulk, then they have to lift that weight as well, it can be misleading to say that heavier is stronger, some lifters could drop big weight and lift the same, but as their body weight would be bar weight their poundage on the bar would go up. Kev the Sports Psychologist
I would say that the one caveat here is that his incredibly impressive volume work on deads is with the help of straps. The question is, can he hold on to the bar for deadlifts? He already missed 1014 on grip. I really hope that he can total 25/26, but it’s going to come down to deadlift grip
There are many of us that have higher conventional numbers than our sumo... much like squats it's really about your anatomical leverages with femur / torso length. Folks that complain about sumo are generally people that could never even imagine loading their conventional deadlift weight into their hips and locking it out. Having pulled 680 conventionally I say kuddos to those that can mechanically pull that with a sumo stance!
If we stick to the strict definition of the words, there is a difference between power and strength. The guy can be the most powerful in the world based off of his numbers, but strength is power over a distance, so there has to be an inherent separate category. WSM is about moving incredible weights for some form of repetitions or distance nine times out of 10. Powerlifting is quite literally one rep give it all you got highest total wins. These things are not equal. They are different. Contrast and comparing them is a lot of fun for discussion, but it doesn’t change their inherent differences.
using straps on sumo deadlift makes it much easier because for sumo the bottom portion is harder than the top when you strap up your arms become longer decreasing range of motion plus you can generate more force at the bottom of the lift. Therefor you cannot calculate 1 rep max off strap sumo deadlift. You can only calculate one rep max if the lifter resets and breathes at the bottom of each deadlift rep and also goes strapless. sumo with deadlift bar is also somewhat of a magic show nowadays. There are lifters that can only sumo pull 750 on a regular bar that can sumo close to 1000 on a deadlift bar. maybe deadlift bars should be banned to make it fair to compare modern lifts to old timers like Ed Coan. bench press is also somewhat of a trick lift due to ability to decrease range of motion I feel axle and log are better measures of strength than bench due to stability and back strength and leg strength needed to execute the lift. Its possible to have a super strong sumo pull with strong legs and a fragile back that would break under a heavy log.
Hooper needs to take into account that even an extra 20lbs at that level is a massive difference in strength. Colton being “slightly” off from bigger guys is an understatement. The law of diminishing returns hits you like a bitch especially in weight lifting.
Sumo shouldn't be considered. It's like doing a bench press where you arch so much that you only move the weight a few inches. It's an insult to the sport.
So should we suddenly disallow people that have long arms and short legs too? Because that’s the main reason we see people pulling crazy weights, not sumo.
@@vitaliyvorobets2738 I have long legs and long arms. 73 inches tall, 33 inch inseam, 79 inch reach. That point is invalid .. we should standardize the lifts. If you want sumo, then make everyone do sumo. If you want conventional, make everyone do conventional. That being said, as a long legged and long armed person, sumo is stupid.
@ then I guess you’d have to go after every other lift too then🤷 close and wide grip bench, lowbar and highbar squats, sink vs no sink bench, and so many other “standardizations”. Hell, let’s just remove the barbells altogether and just test everyone’s force production on a machine.
Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. It’s easier to say who is the strongest at a specific lift. For example all the strongest guys can’t touch Julius Maddox on bench and at the moment Thor can walk into any strongman show and dominate the deadlift without pushing to his limit.
Impressive performance! However, based on my experience, I believe his numbers might be slightly lower than your estimation. In my view, they'd be around 460 kg for the squat (based on 3 x 4 at 405 kg), 255 kg for the bench (4 reps at 230 kg), and 455 kg for the deadlift (based on 6 reps at 410 kg - in deadlift the first rep is different, so many lifters perform slightly better on reps). Still, an incredible feat regardless!
I have no issues w sumo however it should definitely be a separate category. Most of these heavy sumos are not deadlifts at all-some people sumo in a deadlift type fashion but almost all of your biggest sumo pullers are not doing a deadlift not even close to one but I digress 😤
I wish the sumo lift was counted differently. There are so many rules governing how you have to bench press and squat to make sure you don't cheat the ROM, sumo is no different. That being said, if it's allowed in the rules, it's fair game.
If we’re going to account for wraps vs sleeves in squat because of the advantage lifters can gain then I think we should definitely account for conventional vs sumo. It’s not cheating due to the current rules but it is a way some lifters gain an advantage like massive arching in bench. Not saying outlaw it, just give it a separate category. An asterisk at the very least.
Sumo: thought is if you apply to a practical situation. Say you are in the engine compartment of your boat or crawl space of your house and have to pull out the engine (or whatever, you get the point). So, a tighter stance might mean in more real life situations you could do something helpful, lifesaving, etc. But, lots of ways too in real life to set up with sumo (I’d say you actually need less space to the rear). Anyway, just offering an assessment from the POV of practical application. Anyone think that body builders should have to climb or rope in competition or do something “ninja” to prove athleticism? 😮😂
You don’t see the big difference between sumo and conventional on a stiff bar, so I don’t see the need to get rid of sumo. Just get rid of the deadlift bar because that’s where the big sumo pullers really have a big advantage. It should be only power bars for all 3 lifts in my opinion.
comparing dan bell's powerlifting meet numbers to theorhetical 1rms in a vacuum is flawed. you could take the same theorheticals for dan and dan would be ahead.
Idk if it’s just me I guess. But I believe firmly the best way to find out how much raw strength someone has is just a Zercher squat. Forearms, shoulders back, core, gluts hamstrings, calves, quads. As many major muscles that you can have for a single lift. Bench squat deadlift and strongman events are awesome ways to gage how strong a human being is but I do believe if you want to see how strong someone’s body is just pure raw strength no skill required, see how much they can Zercher squat
I’m confused, at one point Mitch says he doesn’t care how much someone weighs, it only matters how much you can move, yet later he starts rattling off the weights and heights of a bunch of guys. Put it this way, if you were trapped under a car would you want Colton to show up or Hapthor?
I think somo should have its own category it gives a mechanical advantage to certain lifters in my opinion also I don't think three lifts can truly represent what is strength.
Sumo should NOT be judged in the same light as Conv, because you can pull 600lbs 5x5 sumo and not be a professional vs ONLY the best Powerlifters in the world can pull 600 at 5x5 because it so much harder.
I really appreciate the content you put out and love watching your videos Mitch! However, I would disagree that the strongest powerlifter is the strongest person in the world. If we’re talking strongest person in the world, we should be talking overall strength. Shoulder Strength for example isn’t tested at all in powerlifting (especially not with super wide grips on bench), neither is strength endurance. Plus, Powerlifting (especially Sumo Deadlifts) is all about leverages and specificity. Of course leverages play a role in Strongman as well, but there’s so many events that favor different leverages whereas in PL you have only three lifts. While the achievements of lifters like John Haack, Jesus or Colton are amazing, I still think Strongman is the best test of overall strength and therefore the strongest Strongman (you 😉) is the strongest person in the world
Power lifting is a sport as well. It's highly specialized lifts. I'm gonna say strongman is a better gauge. Also, using his reps to calculate his potential max is flawed. In competition, what he does as his max is his max period.
And whilst we are on the topic below, lets say a Powerlifting meet, if you asked a competitor to walk around on the day of the meet in a 60/80/100Lb weighted jacket they would say no way, due to it spoiling their chances of the last squat and last deadlift. Cardio to sweat it off yes, better food in, will repair muscle quicker/offer a healthier system all round and get more gains/less injury, keep or get to a better/lower body fat level. We dont need the Bodybuilding - dangerous weight dropping mentality, but I don't like to see the 'all the Burger and Ice Cream' blogs of some of the strength athletes, better all their weight was registered on their total than spread across their bodies/fatiguing them and nibbling away at potential for PB's.
Sumo definitely should be in a different category, it’s not cheating however it’s a whole different lift in terms of the muscle group’s that’s primarily being used and how it attacks your body. Sumo is more of a “leg” lift than a full body lift and conversational is legs, lower back, upper back, it’s basically a full body lift. So no, I think people need to cut the shit and stop comparing them. I’ve lifted sumo and when I tell you my back felt sooooo much better but I will still pick conventional any day.
Actually totally agree if we put 3 main lifting as measurements. But if we include some grip strength will be good. Just amaze to see some people crush apple like nothing.😅 Just opinion
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Love the fact that the Worlds Strongest Man titleholder is posting, excitedly, about someone lighter than him being stronger than him, and getting the guy’s name and accomplishments out there to be recognized. Lifting heavy and being kind (and humble). Making Canada proud, big fella!
That's one of the reasons why I like strength sports and being around these athletes and practioners. They're usually very down to earth people and will treat you kindly, no matter how big you are or how much you lift. I'm new to strength sports, but my experience so far is way better than those 10 years I've spent in bodybuilding circles.
Colton is amazing and honestly someone needs to throw a bunch of money his way so he can compete internationally. He is doing Pro Raw in Australia soon and hopefully that helps get him some more exposure. He deserves every single good thing coming his way.
Oh when did Tom Stoltman do this?
@@Blairo0 I realized after I posted that I should have said “a” titleholder instead of “the” titleholder, but I didn’t correct it because I didn’t think anybody would nitpick over such a minor point not relevant to the point of my post. Looks like I was wrong twice :)
Absolutely
His sumo actually has quite a large ROM, it's not like some of the more egregious sumo's we see like Dany Grigsby. And the fact both his squat and deadlift are potentially over 1000 lbs just show how freakishly strong he is all around.
Indeed, looks more like a frog stance deadlift
Don't care, still beta male shit.
Colton is insanely strong.
Hell Yeah
And he's just getting started!
I love how Mitch shares the spotlight with others. He genuinely wants to see everyone succeed.
A 2 year old Strength Universe video has Colton as a junior competitor (21 yrs old) standing 188 cm or 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 110 Kg. He squatted 360 kg. Benched 200 kg. Dead lifted 370 kg. He didn't seem to struggle with any of the lifts, he didn't look huge, and claimed he only did that competition as a warmup for something else and only did 2 only out of every 3 lifts to save his body. And he started lifting when he was 16 years old.
Thanks for mentioning earlier my video. I did release an updated video on Colton’s recent performances about a week ago. Colton is a freak
@@StrengthUniverse He sure is. Great video, by the way. Thank you.
@@sergiupobereznic thanks 🙏
Powerlifters only train for 3 lifts, it's much easier to specialise than the countless strongman lifts and pulls where you have to train differently for each competition.
Powerlifters have to be strong in more than three lifts, accessories are extremely important as well.
@@anthonyclark9159 Incorrect. They're only being CONTESTED on three lifts; what they do for their accessories only builds toward those three. Strongmen are CONTESTED on 25+ events, all of which feature the top guys going balls-out against their competitors. Being strong at lat pulldowns isn't the same as being strong on keg toss.
So?
The bigger issue isn't sumo vs. conventional; it is stiff bar vs. optimized deadlift bar.
He's never as much as touched a Kabuki deadlift bar, we don't even have one in the country. He's pulled on Okie's and Texas bars which has been around for decades.
Sumo is cheating
@@Romo69the judges?
It’s the total .
U could be a leveraged freak doing sumo , as is the hated stereotype, but your total will expose this ..
Having a massive total nullifies this . There’s no issue about his sumo anymore .
Move on .
@@hansneggsfinally someone says this!!!!
John Haack is a beast. Deadlifts conventional. Squats high bar. Small arch on the bench.
Few things to consider here, John Haack did it in sleeves which is a lot different. I’ll give you the 3x4 squat, but the 507x4 was touch n go which in my opinion doesn’t transfer over to a 562 competition pause, and then sumo is a shorter distance to cover so you can get more reps than someone who does conventional but still have the same 1 rep max as them. I’ve seen it many times so I don’t think he’s anywhere close to 1,064 pounds on that. Doing it on the platform all in the same day to standard vs a gym lift is WAY DIFFERENT. I will say tho he’s eventually gonna get 700 dots and be the best ever, he’s a freak of nature.
Your total is 1500 lbs. Kindy stfu
Haha maybe. He would need to basically tie Dan bell’s record @ 242. Or record somewhere in the ballpark of 2685-2700 in the 275 class to hit 700. That’s a very tall task, even for Colton. IMO he has a legit shot at tying Dan’s record in the 242 with a successful weight cut and snagging the 700 dots but would definitely have to be a perfect 9/9 day
I don’t know about that.. his best bench in comp is 550 and before the show he hit 518 TNG for 2.
Right now he already hit 530*3 which means he will most likely destroy 562.
For the deadlift in the last prep he hit 920*4 and he was good for 980 in the meet. This time around he already hit 960*4 so I would expect him to be good for around 1000 in the meet. 1064 is ofc an overshoot
@@dominikhanus9320 open powerlifting says his best bench is 540 and yeah I’m not sure it really depends on how easy the 518x2 was as well. But regardless the kid is for real and I hope he does hit all those numbers just like I still want Julius to bench 800 one day lol
John Haack has the exact same DOT score is also lighter and his lifts are all RAW. His lifts are all recorded at official meets.
what the total? or we just talking about dot
Nope on Haack’s DOT score is slightly higher at the moment for his best meet.
665.75
Colton’s current best meet DOTS is 663.61
@@humanbean3Definitely not total. Colton weighs nearly 50lbs more. He totals more obviously.
Colton now holds the highest dots officially, and is WAY younger then Haack.
Absolutely Sumo is a different lift from Deadlift.
As Hooper said "if it's within the rules do it", which means any organization that allows lifting Sumo is just inadequately regulated, the same as IPF Bench Press prior to 2023 (and yes all of the IPF bench records from before 2023 should be wiped).
He's so insanely strong. It will be interesting to see if he can put a perfect meet together and really go all out
If Colton's body holds together, he will have the highest deadlift ever. Bout time someone with a big name gives him a shout out
Dave Richardson gives him credit tbf and he’s pretty well known I’d say but yeah he’s not like Eddie hall well known
Thought it would be Mitch looking in a mirror 🤣🤣🤣
Hi Mitchell, he's 23 years old , and he's about 6,1 or 6,2 max...Amazing to watch....👌💪
I'd say around 6'3 judging by the photos, he's not a short guy by any means
Nope about 6.1 I met the man
@@reoncoetzee1495 I've spoken to Colton and he stated he was 6'2"
I am Colton I am 4ft tall @@StrengthUniverse
I feel sumo and conventional should be allowed within a competition but it should be different world records between the 2
Powerliting: isn't about power, it's about strength
Weightlifting: it's about power
Strongman: it's not about pure strength.
Estimates weren't far off. Recent comp in silly heat he went 465/260/430 (failed 460 on 2nd when his hand tore) -- so 1025/507/948 (failed 1015)
A great quality Mitch has is that he isn't hungry for attention and instead shines a light on those that maybe aren't getting the recognition they deserve. I look forward to following this mans career. What a beast.
Sumo with a spaghetti bar is definitely not "just lifting the weight from A to B".
I have no problems with sumo, but it should be separate from the conventional deadlift and any WR should be on a standard bar.
The humility and respect shown in this video is incredible. You’re a true sportsman and ambassador of strength sports.
The sumo argument has boiled down to this for me:
Are you trying to find the biggest deadlift? - Sumo should be categorised separately as it is as much of a variation as an elevated pull in my opinion.
Are you trying to find the heaviest weight lifted from the floor with your hands? - Sumo is fine to be categorised alongside.
Powerlifting specifically looks for the heaviest deadlift in the deadlift portion of the competition so in my opinion should be kept as such with sumo separate, similar to strongman. Sumo is not any less impressive but it IS a variation and requires different leverages and strengths than a conventional deadlift and thus is a totally different lift that cannot be compared to conventional. Why aren't hack deadlifts, jefferson deadlifts, etc. allowed if the style of deadlift does not matter?
Because it isn't as black and white as u think and depending on ones anatomy and physical size sumo or conventional might be more favourable.
@@kavishU0902 In that case if they are categorised separately you excell in the one you are better at - I am just stating the two are not comparable as the same lift
💯 agree
Fuk sumo. I hate that it's allowed
This is one of the more reasonable takes I’ve seen. Sumo isn’t cheating or easier or unimpressive or whatever, but they should be classified separately as they are somewhat different movemenrs
Strongman Antonio Gutierrez makes the same point that you made about squat and bench going up when you're larger while deadlift goes down. He says it's because of fatter/thicker hands struggling on grip, poorer mobility for the pickup and difficulty to fully lock out.
Sumo should 100% be a separate category. The difference in total distance the bar has to move is just too much.
Thank you!!!!
I agree, but i would say same goes for super low bar squats and wide grip bench.
So people with long arms should have their own category too? What about people with super short femurs on the squat? What about people with T rex arms on the bench?
The problem is you're describing physical attributes of lifters that they can't change, whereas sumo is a technique choice, it's literally a different lift than a conventional deadlift@@Micheldied
Right..... so wide grip benchers should be a different category? nah
He doesnt have a higher dots score than john haack, haack competes raw with no wraps.
excellent video, and much respect for highlighting another lifter like this (as one of the greatest of all-time yourself) - speaks much to your caliber, modesty!
I could be wrong, but I think that the idea of the strongest person comes from real world exhibitions of strength, mostly in blue collar settings. Seeing a mechanic lift an engine by himself,
Seeing a framer lift a frame on his own that 3 people together struggled with, seeing a guy carry sandbags like they are nothing, one in each arm, while you struggle with one.
It’s really impossible to fully quantify that level of strength, but that’s what people think of when they think strong. (Or used to before the gym became so huge).
I think with that notion of strength, that’s what strongman tries to measure. Not gym strength, but real world strength.
Obviously all top powerlifters are going to be insanely strong in that regard. But I think that strongman does a pretty decent job of testing you in that kind of strength.
I agree 100% there has to be a element of functionality- strongman could pickup a huge log, lift to there 1 shoulder and walk it out of the forest- that to me is the strongest man not just move a bar with plates through a practiced range of motion.
“Gym strength” vs “farmer strength” or “functional” strength is b.s. there is little to no difference
@mozzer920 You do realize they practice things like logs, stones, and sandbags right? Practice is simply refining technique to become more efficient so it’s impossible to eliminate “practiced movements” as even someone with no idea of how to lift will use somewhat efficient technique
@joemama226 You one of those guys who doesn't think loaded carries are important? Loaded carry guys are always all-around stronger. That's all farmers do- carry loads...all day long. They'll also beat gym guys at things like wresting with ease.
@@joemama226 Powerlifting is strength in a single plane of motion, the term "functional strength" is an influencer gimmick I agree, but someone having a higher BSD total doesn't necessarily make them stronger. Technique is a huge factor. Most people never bother to learn perfect PL form.
One of the guys I work out with is a half-decent national powerlifter, sumo, low bar, arched back. He is 100lbs lighter than me and outlifts me in BSD by a good 200lbs, mostly from his deadlift. I'm stronger than him in just about every accessory we do where his PL technique doesn't help, for example, machine chest press, he can still arch his back so he out-lifts me. But skull crushers, OHP, DB rows, BB rows, shrugs, I outlift a guy who is supposedly way stronger than me, so is he really stronger? He says no, he says it's 50% technique. PL is not the be-all and end-all of strength, it's the opposite, it's incredibly niche.
Sumo already is a different lift, just like a jerk is different than a press, but as long as federations allow them, I don't see a problem if an athlete is using them.
I've been following this guy as a fellow South African, he is legit insane!! SA represent 🙌🙌🙌
well he 9 times stronger than me so lol I got nothing to say bout it :)
Been putting out good content appreciate your work brother keep it up!
IMO, Lasha Talakhadze definitely belongs in the conversation for World's Strongest Man.
Strongest? I wouldn't say so. Most powerful? Unquestionably. Am a weightlifter.
@@christopherroberts2500 lifting weight floor to overhead with full extension is the most impressive thing in history.
strength and power are different, most powerful definitely
not strongest, but maybe had potential to be one of the strongest. he instead focused more on explosive power and weightlifting technique
The issue is 100% money. He needs sponsors.
Strongman covers strength in many more of the functional movements of everyday life (push, pull, squat, hinge, carry, grip, etc) than powerlifting (only push, squat, and hinge). Therefore, imo strongman tests who is overall the strongest in the world much better than powerlifting.
Yes Franco Colombu was world powerlifting champion but yet he lost WSM.
I'm behind this Colton guy 100 percent. I want to see him total 3000 lbs. Lets go!!
Excited that he's getting the recognition he deserves
Time is evolving, old school and new school are still present. You are part of the new school to bring forth the next generation of lifters with your knowledge to make more stronger and efficient strongman and powerlifters. You are the current world's strongest man, sit on your throne and build the kingdom which is yours. Remember and respect the old-school and make a stronger newschool. Thank you Mitchell hooper.
this guy would beat dan bell atwr today if he didnt injure his hand on his 2nd deadlift attempt... let that sink in
this guy on a dirt bulk, getting fat over 300lb is the one to finally reach 1200kg mark
most impressive powerlifter ever. already the goat of this sport. so absurd
i dont think him becoming fat would necessarily help his lifts, if he did it slowly and got to 127kg bodyweight then i think he could pass Dan Bell
ATG frontsquat with a full Olympic rack position, beltless snatch pull in a legitimate snatch grip, and a power clean + strict press, from an 'honest to God' front rack = the true strongest person.
this. it s like simplify weightlifting with odd lifts.
Finally someone covered him for once . I’m happier saying I’m glad it was you.
Hey Mitchell!
A video on Tyson Ridenour would be great!
A young sumo deadlifter, likely on the way to break world records
I personally thing Sumo and Standard should be classified differently. Sumo just seems to be trying to cut corners.
Make them different lifts, everyone's happy. Simple.
So what about lowbar and highbar squatting?
@kavishU0902 yeah, fair point. Highbar for everyone. Do it properly 😂
@@kavishU0902therein begins the rabbit hole no federation wants to get into.
If it was really that huge of an advantage everyone would be doing sumo and standard wouldn't exist in comp
my dad has world records @165. squatting 800. rickey dale crain. he passed away a few weeks ago.
Strongest by powerlifting standards are all static lifts. They are a great way to get stronger, but I don't think it qualifies as strongest in a functional sense. In everyday life moving an object is more applicable than lifting it up and putting it down.
😂😂😂 whats functional? Evertything has a function so its all functional.
Get out with this “functional” bs. Functional has no meaning, you just think strength only applies to moving events which is untrue
@@joemama226 No one said the "C....Fit" word.
@@jimmygeeraets9039 sorry about my misuse of vernacular. Let's replace that with the word practical. As in to succeed or be effective in real circumstances; feasible.
@@michaelprice8207strength is not a practical feat though😂 at these level it’s just strength for the sake of it. Not to be useful at all
Would love to see a revisit given his big dogs performance recently.
just 3 power lifts don't represent total strength. Therefore, power lifting isn't it.
The strongest man ever!!! …he pulls sumo… insert JD Vance face meme
You need more than 3 lifts to be the world's strongest man imo
You couldn't total more than him in 10 lifts 😂
1 you are right 2 the world strongest could be ANDREY SMAEV . He doesnt do usual strongman lifts but probably no eny strongman if dedicated to Andreys lift will probably never reach Andreys level.... Many people are sayng that he could be the strongest in history😱😱
@@Perinio-inlove Smaev? Really? He won't be in top 20 in the world in any single lift and not even close to being in top 100 in a multi-lift comp. The guy is a clown.
@@albertastrofimovas Probably a bot. Who puts another guys name in capital letters?
@@Perinio-inloveI don't know pal. What do you think about Tom Haviland ? Andy Smeav is strong but I don't know about that pal
Why you compare john haack raw dots score, with raw with wraps?
Haack is only about 1 dot point lower despite the fact that Haack doesn't use wraps while Colton does. So actually, considering that Haack' Dot score in more impressive and that training deadlift of 410KG x 6 was with wraps so in a powerlfiting comp that wouldn't translate into 1064 pounds (wouldn't come even close to translating into that high of comp deadlift)
Great video Mitch!👏
Personally id prefer if sumo where seperated from conventional in competition because the lifts are so different and sumo having about 25% less ROM..
Strongman is less of a test of strength to Mitch, but to most people it’s strength
Science based lifting is how someone who is that light gets that strong… science as a base, intensity as a driver
If so, you should organize that event, I don't think the top powerlifters would definitely be the top of strongman competitions.
John has the highest raw dots
One more consideration here, often overlooked, if a Powerlifter is squatting or deadlifting and is bulky, but not useable bulk, then they have to lift that weight as well, it can be misleading to say that heavier is stronger, some lifters could drop big weight and lift the same, but as their body weight would be bar weight their poundage on the bar would go up. Kev the Sports Psychologist
do a video about carl yngvar squat 490kg bench 350kg deadlift 390kg
when he was 23
This was done equipped. Big difference
That squat was highhhhh
His comp squat was 100% low enough, the technical head of the WPC SA was one of the side judges on the day.
@@reoncoetzee1495 I'm not talking about his comp squat. His training squats are the squats that mix got his projected max from....they were high
I would say that the one caveat here is that his incredibly impressive volume work on deads is with the help of straps. The question is, can he hold on to the bar for deadlifts? He already missed 1014 on grip. I really hope that he can total 25/26, but it’s going to come down to deadlift grip
8:46 "Eddie was just massiv massiv" True 😅
There are many of us that have higher conventional numbers than our sumo... much like squats it's really about your anatomical leverages with femur / torso length. Folks that complain about sumo are generally people that could never even imagine loading their conventional deadlift weight into their hips and locking it out. Having pulled 680 conventionally I say kuddos to those that can mechanically pull that with a sumo stance!
Have you seen Mike Rabb? Same weightclass as this guy.
Colton also achieved those lifts as a junior at 23 years old
Finally more people are talking about Colton man is a literal demigod
Yes, Sumo should be considered a different lift imo compared to reg deadlift
If we stick to the strict definition of the words, there is a difference between power and strength. The guy can be the most powerful in the world based off of his numbers, but strength is power over a distance, so there has to be an inherent separate category. WSM is about moving incredible weights for some form of repetitions or distance nine times out of 10. Powerlifting is quite literally one rep give it all you got highest total wins. These things are not equal. They are different. Contrast and comparing them is a lot of fun for discussion, but it doesn’t change their inherent differences.
using straps on sumo deadlift makes it much easier because for sumo the bottom portion is harder than the top when you strap up your arms become longer decreasing range of motion plus you can generate more force at the bottom of the lift. Therefor you cannot calculate 1 rep max off strap sumo deadlift. You can only calculate one rep max if the lifter resets and breathes at the bottom of each deadlift rep and also goes strapless. sumo with deadlift bar is also somewhat of a magic show nowadays. There are lifters that can only sumo pull 750 on a regular bar that can sumo close to 1000 on a deadlift bar. maybe deadlift bars should be banned to make it fair to compare modern lifts to old timers like Ed Coan. bench press is also somewhat of a trick lift due to ability to decrease range of motion I feel axle and log are better measures of strength than bench due to stability and back strength and leg strength needed to execute the lift. Its possible to have a super strong sumo pull with strong legs and a fragile back that would break under a heavy log.
P/s his conventional deadlift is around 110, no straps. I am sure he would like doing a podcast or two.
Hooper needs to take into account that even an extra 20lbs at that level is a massive difference in strength. Colton being “slightly” off from bigger guys is an understatement. The law of diminishing returns hits you like a bitch especially in weight lifting.
Sumo shouldn't be considered. It's like doing a bench press where you arch so much that you only move the weight a few inches. It's an insult to the sport.
Not really. Sumo only has really low rom when someone has a great build for it and a super whippy deadlift bar
@@joemama226 same with the arch in a bench press. I still think both should be disallowed in competition.
So should we suddenly disallow people that have long arms and short legs too? Because that’s the main reason we see people pulling crazy weights, not sumo.
@@vitaliyvorobets2738 I have long legs and long arms. 73 inches tall, 33 inch inseam, 79 inch reach.
That point is invalid .. we should standardize the lifts. If you want sumo, then make everyone do sumo. If you want conventional, make everyone do conventional. That being said, as a long legged and long armed person, sumo is stupid.
@ then I guess you’d have to go after every other lift too then🤷 close and wide grip bench, lowbar and highbar squats, sink vs no sink bench, and so many other “standardizations”. Hell, let’s just remove the barbells altogether and just test everyone’s force production on a machine.
It's you!
He's coming to Australia soon to do a couple of meets,lets see how he goes
Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. It’s easier to say who is the strongest at a specific lift. For example all the strongest guys can’t touch Julius Maddox on bench and at the moment Thor can walk into any strongman show and dominate the deadlift without pushing to his limit.
Impressive performance! However, based on my experience, I believe his numbers might be slightly lower than your estimation. In my view, they'd be around 460 kg for the squat (based on 3 x 4 at 405 kg), 255 kg for the bench (4 reps at 230 kg), and 455 kg for the deadlift (based on 6 reps at 410 kg - in deadlift the first rep is different, so many lifters perform slightly better on reps). Still, an incredible feat regardless!
I have no issues w sumo however it should definitely be a separate category. Most of these heavy sumos are not deadlifts at all-some people sumo in a deadlift type fashion but almost all of your biggest sumo pullers are not doing a deadlift not even close to one but I digress 😤
I wish the sumo lift was counted differently. There are so many rules governing how you have to bench press and squat to make sure you don't cheat the ROM, sumo is no different. That being said, if it's allowed in the rules, it's fair game.
If we’re going to account for wraps vs sleeves in squat because of the advantage lifters can gain then I think we should definitely account for conventional vs sumo. It’s not cheating due to the current rules but it is a way some lifters gain an advantage like massive arching in bench. Not saying outlaw it, just give it a separate category. An asterisk at the very least.
If not the strongest today, the strongest soon: Colton's 24.
Even if he peaks 'young', he has 4-5yrs. More likely he'll peak in 10yrs or more..
Sumo: thought is if you apply to a practical situation. Say you are in the engine compartment of your boat or crawl space of your house and have to pull out the engine (or whatever, you get the point). So, a tighter stance might mean in more real life situations you could do something helpful, lifesaving, etc. But, lots of ways too in real life to set up with sumo (I’d say you actually need less space to the rear). Anyway, just offering an assessment from the POV of practical application.
Anyone think that body builders should have to climb or rope in competition or do something “ninja” to prove athleticism? 😮😂
You don’t see the big difference between sumo and conventional on a stiff bar, so I don’t see the need to get rid of sumo. Just get rid of the deadlift bar because that’s where the big sumo pullers really have a big advantage. It should be only power bars for all 3 lifts in my opinion.
As Loz says: Mitch likes to talk
comparing dan bell's powerlifting meet numbers to theorhetical 1rms in a vacuum is flawed. you could take the same theorheticals for dan and dan would be ahead.
Mitch, if you needed to boil it down to one lift to judge the strongest man, would it be deadlift or squat?
The objective answer is clean and press
@PcCAvioN Technique is a huge factor though
Idk if it’s just me I guess. But I believe firmly the best way to find out how much raw strength someone has is just a Zercher squat. Forearms, shoulders back, core, gluts hamstrings, calves, quads. As many major muscles that you can have for a single lift. Bench squat deadlift and strongman events are awesome ways to gage how strong a human being is but I do believe if you want to see how strong someone’s body is just pure raw strength no skill required, see how much they can Zercher squat
I’m confused, at one point Mitch says he doesn’t care how much someone weighs, it only matters how much you can move, yet later he starts rattling off the weights and heights of a bunch of guys.
Put it this way, if you were trapped under a car would you want Colton to show up or Hapthor?
I think somo should have its own category it gives a mechanical advantage to certain lifters in my opinion also I don't think three lifts can truly represent what is strength.
Every person who lose Belkin and Browner said that sumo isn’t real deadlift😂
Thoughts on andrey smaev?
Sumo should NOT be judged in the same light as Conv, because you can pull 600lbs 5x5 sumo and not be a professional vs ONLY the best Powerlifters in the world can pull 600 at 5x5 because it so much harder.
Andrey Malanichev was competing in 125 kg class most of the time. Last few years he went one class above or what ever that is called.
Andrey competed in higher weight classes from 2006 onwards e.g he competed above 125kg for 13 years
@@StrengthUniverse Ok, thanks for clarification.
I really appreciate the content you put out and love watching your videos Mitch! However, I would disagree that the strongest powerlifter is the strongest person in the world. If we’re talking strongest person in the world, we should be talking overall strength. Shoulder Strength for example isn’t tested at all in powerlifting (especially not with super wide grips on bench), neither is strength endurance. Plus, Powerlifting (especially Sumo Deadlifts) is all about leverages and specificity. Of course leverages play a role in Strongman as well, but there’s so many events that favor different leverages whereas in PL you have only three lifts. While the achievements of lifters like John Haack, Jesus or Colton are amazing, I still think Strongman is the best test of overall strength and therefore the strongest Strongman (you 😉) is the strongest person in the world
Power lifting is a sport as well. It's highly specialized lifts. I'm gonna say strongman is a better gauge. Also, using his reps to calculate his potential max is flawed. In competition, what he does as his max is his max period.
As a massive rugby fan I must say I'm not surprised, south Africans are straight up monsters
And whilst we are on the topic below, lets say a Powerlifting meet, if you asked a competitor to walk around on the day of the meet in a 60/80/100Lb weighted jacket they would say no way, due to it spoiling their chances of the last squat and last deadlift. Cardio to sweat it off yes, better food in, will repair muscle quicker/offer a healthier system all round and get more gains/less injury, keep or get to a better/lower body fat level. We dont need the Bodybuilding - dangerous weight dropping mentality, but I don't like to see the 'all the Burger and Ice Cream' blogs of some of the strength athletes, better all their weight was registered on their total than spread across their bodies/fatiguing them and nibbling away at potential for PB's.
My best are 435 lbs deadlift, 350 lbs squat, 230 lbs bench press
strong af
Sumo definitely should be in a different category, it’s not cheating however it’s a whole different lift in terms of the muscle group’s that’s primarily being used and how it attacks your body. Sumo is more of a “leg” lift than a full body lift and conversational is legs, lower back, upper back, it’s basically a full body lift. So no, I think people need to cut the shit and stop comparing them. I’ve lifted sumo and when I tell you my back felt sooooo much better but I will still pick conventional any day.
Actually totally agree if we put 3 main lifting as measurements. But if we include some grip strength will be good. Just amaze to see some people crush apple like nothing.😅 Just opinion
Mitch keep on searching till you find me💪🏻
Im surprised that you said you didnt care about weight difference size ... thats why there is a dot system... pound for pound !!!