Elite powerlifter Austin Perkins has the biggest total of any raw 75-kilogram lifter in the world at 851 kilograms (1,876 pounds) and the highest DOTS score of any tested athlete, having eclipsed Taylor Atwood for both accolades.

Perkins has lifted with the USA Powerlifting (USAPL) federation for most of his career but recently announced a switch to Powerlifting America (PA). Perkins has already done his qualifying meet in Texas in December 2023 and is currently preparing for PA Raw Nationals in Reno, Nevada, on March 15, 2024.

Perkins’ preparation appears to be proceeding apace as he posted a training update on his Instagram page on Jan. 14, 2024, wherein he squatted a monster 285 kilograms (628 pounds) raw for three repetitions. Check it out below:

Perkins used knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and a lifting belt to aid his squats. Many powerlifters find low bar squatting hard on their wrists, so they use wrist wraps for extra support.

Perkins’ first rep seemed effortless. The second didn’t look much slower. Perkins took a second to steady himself before starting his third repetition, but it moved just as easily. He may have had reps in reserve.

Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same.

The current International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) squat world record in the 74-kilogram class is 283.5 kilograms (625 pounds), set by New Zealand’s Tim Monigatti at Malta’s 2023 Classic World Championships (CWC) in an intense battle for the 74-kilogram crown.

Perkins’s best squat in raw competition is an incredible 313.5 kilograms (691 pounds). It seems likely Perkins will attempt to break the world record at his first opportunity. In the IPF, world records can only be challenged at international contests, meaning Perkins still has to clear several hurdles before writing his name in the record books.

First, Perkins must make the USA team for the 2024 IPF CWC. There, he must win his class and achieve at least 85 percent of the IPF world record total along the way.

In this case, 85 percent of the 800-kilogram (1,764-pound) total that Kjell Bakkelund set at the European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) 2023 European Classic is 680 kilograms (1,499 pounds). Perkins is the highest totaling 75-kilogram lifter on the planet, so hitting that total seems like a slam dunk.

Perkins will face Taylor Atwood at Raw Nationals. Atwood has been a dominant force in this class for several years but struggled with injury in 2023. These two last met on the platform at the 2021 USAPL raw nationals. Atwood was victorious on that occasion, but Perkins has come a long way since. If Atwood is back on form, there will be an almighty clash for the American title.

Whoever is victorious will compete at the 2024 CWC in Druskininkai, Lithuania, and gain the opportunity to compete for world records and the world championship title. There is more on the table this year: qualifications for the 2025 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships and The World Games 2025 are on the line.

Perkins and Atwood will face off at PA Raw Nationals on March 15, 2024. It promises to be an epic encounter and can be watched live via the PA YouTube channel.

Featured image: @the75kg on Instagram

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