Strength competitions became an annual event in the 1950s. The first competitions comprised of

Curl, Press, Bench Press, Squat and Deadlift. Later the Press and the Deadlift were dropped,

with just the other three lifts remaining. Curl, Bench Press and Squat.

Finally the Internationally  recognised standard was adopted. This comprised of SQUAT, BENCH

PRESS and DEADLIFT.

Internationally recognised standard for Power Sets

            1959                Jack Kirkland - Referee                  Roy Harper - Lifting

       Ron Judge at under 10 stone (139 lb)  Weight over 500 lb

Below are photos taken at JACK's GYM in 1959, they are of LEN SELL taken on a Sunday morning, the day after he won the 1959 Mr. Universe Contest

Paul Anderson

        1955

Official records
Olympic weightlifting

Done in official competition[16][15]

Clean and press: 185.5 kg (408.5 lbs) on 1955-10-16, in Munich at the 1955 World Championships
Snatch: 152.5 kg (335 lbs) on 1956-06-02 in Philadelphia at the 1956 Senior Nationals
Clean and jerk: 199.5 kg (440 lbs) on 1956-06-02 in Philadelphia at the 1956 Senior Nationals
Total: 533.5 kg (181.5/152.5/199.5) / 1175 lbs (400/335 /440)

(clean and press + snatch + clean and jerk) on 1956-06-02 in Philadelphia at the 1956 Senior Nationals
Unofficial lifts
Lift included in the Guinness Book of World Records (1985 edition)

Backlift: 6,270 lb (2,840 kg) (weight raised slightly off trestles; done June 12, 1957, in Toccoa, Georgia)[16]
→ listed as the greatest weight ever lifted by a human being[16][19]
Powerlifting

Guinness also listed Anderson's best powerlifts[16]

Done in small exhibitions or training (according to Anderson himself)

Squat: 1,200 lb (540 kg) raw[20]
Bench press: 628 lb (285 kg) raw
Deadlift: 820 lb (370 kg) raw[21]
Olympic weightlifting

Best gym lifts (according to Anderson himself)[16]

Clean and press: 485 lb (220 kg)
Snatch: 375 lb (170 kg)
Clean and jerk: 485 lb (220 kg)
Other lifts

Done in small exhibitions or training

Best "authenticated" full squat: 930 lb (420 kg) – as a professional at Silver Springs, Maryland in 1965
Full squat: 1,206 lb (547 kg)[3]
Assisted deadlift: 1,000 lb (450 kg) (using metal hooks attached to his wrists)[3][15]
Push press: 560 lb (250 kg)[16] (off the rack)
Military press: 435 lb (197 kg)
One-arm side press: 380 lb (170 kg)[3]

Roy Harper

Email: Roy@harperweb.co.uk 

Phone: 01992 463 782

Mobile: 07846 967 660

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