Mitchell Hooper gives his list of the best squatters in history.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper recently hit an enormous 392.2 kg (865 lb) squat during a recent lifting session at the gym. The Canadian strongman has been putting in work ever since missing the opportunity to become a two-time WSM champion. Since the 2024 WSM show Hooper has returned to form winning shows and putting in some serious work in training.
After his win at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, many believed the sky was the limit for Mitchell Hooper. With a brand of humor all his own and a marketable personality, Hooper appeared to be taking his career to the next level. And while he may not have won the 2024 WSM, his subsequent victory at the 2024 Giants Live Strongman Classic showed that his ranking hasn’t fallen off whatsoever.
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In a recent training video uploaded to YouTube, Mitchell Hooper performed an astounding 392.2 kg (865 lb) squat. The squat was his personal best and quite the feat of strength. Hooper went on to discuss who he believes are the greatest squatters of all time, to which he believes he is part of their ranks.
Ed Coan
Mitchell Hooper Spoke on legendary powerlifter Ed Coan who he believes has reached iconic status.
“I’m going to start with who I think is the most legendary and iconic to people in the sport, and this is Ed Coan.
“Ed is not a tall guy or an overly large guy. He competed in the 100-kg weight class, and his best squat in competition was 947-lb (429-kg)… We are talking about an excess of 4x bodyweight squat, at not an incredibly light bodyweight, which is absurd.”
Ray Williams
Hooper mentioned Ray Williams next who is truly another all-time great. He was known for his raw strength and ability to lift a tremendous amount of weight with minimal assistance (sleeves).
“Ray absolutely shattered the scene in natural drug-tested IPF in sleeves… He squatted over 1,000 pounds raw, just sleeves and a belt like you would see a traditional person in a gym. He also did this on a standard power bar, not a squat bar. So it wasn’t just the strength to complete the lift, but also the strength to stabilize.”
Hafthor Bjornsson
Mitchell Hooper was also sure to mention fellow strongman Hafthor Bjornsson on his list. The 2018 World’s Strongest Man is an absolute powerhouse in every lift and even holds the world record deadlift as one of his many accomplishments.
“He is not a squat specialist, he is 6-feet 8-inches, and he has to move the body a very long way, which does not tend well to squatting heavy. He completed a 420-kilogram (925.9-pound) squat, but what was more impressive was, I believe, 455 or 456 kilograms (1,005 pounds) which he did squat and was red-lighted on depth.
”It wasn’t absurd; it was very, very close to being a reasonably good lift. For a man who is 6- feet 8-inches, that is an absolutely absurd achievement.”
Tom Platz
And what all-time greatest squatter list would be complete without the legend Tom Platz. Mitchell Hooper was sure to give Platz his flowers for his own insane squatting abilities.
“Tom was not a particularly large guy, but he could do some insane sets of squats. In his most iconic Tom Platz Squat Challenge, he did 525-lb for 23 reps. For context, I am probably 1.5x his bodyweight and I nearly killed myself going for 24 reps.”
Catch everything Mitchell Hooper had to say in the video below.
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News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube and Instagram.
