Rice turned in a historic performance over the weekend in Florida.
Samantha Rice has accomplished plenty over the course of her career but continues to take it to the next level. Over the weekend, Rice turned in another record-breaking performance where she set four Raw World Records, including becoming the all-time deadlift queen.
Rice took her unbeaten record into the 2025 King & Queen of the Platform 5 in Port Charlotte, Florida this past weekend. She competed in the 90kg division and was able to reach new heights. To top off four new records, Rice completed a 297.5kg (655.9lb) deadlift, which is the heaviest of all-time in Women’s Powerlifting. This was just one of three incredible lifts completed during the event.
Samantha Rice’s Record-Setting Performance
The day began on the squat rack, where Rice already held the U90kg world record, which was set in 2024. Wearing a lifting belt and knee sleeves, Rice was able to outdo herself once again. She put 282.5kg (622.8lb) on the bar for her third and final attempt, locking it out with ease. When she reached the top, Rice had reset her own record and set the tone for the rest of the competition.
Bench press was next on the list and once again, Rice was able to break her own record set last year. The final attempt for Rice was 163kg (359.4lb) and it look time to get to the top but she was able to lock it out successfully. Not only did Rice reset the record in the U90kg division but she set a new competition PR on bench.
Finally, Samantha Rice took on deadlifts. This was her best performance of the day as she tackled a 297.5kg (655.9lb) lift. There was no other woman who has reached this level and she was determined to reset the bar. She stepped up with a sumo stance and mixed grip before beginning her process of the lift. Rice narrowly took down the previous record of 297kg (654.8lb) held by Tamara Walcott. In the end, Rice totaled 743kg (1,638lb) to set her fourth world record of the competition.
Does Powerlifting Build Muscle?
To answer the age old question, yes, powerlifting absolutely builds muscle, particularly in the glutes, hamstrings, quads, back, chest, and triceps — the primary movers in the big three lifts.
1. High Mechanical Tension
Lifting heavy weights places immense stress on your muscles, stimulating growth even with lower rep ranges.
2. Progressive Overload
Powerlifters are laser-focused on increasing strength over time, which leads to continual adaptation and muscle development.
3. Compound Movements
Squats, bench presses, and deadlifts engage multiple muscle groups at once, encouraging overall muscle growth and efficiency.
4. Volume Work & Accessories
While the core lifts are heavy and low-rep, powerlifters also include accessory exercises like Romanian deadlifts, lunges, rows, and dips. These often use higher rep ranges and are designed to address weak points and build muscle mass.
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