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But wrestling is not the only sport Mark Henry has made a name for himself. His oft-repeated nickname of “The World’s Strongest Man” is no idle boast; indeed Mark Henry is very well respected for his legitimate feats of strength and showings at powerlifting events.
The records speak for themselves and from his adult years (18yrs+) until now, these are the major accolades under his belt -:
(18-19yrs)
- Current Texas state and US American Teen-age record holder in the squat at 425.0 kg (936.75 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1991.
(Collegiate Level)
- Current Texas State Junior Record holder in the deadlift at 385.6*kg (850.0*lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1995.
(20-23yrs)
- Current Texas State Junior Record holder in the deadlift at 385.6 kg (850.0 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1995.
(24yrs+)
- Current Texas State Record holder in the squat at 433 kg (954 lbs), the deadlift at 410.5 kg (905 lbs) and the total at 1060 kg (2337 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1995.
- Current All-time drug-tested raw (unequipped) squat World Record holder at 432.5 kg (953.5 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since October 29, 1995.
- Current All-time drug-tested raw (unequipped) deadlift World Record holder at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) in SHW class only since July 16, 1995.
- Current All-time drug-tested raw (unequipped) Powerlifting Total World Record holder at 1060.0 kg (2336.9 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since October 29, 1995.
- Current All-time American Record holder in the raw deadlift at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) (drug-tested as well as non drug-tested) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since July 16, 1995.
- Current American Record holder in the deadlift at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) (drug-tested as well as non drug-tested) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995.
- Current All-time US National Championship Record holder in the deadlift at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) (drug-tested as well as non drug-tested) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995.
World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation (WDFPF) World Records
- Current WDFPF World Record holder in the squat at 432.5 kg (953.5 lbs), the deadlift at 392.5 kg (865.3 lbs) and the total at 1060 kg (2336.9 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since October 29, 1995 (categorized as “open equipped”, despite performed in singlet&knee sleeves only/without suit).
U.S.A. Powerlifting (USAPL) US American Records
- Current USAPL US American Record holder in the deadlift at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995.
- Current US National Championship Record holder in the deadlift at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995.
Special Powerlifting Honors
- As an 18-year-old high school senior, Mark is called “The World’s Strongest Teen-ager” by the Los Angeles Times in April 1990 for winning The National High School Powerlifting Championships and setting teen-age lifting world records in the squat 832 lb (377 kg) and total 2,033 lb (922 kg).
- Mark Henry was voted in the All-time Top 25 All-Mens US Powerlifting Nationals Team in 2007: To commemorate the 25th Anniversary USAPL Mens Nationals, a list of the top 25 powerlifters, who have made the biggest impact on the Mens Nationals, has been created: The “USAPL Silver Anniversary Mens Nationals Team”. Mark Henry is the only member with just two wins, but in those two wins he left all speechless. His 903 DL in 95 is still unsurpassed in the USAPL. He also had two 900+ lb. squats. Most impressive is that in two outings his average margin of victory was 179 lbs. and it was done raw.
- Mark Henry is the only human in history who has not only squatted more than 900 lbs without a squat suit, but also deadlifted more than 900 lbs raw.
- Mark Henry is the only human in history to have squatted more than 900 lbs without a squat suit and deadlifted more than 900 lbs raw in one and the same powerlifting meet.
- Mark Henry’s 430.0 kg (948.0 lbs) raw squat and 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) deadlift, done on July 16, 1995 is the highest raw “squat-pull-2-lift-total” (squat+deadlift=1851.9 lbs) ever lifted in a competition.
- Mark Henry does not only hold the greatest all-time drug-tested raw (unequipped) Powerlifting Total in history at 1060.0 kg (2336.9 lbs), but also the second greatest in history at 1050 kg (2314.8 lbs).
- Mark Henry’s 432.5 kg (953.5 lbs) unequipped squat is currently the 4th highest squat ever performed without a squat suit in an official competition (open or drug-tested) (stand: 8-26-2012).
- Mark Henry’s 1060.0 kg (2336.9 lbs) unequipped total is currently the 5th highest total ever lifted without supportive equipment in an official competition (open or drug-tested) (stand: 8-26-2012).
That’s a lot of records that have stood the test of time. To hold recognised records in any sport is a fantastic accomplishment, but to have held a records since 1991 and then a host of records from 1995 is something that virtually unheard of in the world of professional sports. In addition to those listed, he was also 1st place in U.S. National Junior Weightlifting Championships 1991 at the age of 19 and 1st place in U.S. Senior National Weightlifting Championships 1993, 1994 and 1996.
Rather scarily, there are those who feel that because he ended his powerlifting career so early, he never fulfilled the promise he had in that field.
A direct quote from his Wiki page sums this up in a few short lines – “Many experts in the field, including Bill Kazmaier, Jan & Terry Todd, Dr. Robert M. Goldman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Muscle & Fitness magazine and Flex magazine, consider him to be one of the Strongest Men that ever lived or even the most naturally gifted strongman in history”.
Those kind of accolades are not doled out willy-nilly and the respect he earned in the field of powerlifting is still there to this day. Bill Kazmaier has been quoted as saying that he believes Mark Henry is the greatest strongman who ever lived.
In addition to sanctioned athletic competitions, Mark Henry has also shown great feats of strength in other endeavours -:
Arnold Strongman Classic
- Winner 2002 at age 31: After only 4 month’s training Mark Henry takes first prize in one of the most prestigious annual strongman events, the so-called “SUPER BOWL” of weightlifting, out-muscling some of the best in worldwide Strongman athletics including the #1 ranked strongman in the world and World’s Strongest Man competition winner of 2001 Svend Karlsen, World Powerlifting Champion of 2000 and 2001 Andy Bolton and World’s Strongest Man winner of 2006 Phil Pfister. Henry won competition, setting a new world record in the Apollon’s Axle in the process. Henry deadlifted 885 lbs for 2 easy repetitions and was the only competitor able to clean and press the Apollon’s Wheel overhead 3 times.
- Winner of the $1000 Thomas Inch dumbbell challenge at the Arnold Strongman Classic 2002, by lifting the dumbbell to the level of his chest
- Fourth man in history to clean and press the Apollon’s Wheel (a non-revolving 365 lb barbell with a 2 inch thick handle) overhead.
Random accolades
- First man in history to one-hand clean and push press the “unliftable” Thomas Inch dumbbell (172 lbs; 2.47″ diameter handle), writing strength athletics history on June 22, 2002 in New Jersey – Mark was the first man in history, who was able to one-hand clean it from the floor to shoulder’s height and then press it to arm’s length. Tom Black, who covered the event for the Cyberpump website, called the lift “the best documented feat of all the legendary performances and perhaps the most spectacular feat of strength ever performed.” Though many have tried, only one man in history has yet been able to repeat this feat. The most difficult part is not to one-hand press it, but to clean it from the floor with one hand, because of the grip strength it requires.
- Mark Henry is crowned “The Second Strongest Man That Ever Lived” – according to Flex Magazine May, 2008: In a Top Ten List of the strongest men of all time called “Strength in Numbers”, published by Flex Magazine, Mark Henry came in second only to the legendary 6 time Arnold Strongman Classic winner Zydrunas Savickas, who was voted #1. Henry was given the honors for his world class performances in powerlifting, weightlifting and strongman despite minimal training and exceptionally young age, as well as for his accomplishment of still holding the highest combined weightlifting/powerlifting total in history to this day. Henry surpasses even all-time great strength legends such as 3 time World’s Strongest Man competition winner Bill Kazmaier, legendary Paul Anderson and Louis Cyr as well as 5 time World’s Strongest Man winner Mariusz Pudzianowski.
- International Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2012): Mark Henry is honoured as one of the world’s greatest athlete legends in sports history for his extraordinary career as a lifetime drug-free strength prodigy in powerlifting, weightlifting and strongman, setting record marks in all three disciplines. He is inducted in 2012 together with fellow hall-of-famers Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cory Everson, Jack LaLanne, James Lorimer and Randy Couture
With credentials like that, you can easily see why the “World’s Strongest Man” tag is no simply marketing slogan.
