Austin Perkins Smokes a 225-kg (496-lb) Raw Bench Press Unofficial IPF World Record and PR in Training

Austin Perkins is widely known as one of the greatest pound-for-pound powerlifters to ever step onto the platform, which is why his lifts excite thousands of people all around the globe. He is now preparing for his next official appearance, which resulted in a brand new personal record for him. Specifically, Austin shared a massive 225-kilogram (496-pound) Raw Bench Press from training on October 8th, which unofficially exceeds the current IPF World Record.

Along with being a drug-tested athlete, Austin Perkins also competes in the raw division, where the use of equipment is kept to a strict minimum. Lifters can use a belt and wrist wraps on the bench, but Austin didn’t even bother with either for his staggering bench press, making his feat even more impressive. His Instagram post captured the full workout session from start to finish, beginning with an easy 75-kilogram (165.3-pound) warm-up and building all the way up to that monumental 225-kilogram (496-pound) top set.

Austin Perkins’ 225-kilogram (496-pound) bench press was a true demonstration of greatness. He started off by lowering the barbell to his chest with extreme control, which he followed with a clean pause just like he would in an official competition. As he began pressing the barbell back up, it started moving off his chest very slowly. However, once he pushed past the first few inches, it was clear that he was on track to lock out the lift.

Austin Perkins usually competes in the U74KG weight class, but his recent bench press success is not limited to it. Namely, the 225-kilogram (496-pound) mark blows past the existing U74KG IPF World Record by an incredible 9-kilogram (19.8-pound) margin. Moreover, even if he decided to jump up a weight class to U83KG, his bench press would still exceed that division’s world record by 6 kilograms (13.2 pounds).

Watch Austin Perkins’ bench press here:

Related: Austin Perkins (U74KG) Smokes 344-kg (758.4-lb) Raw Deadlift World Record to Defend His Title at 2026 IPF World Championships

Austin Perkins is currently preparing for the 2026 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships V, held on November 21st at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, UK. The event brings together the absolute best powerlifters on the planet to battle it out for massive prize money and record attempts. Judging by this insane training PR, Austin is clearly aiming to take the title home.

Austin Perkins has been competing in powerlifting for over a decade and he started his career in the USAPL and stayed there for seven years. In 2023 he decided to transition to the AMP (Powerlifting America) federation, since it was the official IPF affiliate for the USA. He immediately found success, winning multiple competitions and qualifying for major IPF competitions.

Up until now, Austin Perkins has accumulated a total of 33 sanctioned powerlifting appearances and won 23 of them. He is a 3x IPF World Champion and won the most recent edition of the IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. In addition to that, he holds the U74KG IPF World Records in the squat, deadlift, and total events.

Related: Austin Perkins (U74KG) Scores an 858-kg (1,891.6-lb) Raw Total Unofficial IPF World Record at 2025 Avancus Houston Prime

It will be thrilling to see what Austin Perkins puts up when he takes the stage at 2026 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships V. The bench press remains the only event where he doesn’t currently hold the official world record, but if this latest training session is any indication, that missing achievement won’t stay out of his reach for long.