John Haack Bench - Image via @bilbo_swaggins181 Instagram
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The excitement is quickly building up as John Haack’s appearance is nearing. He will compete at the 2022 WRPF American Pro, which will take place July 29-30, in Manassas, VA. It is one of the biggest competitions on the East Coast, and as such attracted many elite powerlifters. John Haack especially stands out, as he is notorious for breaking World Records almost every time he competes. His recent training sessions also hint towards a brilliant performance, since John crushed a 600-pound (272.2-kilogram) raw bench press.
John Haack’s bodyweight was around 215 pounds (97.5 kilograms) just a few days ago. However, he intends to cut down to the 198-pound (90-kilogram) weight class. Speaking of which, John’s 600-pound (272.2-kilogram) bench press is 20.2 pounds (9.2 kilograms) heavier than the U90 All-Time World Record. Haack also holds that record, since he set it at the 2021 WRPF The Bucked Up Showdown.
John Haack used wrist wraps to aid him in the lift, which is allowed in raw powerlifting. However, he indicates that it was a “touch and go” rep, so it probably would not have counted in a competition. By powerlifting rules, the competitors have to wait for the judge to give them a push / lift cue. As John made no pause at the bottom of the lift, it could be red-lighted.
“Oh yea, I also hit a touch and go 600lb bench this week.”
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This is not the first time that John Haack has bench pressed 600 pounds (272.2 kilograms), as he lifted the same weight in December 2021. John followed that up with a record-breaking performance at the 2022 USPA Hybrid Showdown 4. So, maybe he will put up a similar performance at the 2022 WRPF American Pro as well.
John Haack’s preparation for the 2022 WRPF American Pro has seemingly gone really well, as he also claimed an all-time squat PR a couple of days ago. He squatted 804.7 pounds (365 kilograms), which is the same weight as the World Record in the 198-pound (90-kilogram) weight class. Regardless, Haack will at least look to improve his competition PRs at the upcoming competition.
Data source: OpenPowerlifting. Data through July 25, 2026.
Although John Haack’s 600-pound (272.2-kilogram) bench press is arguably not legitimate by powerlifting regulations, it shows that his strength is possibly at an all-time high. No one knows what will happen as he finishes up his prep, so he might even be able to lift this weight officially. We won’t have to wait long to see, as John will compete in less than ten days.
If you have any questions or need further clarification about this news, please leave a comment below, and AndrewSmith will get back to you as soon as possible.
Andrew is a professional writer and a workaholic. He studied sports for 4 years and trained soccer for almost 15 years. In addition, for the past three years Andrew has been implementing functional training, with a dream or a plan to enroll in the special forces.
