At 74-years-old, John LaFlamme continues to astound the powerlifting community, proving that age is just a number. He consistently achieves incredible feats of strength that even much younger lifters can’t match. Most recently, John appeared at the 2025 AMP Age Division Nationals, which took place on May 28th in Reno, NV. There John managed to squat 170.5 kilograms (357.9 pounds) and thus set a new U74KG Masters 4 National Record.
John LaFlamme has spent a lot of time in the 83-kilogram division in the past but has dropped down to the 74-kilogram weight class in the last two years. Moreover, due to his age, he was placed in the Masters 4 age class, which encompasses athletes over 70-years-old.
John LaFlamme kicked off his squat session with a 157.5-kilogram (347.2-pound) lift, completing it without much struggle and with perfect technique. So, he moved on to 165 kilograms (363.8 pounds) for his second squat, which started getting closer to his one-rep max.
For his last attempt, John LaFlamme loaded 170.5 kilograms (357.9 pounds) on the bar, which was bordering his capabilities on the day. Consequently, the lift was a big struggle for John, but he still managed to push through it after a long grind. As a result, he set a new National Masters Record.
*Dale Garlitz held the previous U74KG Masters 4 AMP National Squat Record of 170 kilograms (374.8 pounds). He set the record at the 2024 AMP Classic Age Division National Championships.
Watch the lift here:
John LaFlamme did point out on Instagram that making new records is getting harder as he gets older. However, his achievements in recent years painted a completely different picture. He has been progressing with each appearance he makes, setting countless World and National records across multiple weight classes. John is still showing no signs of slowing down, as seen by his recent 170.5-kilogram (357.9-pound) squat.
John LaFlamme started doing powerlifting back in 1978 at the age of 27-years-old. He made his first steps in the equipped division and competed consistently until 1984. At that time, John put his powerlifting career on pause. He returned to the sport nearly three decades later at the age of 62-years-old.
His second run in powerlifting turned out to be even more successful than the first one, as John LaFlamme truly made a name for himself in the Masters division. He won a number of elite competitions, including the IPF World Championships and etched his name in the history books. So, over the course of his entire career, John has taken part in a total of 60 sanctioned powerlifting competitions. He has won a large majority of them, especially since making a comeback to the sport in 2013.
John LaFlamme’s Competition PRs
- Squat: 210 kilograms (463 pounds) — [2018 USAPL Virginia State Championships]
- Bench Press: 112.5 kilograms (248 pounds) — [2017 USAPL Raw National Championships]
- Deadlift: 245 kilograms (540.1 pounds) — [2016 USAPL American Open & Police-Fire Nationals]
- Total: 557.5 kilograms (1,229.1 pounds) — [2018 USAPL Virginia State Championships]
Related: 71-Year-Old John LaFlamme (93KG) Sets a 198-kg (436.5-lb) Masters 4 IPF Squat World Record
At 74, John LaFlamme continues to defy age in powerlifting, consistently setting new records and achieving impressive lifts. While his specific next goals are unknown, he’s expected to keep pursuing further improvements and records at the National and World levels.
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