Max Searby is one of the strongest men in Great Britain, as he proved on multiple occasions through varying feats of strength. However, he recently put up his most impressive lift at the 2026 BPU Bench Bash, which took place during the AWPC World Championships on September 12th in Manchester, England. He ended up achieving a 285-kilogram (628.3-pound) bench press, which became the Heaviest Raw Bench Press in British History.
Coming into the competition, Max Searby set a clear goal for himself, as he wanted to claim the status of Britain’s strongest bench presser. His exact bodyweight at the time of the competition is unknown, but he usually competes at around 142 kilograms (313.1 pounds). He definitely looked massive on the lifting platform, boasting a muscular physique and a very determined spirit.
Max Searby opened up with a 270-kilogram (595.2-pound) raw bench press. As expected, he crushed the lift with ease, showing no signs of struggle. For his second attempt, Max jumped straight to 285 kilograms (628.3 pounds), which was enough to break the British record. He only put on a pair of wrist wraps to help protect his joints, making his attempt in line with regulations of raw powerlifting.
The 285-kilogram (628.3-pound) bench press looked smooth overall, but the barbell did stop at one point of the press. Luckily, there was no downward motion, which is why the lift was not invalidated by the judges. As a result, Max Searby walked away with the Heaviest Raw Bench Press in British History. He did not come out for the third attempt.
Max Searby’s Performance
- 270 kilograms (595.2 pounds)
- 285 kilograms (628.3 pounds) — Heaviest Raw Bench Press in British History
- Did Not Attempt.
Luke Tolman held the previous heaviest raw bench press in British history, having lifted 283 kilograms (623.9 pounds) at the 2025 BPU Bench Anarchy. Joshua Baker held the record before Tolman, when he lifted 282.5 kilograms (622.8 pounds). Both Luke and Joshua congratulated Max Searby on his achievement. However, Baker noted in one comment reply that he might step back on the lifting platform in the near future, showing that the epic battle for the coveted British record is set to continue.
Watch Max Searby’s bench press here:
Max Searby is truly a powerhouse, as seen by his long list of achievements. His newest accomplishment, the British Raw Bench Press Record, arguably sits at the top of that list, but Max has also completed a 421-kilogram (928.1-pound) deadlift while he was a Junior, but that was done in a Strongman competition. However, it is proof that he is a well-rounded athlete capable of crushing multiple lifts rather than just specializing for one.
As for his powerlifting career, Max Searby made all four of his sanctioned powerlifting appearances in 2026, all of which were ‘bench press only’. He has won three competitions and settled for silver on one occasion, which is beyond impressive for his first year in the sport.
Max Searby has also dabbled in the world of Strongman. His most notable appearance came at the 2023 England’s Strongest Man, where he placed third behind Paddy Haynes and Andrew Flynn. He also competed in the 2025 Kaos Strongest Man but was forced to withdraw from the competition after three events.
Related: John Haack (U100KG) Sets 1,044-kg (2,301.6-lb) Raw Total All-Time World Record at 2026 American Pro
Max Searby's Powerlifting History
Personal Bests
| Equip | Squat | Bench | Deadlift | Total | Dots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw | - | 600.8 | - | 600.8 | 148.91 |
Competition Results
| Details | Place | Fed | Date | Competition | Division | Total | Dots | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | BPU | Mar 26, 2026 | Single Lift Championships | M_OR_BPU | 600.8 | 148.91 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | BPU | Mar 7, 2026 | Newcastle Qualifier | M_OR_BPU | 540.1 | 133.73 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | WRPF-UK | Jan 17, 2026 | Lincoln Single Lifts | Open | 573.2 | 144.13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Data source: OpenPowerlifting. Data through September 5, 2026.
Max Searby indicated that he will now be aiming to conquer a 300-kilogram (661.4-pound) bench press in a sanctioned competition. He has already successfully pressed the weight in training, but doing it in a competition is something he has not achieved yet. However, it is clear that Searby is progressing at an incredible rate, meaning that he has a bright future in the sport of powerlifting.
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