Mitchell Hooper is one of the greatest up-and-coming athletes to have ever emerged in the Strongman scene, establishing himself in only his first year of competition. However, having realized how serious his potential in the sport is, Hooper is continuing to work hard in order to become the best in the world. To achieve that goal, he first set a new squat two-rep PR (Personal Record) in 2023, which weighed 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds). It couldn’t be a better start to 2023 for Hooper than sharing the footage of his newest achievement to Instagram.
One of the things that set Hooper apart from other Strongman athletes is his amazing mixture of strength and speed. The 350-kilogram (771.6-pound) two-rep squat, in particular, shows off his incredible leg explosiveness, which is beneficial in the majority of Strongman events. Mitchell’s lift is also impressive because of the fact that it was raw by Strongman regulations, meaning that he only used a lifting belt and knee sleeves for support.
Despite having to exert some effort in order to reach knee lockout, Hooper’s two reps are a testament to his strength and dedication. Hooper has clearly worked very hard to reach this point, and his hard work is paying off in the form of impressive PRs like this one, which further builds his image in the sport of Strongman.
Watch the lift here:
Mitchell Hooper introduced himself to the Strongman community at the 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition, where he made it to the finals and ended up placing eight. However, he has since gone on to win two international competitions and achieve four podium finishes. Hooper’s impressive feats have not gone unnoticed, and he is currently one of the biggest names in the sport.
Mitchell Hooper’s Placings By Appearance
- 2022 Rogue Invitational — Third-place
- 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals — First-place
- 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK — First-place
- 2022 Shaw Classic — Third-place
- 2022 Giants Live World Open — Second-place
- 2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic — Second-place
- 2022 World’s Strongest Man — Eight-place
It is undoubtedly Mitchell Hooper’s wide range of athletic experience that makes him such a well-rounded Strongman. He briefly trained for powerlifting, which is not surprising, but what surprises many is that Hooper was a marathon runner at one point. He was successful in every sport, but he is exceptionally good in Strongman.
Related: Strongman Mitchell Hooper Crushes Insane 695-Pound Squat For 5-Rep PR
Judging from his extremely busy schedule from the second part of last year, there is no doubt that Mitchell Hooper has already accepted invites to a few major Strongman competitions. His current coach is Laurence “Big Loz” Shahlaei, who has managed to shape Hooper into a world-class athlete very quickly. Having competed for over a decade, Big Loz’s partnership with Hooper seems to be perfect. With all things considered, Mitchell will eventually achieve some more success, whether in the training room or on the professional stage.
