Colton Engelbrecht: Haack, Hafthor, the Total WR, Strongman DL WR and WSM!

·1 hr 29 min·5 clips

During his world record attempt, the monolift snapped, and Engelbrecht failed a squat due to a painful leg injury.

Colton Engelbrecht, a top powerlifter, joins host 6 Pack Lapadat on King Of The Lifts. Engelbrecht opens by discussing the fallout from his recent competition, where he targeted a 1250kg total but got injured and 'pulled a Russ,' referencing overtraining. He reveals his primary goal is not the total world record but holding all-time world records for squat, bench, and deadlift individually, a reversal of typical powerlifting priorities. Engelbrecht explains he will never compete in wraps again, calling them 'irrelevant' and not a real test of strength. He details his competition day, including a snapped monolift and failing a squat due to a TFL injury, but rallying to hit a 275kg bench and a 450kg deadlift opener. The conversation shifts to his 520kg deadlift with straps, which sparked online comparisons to strongman Hafthor Björnsson, who is 80kg heavier. Engelbrecht discusses being in talks with the Enhanced Games for a potential appearance, possibly next year, though a direct head-to-head with Björnsson is complicated by different lift styles. He outlines his future plans: aiming for a 1200kg+ total, a 500kg squat in sleeves, and a 500kg deadlift without straps in his next competition in July. Engelbrecht then shares his intention to transition to strongman in 2-3 years after breaking powerlifting records, with an ultimate goal of winning World's Strongest Man. He reflects on his personal background, describing a troubled youth with anger issues and how powerlifting became an outlet. Engelbrecht also mentions he wishes he had stayed natural but acknowledges performance-enhancing drugs are necessary to compete at the highest levels in untested sports. The episode concludes with him discussing his training philosophy, calorie intake, and the importance of efficiency in lifting.

As heard by us

A grounded powerlifting review of a missed 1,250-kilo target, a strapped 520-kilo pull, and the recovery question behind the next record chase.

The episode frames a 1,250-kilo total as only part of the story, since the strapped 520-kilo deadlift ends up carrying much of the heat. The host follows a record-scale plan into injury, possible burnout, and the old risk of spending the biggest lift before it counts.

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Why you'd press play

You want the 520-kilo pull, the 1,250-kilo total goal that got away, and the next shot at a no-strap 500.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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