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Elephant bar

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The elephant bar is a barbell developed by Rogue Fitness which is specifically used for the strongman raw deadlift.[1] It was first created in 2016 by Terry Todd, the director of the Arnold Strongman Classic. The bar is known for being 10 ft (3.05 m) long[2] and made from 200,000 psi tensile strength stainless steel,[3] making it bend more than a power bar, and whip both up and down as well as forwards and backwards, while the deadlift is being performed.[4]

Elephant bar deadlift

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Since its inception in 2016 Arnold Strongman Classic, the Elephant bar deadlift has been featured 8 times at the Arnold Strongman Classic and the Rogue Invitational. The event uses specially designed Arnold Schwarzenegger inscribed 2-inch thick deep dish stainless steel weight plates which allow the bar height to remain at the standard 9 inches off the floor. The rules state that no deadlift suits are allowed hence the lift should be performed raw.[note 1] The event also allows only standard weightlifting straps and prohibits the use of figure of 8 straps.[2]

Throughout the years, it became one of the most iconic an internationally recognized deadlift events in strongman history.[4][5]

World record

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→ It is also the current all-time strongman raw world record irrespective of the bar
Note: In strongman, a raw deadlift is a lift performed without the use of any deadlift suit or power briefs.[4][5]
  • 302 kg (666 lb) (Raw with standard straps) by Lucy Underdown (2024 Arnold Strongwoman Classic) [7]

Heaviest Men's Lifts

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Only five men have deadlifted 1,000 pounds (450 kg) on the elephant bar. Two men (Hafþór and Brian Shaw) have done so multiple times. The table below contains all instances of 1,000lb+ elephant bar deadlifts.

Weight Athlete Event Remarks Ref.
474.5 kg (1,046 lb) Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson 2019 ASC World Record [8]
472 kg (1,041 lb) Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson 2018 ASC Former World Record [9]
467.5 kg (1,031 lb) United States Jerry Pritchett 2017 ASC Former World Record, performed outside the allocated 3 attempts [10]
465.5 kg (1,026 lb) Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson 2020 ASC [11]
465 kg (1,025 lb) United Kingdom Eddie Hall 2016 ASC Former World Record, done using figure-8 straps [12]
463 kg (1,021 lb) United States Brian Shaw 2016 ASC [13]
Canada Jean-François Caron 2018 ASC [14]
United States Brian Shaw 2019 ASC [15]
461 kg (1,016 lb) United States Brian Shaw 2018 ASC [14]
458.5 kg (1,011 lb) Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson 2018 ASC [14]
456.5 kg (1,006 lb) Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson 2024 ASC [16]
456 kg (1,005 lb) United States Jerry Pritchett 2016 ASC [13]

Women's World Record Progression

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Rogue held its first Record Breakers event for the women's elephant barbell deadlift in 2020. Since the introduction of the Arnold Strongwoman Classic, it has regularly been contested at that event. This table lists all world records in the history of the lift, including lifts that tied the record at the time.

Weight Athlete Event Remarks Ref.
302 kg (666 lb) Lucy Underdown 2024 ASC World Record [7]
295.3 kg (651 lb) Victoria Long 2023 ASC Former World Record [17]
Tamara Walcott 2023 ASC Tied World Record [17]
290.8 kg (641 lb) Tamara Walcott 2022 ASC Former World Record [17]
281 kg (619 lb) Andrea Thompson 2020 Record Breakers Former World Record [18]
279.4 kg (616 lb) Kristin Rhodes 2020 Record Breakers Former World Record [19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Terry Todd. "Making The Rogue Elephant Bar & Deep Dish Plates". roguefitness.com. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Elephant bar deadlift" (PDF). Rogue Record Breakers. 1 (1): 7–8. February 2016.
  3. ^ Horaczek, Stan (19 January 2019). "Building a barbell for 1,000 pound deadlifts takes careful engineering and lots of testing". Popular Science.
  4. ^ a b c Tabakovic, Vedad (12 January 2025). "Hafthor Bjornsson accepts $101,000 challenge to Lift 501-kg (1,104.5-lb) Elephant Bar Raw Deadlift at 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic". fitnessvolt.com.
  5. ^ a b "Should An Elephant Bar Deadlift Record Count, by Kalle Beck". www.barbend.com. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  6. ^ "2019 Arnold Strongman Classic". YouTube. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Strongwoman Lucy Underdown Pulls 666LBS (302KGS) Elephant Bar Deadlift World Record | BarBend". 1 March 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  8. ^ Rogue Fitness for ASC (4 March 2019). "2019 Arnold Strongman Classic - Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift Highlights". YouTube.com. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  9. ^ Rogue Fitness for ASC (5 March 2018). "2018 Arnold Strongman Classic - Deadlift Highlights - 8K". YouTube.com. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  10. ^ Jerry Pritchett (5 March 2017). "Jerry Pritchett 1031lbs Elephant Bar World Deadlift record!". YouTube.com. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  11. ^ "2020 Arnold Strongman Classic". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  12. ^ Rogue Fitness for ASC (6 March 2016). "The Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift — 2016 Arnold Strongman Classic". YouTube.com. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  13. ^ a b "2016 Arnold Strongman Classic". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  14. ^ a b c "2018 Arnold Strongman Classic". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  15. ^ "2019 Arnold Strongman Classic". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  16. ^ "2024 Arnold Strongman Classic". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  17. ^ a b c "Victoria Long Pulls 651 Pounds for New Elephant Bar Deadlift World Record | BarBend". 4 March 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  18. ^ "Andrea Thompson". Giants Live. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  19. ^ "Pro Strongwoman Kristin Rhodes and Andrea Thompson Break Women's Deadlift Record". Fitness Volt. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2025.

Notes:

  1. ^ However, the organizers of the event deviated from this rule in 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic, where they allowed the athletes to wear 'power briefs', hence the lifts from that year are not considered raw.
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