Hawkins can’t stop and won’t stop reaching new heights in the squat rack.
Written by Robert Zeglinski
Some strength athletes are seemingly just born to lift incredible amounts of weight. In the sport of powerlifting, superstar Kristy Hawkins might be one of them. This multifaceted competitor, who also owns a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and has competed on bodybuilding’s Ms. Olympia stage, can count on yet another impressive feat in the gym.
On Nov. 16, 2022, Hawkins shared an Instagram clip of herself squatting 265 kilograms (584 pounds) for a two-rep personal record (PR) during a training session. She wasn’t done. As Hawkins wrote in the caption of her post, she “felt like it was a good time” to go for broke and try and break the 272.5-kilogram (600-pound) squat barrier. The athlete hit said milestone with ease for another PR. Hawkins wore a lifting belt and knee sleeves for both of the massive squats.
While unofficial because it didn’t occur on a sanctioned lifting platform, Hawkins’ squat portends the athlete potentially making history the next time she competes. As the current squat World Record holder (262.5 kilograms/578.7 pounds) in the 75-kilogram division, Hawkins could extend her record mark and become the first Women’s competitor in her category to squat at least 600 pounds in an official contest.
Not by coincidence, Hawkins is preparing for a competition in December 2022, but at the time of this writing she hasn’t clarified precisely when or what that contest will be. She may well distinguish once more with her leg strength at said event. Considering she’s also the 75-kilogram deadlift World Record holder (275 kilograms/606.2 pounds) and has been smashing that pulling mark in other training sessions earlier in 2022, there could be a reality where she’s seeing more than one record falling very soon.
Dating back to mid-April 2017, Hawkins has won 11 straight powerlifting competitions. With the sorts of numbers and lifts she regularly shares on her social media, that kind of consistent excellence probably shouldn’t be a surprise.
Here’s an overview of Hawkins’ all-time raw competition bests:
Kristy Hawkins (75KG) | All-Time Raw Competition Bests
- Squat — 262.5 kilograms (578.7 pounds) | World Record
- Bench Press — 155 kilograms (341.7 pounds) | Second-Heaviest All-Time
- Deadlift — 275 kilograms (606.2 pounds) | World Record
- Total — 685 kilograms (1,510.1 pounds) | World Record
As has usually been the case for Hawkins throughout most of her career, 2022 has been productive in a training and competitive sense. With one more contest on the horizon, it certainly feels like Hawkins might be saving her best for last.
Featured image: kristy_hawkins on Instagram
About Robert Zeglinski
Robert is a seasoned and adept editor and writer with a keen, passionate penchant for the writing craft. He’s been a leader in newsrooms such as SB Nation, USA TODAY, and WBBM Newsradio, with various other content and art production teams, and first made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago. When not knee-deep in research or lost in a stream of consciousness for a thorough piece, you can find Robert inhaling yet another novel, journaling his heart out, or playing with his Shiba Inu, Maximus (Max, for short).