1000 Pound Club
What is the 1000 Pound Club?
The 1000 Pound Club is a badge of honor that refers to individuals who are able to lift a combined one rep max total of 1000 pounds or more in the barbell squat, bench press, and deadlift. It is a noteworthy achievement for most lifters as it demonstrates proficiency and strength in the three major lifts.
1000 Pound Club Rules
To join the club and be added to the leaderboard, you must achieve a total of 1000 lb (454 kg) or more across your one-rep max attempts for the squat, bench press, and deadlift—performed with good form. Read the following section on lift standards, allowed equipment, and video requirements, as well as the FAQ below. Failure to meet these requirements may result in disqualification.
Squat Standards
- Back squats, front squats, and Zercher squats are permitted.
- If a spotter is utilized, the spotter will not meaningfully assist the completion of the lift.
- Squat depth must be achieved to thigh parallel or greater.
- To get a visual of this, check out our blog on squat depth.
Allowed
- Barbells including specialty bars such as safety squat, buffalo, cambered, etc. are permitted.
- Knee sleeves, belt, and lifting shoes.
Not Allowed
- Knee wraps, lift suits, or external wedges/plates under heels.
- Machine lifts or box squats.
- Video must show all weight plates on at least one side of the barbell.
- Lifter must remain fully visible at all times, with no obstructions that interfere with judging.
- Video Angles
- Use a side angle. A slight angle toward the front or back is also acceptable.
- Videos taken directly from the front or back are difficult to judge and will likely require resubmission.
Bench Press Standards
- Flat or incline barbell bench press is allowed.
- Bar must be lowered to the chest and pressed upwards until elbows are locked out.
- A portion of the glutes must always remain in contact with the bench; no periods where contact is completely lost is allowed.
- If a spotter is utilized, the spotter will not meaningfully assist the completion of the lift.
- No excessive rebounding of the bar off of the chest.
- No excessive arching that results in either a significant portion of the glutes not being in contact with the bench or the elbow joint remaining above the shoulder joint at the bottom of the lift.
Allowed
- Wrist supports, elbow sleeves, and belt.
- Plates underneath the feet if feet cannot touch the ground.
Not Allowed
- Elbow wraps, lift suits, Sling Shots, or other assistive gear.
- Multi-grip bars, dumbbells, or machine lifts.
- Video must show all weight plates on at least one side of the barbell.
- Lifter must remain fully visible at all times, with no obstructions that interfere with judging.
- Video Angles
- Use a side or front angle. A slight angle toward the front or back is also acceptable.
- Videos taken directly from the back are difficult to judge and will likely require resubmission.
Deadlift Standards
- Conventional, sumo, and Zercher deadlifts are allowed.
- No power, hang, or full clean variations.
- Must momentarily achieve lock out of knees and hips with shoulders back.
- No excessive hitching or ramping.
- No dropping the bar at the top of the lift.
- Hands must remain in contact with the bar until knee height or lower to show control.
Allowed
- Barbells
- Chalk, belt, knee sleeves, and lifting shoes.
Not Allowed
- Straps, grip devices, knee wraps, lift suits.
- Hex/trap bar or machine lifts.
- Anything that significantly elevates the barbell from the ground from a standard bumper plate height.
- Video must show all weight plates on at least one side of the barbell.
- Lifter must remain fully visible at all times, with no obstructions that interfere with judging.
- Video Angles
- Use a front or front-side angle.
- Videos taken directly from the back are difficult to judge and will may require resubmission.
Frequently Asked Questions
All applicants get:
- A form check with feedback.
- Added to the leaderboard (if accepted).
- A chance at a social media spotlight.
Applicants selected for a solo video may additionally receive:
- Custom acceptance letter with their name and lift numbers
- Official member/challenge decal.
Additionally, applicants who select a Pro/Elite application have access to more benefits including guaranteed faster processing times, shirts/patches, public links to your social media profile, and acceptance letters & official decals.
Due to high volumes of submitted videos, we’re unable to feature every lifter individually. Select submissions are chosen on overall fit, however, these items will increase your chances:
- Following us on social media.
- Having solid form & clearly meeting all standards.
- Having a unique submission.
- Submitting a high definition video with:
- No watermarks
- Vertical / 9:16 ratio
- No or minimal text on screen
Additionally, if you’d like to remain out of the spotlight, you can select to not be shared to social media, or to be shared, but not tagged.
- All lifts do not need to be done on the same day, but they must be done in the same week.
- For the 2026 cycle, lifts must be from 2026.
Exception: lifts performed in December 2025 may be submitted through February 1, 2026. After February 1, 2026, no 2025 lifts will be accepted.
- You may submit multiple times within a given year. Any update to your total requires a new submission of all lifts.
Our rules are designed to be simple. You do not need to record yourself weighing plates—just ensure the camera clearly shows the total load.
Yes, but we treat these videos like any other submission; video must clearly show you hitting standards. If the video is a bad angle or people are obstructing the view, getting white lights in the competition does not guarantee your lift is validated here.
You have one month from the time of notification to resubmit any required changes using the resubmission form. If you fall outside of the one month window, a full new submission is required.
If you have any questions or are requesting an exemption, send us a message via the contact page. For example, if you are an adaptive athlete and need accommodations, we will review your needs on a case-by-case basis.
Apply for the 1000 Pound Club
Visit the 1000 Pound Club application page below to apply and submit your lifts.