Shoulder Press World Records

Matthew Lawson loaded seven 20 kg plates, 140 kilograms in all, onto one arm of a plate-loaded Viking press at a gym in Bathurst, Australia, and pressed it overhead with his left arm for eight straight reps. A Viking press is a standing shoulder-press machine worked through lever arms with handles at head height; on this one each arm moves on its own, and the continuous video shows the other arm parked while the left handle travels from shoulder height to full lockout eight times in a row, with the seven-plate stack in view the whole way. Seven plates, one arm, eight reps.

At 50, Matthew Lawson loaded five 20 kg plates onto each side of a plate-loaded Viking press at a gym in Bathurst, Australia, 200 kilograms in all, and pressed it overhead with both arms. A Viking press is a standing shoulder-press machine worked through lever arms with handles at head height; the video shows him drive both handles from his shoulders to a full lockout and hold it there, then walks the camera along both loaded sleeves so every 20 kg plate is counted on screen. His aim is to show that age does not define what you can lift.

Matthew Lawson loaded eight 20 kg plates, 160 kilograms in all, onto one arm of a plate-loaded Viking press at a gym in Bathurst, Australia, and pressed it overhead with the left arm alone. A Viking press is a standing shoulder-press machine worked through lever arms with handles at head height; on this one each arm moves independently, and the continuous video shows the other arm parked while the left handle goes to full lockout seven times in a row. The plate count is clear on camera, and a training partner keeps a hand on the end of the sleeve only to hold the plates on. One arm, eight plates, seven reps.

Manuel H. performed a shoulder press using a 130-kilogram (286.60 pound) stone.