Elephant bar
Strength training barbell used for deadlift
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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
Since its inception in 2016 Arnold Strongman Classic, the elephant bar deadlift has been featured 10 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 8 straps.[2]
Throughout the years, it became one of the internationally recognized deadlift events in strongman history.[4][5]
World record
- 474.5 kg (1,046 lb) (Raw with standard straps) by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
(2019 Arnold Strongman Classic)[6][7]
- → 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]
Heaviest lifts in history
Only five men in history have deadlifted 1,000 lb (453.6 kg) or more raw on the elephant bar. Each instance is listed below.
| Weight | Athlete | Event | Remarks | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 474.5 kg (1,046 lb) |  Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 2019 ASC | World Record | [8] |
| 472 kg (1,041 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 2018 ASC | Former World Record | [9] |
| 467.5 kg (1,031 lb) |  Jerry Pritchett | 2017 ASC | Former World Record, performed outside the allocated 3 attempts | [10] |
| 465.5 kg (1,026 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 2025 ASC | [11] | |
| Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 2020 ASC | [12] | ||
| 465 kg (1,025 lb) |  Eddie Hall | 2016 ASC | Former World Record, done using figure-8 straps | [13] |
| 463 kg (1,021 lb) | Brian Shaw | 2016 ASC | [14] | |
 Jean-François Caron | 2018 ASC | [15] | ||
| Brian Shaw | 2019 ASC | [16] | ||
| 461 kg (1,016 lb) | Brian Shaw | 2018 ASC | [15] | |
| 458.5 kg (1,011 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 2018 ASC | [15] | |
| 456.5 kg (1,006 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 2024 ASC | [17] | |
| 456 kg (1,005 lb) | Jerry Pritchett | 2016 ASC | [14] | |
World Record progression
| Weight | Athlete | Event | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 474.5 kg (1,046 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 2019 ASC | [18] |
| 472 kg (1,041 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 2018 ASC | [19] |
| 467.5 kg (1,031 lb) | Jerry Pritchett | 2017 ASC | [20] |
| 465 kg (1,025 lb) | Eddie Hall | 2016 ASC | [21] |
Women's world record progression
| Weight | Athlete | Event | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 318 kg (701 lb) | Lucy Underdown |
2026 ASWC | [22] |
| 311 kg (686 lb) | Lucy Underdown |
2026 ASWC | [22] |
| 309 kg (681 lb) | Jennifer Lyle |
2026 ASWC | [22] |
| 306.5 kg (676 lb) | Lucy Underdown | 2025 ASWC | [23] |
| 304.5 kg (671 lb) | Andrea Thompson | 2025 ASWC | [23] |
| 302 kg (666 lb) | Lucy Underdown | 2024 ASWC | [24] |
| 295.5 kg (651 lb) | Tamara Walcott | 2023 ASWC | [25] |
| Victoria Long | 2023 ASWC | [25] | |
| 291 kg (642 lb) | Tamara Walcott | 2022 ASWC | [26] |
| 281.5 kg (621 lb) | Andrea Thompson | 2020 RRB | [27] |
| 279.5 kg (616 lb) | Kristin Rhodes | 2020 RRB | [27] |