52-Year-Old Benches 300 Pounds
Jen Thompson, aged 52, continues to bench press 300 pounds with ease, maintaining her dominance in the bench press since 1999. USA TODAY published an in-depth guide on effective lifting techniques, emphasizing safety and progressive overload as keys to success.
- Nicknamed "132 Pounds of Power," Thompson is an 11-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world champion. - In March 2023, she set an all-time world record for the Masters 50-59 age group in the 67.5-kilogram weight class with a bench press of 146 kilograms (321.8 pounds). - Her personal bests in competition include a 353-pound squat, a 327.5-pound bench press, and a 457.5-pound deadlift. - Thompson was the first woman in the 63-kilogram weight class to bench press 300 pounds. - Throughout her career, she has broken world records 77 times across various open and masters categories. - In 2019, her long and successful career was recognized with an induction into the IPF Hall of Fame. - Beyond her athletic achievements, Thompson works as a high school and middle school teacher. - She began her competitive powerlifting journey in 1999 at the USAPL National Bench Press Championships.
