It is not every day that bodybuilders can compete with powerlifters. At 37-years-old, Joe Mackey is considered one of the strongest IFBB pro bodybuilders, and a recent 900lb deadlift video he posted to his Instagram proved that.
Joe Mackey Deadlifts 900lb
Joe was able to pull a monstrous 900-pound deadlift, which is an incredible feat that allows him to check off one of his biggest goals for the year off his list. To make the lift even more memorable, Joe dedicated the lift to the late Cedric McMillan, a bodybuilding legend who unfortunately passed away recently.
Mackey’s Instagram page features the self-proclaimed accolade of “world’s strongest deadlifter in the IFBB,” and while there are many bodybuilders capable of pulling large weights off the floor, there are very few that are strong enough to pull off the immense weight that Joe was able to pull off. In fact, Joe has been compared to one of the best bodybuilders/powerlifters in history, Ronnie Coleman, which after watching the video, makes a ton of sense.
If you watch the video below, Joe can be seen wearing only a lifting belt and a pair of wrist straps, so technically, the lift would be considered a raw lift. Joe uses a more traditional shoulder-width deadlift stance and keeps his hands with an overhand grip on the bar.
Joe nearly lifts the bar off the ground as he is amping himself up before setting himself up and starting the rep. He looks pretty strong in the first half of the lift, but according to the Instagram description, Joe says, “If you look midway thru the lift, you’ll see I shake my head no because doubt kicked in and said drop it, but that wasn’t going to happen without a fight.”
You can definitely tell that the weight was heavy, but he kept on pushing until he was able to lock out at the top of the lift. What an absolutely incredible display of strength.
Who is Joe Mackey?
Joe Mackey’s bodybuilding career started with his competitive bodybuilding debut at the 2012 IFBB North American Championships, where he placed 11th.
After that, Joe worked his butt off and finally earned his IFBB pro card by placing second in the super-heavyweight division at the 2016 NPC Nationals. Although he hasn't won a pro-competition yet, Joe says that is his other goal for this year.
Below is a list of contests that Joe has competed in during his bodybuilding career.
Joe Mackey’s Bodybuilding Career
- 2012 IFBB North American Championships – 11th
- 2012 NPC Nationals – 16th
- 2013 NPC Ronnie Coleman Classic – 2nd
- 2013 NPC National Championships – 8th
- 2015 NPC Ronnie Coleman Classic – 1st
- 2015 NPC National Championships – 6th
- 2016 NPC National Championships – 2nd
- 2017 IFBB Ferrigno Legacy Pro – 9th
- 2018 IFBB Indy Pro: Didn’t place in the top 10
- 2019 IFBB New York Pro – 11th
- 2020 IFBB Tampa Pro – 8th
- 2021 IFBB Chicago Pro – 12th
Based on his career, his second goal may be a bit tougher for him than the 900-pound deadlift, but he is hopeful that he will be able to make it happen.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
It is awesome to see bodybuilders starting to bring back more powerlifting elements into their training; that way, they can be as strong as they look. Hopefully, he can take these elements and fill out his physique to check off his other goal of winning a pro bodybuilding show by the end of this year. Even if he never does win a bodybuilding show, after these incredible feats of strength, he just might have a future as a powerlifter.
Kiel DiGiovanni
Author