In case you missed it, there's a ton of news in the world of deadlifts. Or rather, there's a half-ton, which is the precise amount that British strongman Eddie "The Beast" Hall lifted from floor to lockout on July 9, 2016. That's 500 kilograms, or 1102.3 pounds, a huge step up plate over the previous mark of 465 kilograms.
As if to emphasize the absurdity of the number, Hall held the weight at the top for what seemed like an eternity before dropping to the ground and collapsing. Both for the roundness of the number and the visual spectacle, Hall's triumph instantly became one of the most iconic deadlifts of all time.
Here's how Hall described the event to the Yorkshire Evening Post:
"That nearly killed me. The pressure on my body was surreal. I passed out after. I had nose bleeds. It's not healthy doing something like that. But I've done it. I'm sure it will be in the history books for a very long time."
"It's that great feeling, Like the first man on the moon, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. And now I'm the first to deadlift half a ton. It's history and I'm very proud to be a part of it."
It's hard to see where the deadlift goes from here, but thanks to YouTube, it's easy to see the great ones that have preceded it. Here are our choices for the other top four deadlifts of all time. Have a beef with an exclusion? Then say so—but do us a solid and include a link!