How much weight is it actually possible to deadlift with just one finger?
How much weight is it possible to lift with just one finger?
A deadlift is difficult enough, never mind doing it with just one of your little digits.
The record for heaviest deadlift with one finger is an impressive one that’s changed hands and increased quite dramatically over the years.
It was first broken in June 2011, when Benik Israelyan (Armenia) lifted 116.90 kg (257.72 lb) with his right middle finger. That’s about the weight of a washing machine.
Benik
The following February, Benik upped his total to 121.70 kg (268.30 lb) to break his own record.
That remained the mark to beat for a whopping 10 years.
And just over a decade to the day later, in February 2022, the record was taken by Steve Keeler (UK), who lifted 129.50 kg (285.49 lb).
Steve
That’s about the weight of an adult giant panda.
In March 2024, Egmond Molina (Aruba) came along to lift 138.50 kg (305.34 lb), taking the record for the first of many times.
Egmond’s mark was beaten in February 2025 when Liu Weiqiang (China) lifted 144.72 kg (319.05 lb) with just one of his fingers.
Egmond
A typical concert grand piano usually weighs around that much.
That August, Egmond took the record back by lifting 151.5 kg (334 lb), but his victory was short-lived, as just a few months later in December, Juha Andersson (Finland) claimed the title with a lift of 152.60 kg (336.42 lb).
Juha
Not one to rest on his laurels, strongman Egmond returned once more, in January of this year.
At the time of writing, he is the current holder of the heaviest deadlift with one finger with a weight of 159 kg (350.53 lb) – akin to a small commuter motorcycle.
Egmond
Read about more amazing feats of strength in our Sports and Fitness section.
Egmond, aka “The Human Crane”, has numerous strength records to his name.
He said: “This category has been an active back-and-forth battleground. Every time the world thought they had me beaten, I came right back to break the record over and over again to defend my nation's pride.”
Egmond
By comparison, the record for heaviest deadlift with the little finger stands at 110 kg (242.5 lb), set by Suren Aghabekyan (Armenia) in March 2013.
That record has also been improved on many times over the years, having first been set by Barry Anderson (UK) in October 2000 with a weight of 89.6 kg (197.5 lb).
Between the first and the current record, the rest of it went like this:
- Lu Zhonghao (China) - 91.6 kg (201.9 lb) in July 2006
- Kristian Holm (Norway) - 95.38 kg (210.27 lb) in March 2007
- Kristian Holm (Norway) - 104.43 kg (230.22 lb) in November 2008
- Gong Taihong (China) - 106.1 kg (233.91 lb) in September 2013