(661.4 lbs) (raw) in an IPF-sanctioned meet* and recorded his lifetime best three-lift-total of 2425 lbs (1100 kg), a powerlifting world record that remained unsurpassed for more than a decade. His winning lifts were: a 925.9 lbs (420 kg) squat, the 661.4 lbs (300 kg) bench press and an 837.8 lbs (380 kg) deadlift. The bench press and deadlift were done raw (unequipped), while the squat was performed with wraps and a marathon squat suit. His powerlifting performance is regarded as one of the best of all time. In November 1981, Kazmaier became one of the few lifters in history to hold world records in three of the four powerlifting events at the same time by setting a new deadlift world record at 402 kg (886.7 lbs) raw in competition. From 1981 onwards Kazmaier's career was affected by multiple muscle tears and injuries, preventing him from setting the bar even higher. He sustained chest, shoulder and triceps injuries, ruling out further records in the bench press. * Jim Williams had bench pressed 675.5 lb (306.2 kg) (raw) earlier than Kazmaier in 1972 just prior to the formation of the IPF. But his lift was performed with ace bandage elbow wraps, which were later outlawed so it wouldn't count as the official world record. Strongman career Kazmaier competed in six World's Strongest Man contests. In 1979 World's Strongest Man, he came in third after leading throughout much of the competition and beating powerlifting icon Don Reinhoudt in the car lift by deadlifting a 2555 lbs car. In the following years, he dominated the competitions in 1980, 1981, and 1982, winning all by a large margin. He was the first man to win the WSM title three times and remains one of only two men ever to win it three times in a row. In his 1980 title win, Kazmaier won five of ten events and tied for first in another. He won the log lift, the engine race, the steel bar bend, the girl squat lift, the silver dollar deadlift, and the final tug of war. The runner-up in the competition, Lars Hedlund, was over 28 points behind. During Kazmaier's title defense at the 1981 World's Strongest Man he won the squat event with 969 lbs (440 kg) (on a smith machine) for a world record, just after tearing his pectoralis major muscle while bending cold rolled steel bars in the