The Steinborn Lift / Squat

The Steiborn Lift was originated by Henry “Milo” Steinborn, pictured above. Done at the time when squat racks were not used, the bar would start out on the floor.

Here’s how to perform this lift:

– The athlete picks one loaded end of the bar off the floor and positions it onto his shoulders
– Once centered on the bar, the athlete props the other end of the bar up.
– The athlete performs the target number of repetitions.
– Once complete, the athlete reverses these steps, returning the bar to the floor.

When squatting in this fashion, the weights will be somewhat lighter than when squatting out of a cage or monolift. This will allow you to go deeper, for more reps, with a higher bar position and a narrower stance.

In the past, it was common to see the Steinborn Lift performed. These days, it is a rarity. The Steinborn Lift is still done in the USAWA All-Round competitions, and some strength enthusiasts still include it in their routine. We did it a few times several years ago and we thought it was pretty cool, although we did not stick with it very long.

One of our good friends, Luke Whippo still regularly performs the Steinborn Lift. In this video, Luke Whippo hits 226 pounds for 21 reps.

Here’s another cool picture of Milo lifting an elephant in 1950 that I found on the KayfabeMemories.com site.

If you try the Steinborn Lift, I dare you to go for it as accurately as possible according to the official rules of the lift. That means the only assistance anyone can give you during the lift is to prop a foot against the sleeve so it does not slide away and injure you while the bar is tilted up or down!

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

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