Mike Hall

Michael Hall (born October 3, 1956) is a retired American powerlifter, who is perhaps best known for being a pioneer of the drug-free movement in powerlifting. Hall is considered the first African American Super Heavyweight powerlifter to win a World Powerlifting Championship.

Hall succeeded in setting numerous American Drug Free Powerlifting Association (ADFPA), American and National records in all three lifts, as well as the total. He was also the first superheavyweight lifter to win both the IPF and the WDFPF World Championships. Hall, who claims God as his coach, is known as the "World’s Strongest Drug-Free Man". He has been highly decorated as one of the leading anti-drug role models in the United States.

Early life Hall was born in Lewes, Delaware to Mary Magdalene Hall and John Westley. As a child, Mike Hall was picked on a lot while growing up in Dagsboro, Delaware.

Accolades In 1990, then-Delaware Senator Joe Biden proposed key legislation to address steroid use among athletes and student-athletes. Biden authorized legislation to make steroids a Schedule II substance drug. Biden stated Hall was an example of how an athlete does not have to use steroids to be a champion. He said, “Mike Hall holds the current record of the most weight lifted by a drug-free lifter, a record he is proud to share with young athletes who think they need steroids to become a champion. I am proud of Mike Hall who is a native of Delaware.”

In 1996, Hall was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2019, Hall was referenced in TieBreaker's Homegrown Talent: Every State's Greatest Athlete for Delaware

Personal records Equipped Squat – 931 lb (422 kg) Bench press – 633 lb (287 kg) –SHW-Class (Austin, TX) -Squat: 925lbs (420.4kg), Bench: 584lbs (265.4kg), Deadlift: 793lbs (360.4kg), Total: 2303lbs (1046.8kg) 1985 USPF Senior Nationals 3rd, –SHW-Class (Chicago, IL) -Squat: 832lbs (378.2kg), Bench: 573.2lbs (260.5kg), Deadlift: 766.1lbs (348.2kg), Total: 2171.5lbs (987kg) 1986 ADFPA Nationals 1st –SHW-Class (Wilkes-Barre, PA) -Squat: 905lbs (411kg), Bench: 600lbs (272.7kg), Deadlift: 745lbs (338.6kg), Total: 2250lbs (1022.7kg) 1986 IPF Men’s World Powerlifting Championships 1st, –SHW-Class (Ontario, Canada) -Squat: 903.9lbs,(410kg), Bench: 567.6lbs, (258kg), Deadlift:749.5lbs (340.6kg), Total: 2221lbs (1009.5kg) 1987 USPF Senior Nationals 1st, –SHW-Class (Chicago, Illinois) -Squat: 903lbs,(410kg), Bench: 562lbs, (255kg), Deadlift,744lbs (338kg), Total: 2210lbs (1004.5) 1987 IPF World Championships 2nd, – SHW-Class (Oslo, Norway) -Squat: 903lbs,(410kg), Bench: 562lbs, (255kg), Deadlift,744lbs (338kg), Total: 2210lbs (1004.5) 1988 Budweiser World Record Breaker 1st, – SHW-Class (Honolulu, Hawaii) -Squat: 881lbs, (400.4kg), Bench: 622.8lbs (282.7kg), Deadlift: 766.1 (348kg), Total: 2270.7lbs (1032.1)1988 USPF Senior Nationals (tied for 1st), – SHW-Class (Las, Vegas NV) -Squat: 925.9lbs,(420.8kg), Bench:562.1lbs (255kg), Deadlift: 738lbs (335kg), Total 2226.6lbs ( 1012kg)1988 USPF World Corporate Games 1st, – SHW-Class (California) -Squat: 837.7lbs, (380.7kg), Bench: 567.6lbs (258kg), Deadlift: 755lbs (343kg) Total: 2160.5lbs (982kg)1989 ADFPA Lifetime Drug Free Nationals 1st, – SHW-Class ( Tempe, Arizona ) -Squat: 931lbs 423kg), Bench: 633lbs (287kg), Deadlift: 771 pounds (350.4kg), Total: 2336.9lbs (1062kg)1989 USPF Senior Nationals 1st, – SHW-Class (Las, Vegas NV) -Squat: 903.9lbs (410.8kg), Bench: 573.2lbs (260.5kg), Deadlift: 755lbs (343kg), Total: 2232lbs (1014.5kg)1989 ADFPA Nationals 1st, – SHW-Class (Wilkes barre Pa.) -Squat 909.4lbs (413.3kg), Bench: 622.8lbs (282.7kg), Deadlift: 749.5lbs (340.6kg), Total: 2281lbs (1037.1kg)1989 IPF World Championships 1st, – SHW-Class (Nova Scotia, Canada) -Squat: 870.8lbs (395kg), Bench: 523.6lbs (238kg), Deadlift: 705lbs (320kg), Total: 2099.9 (954.5kg)1990 WDFPF World Championships 1st, ''' – SHW-Class (Meaux, France) -Squat: 804lbs(365kg), Bench: 529lbs (240kg), Deadlift: 550lbs (250kg), Total: 1883lbs (855kg)

Personal life Hall is married to his wife Toni and they have three daughters, Renata, Briana, and Brittany. He is employed at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, in Princess Anne Md., as the Director and Fitness Specialist of the Health and Wellness Department.

In 2013, Hall suffered a heart attack and was admitted to Nanticoke Hospital.

Hall arrived on the National scene with the American Drug-Free Powerlifting Association (ADFPA) in 1983. He won the 2nd place in his first Nationals at the ADFPA Nationals in Allentown, Pa. with 1862 lbs (846 kg) total while setting a National and American record in the deadlift. In November 1985, Hall competed at the ADFPA Longhorn Open/Collegiate Powerlifting competition held by Dr. Terry and Jan Todd in Austin, Texas and shocked the powerlifting world by posting the highest total in history lifted by a drug-tested lifter. A record-breaking 2303 lbs (1046.8 kg). His lifts consisted of 925 lbs (420 kg) squat w/wraps, 584 lbs (265 kg) raw bench press and a 793 lbs (360 kg) raw deadlift. He officially became the first lifter in ADFPA history and the first man to break the 2200 and 2300-pound barrier without the aid of Anabolic steroids. At the 1989 IPF World Championships in Canada, despite serious injuries Hall won the 1989 IPF World Championships with a 2099 lbs total. Mike Lambert, editor of Powerlifting USA Magazine quoted, "Few people realized the intensity of Mike's effort to win the super heavy title at the fantastic IPF Worlds in Canada. Hall prayed, and he felt no pain until after the 705 lbs deadlift he needed was successfully completed. At the 1990 World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation World Championships in Meaux, France, Hall took first place and set a new WDFPF world bench press of 529 lbs (240.4 kg). In 1991, Hall known as the World’s Strongest Drug-free Man retired from the lifting platform.