S.C. Physical Therapist Squats 795 Pounds, Holds World Record

Lorenzo Wright lifts 795 pounds on his back, holds a world record, and wins international competitions. Then he goes home to make time for family and friends because powerlifting is just his weekend hobby.

The Summerville, South Carolina resident has been competing for seven years and now holds the USA Powerlifting world record for squat in his weight class. At 5'9" and 220 pounds, he surprises people when they learn what he can lift.

"A lot of people are kind of surprised because I'm not overly big," Wright said. "When I tell them the numbers I do, they kind of get shocked."

During weekdays, Wright works as a home health physical therapist helping patients recover and strengthen their bodies. On weekends, he travels the world for competitions or trains for the next one.

His international success includes winning best lifter overall at a competition in Korea. He competes in three disciplines: squat, bench press, and deadlift.

Wright's approach to competition focuses inward rather than outward. He's not worried about beating other lifters, just about improving his own numbers from last time.

"When we're in competition, we're focused on hitting our numbers and when we do that, it puts pressure on everybody else," Wright explained. "We're not focused on everyone else. It's just beating what we did last time."

His mental strategy when hundreds of pounds rest on his shoulders might surprise people. Wright deliberately shuts down his thinking and lets muscle memory take over.

"When I have all of that weight on my back, I try not to think about anything," he said. "I kind of just shut my brain off and let my body work."

Why This Inspires

Wright's story challenges the assumption that world-class achievement requires total life sacrifice. He's proof that you can hold world records, win international titles, and still maintain the balance that makes life meaningful.

He makes time for long work days helping patients, intense training sessions, family gatherings, and friends. His humility keeps him grounded despite extraordinary accomplishments.

Wright heads to Chicago this Sunday for his next competition, where he'll once again prove that being "just a guy with a hobby" can mean something pretty spectacular.