For some, the storied animosity between the University of Alabama and Auburn University in college football, known as the Iron Bowl, epitomizes the depth of state rivalry sports can reach, echoing historical and cultural divisions. On the culinary front, one might find Texans championing their smoked brisket as the zenith of American barbecue, only to be challenged by Tennesseans who argue that their Memphis-style ribs are superior. Of course, all these rivalries are subjective and are likely to, at worst, anger and appall, and at best, reach a compromise by agreeing to disagree. But what if a true ranking of states exists, whereby you could quantifiably, without disagreement, rank each from best to worst?
Lift Vault, an online resource for powerlifting, bodybuilding and strength training, analyzed data, and set out to determine where in America do the country’s physically strongest men & women reside? They scoured through 5 years of data provided by Open Powerlifting focusing on 3 main powerlifting categories – the squat (a strength exercise in which the trainee lowers their hips from a standing position and then stands back up); the bench press (an upper-body weight training exercise in which the trainee presses a weight upwards while lying on a weight training bench); and a deadlift (in which a weight is lifted off the ground to the level of the hips, before being placed back on the ground).
The data reveals that America’s strongest men and women reside in the state of Texas. Perhaps this is not surprising – Texans are legendary hardy people, personified among others by figures like Earl Campbell, the famed professional football running back whose powerful style of play in the NFL earned him recognition as one of the best in the sport. Texans are known for their ‘go big or go home’ attitude, which Campbell personified every time he powered through defenders.
In fact, the data revealed that Texas’ men and women have held onto top spot for the past 8 years.
North Carolinians are ranked as the 6th strongest in America. North Carolina’s results: average squat: 514 lbs; average bench press: 336 lbs; average deadlift: 575 lbs.
2023’s Five Strongest States:
1. Texas
2. Florida
3. NY
4. Virginia
5. California
2023’s Five Weakest States:
50. Vermont
49. Wyoming
48. Arkansas
47. North Dakota
46. West Virginia
The ‘weakest’ lifters turned out to be from West Virginia. While the numbers suggest that West Virginia’s weightlifters might not be hoisting the heaviest iron in the nation, it’s worth noting that strength comes in many forms. Perhaps West Virginians are too busy hiking their beautiful mountain trails or kayaking down their stunning rapids to hang around the squat rack. In West Virginia, it’s less about ‘go big or go home’ and more about ‘go out and explore’.
