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Ed Coan

sports Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Ed Coan is a famous American powerlifter. Many people call him the greatest ever. He broke 71 world records in his career.

Ed was once a skinny kid. People picked on him at school. He decided to get strong in his basement. He used old machines to train. Later, he used weights from a friend. He read a book by Arnold Schwarzenegger to learn. He soon joined a health club in Chicago.

Powerlifting has three main lifts. These are the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. A lifter's total is the sum of these three. Ed was very good at all of them. In 1991, he set a big record. He was the lightest person to reach a high total. In 1998, he set a record in the 110 kg weight class.

Ed faced hard times too. He failed drug tests three times. The IPF gave him a lifetime ban. This means he cannot compete in their events. He cannot even teach training seminars for them. Still, many people see him as a legend. Now, he spends his time as a mentor. He helps young lifters learn the sport.

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