Don Reinhoudt


Donald C. Reinhoudt was an American powerlifter and strongman. He won the IPF World Powerlifting Superheavyweight Championship four consecutive times, and won the World's Strongest Man in 1979.
Widely considered to be one of the greatest powerlifters of all time, Reinhoudt set over forty powerlifting records throughout his career and held all four of the powerlifting records in his day. His world record raw total of, set in 1975, stood for 38 years.

Athletics

At Fredonia High School, Reinhoudt was an All-League basketball player, an All-Western New York football player and an All-Western shot putter.
Reinhoudt began lifting weights when he was an 18-year-old defensive end at Parsons College, a small college in Iowa. He not only played college football for four years, but was also on the varsity track team.
Reinhoudt also competed in six Olympic weightlifting competitions, including the 1967 Junior Nationals.

Powerlifting

After experimenting with weightlifting, Reinhoudt began powerlifting in 1969. For the young Reinhoudt, his powerlifting idols, were Jon Cole, John Kuc and Jim Williams who were the greatest pioneers of the sport.
Reinhoudt took 3rd place in his first international appearance in the open division at the inaugural 1972 AAU World Powerlifting Championships with a 2,150 lb total finishing only behind John Kuc and Jim Williams. He went on to finish in 1st place 4 times in a row at the World Powerlifting Championships from 1973 to 1976, also winning the United States national titles during the same span. He was the only Super Heavyweight to hold IPF World Records in all three lifts as well as in the Total simultaneously. He was also thought to be the first man to break the 2,400 lb barrier, with a 2,420 lb total, achieved in 1975. This Total of 2391 lb stood until 2013 as the highest powerlifting total ever achieved without supportive equipment, making Reinhoudt effectively one of the strongest men in the history of powerlifting.
Reinhoudt had three meets, in which he totaled more than 2350 pounds. He is also one of the few lifters ever to have squatted more than 900 pounds raw and bench pressed in excess of 600 pounds raw. In 1976, he even attempted a 904-pound deadlift three times in official meets and pulled it up past his knees but could not lock it out completely. Had he managed it, at that time, he would have been the only lifter in history, whose name would have registered in all of the three powerlifting hall of fames for the 900 pound raw squat, 600 pound raw bench press and 900 pound deadlift.

Meet results

  • 1972 AAU World Championships Bronze, +242 lb Class
  • 1973 IPF Champion +110 kg Class
  • 1974 IPF Champion +110 kg Class
  • 1975 IPF Champion +110 kg Class
  • 1976 IPF Champion +110 kg Class

Health complications and transition into Strongman

On November 10, 1976, after winning the IPF World Championships, Reinhoudt retired from powerlifting mainly due to the inconvenience his heavy weight caused to his health, such as shortness of breath and lack of flexibility. He quickly dropped his weight from 365 to 239 pounds in the time span of only four months. In preparation for his appearance at the 1978 World's Strongest Man, Reinhoudt competed one last time at the Eastern Open in 1977, in the 275-pound class, where he set four world records: At 264 pounds bodyweight he totalled 2000 lb. He never competed in powerlifting afterwards and put all his energy on lifting for the World's Strongest Man shows.

World's Strongest Man

After retiring from powerlifting in 1976, Reinhoudt was invited to the 1977 World's Strongest Man contest. While being on a hardcore diet, he had just lost 125 lbs of body weight from 365 to 239. So he declined but vowed to compete in the following year. He competed in the following three competitions from 1978 to 1980. In 1978 he was leading field over the most part of the competition, but lost the final tug of war by losing balance and finishing 2nd to Bruce Wilhelm. The following year Reinhoudt won the competition in 1979, beating a young Bill Kazmaier. He was forced to withdraw from the 1980 World's Strongest Man competition after tearing his biceps and left hamstring, which proved to be career ending injuries. He retired from competition in August 1980, shortly after this contest.

Personal records

Powerlifting

performed in official powerlifting full meets

Weightlifting

Reinhoudt did Olympic lifting in his younger years when he weighed approximately 240 pounds

Strongman

  • Girl lift –
  • Car lift Deadlift –
  • Barrel overhead press –

Combined lifts

  • Combined official Supertotal :
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  • Career aggregate Supertotal :
+ + + + =

Measurements

measurements without exercising or "pumping up"
  • Height: 6-foot-3-inches to 6-foot-4-inches
  • Weight: up to 380 pounds
  • Neck size: 22 inches
  • Chest: 60 inches
  • Upper arm: 22 3/4 inches
  • Forearm: 18 1/2 inches
  • Thighs: 34 inches
  • Shoe size: 15 EEE
  • According to Terry Todd Don Reinhoudt is one of the biggest world-class lifters in Olympic or powerlifting history.

Recognitions

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Personal life

Reinhoudt was married to Pam and had two children from a previous marriage; Molly and Ben. He was a Christian. After obtaining a degree in finance, Reinhoudt worked as an accountant in his parents' accounting firm and later was the director of the Chautauqua County Youth Bureau, a position he held until his retirement. In his position as Youth Bureau Director, Reinhoudt gave various motivational speeches to youth in Western New York, often including minor feats of strength in his presentations, such as picking people up with his teeth, driving nails through boards with his hands, and tearing license plates and phone books. Donald was of Scottish and German ancestry.
Reinhoudt died on July 3, 2023, at the age of 78 in a one-vehicle crash in the Town of Pomfret in Chautauqua County.