Shawn Frankl
- ludwigpower
- Jun 12
- 2 min read
"I'M FUCKING DOING THE SHOW, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT TAKES."
"Pound for pound" is often a phrase you'll hear thrown around in the world of powerlifting, and when it comes to defining this terminology Shawn Frankl is a prime example of what it truly means. From the infamous Big Iron gym, under the guidance of Rick Hussie, Frankl went on to hold world records in the 198 and 220-pound weight classes.
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Shawn's multi-ply numbers were incredible, with a 1060 squat, 875 bench, and 780 deadlift for a 2715 pounds total. He was in the 220-pound weight class when he achieved that massive total. His competitive career scanned from 21 to 42 years old, with his last meet being in 2019. The dedication it takes to squat 5 times your body weight is unimaginable. However, Frankl had both the curiosity to question Hussie and grow a deeper understanding of training methodology and the grit to grind through the day-to-day challenges he would endure. Shawn also owns a 550 pound raw bench at 216 pounds bodyweight.
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Shawn credited a change in his mindset to his ultimate success under big weights. On the Table Talk podcast with Dave Tate, he spoke about not putting so much pressure on himself to beat other people's numbers and being the best he could be. He cited not worrying about his competitors so much and instead diverting that energy back into his progress. A stark contrast to the mindset of many competitors of that time, and today. He also competed in bodybuilding, bringing the dense muscle he accumulated from the platform to the stage. He cited needing a break from powerlifting, and was adamant on not taking that break until Rick passed away, as Rick had said he was living through Shawn during his battle with terminal cancer. Frankl suffered some pretty brutal injuries during his tenure as a competitive bodybuilder, one example was when he suffered a torn quad right before his show. Most people would've shut it down and backed out, but Frankl was not most people, he still did the show despite the injury saying "Im fucking doing the show, doesn't matter what it takes." He went on to win that show. He said the fulfillment in victory was hollow in comparison to powerlifting.
Shawn owns Big Iron Gym located in Sioux City, Iowa. The gym offers a variety of services, as does Frankl is a coach as well. From dominating the sport of powerlifting to giving back to the sport, its competitors, and people who want to better their physical condition, Shawn Frankl has made an impact on many people in and out of the sport.
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