Vegan Meathead powers his way to three more state records

Competing in the USPA River City Rumble Daniel Austin has recorded his all-time best total. This follows a disappointing meet last year, leaving him to reflect on what he’s done since. “It goes to show that if you invest more in your recovery and program wisely, you can still make gains as you get older” he says.

Daniel now holds three of the four available drug-tested state records in the Masters 82.5 kg category.  He adds this to three in the 75 kg category that he took last year.

He squatted 212 kg (468 lb) to take that record, then benched 140 kg (309 lb) before a failed attempt at 142.5 kg (315 lb).  Deadlifting 242.5 kg (535 lb) gave him another state record, as did the massive total of 595kg (1312 lb).

Now aged 42, the ‘Vegan Meathead’ has been vegan since 22.  He was originally motivated by discoveries about the cruelty of animal agriculture and that remains a strong motivator.

“It’s an ethical stance. If this lifestyle made me suck as a powerlifter, I still wouldn’t change my stance.” He says.

State record collections like this show that it doesn’t.