2021 Joe Ladnier | alpowerliftinghof

Joe Ladnier

A very special "Thank You" to Lori Ladnier and

Jon Grove for helping me complete Joe's bio.

Joe Ladnier: Powerlifting Royalty

Article by: Jon Grove, North Georgia Barbell

Click to Read

Born: October 14, 1963

Died: December 29, 2023, He was 60 years old.

Hometown: Pascagoula, MS

Current Residence: Hurley, MS

What is your Alabama Connection?

He lived in Wilmer, Alabama in the early 90s for 2 or 3 years

His pursuits in life & powerlifting:

He and Lori owned and operated Legendary Athletic Development in Hurley, MS. He

continued to train and coach young and new lifters in the sport of powerlifting which was his passion.

Lifting History:

When did you start weightlifting and what inspired you to start weightlifting?

He started weightlifting at 15 years old in high school for football, baseball, track.

When did you get involved with powerlifting and what got you interested in the sport?

At 16-year-old Joe was thrown into a local high school powerlifting meet by his high school football coach to get points for the school team. He was 165 pounds and didn’t even lift weights. He had to ask the coach how to perform a squat so he could lift 350 pounds and then did the first ever deadlift of his life on the platform with 430 pounds to win the event for his team. He didn’t realize he was capable of this, but local USPF Junior National champion Larry Plumblee recognized his abilities and invited Joe to train with his team called The Mississippi Ironmen. As with many lifters, once young Joe heard the clanging of the weights and was able to train and learn from some knowledgeable lifters, he was bit by “the iron bug” and his strength increased immediately. (Jon Grove)

Do you have a powerlifting nick name, if so what is it and how did you get it?

His early nick name was “The Lad” and his latter nickname was “The Mississippi Monster”.

What weight class(es) did you compete in?

165, 181, 198, 220, 242, 259, 275

What are your best lifts in each category in each weight class?

Joe with his wife Lori

Historic Lifts @ 220 lb. Weight Class

The 1st 2100+ lb. Total @ 220 in powerlifting history @ the 1983 USPF Senior Nationals

TOTAL

EQUIPMENT

SQUAT

BENCH PRESS

DEADLIFT

837.7

523.6

749.5

2110.6

SINGLE PLY

First Lifts @ 165 lb. Weight Class

Joe's 1st powerlifting meet at 16 y.o. to help his high school team win.

TOTAL

EQUIPMENT

SQUAT

BENCH PRESS

DEADLIFT

350

325

430

1105

RAW

Best Lifts @ 165 lb. Weight Class

DEADLIFT

TOTAL

BENCH PRESS

EQUIPMENT

SQUAT

335

RAW

1339.9

SINGLE PLY

512.5

529.1

325.1

Best Lifts @ 181 lb. Weight Class

TOTAL

EQUIPMENT

SQUAT

BENCH PRESS

DEADLIFT

562.1

380.3

600.7

1543.2

SINGLE PLY

Best Lifts @ 198 lb. Weight Class

DEADLIFT

TOTAL

BENCH PRESS

EQUIPMENT

SQUAT

666.9

420

RAW

1802.2

SINGLE PLY

661.4

699.9

451.9

Best Lifts @ 220 lb. Weight Class

TOTAL

EQUIPMENT

SQUAT

BENCH PRESS

DEADLIFT

837.7

530

775

2110.9

SINGLE PLY

Best Lifts @ 242 lb. Weight Class

EQUIPMENT

DEADLIFT

TOTAL

SQUAT

BENCH PRESS

600

RAW

SINGLE PLY

2160.5

788.1

821.2

556.6

MULTI-PLY

749.5

733.0

744.0

2044.8

Best Lifts @ 259 lb. Weight Class

DEADLIFT

TOTAL

BENCH PRESS

EQUIPMENT

SQUAT

700

525

RAW

1825

WRAPS

600

Best Lifts @ 275 lb. Weight Class

EQUIPMENT

DEADLIFT

TOTAL

SQUAT

BENCH PRESS

550

738.5

RAW

WRAPS

2000

766.1

MULTI-PLY

953.4

771.6

705.4

2215.6

How many years did you compete? 30+ years

Between what year and what year did you compete? 1979 - 2016

What is the approximate total number of meets you competed in? Over 60

List your favorite meets you competed in.

1980 USPF Teenage Nationals
1983 USPF Senior Nationals
1983 Hawaii Invitational Powerlifting Championship
1984 USPF Senior National Championship
1984 Hawaii Invitational Powerlifting Championship
2004 WPC World Championships (Both his daughter and he won on the same day)
2015 SPF/GPC Worlds in Las Vegas

What’s the highest classification you achieved? Elite

What’s the highest score you achieved? 584.44 Wilks

What are some of your powerlifting accomplishments?

He is one of ONLY 3 powerlifters in history to compete in the USPF Senior Nationals, YMCA Nationals, IPF World Championship, The World Hawaii Record Breakers Invitational and the WPO Finals.
3X Champion of the USPF Teenage Nationals and add this meet to above list, he becomes one of ONLY 2 lifters in the history of the sport to compete in those six meets.
The first 220 to total 2100+ in history.
1983 USPF Senior Nationals where he won first place in the Open Men at 19 years old.
Coming back after a torn quad to win the 1988 ADFPA Nationals and the 1989 WDFPF Worlds
He was also proud of winning the open raw with wraps at 2015 SPG/GPC Worlds in Las Vegas. He was 51 at the time. He has a 1973 total

Who are some of the most memorable lifters/people for you in your career?

Larry Plumblee, Fred Hatfield, Doc Rhodes, Larry Pacifico, Buddy Duke, Rick Weil, Ted Arcidi, Lee Moran, Dave Waddington, Bill Kazmaier

With your name as part of the history of powerlifting in Alabama, what would you like to be most remembered for?

Winning the 1983 USPF Senior Nationals which ultimately gave him a great platform in the sport the rest of his life. Also, because he was able able to have such a long career in the sport it allowed him to help more people than he knew was possible.

What words of wisdom would you like to pass down to future powerlifters?

Determination +dedication +discipline =domination

Young Champ w/ his Mississippi Ironmen Trucker Hat