Mica is an exceptionally strong pre-teen.
Jordan Mica is not your average 11-year-old. The young athlete might enjoy some typical childhood staples — playing video games, coming home when the streetlights turn on — but he throws being an accomplished powerlifter into that mix. He is no slouch and continues to demonstrate why he might be a bona fide superstar as fans of the strength sport watch him grow up.
On July 22, 2023, the administrator of Mica’s Instagram account shared an update on his latest exploits as a 56-kilogram competitor. A clip from the 2023 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Barbell Brigade Open features Mica squatting 80 kilograms (176.3 pounds), bench pressing 42.5 kilograms (93.7 pounds), and deadlifting 90 kilograms (198.4 pounds). According to the caption of the post, all of the top lift stats are all-time raw competition PRs for Mica. At the time of this writing, while shining with strength milestones, it is unclear how Mica fared in the overall competition. The same clip does show Mica receiving a medal, but the distinction wasn’t specific.
In terms of assistive equipment for his lifts, it doesn’t appear Mica needed much help, who weighed in at 53.4 kilograms (117.7 pounds) during the contest. Mica didn’t wear a lifting belt or wraps for any of his top lifts. Knee sleeves for his squat were the extent of his additional equipment. Mica achieved his top deadlift pull from a conventional stance while utilizing a mixed grip. He competed in the contest beltless and raw, adding to his mystique as a rapidly-developing powerlifter.
Notably, the athlete locked out all nine of his allotted attempts.
Here’s an overview of Mica’s performance at the 2023 USAPL Barbell Brigade Open:
Jordan Mica | 2023 USAPL Barbell Brigade Open Top Stats
Squat — 80 kilograms (176.3 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best
Bench Press — 42.5 kilograms (93.7 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best
Deadlift — 90 kilograms (198.4 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best
Total — 212.5 kilograms (468.4 pounds) | All-Time Competition Best
Mica, whose parents choose not to have him lifting year-round, apparently had a different approach to his pre-competition training. The caption of Mica’s competition post dictates that the athlete participated in wrestling and jiu-jitsu in addition to spending quality time with barbells, refining his technique. Such a “balanced” preparation process appears to have benefitted Mica’s strength prospects to a personal boundary-breaking degree.
When considering that Mica doesn’t practice strength-training year round, it becomes easier to see his ceiling as a powerlifter. For an athlete of any age to showcase this much strength despite only specific periods where he actually lifts weights is an excellent sign of his long-term prospects. Time will only tell for Mica, but these are the kinds of happenings usually only derived from the career of an established powerlifting star.
Featured image: jordan_mica on Instagram