The president of Mongolia just casually benched 100kg for 20 reps while wearing a suit and tie, while Andy Burnham has just crossed the finish line at the Great North Run: in 2026, it seems politicians are taking their fitness seriously.
And while they may already have the weight of their countries on their shoulders, some are making sure they can shift a fair amount in the gym, too.
From presidents with bench press numbers to be coveted to former politicians with competitive powerlifting totals, these are some of the strongest names in politics, and the numbers to prove it.
The World’s Strongest Politicians
1. Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh – 100kg bench press for 20 reps
Mongolian president Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh went viral after showing off his bench press during a visit to a military unit. In the video, the 58-year-old former army officer takes off his suit jacket and proceeds to press 100kg for 20 reps before getting back up and putting his jacket on.
According to reports, he has a background in bodybuilding and martial arts. While we don’t know his true one-rep max, pressing 100kg for 20 reps is pretty impressive.
2. Arnold Schwarzenegger – 250kg deadlift
Admittedly, putting Arnold Schwarzenegger on a list of strong politicians feels slightly unfair to everyone else. Long before serving as Governor of California from 2003 to 2011, Schwarzenegger was, of course, one of the world’s most successful bodybuilders.
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Results from a competition in Germany in 1966 record the then 19-year-old Schwarzenegger hitting a 140kg squat, 165kg bench press and 250kg deadlift for a 555kg total.
3. Karol Nawrocki – 152.5kg bench press
Polish president Karol Nawrocki is also a fan of the bench press. Speaking publicly about his training, Nawrocki revealed that his best ever bench press is 152.5kg, achieved when he weighed around 108-110kg. Now weighing closer to 93-94kg, he said he can still bench 130kg.
Earlier this year, Nawrocki trained alongside five-time World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski. The president benched 150kg during their session despite the pair agreeing not to push to a maximum. Nawrocki is also a keen boxer and regularly trains in the gym.
4. George W. Bush – 93kg bench press
The Los Angeles Times reported in 2003 that George Bush, who was well known for maintaining a regular exercise routine while in office, could bench press 205lb (around 93kg). According to the same report, Bush once asked diplomat Richard Armitage whether any president had ever benched more than him. Armitage diplomatically told him that he didn’t think one had.
5. Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 60kg bench press
During a visit to the ‘Will to Live’ sports competition – an adaptive sports event held for military personnel and wounded veterans – the Ukrainian president tried his hand at a number of the events, including the bench press.
In a clip shared from his visit Zelenskyy can be seen doing quick-fire reps with a 60kg weight, so chances are his one-rep max is heavier.
6. Robert F. Kennedy Jr – 115lb [52kg] incline bench press for 8 reps
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has become almost as well known for his public fitness persona as his politics in recent years. In 2023, a video of Kennedy incline bench pressing shirtless at Gold’s Gym in Venice went viral. An analysis by Washingtonian estimated the load shown in the clip at 115lb, or around 52kg, for 8 reps.
The coach who shared the footage said the viral set was Kennedy’s final drop set at around 50% of the weight he’d previously been lifting that day, so it shouldn’t be treated as his maximum.
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Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.
