Matt was always an athlete from a young age, starting at just four years old. He grew up in Farmingdale, New York, where he excelled and played in multiple sports (Baseball, Football, Skiing, and Track & Field). At Baseball, he excelled at multiple positions and was selected to play for top travel teams on Long Island. He also was one of the few lefties to excel at shortstop. However, he did not purse it, as football took precedent. In High School Matt was recruited to participate in track as a shot-putter, along with playing football. Eventually, he just focused on playing and training for football. Matt was a dominate nose tackle, defensive tackle and a great punter. After a successful High School football career he was given multiple offers from Division I, II, and III schools. He was fortunate enough to start as a freshman in college before a second knee injury ended his career. Matt sustained two serious knee injuries during his career. The first was during his junior year of HS (where he torn his right meniscus) causing him to miss the last few games because of surgery. The second was during his senior year of High School (where he completely tore his left ACL, and partially tore his MCL, PCL and meniscus) when a player fell head first into his knee. However, unlike his junior year matt never got the surgery. He played on it for the rest of the season and rehabbed it himself in the offseason to get ready for college ball. Unfortunately, during one of his college games an opposing player took a cheap shot at his left knee after the play blowing his knee out. After this, he decided to hang up his cleats and this is where his powerlifting journey began.
About Matt Sohmer
After several doctors told Matt that he would never play any type of sport again because of his injuries, he was determined to prove them wrong. He pushed himself harder than ever. Not only did his body respond well to the training, but also his strength levels and stability increased greatly. After fully recovering for a second time, he was invited to participate in a local New York powerlifting meet in December of 2011. To the amazement of the meet organizers, he lifted over 600 pounds breaking all of the local records. Since then, he has compiled over 50 United States & World Records (including USAPL and IPF), won 23 gold medals and won multiple championships in 8 different powerlifting federations. At 19 years old, he became the youngest person less than 300lbs and first teenager to ever squat 800+ pounds (raw without wraps or knee sleeves) not only once but 3 times during 2013.
He is the lightest person in the USAPL and IPF to squat over 800lbs raw. In 2017 Matt reached another elite level when he became the lightest junior in history (drug-free) to squat and deadlift over 800lbs raw. Matt is a lifetime drug-free athlete and is very outspoken about performing enhancing drugs. Every single pound on his squat and deadlift has been achieved through a drug-free lifestyle
870lb Raw Squat at 280lbs
HS Football Highlights