Howlett powering his way to Russia

It's a tag line more akin to a Rocky movie, but Wayne Howlett flies out for the annual World Raw Powerlifting Championships next week to break records and Muscovite hearts.

The 35-year-old has medalled at all of his past four consecutive championship attempts, including two gold medals in 2012.

"It'll be a dream to get gold again, but at these particular world championships it is probably going to be my toughest competition to date," Howlett said.

"There are some very wealthy people behind this contest in Moscow and they've left no stone unturned.

"They've made massive effort to make sure all of the best lifters ever in the history of the sport are there."

There he faces Stas Shvetsov, who beat Howlett earlier this year at Russia's national titles.

In a sport that combines three attempts each from squat, bench and dead lift, Howlett finished second to his rival in the 125kg weight class with lifts that totalled 900 kilograms.

Shvetsov powered his way to heave 950kg.

But Howlett is also the only Australian to total a lift greater than a tonne.

Before trimming down 12kg from his peak 135kg, he amassed an astonishing 1010kg during time spent in the 140kg class.

"I'm really confident I'll lift my all-time biggest total sometime in the near future at this lighter body weight," he said.

"My body has accustomed to this lighter body weight now."

The mass of muscle has smashed just about every possible Australian record - the squat, bench press and totalled lifts in two different weight classes - that there's only the world left to conquer.

As a matter of fact, Howlett is unbeaten in the country and last weekend became the first Aussie to reach a 950kg total at his slimmed-down 123kg. That's left very little to lift including a car that has his veins popping and eyes bulging, the face the colour of bashed plum.

"We've got a member of our gym who brings a small car down and every time he's down there we get under it and bench press it, dead lift it completely off the ground," Howlett said.

"I am not sure how much it weighs, but the average person wouldn't move it."

The Hobart Slaughterhouse Gym proprietor also has all the gladiatorial equipment for strongman contests - the stones, the logs, the sandbags, kegs even - that sit in a corner tempting a new challenge.

That sport is more commonplace for powerlifters to cross over disciplines than weightlifting.

"There was a strongman contest in Hobart a couple of months back and I don't know how, but everybody thought I was going to compete in it," he said.

"Well, about 10 strongmen pulled out - yeah, they didn't turn up and I wasn't even lifting.

"So maybe that is something to look at after powerlifting."

But it wasn't all about busting a gut but being busted.

Howlett, in his own words, got mixed up with the wrong crowd some 15 years back.

He entered Risdon Prison as not the man he is today.

When he walked through the gates, the teenager weighed 74kg and left years later at a shade over 100.

A second stint locked up he bulked to 120kg and was ready for lift bars rather than standing behind them.

"It was just a terrible time for me and I was involved in some pretty bad things," Howlett said.

"Luckily I was still a young enough age and I found a weight gym in prison.

"A few attempts to get out and to try and change my life - it took a few times - but essentially [powerlifting] became my life and it completely turned me around."

Despite the increased size, Howlett also kept running up to 10km most days inside Risdon's walls.

Before that, the former Tasmanian ice hockey representative at national competitions - he still hadn't picked up a barbell - was considered by his peers as one of the promising juniors on the ice in the state.

When Howlett returns to the prison these days, it is as a welcomed guest presenting powerlifting trophies to inmates.

"I am recognised by the system as someone who went in there, spent considerable time there and made something of my life," Howlett said.