National Geographic

Cummings’s body typeand his technique—he pulls the bar fasterthan other lifters andmaintains this speedas the lift progresses—separate him fromthe competition. BobLeFavi, while head ofhealth sciences andkinesiology at GeorgiaSouthern Universityin Savannah, analyzedCummings’s biome-chanics. Researchersfound that a “perfectstorm” of attributes—strength, speed,body structure, andtechnique—all contrib-ute to his success. Stilla teenager, Cummingsshould reach his fullpotential in his mid tolate 20s, LeFavi says.MARK THIESSEN48