Ed Cone faced several challenges in his powerlifting career:

1. Old-school methods and hard work: Ed Cone didn't cut corners. He maintained rigorous training methods and a strong work ethic, which are tough in themselves.
2. Bench press struggles: Despite being one of the greatest deadlifters, Ed struggled with the bench press. This made it challenging for him to compete against record-holders like Bill Kazmire, who had an impressive bench press record of 661 pounds.
3. Frequent injuries: One significant challenge mentioned was an injury that prevented Ed from pulling sumo during a key meet in Texas. Despite this injury, he had to execute a conventional deadlift of 887 pounds to stay competitive 1 .

These challenges underline Ed Cone's resilience and dedication to powerlifting.