Kurt Saxon

Kurt Saxon

of the Saxon trio, it was often Arthur who got most of the spotlight, but the other brothers were also quite strong. Here's a shot of Kurt Saxon, at 50 years old, supporting nearly half a ton of classic barbells and other weights.

The largest Barbell weighs 330 pounds and the kettlebells on his feet weight 88 pounds apeice, the barbell on his abdomen weighs 200 pounds, the barbell he is holding weighs 100 pounds and another 88-pound kettlebell on each hand.

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Paul Baillargeon

Paul Baillargeon
I have said many times that Arthur Saxon's records would never be broken... and they won't be... but the man who has come the closest was Paul Baillargeon of the famed Baillargeon Brothers of Quebec.

These six brothers (who I will feature in another post), were all incredible wrestlers and strength athletes who toured their native Canada and the US taking on all comers.

Paul, who was quite possibly the strongest of the brothers, often lifted a horse as the finale of their strength performances.

Anyhow, this picture shows him oficially bent-pressing a barbell loaded to 321pounds, a feat which he achieved on May 11, 1951, in front of Harry B. Paschall and other reliable witnesses at the Apollo Health Studio in Columbus, Ohio.

Paul Baillargeon actually did succeed in bent-pressing 375 pounds in practice a few times.

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Arthur Saxon - Master of the Bent Press

Arthur Saxon - Master of the Bent Press
It is pretty safe to say that Arthur Saxon's records will never be broken. Saxon was certainly not a large man, but the rugged, functional muscle he possessed is especially evident in these shots.

Moving or holding heavy weights in the bent press (more of a supporting feat than a lift) likely contributed to Saxon's tremendous upper-body power.

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How did the oldtimers train with Kettlebells?

How did the oldtimers train with Kettlebells? The answer might surprise you. In his book The Textbook of Weightlifting, Arthur Saxon lists a few of the different exercises he used: the crucifix, one arm press, and several grip and forearm exercises. Of course, kettlebells also worked pretty well for Combination feats just like this one. (I think that's Kurt Saxon being pressed overhead.)

Arthur Saxon

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Arthur Saxon's Leg Press Support Feat

Arthur Saxon's Leg Press Support Feat
Heavy supporting feats were very popular with the oldtime strongmen. They could often support incredibly heavy weighst which always impressed the audience.

Here's Arthur Saxon supporting nine men on his feet, and two more (the other members of the Saxon Trio, Kurt and Herman) on a globe barbell held at arms's length.

It's been said that a feat such as this where Arthur Saxon held several thousand pounds was his greates strength feat, even topping his 448-Pound Two-Hands-Anyhow record.

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Arthur Saxon's Incredible Plank Feat

Arthur Saxon's Incredible Plank Feat
If you needed further proof that Arthur Saxon was one of the strongest men who ever lived, behold the following:

Arthur and the other members of the Saxon Trio used to perform several supporting feats in their act and for these feats, they employed a large, heavy wooden plank.

Unbeknownst to many, they also used this plank as a training tool to develop grip strength, each taking turns lifting it in various ways between their shows. While the other brothers did their best to deadlift it, Arthur Saxon could actually snatch the plank overhead with ease, something no one else could duplicate and a feat which humbled noted Strongman Siegmund Breitbart who visited the Trio at the Bush Circus in 1922 Berlin, Germany.

Kurt Saxon considered this to be Arthur Saxon's greatest strength feat... pretty impressive condsidering some of Arthur's other record achievements.

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Arthur Saxon's 2-Hands Anyhow Lift

The undisputed King of the "2 Hands Anyhow" Lift was Arthur Saxon. First he bent-pressed a 336 pound barbell with his right arm, then he reached down and lifted a 112 pound Kettlebell in the other. The total poundage was 448 pounds lifted overhead - a feat that will never be broken in this style.

Arthur Saxon's 2-Hands Anyhow Lift

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The Saxon Trio Perform at The Ringling Brothers Circus

The Saxon Trio Perform at The Ringling Brothers Circus
Here's a look at a very rare Ringling Brothers Circus Poster featuring Arthur Saxon and the other members of the Saxon Trio.

The poster shows a few of their feats which included several amazing supporting feats - the most impressive being the "human bridge" supporting over six thousand pounds as a car with several passengers drove over a planks that two of the members of the Saxon Trio held up with their feet.

That must have been a great one to see in person.

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Kettlebell Lifting With Arthur Saxon

Like many of the turn-of-the-century strongmen, Arthur Saxon trained with kettlebells and they are featured very prominantly in some of the books he has written. Here's a few of the kettlebell exercises he recommends: One-Arm Press Hold Out or Muscle Out French Press "Thumb" Press

Kettlebell Lifting With Arthur Saxon

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Mr. Thomas Inch of England

Thomas Inch

"Mr. Thomas Inch, of England, doing his world's record arm push of 200 lbs., a feat Arthur Saxon thought to be impossible, owing to the difficulty in maintaining balace when the pelvis is fixed, owing to the rigidity of the legs, which the lift calls for. This is not a bent press, but is accomplished with the leg held absolutely straight. Inch is the man who put weightlifting on the map in Great Britain and is said to be England's strongest man."

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A Look Inside Hermann Goerner's Oldtime Gym

A Look Inside Hermann Goerner's Oldtime Gym
If you're a true strength fan, you can't help but love shots of classic gyms filled with classic equipment. Here's a look at one corner of Hermann Goerner's classic gym. Notice the Globe Barbells, thick-handled equipment, row of kettlebells likely used for the "Die Kette" workout.

Also notice the throwing weights attached to the wall and the Arthur Saxon circus poster on the upper left.

That must have been one hell of a fun place to train...

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Arthur Saxon: The Iron Master

Arthur Saxon: The Iron Master
Just before the turn of the century Arthur Saxon put more weight overhead with one hand than any man before or since -- a 371 pound bent-press.

Saxon is long gone, so too unfortunately, is the bent press -- however, his two great training books still live on: The Development of Physical Power (1906) and The Textbook of Weight-Lifting (1910)

Here's a few things that Arthur Saxon would like you to know about training:

"Genuine strength should include not only momentary strength, as proved by the ability to lift a heavy weight once, but also the far more valuable kind of strength for endurance..."

"Neither do I consider a man a really strong man if he is in certain parts developed out of proportion to others. If a man has tremendous arms and chest and weak legs then he is only half a strong man..."

"A man with 15 inch biceps and a strong wrist will raise a heavier weight in any position than another man with a 16 inch biceps who has a small and weak wrist."

"Do not make the mistake of limiting your practices to any one set of lifts... Practice everything."

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The Strongman: The Arthur Saxon Trio

Back in the 30's Alan Calvert created a magazine devoted specifically to strength training and called it "The Strongman" Here's an early issue featuring The Saxon trio (which I spruced up a bit.) One interesting thing about this publication is that he used very high-quality paper and not the pulp newsprint that was used for many other strength training literature of the time. Calvert obviously put a lot of thought and effort into his publications.

The Saxon Trio

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371 Pounds with One Hand!

Arthur Saxon Bent Press
Arthur Saxon has a legitmate claim for the greatest strength feat of all time with his bent-press of 371 pounds (he was said to have unofficially done 385 pounds.) Either way, it's a tremendous feat, to lift more weight overhead with one hand than most people can squat with!

Here's a little bit from the man himself on how he did it:

"I have often been asked what it feels like to press 350 lbs. with one hand, and perhaps to my readers the different sensations experienced will be
interesting.

In the first place, immediately I start to press the weight away from the shoulder I become perfectly oblivious to everything except the weight that I am lifting.

The spectators are obliterated from my mind by the effort of intense concentration which is necessary to enable me to press the weight. I immediately engage myself in a terrific struggle in which the weight and I are competitor, and only one can win, either the weight must be lifted or else I fail.

This concentration is, of course, one of the secrets of success in lifting, as I have explained in another part of my book. It enables me to bring forward the last ounce of pushing power, and for the time being to exert strength beyond that normally possessed.

As the weight steadily rises aloft perhaps half way it wavers, the balance alters, and I have immediately, yet very carefully and quietly, to adjust my position to the altered balance of the bell.

Then I must proceed with the press, my body gradually falling lower towards the left knee, my eyes fixed all the time upon the ponderous weight balanced over my head, ready to fall at a moment's notice should I weaken or place myself in a false position, and should at this moment anyone shout out, it might startle me, make me waver, and cause the weight to fall.

Therefore, if I am attempting a world's record in this position, I generally ask for complete silence until I have either failed or succeeded, and I might mention here that to think of failure is to fail, and I always tell myself all the time that I am certain to succeed even though I am attempting a weight more than I have hitherto lifted.

Eventually, my arm is straight, and before coming to an upright position I engage in another tussle with the enormous barbell, in which I have to exert all my will power to hold together the flagging powers of tired muscles, which have been strained by the tremendous pressure which 350 lbs. brings on to them in the effort of pressing aloft.

By supreme effort of the will I fix the bell in a good position and then stand upright. Often the bar will roll on to the fingers instead of being directly over the wrist, in which case severe pain is inflicted and I have to persevere with the lift under doubly hard conditions, or drop the weight and try again."

For more information about Arthur Saxon and his training methods, pick up copies of his two great training books: The Development of Physical Power (1906) and The Textbook of Weight-Lifting (1910)

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