Wednesday, January 27, 2010

  • Signor Lawanda: The Iron jawed Man


  • Signor Lawanda: The Iron jawed Man got his name with good reason. His signature feat was lifting several men seated on a barrel by his teeth. The top picture shows him at 20 years old and the neck and jaw development is quite pronounced.

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    Wednesday, January 27, 2010

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  • Dr. Ken Leistner: The 12th Man to lift "The Water Barrel" at Zuver's Hall of Fame Gym


  • It was on July 1st, 1968 that Dr. Ken became the 12th man to lift the Zuver's Gym "challenge" water barrel overhead. Nobody knows exactly how much the barrel weighed but it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 200-250 lbs. And, if you have done any barrel lifting, you know that it's a whole different deal than a barbell. If you ever get to talk to Dr. Ken, get him to tell you the story on how this came about.

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    Wednesday, January 27, 2010

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    Wednesday, August 26, 2009

  • Galen Gough


  • Billed as "The World's Miracle Strongman," Galen Gough from Howard''s Grove Kentucky certainly lived up to his title. Gough was terribly injured while serving in World War I, but built himself back to health and strength through physical training. His results were so dramatic that a career as a performing strongman soon followed.

    Gough performed feats of strength in carnivals, fairs and vaudeville houses all over the country. In addition to "traditional" strongman feats such as The Human Link, Nail Driving, and bar bending, Gough came up with many of his own including dangling from a rope tied to an airplane by his teeth, with a 50 pound weight in each hand, biting keys in half, juggling a 300-pound anvil!

    One of his many adventures was to perform feats of strength as publicity stunts for the Louisville, Kentucky- based Oertel Brewing Company which is the origin of the Barrel barbell pictured above.

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    Wednesday, August 26, 2009

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    Friday, July 24, 2009

  • Louis Cyr's Barrel Lifting Feat


  • On May 8th, 1896, the great Canadian strongman Louis Cyr lifted and shouldered a 433 lb. barrel with one hand. The barrel was filled with a mixture of water and sand and the feat took place at Saint-Louis Hall in Chicago, Illinois.

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    Friday, July 24, 2009

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    Monday, May 11, 2009

  • What is Dinosaur Training? - Video Clip



  • A short video clip featuring Brooks Kubik and Dinosaur Training in action. Log lifting... Barrel Lifting... Anvil Lifting... John Davis... Doug Hepburn... John Grimek... Arthur Saxon... Heavy Dumbbells... Basement lifting... Power Rack Work... Grip Training... If you don't want your own copy after watching this then you had better check your pulse.

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    Monday, May 11, 2009

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    Tuesday, May 05, 2009

  • Robert B. Snyder


  • There have been more than a few great strongmen who are not giants. A perfect example is Robert B. Snyder of Hagerstown, Maryland. As a boy he was inspired by the strongman from the Forepaugh & Sells circus and began training by lifting barrels and stones. He also taught himself hand balancing - something which he would become exceptionally good at.

    At the age of 14 (weighing 116 pounds) Snyder lifted his first barbell -- a MILO barbell owned by a local strongman. Shortly afterward, Snyder began following MILO barbell course #1 and showed tremendous improvement... so much so that he was featured in Bernarr MacFadden's Physical Culture Magazine as well as Alan Calvert's STRENGTH Magazine.

    At his heaviest, Snyder weighed only 139 pounds yet was incredibly strong easily performing multiple one-arm chins with each hand as well as lifting poundages well above bodyweight. Above, Snyder performs the one-arm get up lift with a human weight.

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    Tuesday, May 05, 2009

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    Monday, March 23, 2009

  • Marijan Matijevic


  • Marijan Matijevic was a great Croatian strongman who was popular during the turn of the century. He won his first medals for strength feats and wrestling when he was 21years old and collected more as the years passed. He had a standing offer that anyone who could defeat him in feats of strength could have his entire collection of medals. He was adept at bending steel, barrel lifting, stone breaking and lifting thick-handled globe barbells.

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    Monday, March 23, 2009

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    Tuesday, March 17, 2009

  • Noel Le Gaulois


  • The French strongman Noel Le Gaulois was the man to beat at certain lifts in the late 19th century. At the Brussels exhibition of 1897, he performed a two-arm snatch with 220 pounds, a 253-pound two-arm jerk and a 143-pound one-arm snatch... All lifts which would still be respectable a century later.

    He could also lift a full wine barrel. Like many strongmen of the period, he was also a very good wrestler. Later on, Le Gaulois owned a café/gymnasium which was the gathering place for the famous strongmen of the day.

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    Tuesday, March 17, 2009

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    Saturday, January 10, 2009

  • Odd Object Lifting in Ancient Japan



  • Barrel lifting goes back a little farther than Dnosaur Training...

    The Japanese painter Hokusai is best-known as author of the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji and his most recognized print The Great Wave of Kanagawa.

    Among his many drawings was this one, "Sakadaru o sashiageru otoko" showing a man lifting a sake barrel overead with one arm.
    This drawing was completed sometime around the year 1810 but the one-arm press is still a great exercise.

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    Saturday, January 10, 2009

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    Thursday, December 18, 2008

  • Mac Batchelor: Barrel Lifting


  • When you run a tavern, like Mac Batchelor once did, you had better be adept at lifting barrels. The Barrel Press as Mac demonstrates here is a great upper-body developer, especially if the barrel is partially filled with beer.

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    Thursday, December 18, 2008

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    Tuesday, December 02, 2008

  • Barrel Lifting at "The Pit"


  • No matter how you slice it, barrel lifting is a great workout, as shown on this classic cover of Hardgainer Magazine (#30, May-June 1994). In this shot, Bob Farris from Dick Conner's place "The Pit" Barbell Club in Evansville, Indiana presses a 150-pound water-filled barrel for 13 reps. If you've ever trained with barrels, you know this is STRONG!

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    Tuesday, December 02, 2008

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    Thursday, June 26, 2008

  • Barrel Lifting


  • Barbells and dumbbells can be nice, but sometimes it pays to lift something big, awkward and heavy to build unusual strength. For many strongmen of the past, a barrel often fit the bill perfectly, and even more-so when partially filled with water.

    Read Dinosaur Training or ROCK IRON STEEL by Steve Justa for more information on Barrel Lifting.

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    Thursday, June 26, 2008

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    Tuesday, June 17, 2008

  • Bob Peoples' Barrel Barbell


  • A look at Bob Peoples'first barbell, which he made out of a couple barrels in which he would load weight: chunks of metal, concrete -- anything he could find. Peoples trained alone in his garage gym and deadlifted over 700 pounds back in the 1940's. That sure doesn't leave much room for excuses...

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    Tuesday, June 17, 2008

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    Friday, April 25, 2008

  • Barrel Lifting for Forearm Development

  • Barrel Lifting for Forearm DevelopmentBarrel Lifting for Forearm Development

    I can't always say for sure how the oldtime strongmen built their strength but I can say that in the year 2008, many of the training methods they wrote about works just fine. One of those methods is Barrel Lifting which is a good way to build the gnarly, knotted foreams that the oldtimes often had. The unbalanced, unweildy load provides a shock to the system that can build incredible strength. Check out ROCK IRON STEEL by Steve Justa and Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik for more information on barrel lifting.

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    Friday, April 25, 2008

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    Friday, January 25, 2008

  • Hans Beck

  • Hans BeckHans Beck

    Hans Beck was a great German weightlifter and Strongman toward the end of the 1890's. He won two German championships and a European Championship from 1895-1897 and was the first man to "continental" and jerk 330 pounds (as pictured.)

    Like many German Strongmen, he was also very good at barrel lifting feats pressing a 249 pound barrel overhead for three repetitions and a barrel filled to 275-1/2 pounds for one rep.

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    Friday, January 25, 2008

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    Saturday, January 05, 2008

  • Barrel Lifting

  • Barrel LiftingBarrel LiftingLifting Barrels and Kegs has long been a Oldtime strongman Tradition since it builds a unique kind of strength -- especially is the barrel is only partially filled...

    If water (or beer) is sloshing around inside the barrel, it becomes a "live" weight, and a tremendous test of strength -- and it takes a lot less weight than you think.

    A partially-filled barrel weighing as little as fifty pounds can give you a tremendous workout.

    Suggested barrel lifting exercises include:

  • Curls
  • Overhead Pressing (shown)
  • Shouldering
  • Bear Hugs
  • Carrying
  • Throwing (steel keg only!)
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    Saturday, January 05, 2008

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    Tuesday, November 13, 2007

  • Tromp Van Diggelen - The South African Hercules

  • Tromp Van Diggelen - The South African HerculesTromp Van Diggelen - The South African Hercules

    Tromp Van Diggelen survived a sickly childhood to become a traveling performing strongman and one of the true unsung heroes of strength history.

    His performing feats were certainly impressive (such as the 210 pound "barrel lift" barbell press above) but it was his work behind the scenes which he should be remembered best.

    It was Tromp Van Diggelen who discovered "Max Sick" and had him change his name to Maxick.

    Van Digglen also managed Joseph Steinbach and Hermann Goerner and also founded The British Amateur Weightlifting Association (BAWLA).

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    Tuesday, November 13, 2007

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    Monday, November 05, 2007

  • Steve Justa: The High Plains Heavy Metal Master

  • Steve JustaSteve Justa: The High Plains Heavy Metal Master

    Out in the Nebraska cornfields you'll find a man who lifts anything he can get his hands on -- barrels,rocks, scrap iron, even trucks. He will push, pull, carry and drag the heaviest weights he can, and regularly moves half a ton, if only a few inches, its still impressive.

    Steve Justa is his name and his training philosophy is anything but conventional...

    "Don't Have a Weight Set? - Get a Tractor!"

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    Monday, November 05, 2007

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    Saturday, September 29, 2007

  • Louis Cyr and Horace Barre' - John Robinson's $25,000 Challenge Feature

  • Louis Cyr and Horace Barre Circus PosterLouis Cyr and Horace Barre' - John Robinson's $25,000 Challenge Feature

    During the 1898 Circus Season, Canadian Strongman Louis Cyr and his assstant/protege' Horace Barre performed their unique feats of strength all around the country in the John Robinson Circus.

    As they criss-crossed the map, John Robinson put up $25,000 for any person who could duplicate any one of either of their feats.

    Their performance included the back lift, Cyr's Barrel Lifting Feat, supporting feats, and lifting other heavy dumbbells or blockweights of various sizes and shapes.

    Adjusting for inflation, that would be nearly $600,000 today, and, ironically enough, their money would still be safe...

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    Saturday, September 29, 2007

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    Tuesday, September 04, 2007

  • Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik

  • ... real world strength training ... becoming more powerful ... building functional muscle ... strengthening the tendons and ligaments ... power rack work ... heavy partial movements ... sandbag training ... thick-bar training ... heavy weights ... power rack work ... heavy grip work ... the farmer's walk ... anvil, sandbag and barrel lifting ... heavy support work ... effort ... dedication ... perserverance ... concentration ... determination ... mental toughness ...

    It's hard to believe that Dinosaur Training has been around for more than a decade... as far as training books go, few have ever has the impact that Dinosaur Training did.
    Dinosaur Training by Brooks KubikDinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik
    This is the book that introduced an entire generation to super strength not by looking forewards but back at the classic training techniques of year's past.

    If you don't own a copy, you should! Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik

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    Tuesday, September 04, 2007

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    Sunday, September 02, 2007

  • Lifting Light Barrels

  • barrel liftingBarrel LiftingWith all this talk of heavy barrel lifting, it can be easy to get carried away with "weight" -- keep in mind though that lifing awkward objects is very different from lifting a barbell or a dumbbell.

    Training with "light" objects can often lead to tremendous results, since the awakwardness is what leads to the challenge.

    Even a partially-filled 10 gallon barrel, weighing 50 pounds or less, can give you an awesome workout since the weight is "live." Shouldering, carrying and even basic movements such as curls and presses are a whole new animal.

    Check out Dinosaur Training by Books Kubik for more on this concept.

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    Sunday, September 02, 2007

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    Saturday, August 25, 2007

  • Louis Cyr's Barrel Lifting Feat

  • Louis Cyr's Barrel LiftLouis Cyr's Barrel Lift
    As reported in David Willougthby's Super Athletes book, Louis Cyr could lift a heavy barrel to his shoulder with only one hand by grabbing the chines, tilting it on to his leg and maneuvering it up his body.

    Needless to say, lifting a barrel like this takes quite a bit of brute strength.

    Cyr's best barrel lift was a barrel filled with a combination of sand and water and weighed in at just under 450 pounds!

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    Saturday, August 25, 2007

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    Friday, August 24, 2007

  • Barrel Lifting Strength Feats

  • Barrel Lifting for unusual strengthBarrel Lifting for Unusual Strength

    It has been well written that many so-called "feats of strength" had their roots in manual labor. Back in the beer halls of Bavaria and old, Old, OLD Vienna I'm sure a couple of robust beirmeisters once sat around shooting the breeze when one bet another that he could lift the biggest barrel -- and it's all been down hill from there.

    Many of the old timers were well-known for their barrel or keg lifting feats, including Louis Cyr (who was said to have been able to lift a 400 lb. barrel to his shoulders) and George Jowett who included a Barrel Lifting Course in his Molding a Mighty Grip training guide.

    I would imagine the "Cincinnati Strongman" Henry Holtgrewe lifted a few barrels and kegs in his time. He owned a tavern down in the neighborhood of Northside in Cincinnati just after the turn of the century.

    Several modern day strongmen have included barrel lifting in their training. Probably the two most well known are Steve Justa and Brooks Kubik who wrote extensively about barrel lifting in Dinosaur Training.

    Keep in mind that lifting a 200 pound FULL barrel is actually easier than lifting a 150 pound HALF-filled barrel.

    Brooks KubikBrooks Kubik

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    Friday, August 24, 2007

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    Welcome to the Strongest Blog on the Net!

    This is THE PLACE where you will find interesting bits of Iron Game history, lore and training tips from the strongest men of all time.

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