Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Signor Lawanda: The Iron jawed ManSignor 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.
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Circus Strongman, Iron Jawed Man, Jaw Strength, Neck Strength, Signor Lawanda
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Dr. Ken ~ Barrel Lifting at Zuver's GymIt 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.
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Barrel Press, Challenge Weight, Dr. Ken Leistner, Odd Object Lifting, Zuver's Hall of Fame Gym
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Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Galen GoughBilled 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.
Labels: Anvil, Anvil Lifting, Bar Bending, Barrel, Barrel Barbell, Barrel Lifting, Feats of Strength, Galen Gough, Human Link, Jaw Strength, Kentucky Strongman, Nail Driving, Oldtime Strongman, Teeth Lifting
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Friday, July 24, 2009
Louis Cyr: Barrel LiftingOn 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.
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Louis Cyr, Strength Feat, Wooden Barrel
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Monday, May 11, 2009
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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.
Labels: 1 Leg Squat, Anvil Lifting, Arthur Saxon, Barrel Lifting, Brooks Kubik, Dinosaur Training, Doug Hepburn, George Jowett, John Grimek, Odd Object Lifting, Press, Video
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Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Robert B. SnyderThere 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.
Labels: Alan Calvert, Barrel Lifting, Circus Strongman, Hand Balancing, Human Lift, Milo Bar Bell Courses, Milo Barbell Company, One Arm Getup, Robert B. Snyder, Stone Lifting, Strength Magazine
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Monday, March 23, 2009
Marijan MatijevicMarijan 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.
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Croatian Strongman, Feats of Strength, Marijan Matijevic, Steel Bending, Stone Breaking, Thick Bar Lifting, Wrestler
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Noel Le GauloisThe 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.
Labels: Barrel Lifting, French Strongman, Globe Barbell, Jerk, Noel Le Gaulois, Oldtime Strongman, one arm snatch, Snatch
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Saturday, January 10, 2009
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. |
Odd Object Lifting in Ancient JapanLabels: Barrel Lifting, Hokusai, Japan, Odd Object Lifting, One Arm Lift
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Thursday, December 18, 2008
Mac Batchelor: Barrel LiftingWhen 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.
Labels: Barrel, Barrel Lifting, Barrel Press, Mac Batchelor, Wooden Barrel
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
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!
Labels: Barrel, Barrel Lifting, Bob Farris, Hardgainer Magazine, Odd Object Lifting, Press, The Pit Barbell Club
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Thursday, June 26, 2008
Barrel LiftingBarbells 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.
Labels: Awkward Object Lifting, Barrel, Barrel Lifting, Barrel Lifting Exercises, Barrel Lifting Workout, Brooks Kubik, Odd Object Lifting, Steve Justa, Strongman Exercises
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Bob Peoples' Barrel BarbellA 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...
Labels: Barbell, Barrel, Barrel Barbell, Barrel Lifting, Bob Peoples, Deadlift, Odd Object Lifting, Unique Equipment
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Friday, April 25, 2008
Barrel Lifting for Forearm DevelopmentI 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.
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Barrel Lifting Exercises, Barrel Lifting Workout, Brooks Kubik, Dinosaur Training, Forearm Development, Lifting Barrels, Oldtime Strongman Exercises, Steve Justa
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Friday, January 25, 2008
Hans BeckHans 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.
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Barrel Lifting Exercises, Bench Press, Continental, German Strongman, Hans Beck, Jerk, Oldtime Strongman Feat
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Saturday, January 05, 2008
 Barrel Lifting | Lifting 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: |
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Barrel Lifting Exercises, Barrels, Exercise, Keg Lifting, Lifting Barrels, Odd Object Lifting, Press, Strongman Equipment, Wooden Barrel
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Tromp Van Diggelen - The South African HerculesTromp 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).
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Hermann Goerner, Joseph Steinbach, Maxick, Oldtime Strongman, Press, Tromp Van Diggelen
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Monday, November 05, 2007
Steve Justa: The High Plains Heavy Metal MasterOut 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!"
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Odd Object Lifting, Rock Lifting, Steve Justa, Strongman Feat
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Saturday, September 29, 2007
Louis 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...
Labels: Backlift, Barrel Lifting, Circus, Horace Barre, Louis Cyr, Oldtime Strongman, Strongman Equipment, Strongman Feat, Supporting Feat
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
| ... 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 Kubik |
If you don't own a copy, you should! Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Brooks Kubik, Dinosaur Training, Grip Strength
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Sunday, September 02, 2007
 Barrel Lifting | With 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. |
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Strongman Equipment
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Saturday, August 25, 2007
 Louis 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! |
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Louis Cyr, Strongman, Strongman Equipment, Strongman Feat
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Friday, August 24, 2007
Barrel 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 Kubik |
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Brooks Kubik, Dinosaur Training, Henry Holtgrewe, Steve Justa, Strongman Equipment, Strongman Feat
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
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