Wednesday, January 27, 2010

  • 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, June 17, 2009

  • The Millennium Dumbbell


  • The Millennium Dumbbell was created around ten years ago as a tribute to a weight once lifted by the great French Strongman Apollon. At 225 pounds, The Millennium outweighs the famous Thomas Inch dumbbell considerably. Needless to say the 2-3/8 inch thick handle necessitates a tremendous level of grip strength in order to lift.

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    Wednesday, June 17, 2009

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    Sunday, April 19, 2009

  • The Gittleson Dumbbell


  • The 'Gittleson Dumbbell is so named because it sat on my college strength coach Mike Gittleson's desk for all the years that I was at Michigan, and likely at least a decade before that. (Mike was the University of Michigan football strength coach for 30 years and produced more All-Americans and NFL Draft picks than any other college strength coach in history.)

    As you can see this unforgiving chunk of Iron weighs 120 pounds - I've bent pressed it, snatched it but not yet strictly overhead pressed it ~ something I am on track to do sometime this summer.

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    Sunday, April 19, 2009

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    Monday, April 06, 2009

  • The Good Dumbbell


  • The Good Dumbbell, so named for it's former owner Bill Good is the world's heaviest exhibition dumbbell (weighing 2150 pounds.) You can read more about it here. For a number of years the Good Dumbbell was displayed on this stand at a water company near Adamstown, Pennsylvania. You used to be able to go visit it although it has disappeared in recent years and the current whereabouts are unknown.

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    Monday, April 06, 2009

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    Tuesday, March 10, 2009

  • The Thomas Inch Challenge Gripper


  • Thomas Inch is probably most famous for his Challenge Dumbbell but what a lot of people don't know is that he had a challenge gripper as well. Above shows Mr. Inch on a visit to the Viking weightlifting club in England. Even though he was 68 years old at the time Inch was still the only man in the place who was successfully able to close it.

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    Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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    Sunday, March 01, 2009

  • Bruce White's Inch Dumbbell


  • One of the most famous grip feats of all time is to deadlift the Thomas Inch Challenge Dumbbell. Replicas were not available until the mid-1990's so if you wanted to lift your own, you had to have your own dumbbell cast, and that is exactly what the great Australian grip master Bruce White did. It took him five years of training to finally accomplish lifting his 172-pound dumbbell. Keep in mind that Bruce White was only 148 pounds at the time, the lightest man to ever do so - a simply phenomenal feat of grip strength.

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    Sunday, March 01, 2009

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    Thursday, January 15, 2009

  • Hermann Goerner's Challenge Barbell


  • A look at Hermann Goerner's challenge barbell: 330-3/4 pounds with a 2-3/8-inch thick handle. Goerner could easily clean and jerk this unique barbell without moving his feet, a feat no one else was ever able to duplicate.

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    Thursday, January 15, 2009

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    Saturday, January 10, 2009

  • Emil Bregulla - "The Terrible Pole"


  • Emil Bregulla was a famous wrestler who took on all comers from coast to coast as he traveled with sideshows and carnivals. He had another challenge as well: Bregulla also demonstrated his prowess, which was considerable, with the large kettlebell at his feet.

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    Saturday, January 10, 2009

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    Sunday, January 04, 2009

  • Rigoulot's Barbell


  • One of the most famous barbells in history is the special weight that Charles Rigoulot made his 314-pound snatch and 402-pound clean-and-jerk. Andy Jackson, manufacturer of the famous Jackson Olympic-type Barbells, is here shown with a copy of the famous Rigoulot barbell made up for the strongman 'Sailor' Jim White. The bar is 9' in length, the revolving globes are 18-inches in diameter.

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    Sunday, January 04, 2009

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  • J.C. Tolson's Challenge Ringweight


  • The great strongman J.C. Tolson had a Challenge Weight with which he would perform his favorite feat. He could lift this 90-pound ringweight overhead with the little finger of one hand only! Thousands of strongmen tried to duplicate this feat yet failed. Tolson could do it with ridiculous ease.

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    Sunday, January 04, 2009

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    Friday, December 26, 2008

  • Arthur Saxon's Unusual Challenge Barbell


  • A rare look a Arthur Saxon's unique challenge barbell - The great Sandow failed on five attempts to bent-press. Saxon, however, eaily lifted this mighty weight overhead on a daily basis.

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    Friday, December 26, 2008

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    Thursday, October 09, 2008

  • The Human Vise's Engine Block


  • Many Oldtime Strongmen were famous for their Challenge Weights with which they performed feats of strength. Pat "The Human Vise" Povilaitis has several unique pieces of equipment which he uses in his strength act; among them this engine block.

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    Thursday, October 09, 2008

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    Sunday, September 07, 2008

  • David Prowse Lifts The Dinnie Stones


  • For over a century the only man to lift the famed Dinnie Stones was Donald Dinnie himself. The, in 1964, British strongman David Prowse came along and changed history.

    To this day, the 6'7" Prowse is still the tallest man to lift the 785-pound stones (totalled together.) Prowse went on to play Darth Vader in a little film called Star Wars.

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    Sunday, September 07, 2008

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    Saturday, June 14, 2008

  • Paul Anderson's Silver Dollar Squat


  • One of Paul Paul Anderson's greatest feats was squatting with over 1200 pounds -- but it wasn't with a traditional barbell, it was with $25,000 worth of silver dollars at his strength show in Las Vegas. There was a standing challenge that anyone who could duplicate the feat could keep the money -- needless to say the money was safe.

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    Saturday, June 14, 2008

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    Sunday, April 13, 2008

  • Thomas Inch's Challenge

  • Thomas Inch's Challenge Thomas Inch's Challenge

    "Can you lift it?" - That's what Mr. Inch's challenge boiled down to. Here's the great historian David Webster with a placard announcing Mr. Inch's Challenge at the Aberdeen Sports Review in the early 1950's -- and Mr. Inch's famous Challenge Dumbbell.

    The prize for lifting the Inch Dumbbell was announced as 30 British Pounds -- adjusted for inflatation that's over $450 in today's dollars. Whether then or now, to conquer the Inch Dumbbell's thick handle, you'll need a tremendous grip.

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    Sunday, April 13, 2008

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    Monday, March 31, 2008

  • Traditional Indian Club Training

  • Traditional Indian Club TrainingTraditional Indian Club Training

    The swinging of "jori and gada" (heavy indian clubs and maces) holds a special place in the ancient art of Kushti - (Traditional Indian Wrestling and Physical Culture Training.)

    In the akharas (wrestling gyms) these traditional impliments are decorated in many unique ways. Some are painted with lively decorative patterns, others, used only by the most skilled masters, are studded with nails. Some of these decorative indian clubs weigh as much as 35 KG.

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    Monday, March 31, 2008

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    Thursday, March 27, 2008

  • Doug Hepburn Presses the Jowett Dumbbell

  • Doug Hepburn Presses the Jowett DumbbellDoug Hepburn Presses the Jowett Dumbbell

    During his pro-wrestling career, Doug Hepburn often performed feats of strength in the ring. Here Doug presses the 169-1/2 pound George Jowett dumbbell overhead. This special dumbbell was said to have a handle "four-times" thicker than a normal dumbbell. -- Yet another incredible pressing feat from the great Canadian Strongman.

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    Thursday, March 27, 2008

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    Friday, March 21, 2008

  • The Kennedy Lift

  • The Kennedy LiftThe Kennedy Lift

    Back in 1890, Richard K. Fox, the publisher and founder of The Police Gazette held a competition to determine the strongest man in America with the prize being this belt.

    Fox's challenge was to lift an unusual weight that he devised - a huge block of metal, 24-inches square, weighing in at 1030 pounds, with two handles sunk into the top. The challenge was to lift this weight clear of the floor with the hands alone.

    On the day of the contest over a dozen strongmen arrived to test their strength. None lifted the weight, save J.W. Kennedy of Quincy, Illinois, who straddled the weight and grasped a handle in front and behind.

    Thus, that lift became forever known as "The Kennedy Lift."

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    Friday, March 21, 2008

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    Thursday, March 20, 2008

  • Bert Elliott's Bent-Press

  • Bert Elliott Bent-PressBert Elliott Bent-Press
    The great weightlifter Bert Elliott was also a specialist in the bent-press. He had a special 201-pound globe "Challenge" Dumbbell that few could budge but which he could lift with ease.

    It was thought by many "old time" weight lifters that due to the incredible midsection strength that was developed by the bent-press, improving that lift would also improve one's total.

    Sure looks that way here.

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    Thursday, March 20, 2008

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    Friday, February 15, 2008

  • The Thomas Inch Dumbbell - Lifted At Last

  • Inch Dumbbell LiftInch Dumbbell LiftHistory is made: John Gallacher of Glasgow becomes the first man in modern history to lift the Thomas Inch Dumbbell at the 1957 NABBA Mr. Universe Contest held in London, England.

    Mr. Gallacher fully deadlifted the Inch Dumbbell 3 times that night and was awarded the Special Plaque by Thomas Inch himself.

    As you should know, the famous Thomas Inch Dumbbell weighs 172 pounds and has a 2-3/8th inch diameter thick handle making it a tremendous grip challenge for anyone who attempts to lift it.

    This challenge weight defied thousands of athletes until Mr. Gallacher came along.

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    Friday, February 15, 2008

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    Thursday, February 07, 2008

  • Circus Strongman Pierre Gasnier, The French Hercules

  • Pierre GasnierPierre Gasnier

    Pierre Gasnier was the quintessential Oldtime Strongman: BIlled as the "French Hercules," He performed feats of strength for the Barnum and Bailey circus in the late 1890's: tearing decks of cards, bending horseshoes, breaking chains, and lifting his special "challenge weight" globe dumbbell shown here.

    The dumbbell had a handle of 2" in diameter and weighs 236 French Livres (which equals 260 pounds) Gasnier weighed only 138 pounds at a height of 5'3" yet was able to lift the weight with ease, a feat that such other noted strongmen such as Sebastian Miller, Hans Beck, and Franz "Cyclops" Bienkowski could not duplicate.

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    Thursday, February 07, 2008

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    Friday, February 01, 2008

  • Steve Jeck vs. The Dinnie Stones

  • In 1995, Steve Jeck toured Scotland to lift many of its most famous manhood stones.

    Of course, the Dinnie Stones were tops on the list. Here's Steve warming up wth the smaller of the two stones which weighs 340 pounds.

    Did Steve lift 'em both?

    You'll have to turn to page 76 of his book to find out.

    Steve Jeck vs. The Dinnie StonesSteve Jeck vs. The Dinnie Stones

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    Friday, February 01, 2008

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  • The Famous Rolandow Dumbbell

  • The Famous Rolandow DumbbellThe Famous Rolandow Dumbbell

    The Rolandow Dumbbell has a very interesting history. It was originally cast by the McLoughlin Iron Foundry in Brooklyn, New York in 1896 at the request of Warren Lincoln Travis who wanted to use it in his act.

    The dumbbell was supposed to be 200 lbs. but came out of the mold just over it at 209lbs.

    A few years went by and fellow strongman G.W. Rolandow offered to purchase it from Travis, on the condition that Travis deliver the bell himself.

    Travis grabbed the bell, hopped on the nearest street car, transfered twice and carried the bell two blocks and up two flights of steps to Rolandow's office.

    Rolandow then stated that unless he could lift the dumbbell, there would be no sale. And with that, we walked over to it, hefted it to his shoulder and commenced to bent-press it no less than seven times!

    After several decades, Rolandow closed his gym and his famous dumbbell eventually became acquired by Sig Klein who featured it as a challenge weight in his gym.

    If someone could succeed in bent-pressing the Rolandow Dumbbell, Klein put their name on an Honor Roll, here's how it looked:

    (1) G.W. Rolandow...................1900
    (2) John Grimek.........................1934
    (3) Bob Hoffman........................1936
    (4) Wally Zagurski..................1936
    (5) John Davis............................1936
    (6) Jack Kent..........................1937
    (7) Frank Bates........................1937
    (8) Bob Harley.........................1937
    (9) Siegmund Klein...................1939
    (10) Aurele Velleux..................1939
    (11) George Hobby...................1940
    (12) Elwood Holbrook...............1941

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    Friday, February 01, 2008

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    Wednesday, January 30, 2008

  • Another Look at John Davis Lifting The Apollon Wheels

  • John Davis Lifting The Apollon WheelsJohn Davis Lifting The Apollon Wheels

    I've covered John Davis lifting the famous Apollon Wheels before, but you've probably never seen it from this angle before. This shot is from a French Newspaper and probably hasn't seen the light of day for over five decades.

    You saw it here first...

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    Wednesday, January 30, 2008

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    Tuesday, January 29, 2008

  • John Grimek Bent-Presses the Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell

  • John Grimek had his eye on lifting the Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell for a long time.

    Needless to say the ponderous weight defied his attempts to lift it, just as it had for the better part of nearly a century.

    Finally, Grimek succeeded in bent-pressing the thick-handled dumbbell overhead and added his name to a very short list.

    You can currently see the Cyr Challenge dumbbell at the York Barbell Hall of Fame in York Pennslyvania.
    John Grimek Bent-Presses the Louis Cyr Challenge DumbbellJohn Grimek Bent-Presses the
    Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell

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    Tuesday, January 29, 2008

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    Friday, January 18, 2008

  • Chuck Ahrens and Bert Elliott

  • Chuck Ahrens and Bert ElliotChuck Ahrens and Bert ElliotTwo fixtures in the Santa Monica, California Muscle Beach scene share a laugh in the late 1950's - Chuck Ahrens and Bert Elliott.

    Chuck Ahrens was a man of immeasurable power, and Bert Elliott was a champion weightlifter and bodybuilder (He won the 1954 Sr. Nationals Weightlifting Title in the 165 Pound Class (totaling 765 pounds), the 1953 "Iron Man" bodybuilding contest as well as the 1954 AAU Mr. Southern California.)

    At their feet is Bert Elliott's 201 pound "challenge" dumbbell which he could bent- press with ease.

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    Friday, January 18, 2008

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    Wednesday, January 09, 2008

  • Pullum's Challenge Barbell

  • W.A. Pullum was a great British Strongman who set scores of strength records during his competitive career.

    Like many Oldtime Strongmen, Pullum had his own strength challenge.

    Using the special thick-handled globe barbell shown here, a lifter had to do a "One Hand Anyhow" with a poundage equal to 1-1/2 times his own bodyweight and simultaneously lift a kettlebell loaded a third of the barbell poundage with the other hand.

    Pullum used to perform this "double-bodyweight" feat twelve times per week but in all his years, his "challenge" was never accepted.
    Pullums Challenge BarbellPullum's Challenge Barbell

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    Wednesday, January 09, 2008

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    Tuesday, January 08, 2008

  • Sandow Lifts The Rolandow Barbell

  • Sandow Lifts The Rolandow BarbellSandow Lifts The Rolandow Barbell

    I've mentioned the Rolandow Barbell before. And as I also mentioned, it goes back a long way and that several famous strongmen have lifted it...

    Here's a look at Eugen Sandow rocking the Rolandow Barbell back into position so that he can bent press it in 1902 or so.

    The thick handle is, of course, a distinguishing mark of real "Oldtime" barbells and Rolandow lifted it many times.

    Kind of amazing that a century later you can go to the York Barbell Company Museum (where the Rolandow Barbell Currently Resides) and touch the very same weight that so many great strongmen once lifted.

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    Tuesday, January 08, 2008

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    Sunday, January 06, 2008

  • The Hammerman's Hammers

  • The Hammerman's HammersThe Hammerman's
    Hammers
    Took this shot a few years back at a special dinner honoring Slim the Hammerman.

    That's Slim's Challenge Ax on the left followed by his two sledge hammers with their distinctive markings on the handles and chromed weights. They are sitting on a special oak carrying case.

    If those hammers could talk I bet they could tell some stories...

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    Sunday, January 06, 2008

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    Wednesday, December 19, 2007

  • The Rolandow Barbell

  • The Rolandow BarbellThe Rolandow Barbell

    The Rolandow Barbell once belonged to the Swiss Strongman G.W. Rolandow who would bent-press it each night in his performance. This barbell has been lifted by many famous strongmen, including Eugen Sandow.

    The Rolandow Barbell has had many famous owners over the years. It was purchased by Professor Attila, then Sig Klein (as shown). The Rolandow Barbell can currently be seen in the York Barbell Company Museum in York, Pennsylvania.

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    Wednesday, December 19, 2007

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    Wednesday, December 12, 2007

  • The Thomas Inch Dumbbell Replica

  • The Thomas Inch Dumbbell ReplicaThe Thomas Inch Dumbbell Replica

    In the late 90s, the Staver Foundry of Minnesota produced replicas of the famous Thomas Inch challenge dumbbell. These solid globe dumbbells weighed 172 pounds but the handle is slightly thicker (2.47" vs. 2-3/8" on the original.)

    172 Pounds may not seem like much of a challenge to lift but the thick handle makes it nearly impossible. Thousands of athletes have tried to lift the Inch Dumbbell but only a few have succeeded. You'll need a very strong grip if you want to add your name to the list.

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    Wednesday, December 12, 2007

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    Tuesday, November 13, 2007

  • The Dinnie Stones

  • The Dinnie StonesThe Dinnie Stones

    Donald Dinnie was one of the greatest all-around athletes who ever lived. I will go into some of his feats of strength and Scottish Highland Games prowess in another post -- this entry is devoted to one feat in particular...

    Outside the hotel in Potarch, Scotland are two boulders with heavy iron rings embedded in them. These boulders were used for tethering horses in olden days.

    The smaller boulder weighs 340 pounds while the larger boulder weighs 445. In the 1860's, Donald Dinnie was able to lift and carry both of these stones at once for a distance of 15 feet -- which is why they now bear his name.

    Athletes have come from far and wide to attempt to lift the stones and duplicate Donald Dinnie's amazing feat -- most can't even lift the smaller of the two off the ground with one hand!

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    Tuesday, November 13, 2007

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    Monday, November 12, 2007

  • Basque Stone Lifting

  • Basque Stone LiftingBasque Stone Lifting

    Stone lifting is the official sport of the Basque People, an ethnic minority who live in the Pyrennees mountains between Spain and France.

    In their stone lifting contests, they lift four different kinds of stones: spheres, cubes, cylinders and irregular shapes. Depending on the type of contest they may lift for a single heavy maximum or for reps in a given period of time.

    Their records are mind-boggling.

    The lifter above is mid-way through what is called a "Basque Necktie" where a stone sphere is shouldered, then rolled around his neck as many times as possible.

    More on Basque Stone Lifting at a later date...

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    Monday, November 12, 2007

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    Saturday, November 10, 2007

  • "The Blob" Grip Strength Challenge

  • In the mid-1990's a new grip challenge appeared: "The Blob" --it was half of a 100 pound York Cast Dumbbell with the handle sawed off.

    Often referred to as a "block weight," think of a 50 pound aspirin and you can imagine why this awkward chunk of iron has defeated some of the strongest hands in the world.

    No chalk or "stickum" allowed.

    The Blob Grip Strength ChallengeThe Blob

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    Saturday, November 10, 2007

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    Tuesday, November 06, 2007

  • John Grimek vs. The Cyr Challenge Dumbbell

  • John Grimek vs The Cyr Challenge DumbbellJohn Grimek Vs. The Cyr Challenge Dumbbell

    Here's another look at the Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell. From what I understand John Grimek never turned down a challenge. Eventually he was able to add his name to the very short list of men who could get the Cyr Dumbbell Overhead.

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    Tuesday, November 06, 2007

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  • The Stonelifter: Steve Jeck

  • "There is strength and permanence to stone. And because stones last, the stories of the men who lift them as well.

    When one embraces an ancient testing stone, he also embraces the history of that stone. He must exert that same Herculean effort and his body will suffer the same toll as all those hearty lads who dared to hoist the same load.

    He will also know, if victorious, the same exilaration and pride felt by his worthy predecessors."
    Steve JeckSteve Jeck

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    Tuesday, November 06, 2007

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    Sunday, November 04, 2007

  • Bybon's Stone

  • Bybons StoneBybon's Stone

    Nearly every ancient culture has evidence of stone lifting as a form of physical training for athletes and warriors.

    The large sandstone pictured above dates to the 6th century B.C., weighs 315 lbs. and the inscription on it says: "Bybon, son of Pholos, threw this over his head with one hand."

    You can find out more about ancient stone lifting here: Of Stones and Strength by Steve Jeck

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    Sunday, November 04, 2007

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  • The Richard K. Fox Heavyweight Strongman Championship Belt

  • The Richard K. Fox Heavyweight Strongman Championship BeltThe Richard K. Fox Heavyweight Strongman Championship Belt

    Warren Lincoln Travis Warren Lincoln Travis, wearing his Championship BeltRichard K. Fox was the publisher of "The Police Gazette" a 19th century magazine which reported on boxing, wrestling and feats of strength that might interest the public.

    It was Richard K. Fox who introduced the idea of the "Championship Belt" to the United States -- bestowing "The Police Gazette" championship belt to Jake Kilrain (and won shortly afterwards by John L. Sullivan in a greuling 75-round bare knuckle match.)

    The idea was simple -- whomever wanted the belt had to win it in a challenge match.

    Richard K. Fox also created a similar belt for the "Heavyweight Strongman Champion" of the world, with the first "title holder" being Louis Cyr whom Fox had managed on several tours of England.
    Cyr retired undefeated and eventually passed his title on to the great Warren Lincoln Travis who held it for his entire life. I will provide Travis' Challenge feats on a diiferent date.

    The Richard K. Fox Heavyweight Strongman Championship Belt now resides at the York Barbell Company Hall of Fame in York, Pennsylvania.

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    Sunday, November 04, 2007

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    Friday, November 02, 2007

  • The Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell

  • The Louis Cyr Challenge DumbbellThe Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell

    This incredible dumbbell belonged to the famous Quebec strongman Louis Cyr who used it in his act as a challenge for anyone to lift it.

    Due to the 1-5/8 inch thick handle the bell is difficult to lift but it was specially designed for Cyr who had a very strong grip. It weighed 202 pounds empty and at its heaviest, packed with metal pellets, Cyr's Dumbbell weighed 273 pounds. Cyr handled it easily using the overhead "side press" style.

    To this day only a handful of men have been successful in lifting it overhead with one arm.

    Among them John Grimek, Sig Klein, and Wally Zagurski as shown above using the bent press style (Yes, that's the exact dumbbell above being lifted by those individuals at different points in time.) The Cyr Dumbbell currently resides in the York Barbell Company Hall of Fame in York, Pennsylvania.

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    Friday, November 02, 2007

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