Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Les WilloughbyLes Willoughby, the great light-heavyweight British weightlifter, is shown here about to perform the 2-dumbbell press, one of the seven best power building exercises.
His best performance in this lift was a press of 230 pounds for two reps. He could also press 245 lbs., snatch 242-1/2 lbs. clean & jerk 330 pounds and just may have done some squatting in his day.
Labels: British Champion, British Strongman, Dumbbell Press, Leg Development, Les Willoughby, Snatch, Two Dumbbell Press
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Saturday, October 31, 2009
Paul Anderson: 300-Pound Dumbbell PressPaul Anderson routinely performed incredibly heavy one-arm dumbbell presses as he traveled the country speaking to young people. His best performance in this lift was a mind-boggling 300 pounds. Also note the table for the back lift in the background.
Labels: Back Lift, Dumbbell Press, One Arm Press, Paul Anderson
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Sunday, October 25, 2009
Tom KeatingHere's Tom Keating, who played his college ball at the University of Michigan, and who was drafted in the fifth round of the 1964 American Football League draft by the Buffalo Bills.
He was doing very well, but halfway through his rookie season, Tom broke his ankle. Instead of "doing nothing" which was the usual solution to such a situation, Tom kept right on training and got a head start for the next season. In Buffalo, Tom trained at the York Athletic Club under the supervision of Ken Stoller.
...This paid off. Tom went on to play seven more seasons, earning All-Pro status in 1966 and 1967, and getting a Championship ring as a member of the AFL Oakland Raiders.
Labels: Dumbbell Press, Football Training, Overhead Dumbbell Press, Tom Keating
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Monday, August 17, 2009
Eugen Sandow's Strength FeatsThere's no question that Eugen Sandow was quite impressive in the physique department. It certainly was not all for show, though, Sandow had quite a few impressive strength feats to his credit. For example, Sandow was able to perform an overhead press with a 126 lb dumbbell in the right hand and 119 lbs in the left (total 245 lbs.), a 269 lb bent press and a 180 lb. one arm snatch.
Labels: Bent Press, Classic Physique, Dumbbell Press, Eugen Sandow, one arm snatch, Strength Feat, Two Dumbbell Press
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Sunday, August 16, 2009
John GrimekLike many of the oldtimers, John Grimek recommended the One-Arm Dumbbell Press for building wider shoulders. Grimek suggested six to seven repetitions per arm for best results.
Labels: Dumbbell Press, John Grimek, One Arm Dumbbell Press, One Arm Press, Shoulder Exercise, Upper Body Exercise, Wider Shoulders
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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
Thursday, August 13, 2009
George ZottmanThe Oldtime Strongman George Zottman devised his own method for building forearm strength and size which obviously works very well, as you can see above. Check out a copy of Super Strength by Alan Calvert for complete instructions on how to perform the Zottman Curl. Zottman was also very good at the dumbbell overhead press, achieving lifts of 160 lbs with his right hand and two reps with a pair of 100-lb dumbbells.
Labels: Big Forearms, Dumbbell Press, Forearm Development, Forearm Strength, George Zottman, Grip Exercise, Oldtime Strongman, Zottman Curl
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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, July 14, 2009
John Y. SmithJohn Y. Smith, shown above bent pressing a 185 lb. dumbbell, was another great strongman who was small in stature but large in strength. He was 5'7" and weighed around 165 lbs. in his prime yet could perform feats such as a right hand one-arm deadlift of 450 pounds (435 lbs. with the left), a hand and thigh lift of 1640 pounds and a press with a pair of dumbbells totaling 225 pounds. Smith was also a lifelong lifter, even winning the New England's Strongest Man Contest at 60 years of age.
Labels: Bent Press, Dumbbell Press, Hand And Thigh Lift, John Y. Smith, New England's Strongest Man Contest, Oldtime Strongman, One Arm Deadlift
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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, October 24, 2008
Joe NordquestOne of the true unsung strongman is undoubtedly Joe Nordquest. His name is rarely mentioned at the top of the list of all-time greats yet his strength feats would certainly rank him among them.
He could jump from a table to the floor while maintaining a handstand position, curl 180 pounds and bent press 277-1/2 pounds. He could military press 124-1/4 pounds with one hand, an American record at the time and did a "bridge press" with 388 pounds (breaking Arthur Saxon's record.) -- and he did it all on one leg, having lost a limb in an accident as a boy.
Labels: Bent Press, Curl, Dumbbell Press, handstand, Joe Nordquest
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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
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
| A young Bernarr Macfadden pressing a 100-pound dumbbell overhead and looking very spry after a 7-day fast. Macfadden was one of the first pioneers of the physical culture lifestyle. His views on the benefits of daily exercise, proper diet and clean living were radical at the time (the early 1900s) but are widely accepted today (although,ironically, probably just as seldom practiced.) |  Bernarr Macfadden |
Labels: Bernarr Macfadden, Dumbbell Press, Globe Dumbbell, Physical Culture
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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
Doug HepburnDoug Hepburn's mighty right arm... the same arm he performed a one-hand holdout and 37 overhead presses with a 120-pound dumbbell. It will be a long time before we see the likes of Doug Hepburn again.
Labels: Canadian Strongman, Doug Hepburn, Dumbbell Press, one arm holdout
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Monday, May 05, 2008
Reg Park - Dumbbell Standing PressReg Park locking out a standing press with a pair of dumbbells, 235-pounds total. I certainly can't think of anyone more fitting to play "Hercules" in the movies.
Labels: Dumbbell Press, Hercules, Reg Park Workout, Standing Press
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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, January 14, 2008
Louis Cyr Strikes a Classic PoseThis picture was taken in the late 1800's, a time when the subject of a photograph had to stand still for long periods of time -- which means the globe dumbbell that Louis Cyr is holding aloft here is likely just a prop.
Cyr did, however, did possess the ability to move such huge weights.
He once jerked a 132 pound dumbbell for 36 reps and his bent press of 273 pounds beat Eugen Sandow's mark. Also note the rather impressive Ring Weight.
Labels: Dumbbell Press, Globe Dumbbell, Louis Cyr, Oldtime Strongman Feat, Overhead Press, Ring Weights, Strongman Equipment
www.oldtimestrongman.com
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, January 08, 2008
| Chuck Ahrens was a giant of a man who was a part of the Muscle Beach Scene of the late 1950's. He trained at Vic Tanny's Gym and there were reports of him performing incredible feats of strength such as overhead presses with 160-pound dumbbells (for reps!), benchpressing 400 pounds for 28 reps, curling 225 with ease and tricep extensions with over 300 pounds. His shoulders were reliably measured at an incredible 26-5/8 inches across. In this famous picture, taken at Muscle Beach in 1957, Chuck Ahrens does a "muscle out" with a 75 pound girl standing on his arm. |  Chuck Ahrens |
Labels: Barbell Curls, Chuck Ahrens, Dumbbell Press, Muscle Beach, Muscle Out, Tricep Press, Vic Tanny's Gym
www.oldtimestrongman.com
All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Thursday, November 15, 2007
| It should be no coincindence why the dumbbell overhead press have been featured on this blog several times -- it is truly one of the very best upper-body strength builders you'll ever find. Here's a look at the great Doug Hepburn as he presses a pair of 160 pound dumbbells -- now THAT is strong! At Ed Yarick's Gym in Oakland, California, Doug pressed a pair of 142 pound dumbbells for four repetitions. |  Doug Hepburn Dumbbell Press |
Labels: Doug Hepburn, Dumbbell Press, Dumbbells, Ed Yarick's Gym, Press, Strongman Feat
www.oldtimestrongman.com
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
Reg ParkWhereas Steve Reeves was known for his classic symmetry, Reg Park was the example of strength, size and power. Reg Appeared on more magazine covers than any bodybuilder in history.
| Over the course of his career he won the following titles: |  Reg Park |
Reg Park was as strong as he looked, here's his best lifts (all performed in the 1950's):
- Behind the Neck Press - 300 Lbs. For one rep.Reg also played Hercules in several movies and once owned the Thomas Inch Dumbbell.
- Behind the Neck Press - 260 Lbs. For four reps.
- Behind the Neck Press - 240 Lbs. For eight reps.
- One Arm Dumbbell Press - 165 Lbs. For two reps.
- Front Squat - 405 for a single.
- Lying Triceps Extension - 300 Lbs. For three reps. This was done at Muscle Beach in 1957.
- Standing Dumbbell Press - Two 120 Lb. Dumbbells for five reps.
- Standing Dumbbell Press - Two 140 Lb. Dumbbells for one rep.
- Dumbbell Bench Press - Two 185 Lb. Dumbbells for five reps.
- Squat - 605 for two reps at Buster McShane and Ivan Dunbar's Gym in Belfast.
- Strict Barbell Curl - 200 Lbs. For one rep.
- Incline Dumbbell Press - Two 185 Lb. Dumbbells for five reps.
Labels: Behind The Neck Press, Bodybuilding, British Champion, Buster McShane, Curl, Dumbbell Press, Hercules, Mr. Britain, Mr. Europe, Mr. Universe, Reg Park, Reg Park Workout, Squat
www.oldtimestrongman.com
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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