Monday, September 14, 2009
Milo Steinborn figured out a long time ago that the quickest way to super strength was to train your legs... and by "train your legs" I mean squats. Here's a look at Milo doing just that, winning the German Championship back around 1920 or so.
Labels: German Strongman, Henry Milo Steinborn, Squatting
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 06, 2009
Henry "Milo" Steinborn was one of the first, and perhaps the first man to squat with 500 lbs. He was also able to one-hand snatch 220 lbs., one-hand clean & jerk 265 lbs., snatch 265 lbs. and perform a one-leg squat with a 192 lb. barbell held at his chest - all amazing numbers, even today.
Labels: German Strongman, Henry Milo Steinborn, One Arm Clean and Jerk, one arm snatch, One Leg Squat, Snatch, Squat
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, April 05, 2009
On October 19th, 1921, at Hermann's Gym in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Alan Calvert, George Zottman and others witnessed Henry "Milo" Steinborn perform the following lifts:
He concluded these lifts with six full squats with 402 pounds... even more impressive from the standpoint that he loaded and unloaded the barbell onto his shoulders unassisted!
Labels: Alan Calvert, Clean and Jerk, George Zottman, Henry Milo Steinborn, Hermann's Gym, One hand Snatch, Snatch, Squat
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, March 01, 2009
A meeting of the legends: Arthur Jones, Milo Steinborn and Peary and Mabel Rader in Ocala, Florida, circa early-1980's. Notice Arthur is actually inside the crocodile pen.
Labels: Arthur Jones, Henry Milo Steinborn, Mabel Rader, Peary Rader
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
Milo SteinbornDuring the first World War, Milo Steinborn was captured and held in a British Prisoner of War camp in Australia. It was there where he began his intense focus on strength training.
Milo and the men of the prison camp rigged up a set of weights using cement blocks and a type of very hard wood.
Two and a half inch water pipes were used for bars and collars were made by inserting set screws into sections of larger pipes. Milo trained with that set for over two years and, worked up to nearly 500 pounds in the squat.
Labels: Barbell Plates, Barbells, Collars, Henry Milo Steinborn, Milo Steinborn, Squat
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, April 09, 2008
Milo Steinborn vs. The Motor Car An unusual feat of strength(?)by Henry "Milo" Steinborn. Milo used to lie down and let a motor car drive over his chest. Impressive -- but it came with a price -- Milo was seriously injured while performing this feat although fortunately he did make a recovery and was eventually able to wrestle again.
Labels: Car, Henry Milo Steinborn, Oldtime Strongman Feat, Supporting Feat
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, December 16, 2007
German Strongman Karl MoerkeKarl Moerke was a German Strongman in the early 1900's. At a bodyweight around 250 pounds at a height of only 5'2 Moerke was quite the powerhouse.
He could deadlift 650 pounds, jerk 375 pounds (shown here), and had a 19-inch neck. It was Moerke whom Milo Steinborn defeated to win the German Heavyweight Weightlifting Championship.
Labels: Barbell, Clean and Jerk, Deadlift, German Strongman, Henry Milo Steinborn, Karl Moerke, Oldtime Strongman Feat
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, November 28, 2007
Squattin' With Milo SteinbornPictured is Henry "Milo" Steinborn squatting to win the German National Heavyweight Lifting Championships circa 1920's.
Things were a little different back then: no super suits, wraps, straps or even squat racks -- and I'd say Milo has enough depth on that one.
It's hard to say if this is one of Milo's famous "unassisted" squats but I would not be surprised.
Labels: Heavyweight Lifting Championships, Henry Milo Steinborn, Squat
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, November 17, 2007
Milo Steinborn's Orange Avenue GymHenry "Milo" Steinborn was a 5'8" 205 lb German wrestler and strongman who became the first man to ever squat 500 lbs. In fact, his world record squat of 553 lbs. (set during the 1920's) would not be officially bested until the early 1950's by Doug Hepburn.
It was Milo who popularized the heavy deep knee bend as one of the most productive training lifts for anyone interested in building real strength.
In 1952, Milo opened the Orange Avenue Gym down in Orlando, Florida, which makes it the oldest weightlifting gym in America. Along with plenty of weights and barbells, Milo's Gym had a wrestling ring and other physical training equipment.
It was here that Milo taught a young Jim Flanagan how to get strong.
I was fortunate enough to visit the Orange Avenue Gym on a trip back in 2003 -- it still had some of Milo's original training equipment.
Labels: Barbell, Classic Strongman Gyms, Globe Barbell, Henry Milo Steinborn, Orange Avenue Gym, Squat
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 26, 2007
Henry "Milo" Steinborn | Henry "Milo" Steinborn was a German strongman and wrestler who came the the U.S. in 1921 and immediately caused a big splash in the world of physical training. At a bodyweight of 210 pounds, he could snatch 220 pounds with one hand, military press 265 pounds and clean and jerk 347-1/2. He was most well-known for introducing hard and heavy squatting to this side of the world. |
Labels: Clean and Jerk, Globe Barbell, Henry Milo Steinborn, Military Press, Milo Barbell Company, Oldtime Strongman, one arm snatch, Squat
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, July 05, 2007
The New Bodybuilding for Old School Results by Ellington DardenThe New Bodybuilding for Old School Results is Ellington Darden's latest strength training book. It's over 300 pages, features hundreds of rare photos and unlike any of Dr. Darden's other books, is in full color.
In it, you'll find an equal dose of strength history and training knowledge and each of its 34 chapters is designed to help you get stronger.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES INTERVIEWS:
• Appreciate Ben Sorenson, who was the manager of Vic Tanny's famous gym in Santa Monica (near Muscle Beach) from 1947-1949. Sorenson details the 1949 Mr. USA competition between John Grimek and Steve Reeves and voices his opinion of why Grimek won, even though Reeves had the best physique.
• Uncover authentic adventures at Muscle Beach, which involve certain legends of bodybuilding. There are meaningful lessons among these episodes.
• Reminisce with Jim Flanagan about Milo Steinborn, the last of the old-time strongmen, as he describes what it was like to train in Steinborn's Gym.
• Laugh with Kim Wood as he shares a report of the 1971 NABBA Mr. Universe in London. The men entered included Pill Bearl, Hergio Saliva, Egg Park, and Rank Fane.
• Is the barbell squat the single best free-weight exercise? Find out from Dan Riley, strength coach of the NFL's Houston Texans.
• Dissect the Best Golden-Age Bodybuilders, muscle by muscle, as judged by experienced insiders who were there. Review the outstanding physiques of Larry Scott, Freddy Ortiz, Tom Platz, Scott Wilson, and Mike Mentzer.
Labels: Bodybuilding, book, Ellington Darden, Henry Milo Steinborn, John Grimek, Kim Wood, Muscle Beach, New Bodybuilding for Old School Results, Steve Reeves, Strength Author
All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
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.

Henry "Milo" Steinborn
Henry "Milo" Steinborn
Milo Steinborn
Arthur Jones, Milo Steinborn and Peary and Mabel Rader
Henry "Milo" Steinborn