Russ Knipp

Russ Knipp from Pittsburgh, Pensylvania pressing 355 at the 1969 Sr. Nationals ( An American & National meet record.)

Knipp never did medal at the Olympics but he did compete at two Games (Mexico City - 1968. Munich - 1972), won seventeen medals in international competition, was a three-time U.S. National Champion and set nine worlds records.

Russ Knipp

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Launceston Elliott

Launceston Elliott

Already a strength star in his teens when he won the British national Championships, in 1896, Launceston Elliott traveled to Athens, Greece to represent England at the very first modern Olympic Games. Elliot had been trained by Eugen Sandow and bared quite a resemblance to his mentor, and, as I have mentioned before, things were a bit different back then -- in weightlifting they contested two events: the "one-hand lift" and the "two-hands lift" (i.e. the "clean and jerk.")

In the first contest, the "two hand lift" Launceston tied with Viggo Jensen of Denmark when each lifted 111 kg (244-1/2 pounds). The Gold medal, however, was awarded to the Dane because the judges thought he lifted the weight "in much better form" than his English competitor.

In the one-hand event, Elliot lifted 71 kg to the Dane's 57 and thus Britain's first Olympic Gold Medal winner was crowned!

At those games Elliott also competed in the 100 m dash, wrestling, and rope climbing although he was not as successful in the other events as he was in weight lifting. After his Olympic success, he returned home to England, won the first major physique contest ever held and toured the country as a performing strongman.

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The Tug-o-War Competition at the 1904 Olympics

The Tug-o-War Competition at the 1904 Olympics

"St. Louis Missouri -- On Wednesday August 30th, 1904, the tug-o-war contest was pulled on the turf without the cleats, the ground having been dug up, so that the men could get some sort of hold with their feet. Six teams had entered for the honors as follows: Boers, South Africa; first and second teams of the Southwestern Turnverein, of St. Louis; Pan-Hellenic team, Greece; Milwaukee Athletic Club, Milwaukee, Wis, New York Athletic Club, New York.

In the prelimininary heats, Milwaukee defeated the Boers; the first St. Louis Turnverein team defeated the Greeks two inches after five minutes of work; and New York Athletic Club defeated the second team of the Southwestern Turnverein of St. Louis by four feet.

On Thursday, September 1st, the final rounds of the Olympic tug-o-war contest were contested and the championship when to Milwaukee Athletic Club, with the two St. Louis teams, West St. Louis Turnverein second and third; forth honors going to the New York Athletic Club."

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Ernest Cadine

Ernest Cadine

Ernest Cadine was a French Weightlifter who won the Gold Medal at the 1920 Olympic Games held in Antwerp, Belgium. He set six World records over his competitive career.

In 1925, Cadine performed a one-arm swing with 90 kilos which was actually greater than his own bodyweight. He could also right hand snatch 211 pounds and one-hand deadlifted the famous Apollon Wheels.

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Indian Club Swinging at the 1904 Summer Olympics

Indian Club Swinging at the 1904 Summer Olympics

When you think of the Summer Olympics, the events that most immediately come to mind probably include track and field, weightlifting, swimming, and other popular forms of competition... but Olympic history is full of several unusual sports that garnered much less attention, and which existed as a competitive event for only a brief period.

You may be surprised to learn that at the 1904 Summer Olympics (held in St. Louis, Missouri) indian club swinging made its first (but not only) appearance as an Olympic contest.

Classified as a gymnastics event, the original competition featured only three athletes -- all from the United States: Edward Hennig of Cleveland, Ohio took home the Gold Medal, narrowly edging his countryman Emil Voigt by a score of 13-9. Ralph Wilson took Bronze with a score of "5."

Indian Club Swinging was again on the docket for the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, but that was its last moment in the spotlight, at least on the Olympic stage. We sure won't be seeing any late-night coverage of club swinging from Beijing this year.

Although no longer a competitive sport, club swinging still remains a great way to build upper body strength and stamina even a hundred years later.

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Walter Good

Walter Good
Walter Good, one of the Good Brothers as he appeared in the early 1930s. Like his brother Bill, Walter Good was also an Olympian, competing in the 75-Kilo Class at the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin.

Walter also appeared on the cover of several early bodybuilding magazines.

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Ike Berger

Isaac "Ike" Berger
Ike Berger is one of America's most successful Olympic Weightlifters -- he was the first featherweight in history to lift more than 800 pounds and the first to press double body weight.

Over his career he was the owner of 23 world weightlifting records, a 12-time United States national titleholder, 2-time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1956 Games in Melbourne Australia (along with two more Silver medals at the next two Olympic Games.)

At the 1964 Olympic games, he estabilished a record of 152.5 kg (336 lb) in the jerk, at a bodyweight of only 130 pounds (59 kg). This lift made him pound-for-pound the strongest man in the world, a record that stood for nine years.

Ike Berger was elected to the United States Weightlifter's Hall of Fame in 1965.

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Vasily Alexeev's Unusual Training

Vasily Alexeev's Unusual Training
The Russian Champion Vasily Alexeev is one of the greatest weightlifters who ever lived.

One of Alexeyeev's most unusual training techniques was to practice his cleans in waist-deep water. This famous shot was taken of Alexeev as he trained in the Don River in Mother Russia.

Unconventional... but certainly effective:

Alexeev set the first of his 80 world records in 1970 and was undefeated for the remainder of his career which also included two Olympic Gold medal winning performances (1972, Munich and 1976, Montreal)

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Paul Anderson Winning the 1956 Melbourne Olympics

Paul Anderson Winning the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
With this lift, Paul Anderson won the Gold Medal in the heavyweight class at the 1956Olympic Games held in Melbourne, Australia.

It sure didn't come easy...

Big Paul was suffering from an ear infection at the time which caused him to lose his balance and stagger once he had the weight overhead, thus missing several lifts he would normally make with ease.

Here's how he ended the day:

Press - 369 pounds

Snatch - 319 pounds

Clean and Jerk - 413 pounds

Though he totaled, 1101 pounds, it was far from his best. Still, it was a gold medal winning performance, and one that cemented his name in the history books.

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Milo and The Bull

Milo and The Bull
Milo of Crotona was one of the greatest athletes of antiquity, winning the wrestling title in the ancient Greek Olympiad six times.

It was said that he built his great strength by carrying a newborn calf on his back each day. As the calf grew larger, so did Milo's Strength. After many days of this, Milo was able to carry a full grown bull on his shoulders -- and thus progressive resistance exercise was born.

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Globe Barbells at the 1924 Olympic Games

Globe Barbells at the 1924 Olympic Games
Here's a look at the Globe Barbells that were lined up and ready to be used at the 1924 Olympic Games held in Paris France.

This was the last year that lifters were given the choice between lifting with shot-loaded globe barbells or barbells loaded with the iron disc plates that we use today.

The only lifters to choose the shot-loaded globes at the 1924 Olympic Games were the French Weightlifting team, of which great strongman Charles Rigoulot won the gold medal in the heavyweight class and his teammate Edmond Decottignies took home the gold in the light-weight Class.

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Milo of Crotona

Milo of Crotona, who lived during the 6th century B.C., was the greatest of the ancient Greek Athletes. He was a six-time wrestling Champion in the ancient Olympic Games and his strength was legendary. Milo built his strength with an unusual method: Each day he would carry a new-born calf and, as the calf grew larger, so did Milo's strength. Eventually Milo was able to carry a full-grown bull the length of a stadium and thus progressive resistance training was born.

Milo of Crotona

The stamp on the right features Milo holding apart a split tree and was created in honor of the 1924 Olympic Games, held in Paris France (where Charles Rigoulot won a gold medal.)

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Competitive Rope Climbing

Rope climbing used to be a competitive sport and once appeared in the Olympics. Rope Climbing was also sanctioned by the AAU and NCAA as a gymnastic event. A 20 or 25 foot natural fiber Manila Climbing Rope was used. The climber began while seated on the floor straddling the rope. Upon their first movement, the stopwatch started and they were timed while climbing the rope without the use of the legs, pulling all the way to the "tambourine" a black, wooden disc that served as the finish line. Don Perry of Champaign Illinois and Robert Manning of San Fernando, California could each climb a 20 foot rope in 2.8 seconds. - Amazing! Another great rope climber was Garvin Smith of UCLA, who could climb a 25 foot rope in 4.2 seconds. Rope climbing is still popular with wrestlers, gymnasts and any other athletes looking to build a stronger grip and upper-body endurance.

Competitive Rope Climbing

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Weightlifting Champion John Davis

Weightlifting Champion John Davis

John Davis was one of America's greatest Olympic weightlifting champions. Throughout his career he won two gold medals: 1948(London) and 1952(Helsinki) He was also a Senior World Champion in 1938, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, and 1951. His best Olympic lifts were: Press - 342 Pounds Snatch - 330-1/2 Pounds Clean & Jerk - 402 Pounds

He also excelled in a number of other lifts, deadlifting 705 pounds, squatting 525 pounds eight times in succession, curling 215 pounds, chin himself with either arm multiple times, a right-hand lift of 8 pounds on a Weaver Stick in the Forward Lift style and one of the few men in history to Clean and Jerk the Apollon Wheels

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Strength and Health Magazine #1

Strength and Health Magazine #1

Just in case you ever need to know who was on the cover of Strength and Health #1, the answer is Walter "Wally" Zagurski. Zagurski was an original member of the "York Gang" who lifted back when it was called the "York Oil Burner Athletic Club." He competed in the 1932 Olympics, won the 1933 Sr. National Weightlifting title at 165 pounds and was a very good all-around strength athlete. He was also one of the few men who could lift the Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell overhead.

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Charles Rigoulot

Charles Rigoulot
Charles Rigoulot was one of France's greatest weightlifters and easily one of the strongest men of all time. He won a Gold medal at the 1924 Olympic Games, Cleaned and Jerked the famous Apollon Wheels and could snatch 255 pounds with one arm.

At 24 years of age, his measurements were as follows:

Weight: 230 pounds
Height: 5'7-3/4"
Chest: 49"
Waist: 37"
Thighs: 27-1/2"
Calf: 17-1/2"
Neck: 18-1/2"
Biceps: 17-1/2"
Forearm: 14-1/2"

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Squat!

Olympic Champion John Davis - Squat!
If you are truly interested in size and strength, you need to train your legs. -- and one of the best leg exercises is the barbell squat. In fact, heavy squats have built the foundation of some of the greatest strength athletes in history.

Here's a look at the great John Davis squatting at Ed Yarick's Gym in Oakland, California in the 50s -- and that's how you should be squatting: full and deep.

No monkey business there, just pure power development.

I don't recommend squatting with a board under the heels but it seems to work for John Davis, who was Twice Olympic Weightlifting Champion (1948 and 1952) and Six Time Senior World Weightlifting Champion (1938, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951).

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John Davis Lifts The Apollon Wheels

John Davis Lifts The Apollon Wheels
September 13th, 1949 -- American Olympic Weightlifting Champion John Davis succeeds in cleaning & jerking the famous Apollon Wheels. This weight once belonged to the great French Strongman Louis "Apollon" Uni who would lift it each night in his act.

The wheels themselves weigh 366 pounds connected by a 1.93" diameter axle making this feat an incredible test of grip strength. The widest diameter of each disc is 26 inches.

After passing out on a previous attempt, (dropping the weight and slightly bending the axle) John Davis cleaned the ponderous weight with a mixed grip, switched hands in mid-air, and jerked it overhead.

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Tommy Kono Jerks Classic Globe Barbell

Tommy Kono and Classic Globe Barbell
Tommy Kono was one of the United States' greatest Olympic weightlifters and overall strength athletes.

He not only won two Gold Medals and a Silver over the course of three Olympic games, he also won the Mr. Universe title in Bodybuilding several times.

I'll cover that in more detail on another occasion.

Check out this classic shot from the early 1950's where Tommy Kono narrowly misses completing a jerk with this huge 374 pound globe barbell at Robert Cayeaux's gym in Lille, France. -- Kono had the barbell at arm's length but couldn't quite hold it.

(N.B. This was the same gym where Norb Schemansky lifted the famous Apollon Wheels in 1954.)

...I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that Charles Rigoulot lifted with the very same globe barbell. - Rigoulot favored globe barbells long after they went out of style.

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Schemansky Stalks the Bar...

Norb Schemansky
From the late 1940s to mid-1960s, Norb Schemansky was America's most successful Olympic Weightlifter and the first weightlifter to medal in four Olympic Games, (despite missing the 1956 games.)

Do you think he means business in the shot above?

Here's a look at Norb Schemansky's achievements over the course of his career:

Olympic Champion - 1952 Olympic Games, Helsinki

Silver Medal - 1948 Olympic Games, London

Bronze Medal - 1960, Rome, 1964, Tokyo

World Champion (1951, 1953, and 1954)

1955 Pan American Games Heavyweight Champion

Silver Medal - Senior World Championships (1947, 1962, 1963)

Bronze Medal - Senior World Championships (1964)

And best career marks:

Press - 415 lbs.
Snatch - 363 3/4 lbs.
Clean and Jerk - 445 lbs.
Total - 1200 lbs. (400-335-445)

In addition to his weightlifting exploits, he also famously cleaned, then thrice jerked the Apollon Wheels.

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Charles Rigoulot: One-Arm Snatch

Charles Rigoulot: One-Arm Snatch
The great French Strongman Charles Rigoulot snatches 242 pounds with one arm in old, Old, OLD Vienna, circa 1929.

Note the continued use of globed dumbbells long after they went out of style.

Just a few years earlier at the 1924 Olympic Games, the athletes still had a choice of either using a solid, revolving, plate-loaded barbell like you would see these days, or the archaic shot-loaded globe barbells of year's past.

All the members of the French weightlifting team, including Rigoulot, chose to lift with the oldtime globe barbells instead of the modern ones... Rigoulot won the gold medal in the light-heavyweight class while his teammate Edmond Decottignies also took home the gold in the light-weight Class.

Perhaps they knew something that others didn't. I think I know what it is... Click here to find out.

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Weightlifting at the 1904 Summer Olympics

Here's a classic shot from the 1904 Summer Olympics held is St. Louis, Missouri. Back then they contested "weightlifting" i.e. with a barbell in events with both one and two hands. Interestingly enough, they also had a seperate Dumbbell contest.

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