Bruno Sammartino

Bruno Sammartino

Whether "The People's Champion" or "The Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino is one impressive dude. There has probably never been someone more "built for strength" as evident by his thick bone structure. Here Bruno squats 405 about as "raw" as you can get. Some of his best lifts were 565-pound bench press, 715-pound squat and a 690-pound deadlift - no "gear" of course.

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Bert Assirati

Bert Assirati

With teachers like George Hackenschmidt, Alan Mead and William "Apollo" Bankier, Bert Assirati was destined for greatness as a strongman and as a wrestler. And great he was... Assirati's best marks read like a Ripley's Believe-it-Or-Not feature: Press on Back: 400 lbs. Right Hand Press: 160 lbs. Left Hand Press: 145 lbs. Two Arm Curl: 180 lbs. Crucifix: 90 lb. dumbbells x 2 Clean and Jerk: 380 lbs. Overhead Press: 285 lbs. Squat: 550 lbs. x 10 One-Leg Squat: 200 lbs. Assirati was also an accomplished hand balancer.

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A Real Squat

"Tiny" Walsh - 550 Pound Squat

Here's something you don't see every day ~ a REAL squat! "Tiny" Walsh goes all the way to the floor and back with 550 pounds wearing a "super suit" consisting of a t-shirt, shorts and penny loafers. It was reported that Tiny also made 600 pounds in this style.

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Milo Steinborn

Milo Steinborn
During 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.

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Now That's a Squat: Benoit Cote Shows How It's Done

Benoit Cote
Benoit Cote the great Canadian strongman and the man who beat Doug Hepburn in a head-to-head contest shows what a real squat looks like.

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Paul Anderson's Silver Dollar Squat

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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Paul Anderson Squats 660 Pounds

Paul Anderson Squats
A young Paul Anderson squats with 660 pounds in an exhibition at the 1952 Mr. World bodybuilding contest (Won by Jim Park)

Doug Hepburn bested it shortly afterwards with 665 pounds but Paul Anderson followed that up with a squat of 714-1/2 pounds and from there it was off to the races.

Eventually Paul Anderson squatted with 1200 pounds, a feat that has yet to be broken in the manner which it was originally performed.

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Benoit Cote

Benoit Cote
Benoit Cote was another great Canadian strongman from Quebec and the rival of fellow countryman Doug Hepburn.

The two met head to head at a four-lift (Press, Bench Press, Squat, Deadlift) contest in 1961. While Hepburn bested Cote in the bench press and overhead press, Cote beat Hepburn in the squat and deadlifted 752-1/2 pounds (shown above) to win.

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Kevin Tolbert

Kevin Tolbert
Kevin Tolbert is Dr. Ken Leistner's adopted son - and easily one of the strongest men who ever lived. If you've read any of Dr. Ken's writings, especially The Steel Tip Newsletter, you know Kevin's name pretty well.

Kevin went on to play running back at the U.S. Naval Academy. At 5'9" and 220 pounds, Kevin could run a legit 4.5 forty yard dash. As for his marks in the weightroom, here's a few:

23 reps with 375 lbs. and 15 x 405 lbs. in the bench press at a bodyweight of 230 lbs.

510 lbs. max-Bench Press in a legal, competitive style

Squat: 30 x 600 lbs. at a bodyweight of 248 lbs.

Those aren't misprints...

Here's Kevin doing a couple anvil curls while finishing up a workout in Dr. Ken's basement in the mid-1980's. I was fortunate to have Kevin as a strength coach at the University of Michigan for a few years.

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1951 Mr. America Squats With an Anvil

Anvil Lifting - Roy Hilligenn 1951 Mr. America
How's this for odd object lifting? 1951 Mr. America Roy Hilligenn does some squats with a pretty big anvil on his back.

Roy Hilligenn weighed around 175 pounds and I bet that anvil isn't too far off...

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Squatting With Paul Anderson

Squatting With Paul Anderson
If there ever were a man who was born to squat, it was Paul Anderson.

"Big Paul" often had a hard time finding bars which could hold enough weight so he had to improvise. He built this "barrel barbell" from a design pioneered by his friend Bob Peoples.

Paul would also train the squat in an unusual way:

He would dig a pit in the back yard and load up the bar to for over his normal full-squat max, then he would do partial movements, filling in the hole with dirt an inch at a time for each successive workout until he was working with a full movement.

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John Grimek Squatting

John Grimek was impressive from all angles and excelled at a number of different strength feats -- but don't forget that the foundation of his strength and power was intense squatting and other forms of heavy leg work. Grimek was able to squat 400 pounds for reps well into his 60s.

John Grimek Squatting

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Squattin' With Milo Steinborn

Squattin' With Milo Steinborn
Pictured 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.

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Squatting With Doug Hepburn

Squatting With Doug Hepburn
Like many of the greatest strength athletes of the last hundred years, Doug Hepburn credits heavy squatting as the foundation of his great strength.

That's twelve 45-pound plates on the bar and Doug makes it look easy.

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Milo Steinborn's Orange Avenue Gym

Milo Steinborn's Orange Avenue Gym
Henry "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.

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The 1-Leg Squat

Sig Klein Demonstrates The 1-Leg Squat

The 1-leg squat has long been a popular exercise with the old-time physical culturists -- Sig Klein recommended it as one of the top leg developing exercises. Here's a look at Sig Klein demonstrating the 1-leg squat while holidng a classic globe barbell.

To become proficient at this exercise, you will need to actually practice it although it may actually be slightly "easier" to perform it while holding a barbell since it counterbalances the rest of your bodyweight.

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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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Doug Hepburn

Doug Hepburn was born in Vancouver B.C. on September 16th, 1927. He was of average height and build and took up weight lifting to bulk up.

Soon it became apparent that Doug wasn't so average after all --- he began to progress very quickly in his training.

Although he had a slight handicap (a club foot) that did not stop him from becoming one of the most powerful men in history. He became a Senior World Champion in 1953 and set eight World Records during his career.

Here's a look at some of his best lifts: Right Hand Military Press - 175 Pounds Two Hands Press (Off Rack) - 440 Pounds Behind Neck Press - 350 Pounds Two Hands Curl - 260 Pounds Bench Press - 580 Pounds Jerk-Press (Off Rack) 500 Pounds Two Hands Snatch - 297-1/2 Pounds Two Hands Clean & Press - 381 Pounds Squat - 760 Pounds Two Hands Deadlift - 705 Pounds

Doug Hepburn

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Pat Casey 210 Pound Dumbbell Incline Press

Pat Casey Incline Press With 210 Pound Dumbbells
On March 25th, 1967 Pat Casey became the first man to break the 600 pound barrier in the bench press with a lift of 615 --- and that's without a bench shirt, elbow wraps or other nonsense.

Of course, he was no one-lift specialist as he was also the first man to squat over 800 pounds and total over 2000 pounds in an official contest.

For his workouts, he used to grab a pair of 210 pound dumbbells, haul them over to the incline bench, get the dumbbells into position, perform his reps, then return the dumbbells to the rack -- all unassisted -- quite a feat of strength in its own right.

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Reg Park

Reg Park

When you get as strong as Reg Park, you too will be able to lift cars. Here's Reg lifting the front end of a London taxi cab just for kicks. Reg always trained with basic exercises; barbell squats and the behind the neck press were two of his favorite movements.

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Malcolm "Mac" Richards

Malcolm "Mac" Richards
"Mac" Richards started powerlifting when he was 57 years old and within a year set new Masters World Records in each of the three lifts: squatting 425 pounds, benching 308 pounds, deadlifting 479 pounds and totaling 1212 pounds.

In the years that followed, he won 18 National titles and four World Powerlifting Championships.

Here were his marks at the age of 75 years and 198 lbs, (Still Masters records for the International Powerlifting Association, by the way.)

Squat: 440 pounds
Bench: 330 pounds
Deadlift: 470 pounds
Total: 1240 pounds

Mac was inducted into the York Barbell Powerlifting Hall of Fame in 2000. He was also a good friend who will be missed.

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Bill Pettis: 23-1/4 Inch Arms

Bill Pettis: 23-1/4 Inch Arms
There were a lot of big guys during the 1970's West Coast Bodybuilding Scene -- but none bigger than Bill Pettis.

He's not a name you see mentioned much because he had no interest in competing - just building the biggest and strongest arms he possibly could.

Looks like he succeeded.

As reported by Iron Man Magazine in 1975, his workouts were legendary -- 100 sets of arm work, standing triceps curls with 315 pounds on the bar, 180 pound curls and endless sets of pushups to "flush gallons of blood through the great muscle mass and get an extreme pump."

On several occasions his entire workout consisted of 3000 or more pushups (which took him five hours!)

Among his other lifts you can also add a 475 bench press and a squat with 620 pounds.

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Paul Anderson

Paul Anderson
Paul Anderson began as a skinny teenager with a pair of dumbbells and a stack of Strength and Health Magazines.

Soon, he was scouting out junkyards for heavier weights to lift and by the time he went to college, his lifts were near the American Records. But it wasn't until Bob Peoples taught young Paul Anderson the value of the Squat and deadlift that his strength really took off.

Paul Anderson eventually squatted 1206 pounds, benchpressed 627 pounds, one-arm pressed 380 pounds, and push-pressed an incredible 600 pounds. His Guinness Book of World Records back lift of 6,270 pounds still stands.

He also won the gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and in all, broke 18 American records, 8 world records, and retired unbeaten and unchallenged.

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Henry "Milo" Steinborn

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.

Milo could tip a barbell loaded to 550 pounds up an onto his back unassisted and then perform five deep reps with it. -- a feat yet to be duplicated.

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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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Casey Viator's Mr. America Workout

In 1971, Casey Viator won the Mr. America Bodybuilding Title in the most spectacular fashion in history. Not only did he win the overall contest, he won the following sub-divisions as well: Most Muscular, Best Arms, Best Back, Best Chest and Best Legs - all at 19 years of age!

And, interestingly enough, Viator did not spend hours in the gym like many other bodybuilders of the time. Instead, as trained by Athur Jones, Casey's workout took very little time and was performed only three times per week.

Here's a look at his exact workout:

Casey Viator's Mr. America Workout

1. Leg Press 2. Leg Extension 3. Squat 4. Leg Curl 5. Dumbbell One Leg Calf Raise 6. Nautilus Pullover 7. Nautilus Behind Neck Press 8. Nautilus Rowing Machine 9. Nautilus Behind Neck Pulldown 10. Dumbbell Lateral Raise 11. Barbell Behind Neck Press 12. Nautilus Curl Machine 13. Chinup w/Bodyweight 14. Nautilus Tricep Extension 15. Parallel Dip w/Bodyweight

The above workout, as performed on June 10th, 1971, took exactly seventeen minutes and fourty seconds.

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The Strength of Paul Anderson

The Many Strength Feats of Paul Anderson
Back in the mid-1940's, Paul Anderson started lifting weights to get bigger for football and just kept growing. He eventually became one of the strongest men of all time while establishing many strength records and winning the Gold Medal at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia.

Paul Anderson was also a Senior World Champion and a 2-time Senior National Champion in Weightlifting. He set nine World Records and Eighteen American records during his career and retired undefeated.

He was also incredibly strong in what would eventually become the three Power Lifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift.

Here's a look at some of Paul Anderson's record lifts:

Squat: 1185 lbs. Bench Press: 625 lbs. Deadlift Record without Straps: 780 lbs. Deadlift Record with "Hooks": 820 lbs. Clean & Press: 485 lbs. Clean & Jerk: 485 lbs. Snatch: 375 lbs. Push Press: 545 lbs. Back Lift: 6270 lbs. Dumbbell Side Press: 240 lbs. x 40 / 300 lbs. x 11

Paul Anderson Deadlifting

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