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 Dumbbell

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The Mighty Atom - Nail Biting

The Mighty Atom - Nail Biting
There are several good steel benders in the world right now but here is a feat we are unlikely to see again any time soon: The Might Atom could actually bite through nails. As Bob Hoffman and other members of the York Gang look on, "The Atom" bites a nail in half during one of his appearances at the York fair.

I don't know for sure but I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up being the bitten nail that can seen in the The York Barbell Hall of Fame.

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The Richard K. Fox Heavyweight Strongman Championship Belt

The Richard K. Fox Heavyweight Strongman Championship Belt

Warren Lincoln Travis, wearing his Championship Belt

Richard 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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The Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell

The 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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