British Weightlifter Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

A. A. Verge

Posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2015 by John Wood

Arthur Verge, of the famous Camberwell Weight-Lifting Club, was the winner of the Open London Handicap Tournament of 1915 and holder of 10, 11, and 12-stone and Heavyweight Amateur Records. He was a pupil of W.A. Pullum.

Ron Walker

Posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2014 by John Wood

Ron Walker

Shown here is the great British weightlifter Ron Walker, who lifted in the heavyweight class although he never weighed much more than 195 pounds. Over the course of his career, Walker set 21 British lifting records, many of which still stand!

A few of these records include:

Right Hand Snatch: 91kg, set August 6, 1933
Left Hand Snatch: 92kg , set August 24, 1937
Right Hand Dumbbell Swing: 86½kg, set January 25, 1937
Left Hand Dumbbell Swing: 77½kg, set September 13, 1934

Bert Assirati’s One Arm Handstand

Posted on Friday, January 24th, 2014 by John Wood

Bert Assirati's One Arm Handstand

Many hand balancing experts are generally of the smaller, “gymnastic-type” physique,but there were actually several larger strength athletes who could perform hand balancing feats with ease.

At well over 300 pounds, the great Canadian Champion Doug Hepburn was a great hand balancer, as was the famous British strongman and Professional wrestler Bert Assirati, (shown here.)

At a young age, Bert was taught how to do all manner of hand balancing feats by an ex-circus performer. You can certainly tell by this picture that he has power to spare. No doubt Assirati’s one arm handstand training contributed to his one arm dumbbell press of 160 lbs.

Les Willoughby

Posted on Saturday, August 27th, 2011 by John Wood

Les Willoughby

Les 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 barbell press 245 lbs., snatch 242-1/2 lbs. clean & jerk 330 pounds and just may have done some squatting in his day.

British Champion T.W. Clarke

Posted on Friday, December 3rd, 2010 by John Wood

T.W. Clarke, February, 1933 Strength and Health

The 11 stone British Amateur Weightlifting Champion of 1913, T.W. Clarke is shown here on the cover of the February, 1933 issue of Strength and Health Magazine (Making this is the third issue ever.) Clarke was famed for his arm development — 15-1/4 inches – which was quite impressive for a man of his size and weight class. Clarke trained at the Camberwell Weightlifting Club and was coached by “The Wizard of Weightlifting” W.A. Pullum.