Clean and Jerk Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Chuck Vinci

Posted on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019 by John Wood

Chuck Vinci was another great olympic weightlifter from York, Pennsylvania. Though he stood only 4’11” and weighed 123 pounds, he could clean & jerk well over 300 pounds and snatch 220+. Vinci was a Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (1956 and 1960), Seven-time world Senior National Champion (1954-1956,1958-1961) and set Twelve World Records during his career.

Al Christensen

Posted on Thursday, April 19th, 2018 by John Wood

Here’s Al Christensen, of the Bosco weightlifting club performing a pretty amazing feat: he could clean and jerk 230 pounds while on his knees. You won’t be seeing that one again any time soon. Al won the AAU Mr. Florida bodybuilding contest in 1951 and appeared on the cover of Strength and Health Magazine. His wife Vera was also a long-time columnist in Strength and Health.

Sergio The Weightlifter

Posted on Monday, December 4th, 2017 by John Wood

Like many bodybuilders in the 60’s, Sergio Oliva got his start in Olympic Weightlifting. In fact, he did well enough to compete for his native Cuba at the 1963 Pan-Am games. Though he was very strong, his Olympic lifting ability was actually hampered by his relatively thin waist. The foundation built by Olympic lifting still served Sergio well in his bodybuilding career though, he went on to win the Mr. Olympia Contest in 1967, 1968 and 1969.

“Starke” Arvid Andersson

Posted on Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 by John Wood

Arvid Andersson was a Champion Swedish strongman who put up some very impressive numbers at the turn of the century. He got his start lifting horses in the circus and once he moves on to more conventional weights, quickly set the world record in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 328 lbs on November 7th, 1906.

Professor Desbonnet, was the judge, and was highly impressed with the lift. Andersson’s nickname soon became “Starke Arvid” or Strong Arvid.
Like many strongmen of the time he was also a wrestler, and held the Swedish Heavyweight Championship for many years. After he retired from wrestling and lifting contests, “Starke Arvid” moved back to Stockholm and opened a café.

Henry “Milo” Steinborn

Posted on Monday, April 14th, 2014 by John Wood

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.

Milo 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 and onto his back unassisted and then perform five deep reps with it — a feat yet to be duplicated.

John Davis at Muscle Beach

Posted on Thursday, December 19th, 2013 by John Wood

John Davis was among the many famous visitors to Muscle Beach during its heyday. This picture was probably taken during the period of time when Davis spent some time out on the West Coast training at Yarick’s Gym. Looks like around 300 pounds on the bar. Notice there aren’t any collars on the bar~ you can’t miss a lift if you’re a world champ. Davis is also still wearing his wrist watch, you sure won’t see THAT today.

Oscar Wahlund, The Strongest Man in Sweden

Posted on Thursday, December 19th, 2013 by John Wood

Who IS the strongest man in Sweden? Hard to say these days but a hundred years ago it was Oscar Wahlund. He is credited with a harness lift of well over 4600 pounds and could clean and jerk 225 pounds for 10 repetitions.

Fred Bryce

Posted on Monday, September 16th, 2013 by John Wood

Fred Bryce

Here we find Mr. Fred Bryce, of Amsterdam, New York, with the 320 pound clean and jerk that won him the 1952 New York State 198-pound weightlifting championship. Bryce also had the unusual ability to clean 250 pounds from a kneeling position. Look closely and you’ll notice that he is using a Jackson barbell set.

1938 Senior Nationals Program

Posted on Tuesday, February 26th, 2013 by John Wood

1938 Sr. Nationals Weightlifting Program

A look at an extremely rare program from the 1938 Senior National Weightlifting contest. If you had been in attendance, you would have seen quite a show: Firpo Lemma, out of the Bates Barbell Club of Patterson, New Jersey set two records in the 112 lb. class: a press of 205 lb. (which was a World record) and a Clean and jerk of 210 lbs. (An American record).

Anthony Terlazzo set a World record in the 148 lb. class with a Clean and Jerk of 320 lb., John Terpak set an American record in the snatch with a lift of 250 lb. In the 181 lb. class, Stanley Kratkowski set an American record in the Clean and Jerk with 330 and John Grimek set an American record in the press with 250 lb.

In the heavyweights, Bill Good set an American record in the Clean and Jerk with a lift of 340 lb. but Steve Stanko came along and broke it a few minutes later with a lift of 345 lb. It should also be noted that Weldon Bullock, then only 17 years old, shook up the weightlifting world with a Clean and Jerk of 330 lb.

Rene Duverger

Posted on Saturday, January 19th, 2013 by John Wood

The French weightlifter Rene Duverger won the Gold in the lightweight class (67.5kg) at the 1932 Olympic games in Los Angeles, California. Duverger’s total was 325kg on the day and comprised of a 97.5 kg press, a 102.5 kg snatch and a 125 kg clean and jerk.