Doug Hepburn Archives - Page 2 of 2 - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Benoit Cote

Posted on Tuesday, October 14th, 2014 by John Wood

Benoit Cote was another great Canadian strongman from Quebec and the rival of fellow countryman Doug Hepburn. The two met head to head in 1961 at a four-lift contest consisting of the Press, Bench Press, Squat and Deadlift. 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.

What is Dinosaur Training?

Posted on Friday, August 15th, 2014 by John Wood

A short video clip (with sound) of several of the people, places and training topics that you’ll find in the pages of “Dinosaur Training” by Brooks Kubik.

Doug Hepburn The Pro-Wrestler

Posted on Friday, February 21st, 2014 by John Wood

Doug Hepburn The Pro-Wrestler

Most people don’t know that Doug Hepburn had a short professional wrestling career in Canada once his weight lifting career came to an end. Shown above, he even got his own Parkhurst trading card in the 1955-56 set.
Doug often performed feats of strength before his matches, hence the dumbbell by his feet.

Doug’s finishing move was an inverted bear-hug, using his great strength to squeeze the life out of his opponents until they had no choice but to submit.

Doug Hepburn’s Dumbbell Press

Posted on Wednesday, November 27th, 2013 by John Wood

You know a guy is really strong when he can lift heavy dumbbells in the basic lifts. Here’s the great Doug Hepburn pressing a pair of 160(!) pound dumbbells (which were handed to him at the shoulders) at Ed Yarick’s Big Show.

Having to clean the dumbbells first is an altogether different lift although while training at Yarick’s Gym, Doug had previously strictly cleaned and pressed a pair of 142 pound dumbbells.

Unsurprisingly, Doug also set a new world record in the press that year with a 366-1/4 pound lift.

Doug Hepburn’s Handbalancing

Posted on Sunday, October 6th, 2013 by John Wood

Doug Hepburn's Handbalancing

Many of the Olympic-style weightlifting champions of years past were also very good handbalancers. They felt–with very good reason–that handbalancing would build shoulder strength and stability to help their overhead pressing power and in holding heavy weights in the overhead position.

Showing that a heavy bodyweight isn’t an obstacle, the great Doug Hepburn could easy perform handstand pushups at the drop of a hat at 305 pounds. Handbalancing is still very much a discipline that will benefit every strength athlete.

Doug Hepburn Benchpresses 460 Lbs.

Posted on Saturday, March 16th, 2013 by John Wood

Doug Hepburn's Bench Press

Doug Hepburn was arguably the first bench press superstar. Throughout the early 1950’s, he became the the first man to officially bench press 400, 450 and then 500 pounds. Above, he toys with 460 lbs at an exhibition.
The bench press has become a much different lift these days. Note that Doug bench pressed in a singlet, without arch and the bench above didn’t even have uprights Doug’s training focused purely on strength development and his results speak volumes even many decades later.

Whipper Watson Barbell Plates

Posted on Friday, February 22nd, 2013 by John Wood

Whipper Watson Barbell Plates

The list of athletes who had their own line of barbells is a pretty short one, but one surprising example is the great Canadian professional wrestler “Whipper” Billy Watson. Like many “signature” plates, these were mostly available in sporting goods store ~ although they are very tough to come by these days. Watson had many side ventures, one of which was evidently the barbell business. Perhaps the idea came from Doug Hepburn, who used to wrestle and perform feats of strength at shows promoted by Watson.

Doug Hepburn

Posted on Wednesday, October 12th, 2011 by John Wood

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 very apparent that Doug wasn’t so average after all…Although Hepburn had a slight handicap (a club foot) that did not stop him from becoming one of the most powerful men in history. Hepburn became a Senior World Champion in 1953 and set eight World Records during his career.

Here’s a look at his best lifts:

Right Hand Military Press: 175 lbs.
Two Hands Press (Off Rack): 440 lbs.
Behind Neck Press : 350 lbs.
Two Hands Curl: 260 lbs.
Bench Press: 580 lbs.
Jerk-Press (Off Rack): 500lbs.
Two Hands Snatch: 297-1/2 lbs.
Two Hands Clean & Press: 381 lbs.
Squat: 760 lbs.
Two Hands Deadlift: lbs.