Horse Shoe Bending Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

The Iron Shoe Exerciser

Posted on Thursday, May 7th, 2015 by John Wood

The Iron Shoe exerciser was a great oldtime piece of training equipment which has roots going back pretty far into strength history. As you may notice by the design, it is “horse shoe” shaped — which is meant to mimic an actual horse shoe, the bending of which was a great oldtime feat and a mark of great strength. The “iron Shoe” provided a method of progressive resistance in some of the positions needed for horseshoe bending and trained the body, especially the grip and forearms in a very unique manner. This particular Iron shoe was sold by George F. Jowett.

Ricardo ‘Hardtack’ Nelson, The Swedish Lion

Posted on Thursday, May 17th, 2012 by John Wood

Ricardo Nelson, The Swedish Lion

Bending a horse shoe isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world to do, but Ricardo ‘Hardtack’ Nelson bent one every morning, in his teeth, no less.

Nelson was a national hero in his home country where he was known as “The Swedish Lion” but was not as well known in the U.S. Nelson was famous for his steel bending feats: scrolling, spike bending, bending steel in his teeth, he was said to even be able to bend a coin with his fingers.

“The Amazing Samson” Alexander Zass

Posted on Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 by John Wood

Alexander Zass - The Amazing Samson

As far as Oldtime Strongmen go, few were more impressive than “The Amazing Samson” Alexander Zass. Bending and breaking nails… twisting horse shoes …driving nails by hand… supporting feats… scrolling steel… breaking chains… teeth lifting… carrying horses or pianos on his back… Samson did it all. Interestingly, Zass attributed much of his strength and development to isometric training.