Human Chain Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Milo Barus as The Human Chain

Posted on Friday, September 29th, 2017 by John Wood

Milo Barus performs “The Human Chain” between a pair of stout looking German automobiles, circa the late 1950’s. Both drivers gave their cars plenty of gas but didn’t move so much as an inch! This feat has been performed by strongmen for well over a century and always thrills the crowd.

Saxon Brown

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

Saxon Brown

In 1924, at seventeen years of age, Saxon Brown was Britain’s strongest youth. As a professional, he performed many traditional feats of strength such as Nail Driving, Nail Bending, Card Tearing, The Human Chain and Steel Scrolling.

Brown could also lift a car from the side and would let a motorcycle drive over his neck as a part of his act…he is thought to be the first man to pull a bus with his teeth. Brown was also clearly a big fan of chest expanders.

Stanley Radwan ~ The Iron Man

Posted on Thursday, September 20th, 2012 by John Wood

Stanley Radwan ~ The Iron Man

Stanley Radwan was a catch-wrestler and strongman who performed during the 1940’s and 50’s in the Cleveland, Ohio area. This event poster from 1949 advertises Radwan pulling cars with his teeth, biting through steel, breaking chains, bending horseshoes, bend nails and spikes, nail driving by hand, tearing decks of cards, and performing the human chain feat. It was said Radwan could also bend coins with his hands. As a side note, St. Josaphat’s Hall is still around, it was converted to an art gallery a few years ago.

The Amazing Samson ~ Girder Lifting

Posted on Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 by John Wood

The Amazing Samson Girder Lift!

Here’s a Human Chain” feat of a whole different sort. That’s “The Amazing Samson” Alexander Zass suspended in mid-air while also lifting a 500-pound iron girder in his teeth. That’s a pretty awesome feat no matter how you slice it, one that we have never seen equaled before or since.

Dennis Rogers’ Death Defying Airplane Human Chain Feat

Posted on Saturday, May 26th, 2012 by John Wood

The strength feat that put modern-day Oldtime Strongman Dennis Rogers on the map was when he successfully prevented a pair of Airforce T-34 airplanes from taking off in “The Human Chain” feat.

That’s 285 horsepower on each arm! — and one wrong move meant they would have to scrape Dennis off the runway. This amazing feat earned the Association of Oldtime Barbell and Strongman’s (AOBS) highest award from founder Vic Boff.

The Human Chain!

Posted on Sunday, January 15th, 2012 by John Wood

The Great Levasseur performs 'The Human Link' feat with four horses

One of the well-known traditional feats of Oldtime Strength is the Human Chain. There’s no telling who came up with it first but what we do know is that Strongmen have been performing this feat for well over a century — and because it is very dangerous, always goes over great with the crowd.

Shown here is George “The Great” Levasseur who famously performed this feat for the Ringling Brothers circus in the early 20th century where he was billed as “The Strongest Man that Walks the Earth.” Levasseur was also famous for his backlifting ability. We’ll highlight other great performances of “The Human Chain” in subsequent posts.