Ivan Poddubny Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Paul Belling

Posted on Tuesday, June 15th, 2021 by John Wood

Paul Belling was billed as the national champion wrestler of Austria in the late 1800’s. He scrapped with the best of them including: Alex Aberg, George Lurich, Ursus Jankowsky, Stan Zbyszko, Ivan Poddubny, John Pohl, Tom Cannon, George Hackenschmidt, Magnus Bech-Olsen, Jess Pedersen, and Franz “Cyclops” Bienkowski. When his competitive career came to a close Belling took his winnings and opened a cafe on the west end of London (which was eventually raided for being an illegal casino.)

Dr. Vladislav Von Krajewski

Posted on Sunday, October 22nd, 2017 by John Wood

Dr. Vladislav Von Krajewski was one of the leading physical training of the day, the founder of the St. Petersburg Athletic and Cycling Club and personal physician to the Czar of Russia. The good doctor’s interest in physical training was as a method of securing and preserving health, strength, activity and vigor (both mental and physical). He created a system of training around these goals, and it was the reason behind the success of many of the strongest men who ever lived. Some of Dr. Von Krajewski’s most famous pupils included George Hackenschmidt, George Lurich, and Ivan Poddubny.

John Lemm

Posted on Friday, March 18th, 2016 by John Wood

Another look at a very rare picture of wrestler John Lemm, who was also known at “The Swiss Hercules”. With a set of wheels like that, it’s not hard to see why he was one of the first men in history to squat with 500 pounds ~ although it is plain to see that Lemm was pretty impressive all around.

Lemm won a famous 1908 wrestling tournament in London billed as “The Battle of Giants” where he defeated, amongst others, the then title-holder Russian Ivan Poddubny and the great French wrestler/strongman Apollon.

The Russian Hercules: Ivan Poddubny

Posted on Friday, September 2nd, 2011 by John Wood

Ivan Poddubny

Ivan Poddubny was one of the greatest of the Russian Strongman /Wrestlers (of which there were many). He was born in a small village and worked hard jobs even from a young age.
After some training, he joined the Russian circus, performing feats of strength and wrestling all comers. The sash he is wearing in this picture is most likely from the 1908 World Championship, which he won by defeating his friend Ivan Zaikin. This was his fifth World Championship title. Even to this day, Poddubny is still a well-known sports hero in Russia and several big wrestling tournaments bare his name.