Keg Lifting Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Barrel Lifting Strength Feats

Posted on Tuesday, August 7th, 2018 by John Wood

It has been well written that many so-called “feats of strength” had their roots in manual labor. Back in the beer halls of Bavaria and old, Old, OLD Vienna I’m sure a couple of robust beirmeisters once sat around shooting the breeze when one bet another that he could lift the biggest barrel — and it’s all been down hill from there.

Many of the old timers were well-known for their barrel or keg lifting feats, including Louis Cyr (who was said to have been able to lift a 400 lb. barrel to his shoulders) and George F. Jowett who included a Barrel Lifting Course in his Molding a Mighty Grip training guide. I would imagine the “Cincinnati Strongman” Henry Holtgrewe lifted a few barrels and kegs in his time. He owned a tavern down on 6th street in downtown Cincinnati just after the turn of the century.

Several modern day strongmen have included barrel lifting in their training. Probably the two most well known are Steve Justa and Brooks Kubik who wrote extensively about barrel lifting in Dinosaur Training. Keep in mind that lifting a 200 pound FULL barrel is actually easier than lifting a 150 pound HALF-filled barrel.

Barrel Lifting

Posted on Wednesday, November 8th, 2017 by John Wood

Lifting Barrels and Kegs has long been a Oldtime strongman Tradition since it builds a unique kind of strength — especially is the barrel is only partially filled… If water (or beer) is sloshing around inside the barrel, it becomes a “live” weight, and a tremendous test of strength — and it takes a lot less weight than you think. A partially-filled barrel weighing as little as fifty pounds can give you a tremendous workout.

Suggested barrel lifting exercises include:

* Curls
* Overhead Pressing (shown)
* Shouldering
* Bear Hugs
* Carrying for Distance
* Throwing (steel keg only!)

Bruno’s Barrels

Posted on Thursday, October 12th, 2017 by John Wood

Who else? The incomparable Bruno Sammartino lifts a couple beer kegs… I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they were full since Bruno is a real powerhouse, but if you’ve ever handled any kegs like these, you know that even if they were partially filled, lifting them would be a formidable challenge.

Keg Training With Kevin Tolbert

Posted on Friday, May 13th, 2016 by John Wood

Here’s Kevin Tolbert having a little “fun” with a loaded keg, outside Dr. Ken’s place, sometime in the 1980’s. Kevin is now the head Strength and Conditioning coach for The University of Michigan Wolverines football team — clearly they are in good hands.