Once a generation, a man comes along whose strength is simply head and shoulders above everyone else ~ and Hermann Goerner was just such a man! His strength and power was the stuff of legend, and even nearly a century after his time, no one has ever been close to many of his records. Goerner’s most famous lift is likely his ONE-HAND deadlift of 727 pounds(!), but some of his other marks were equally impressive. These include a strict curl of 242 pounds, a deadlift of 505 pounds with just two fingers of each hand and a plank “leg press” with 24 people which totaled over two tons.

Goerner had a “Challenge weight” a 2-3/8ths inch thick-handled globe barbell which he could clean and jerk with ease yet which no one else could so much as budge.

How would you like to know how Hermann Goerner trained? I’m not talking about guesses either, but the actual sets, reps and weights that he used in his workouts. It’s not often that we can have a look into the exact training ideas and programs of a true super man, but, that is exactly what you will have an opportunity to do as noted strength historian Edgar Mueller saw fit to chronicle Goerner’s amazing life, strength records and unique training techniques…

The result was Goerner The Mighty, which was originally published in 1951 but now once again available in high-quality modern reprint edition ~ and even better than the original! Here’s a quick look at the many interesting things you will learn from its pages:

Goerner’s famous challenge weight, read more about it starting on page 26

With manager Tromp van Diggelen, who actually has his own amazing story of strongmanism. Read more about him on page 34

A young Hermann Goerner with Heavyweight Champion Karl Swoboda, taken September 21, 1912 in Leipzig. Goerner was 21 years of age at the time.

Wrestling with an elephant as part of his daily act in Pagel’s Circus, South Africa

GOERNER THE MIGHTY
Table of Contents:

FOREWORD by Irving R. Clark
INTRODUCTION by John E. Dawe

Chapter I: Introducing Hermann Goerner

— What stood out in meeting Goerner for the first time … His other interests … Notes on Goerner’s sleep habits and diet

Chapter II: His Early Life

— Early struggles … The age that Goerner first started lifting … His earliest feats of strength at 14 years of age … How Goerner compared to George Hackenschmidt at the same age … His introduction and training to building “animal” strength” … Lifting titles won … Weightlifting Successes at 21 years of age … Early strength performances as a member of “The Atlas Trio” … Challenge weight feats … Results of the 1913 German Weight Lifting Championship … Goerner’s ‘battles’ with Karl Moerke

Chapter III: His Later Life and Travels

— Pagel’s Circus and adventures in South Africa … Details of his circus “act” … Discovery by Tromp Van Diggelen and introduction to W.A. Pullum … The inspiration for the famous ‘Plank’ feat

Chapter IV: His Measurements

— Goerner’s exact measurements taken by the author on December, 16th, 1934… Additional measurements… Notes on body weight at various periods throughout Goerner’s life

Chapter V: His Lifting Performances and Feats of Strength

— The single-handed press … Single-handed snatches … Single-handed jerks … Double- handed jerks and ‘anyhow’ lifts … How some of Goerner’s lifts compare to several other famous strongmen and lifters, Saxon, Walker, Stanko, Rigoulot, etc. … Double-handed snatches … Single and double-handed swings … Feats of Arm and Shoulder Strength … Two-hands slow curl … Two-hands kettlebell press … Two hands holdout … The rectangular fix … The Good Morning … Lifts to Shoulders, Single and Double-Handed … Deadlift records and performances … Supporting Feats … The ‘Plank’ and Human Bridge stunts … Lifting a Car … Carrying a Piano … Walking with a half a ton supported on his shoulders … Feats of Agility and Strength

Chapter VI: His Training Methods

— How many days per week he trained, and the specific ‘type’ of workouts taken … How long each training session lasted … Goerner’s post-workout recovery … A typical training program … Details of the “Die Kette” kettlebell workout … Specific weights used and order of exercises … Lifting tempo … Training for special feats and records … Six different one-hand deadlift “grips” … Training for two-hands deadlifting … Three of Goerner’s favorite types of shrugging movements … Training for supporting or carrying feats … The Brick Lift … Pinch Lifting … Training for a match … Additional training information, diet, massage, roadwork etc.

Chapter VII: His Attitude to Lifting Feats and Feats of Strength

— Training philosophy and position on ‘Health’… The role of variety in training … Thoughts on mixing fast and slow movements in the same workout … Deadlifts … Lifting ‘Cold’… Carrying heavy weights … Unusual methods of lifting a barbell … Success in Wrist Wrestling … How Goerner could tear a deck of playing cards … Breaking one of Louis Cyr’s records … Feats of Abdominal strength … Accomplishments in Weight Throwing

Conclusion: Appreciation by World-Famous Authorities

— Notes and observations on Hermann Goerner from: Prof. Theodore Siebert … David P. Willoughby … George F. Jowett … Tromp Van Diggelen … Bob Hoffman … Henry Graf … Hugo Rosch … Gord Venables … Jack Reid … W.A.Pullum … Ray Van Cleef … Mac Batchelor … Leo Gaudreau

Index

The modern reprint edition of “Goerner The Mighty” by Edgar Mueller is a 5″ x 7″ trade paperback, 136 pages in length and contains 32 rare photos and diagrams.

Goerner The Mighty by Edgar Mueller
_______________$19.99 plus s/h

Order by phone 9am to 5pm,
Monday through Friday

Tags: Edgar Mueller, Goerner The Mighty, Hermann Goerner