THE STRONGEST MEN EVER - STRENGTH FIGHTER

LOUIS CYR

Strongman
Born Octobre 10, 1863 in Saint-Cyprien-de-Napierville, Quebec, Canada and died 1912.
5’81/2“, 300 pounds

Neck: 20″ (50.8 cm)
Biceps: 20″ (51.5 cm)
Forearms: 16.3″ (41.4 cm) Wrists: 8.2″ (20.8 cm)
Chest (normal): 55.2″ (140.2 cm)
Chest expanded: 60″ (152.4 cm)
Waist: 47.4″ (120.4 cm)
Hips: 48.1″ (122 cm)
Thighs: 28.5″ (72.4 cm)
Knees: 17″ (43.2 cm)
Calves: 19.3″ (49 cm)
Ankles: 10.3″ (26 cm)
Shoulder width with calipers across the deltoids: 25.6″ (65 cm)

Known as the “Strongest Man Who Ever Lived“, the French Canadian Louis Cyr was also the undisputed King of the Backlift, lifting 4337 pounds (1967 kg).  A feat that even WSM competitors of this era hasn’t been able to duplicate, not even closely.

He overhead pressed an unwieldy 273.75 lbs thick-handle dumbbell filled with lead shot with his right arm. Besting the Eugen Sandow ‘s Bent Press World Record by 2 pounds.

Lifted a 534-pound (242 kg) weight with one finger.

At 19 years old, he lifted a rock from ground up to his shoulder, officially
weighted at 514 pounds

Pushing a freight car up an incline

Take note that in the 1800s and early 1900s they weren’t any enhancement drugs and supplements available.

VASILY ALEXIEV

Olympic weightlifter
Born 1942 in Russia
6’1″, 357 pounds

Biceps: 21″
Waist: 62″

Snatch: 418 lbs (190.0 kg)
Clean and Press: 520.3 lbs (236.5 kg)
Clean and Jerk: 563.2 lbs (256.0 kg)
Total: 1419 lbs (645.0 kg) (clean and press + snatch + clean and jerk)
Total: 979 lbs (445.0 kg) (snatch + clean and jerk)
One Arm Snatch: 231 lbs (105 kg) (Left hand)
Back Squat: 1000 lbs.

Vasily Alexiev is a 2-times super heavyweight Olympic weightlifting Gold medalist at 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal.  He got a clean and jerk of 563.2 pounds (256 kg).

– snatched an Olympic record 407 pounds of barbells into the air then followed that with his world record 561 pound clean and jerk for a total of 968 pounds.– Vasily Alexiev set 80 world records (usually breaking his own world records).
– From 1970 to 1977, Vasily Alexiev was unbeaten and held the World and European titles for those eight years.

It was reported in 1972 Pre-Olympic Sports Illustrated issue reports he could do 32 pull-ups at a bodyweight of ~ 350 pounds.

PAUL ANDERSON

Weightlifter, powerlifter, strongman, showman, wrestler, boxer
Born 1932 in United States and died 1994.
5’9″, 350 pounds

Biceps: 22.5″
Chest: 58″
Neck: 25″
Thighs: 36″
Calves: 20″

Bests Lifts:

• Standard clean and press: 402.5 lb (182.6 kg)
  
  
• One arm overhead press: 380 lb, 300 lb (140 kg) for 10 reps. (this 380 pound lift was the greatest lift ever lifted overhead with one arm;
  both were witnessed by Paul Magistratte)
• Parallel squat: 1,202 lb (545 kg), two reps
  
  
• Backlift: 6270 lbs (2844 kg), (weight raised slightly off trestles) included in the Guinness Book of World Records
• Hip Lift: 4100 lbs.
  
• Bench Press (Raw): 627 lb (284 kg)
  
• Two Hand Overhead Press: 400 lbs. for 7 reps
  
• Two Hand Overhead Press: 470
  
• Jerk-Press: 560 lbs.
• Clean and Jerk: 480 lb, unofficial
• Deadlift: 820 pounds, he pulled a massive 1000 pounds deadlift using metal hooks
  attached to his wrists. This assisted deadlift was witnessed by Tommy Kono

Paul Anderson is a super heavyweight weightlifting Olympic Gold medalist at 1956 Melbourne and a World Championships Gold medalist at 1955 Munich.

Paul Anderson is still to these days, The Greatest Squatter Of All Time.  No drugs, no knee wraps, no stupid suits, no cheating devices, Paul Anderson squatted 1252 pounds unofficially.  Also squatted 10 reps with 900 pounds in the presence of witnesses.  

Paul Anderson was also reputed for his superhuman shoulders’ strength.
http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/andersons-1200lb-squat-did-he-do-it

BILL KAZMAIER

Powerlifter, strongman, wrestler
Born 1953 in United States
6’3″, 330 pounds

Biceps: 23″
Forearms: 17″
Chest: 60″
Waist: 40″
Thighs: 32″
Calfs: 20.5″
Neck: 22+”

Aside from Mariusz Pudzianowski and Zydrunas Savickas, Bill Kazmaier is the greatest World’s Strongest Man winner in history.  Bill Kazmaier won the 1980, 81 and 82 WSM contests.  He was so dominant that the WSM officials unfairly barred him from competing in order to keep people entertained.

– Bill Kazmaier had a world record bench press of 661 pounds in a 1981 powerlifting competition.  A raw bench press performed in a loose-fitting white T-shirt.  No sling-shot bench shirts and others cheating devices.  At the very same event, he totaled (Squat+Deadlift+Bench Press) 2425 lbs, no gimmicks, no suits.
– Bill Kazmaier could simultaneously clean a pair of 156-pound dumbbells and them for 10 reps.
– Bill Kazmaier was the first man ever to lift all five McGlashen Stones – weighting 200 to 350 pounds.
– His best lifts were: 925 lbs squat (done without a suit), 662 lbs bench press, and 974 lbs deadlift.
– Bill Kazmaier set the official World
Record barbell curl of 440 lbs in 1985 as officiated by two Guinness
Book representatives, and witnessed by many.

MARK HENRY

Weightlifter, powerlifter, strongman, wrestler
Born 1971 in United States
6’1″, 410 pounds (220 pounds at age 9)

Neck: 24″
Fist: 14″
Wrist: 9.25″ (23.5 cm)
Biceps: 24″
Chest: 64″
Waist: 48″ (121.9 cm)
Thighs: 36″ (91.5cm)
Calves: 22.5″ (57 cm)
Shoe Size: 16
Suit Jacket: 64
Reach: 39″

A lifelong drug-free athlete, “The Silverback” Mark Henry is truly a freak of nature.  Excelled in the Holy Trinity of strength: Olympic lifting, powerlifting, and strongman competition.

– Mark Henry has held both the U.S. weightlifting and powerlifting superheavyweight championship titles at the same time.
– Mark Henry is a 1992 Olympian in Olympic lifting and placed tenth in the superheavyweight division, weighting 366 lbs at the time.

– Mark Henry has the greatest combined weightlifting / powerlifting total in history.

– After all these years Mark Henry still hold Men’s Raw Drug Tested Powerlifting World Records (the only categorie that matter)
+ All Squats (with & without wraps) SHW 953 lbs Mark Henry USA 1995 WDFPF 
+ Deadlift SHW 903 lbs Mark Henry USA 1995 ADFPA 
+ All Totals (with & without wraps) SHW 2,336 lbs Mark Henry USA 1995 WDFPF

http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records/raw/world

– Mark Henry won the inaugural Arnold Strongman Classic competition in 2002.  At this time, in my opinion, the Arnold Strongman Classic was the real World’s Strongest Man contest.  No shitty strength athletism here, the Arnold Strongman was a pure test of sheer strength and raw power.
– In 2002, Mark Henry was the first man in history to clean and press with one hand the famed Thomas Inch dumbbell, a 172 pounds dumbbell with a 21/2 inches thick handle.

Just imagine the superhuman feats of strength he would had achieved if he hasn’t left strength training in 1996 for a lucrative 10 years / $10 000 000 WWE wrestling contract.

ZYDRUNAS SAVICKAS

Strongman, powerlifter

Nickname: Big Z

Born: July 15, 1975
Birthplace: Birzai, Lithuania

Hometown: Vilnius,
Lithuania

Height: 6’3″ (191 cm)
Weight: 375 lbs (170 kg)

Chest: 59.1″ (150 cm)
Biceps: 21.7″ (55 cm) 
Neck: 21.7″ (55 cm)
Calf: 21.7″ (55 cm)

Started training in Powerlifting at age 13
Entered his first strongman contest at age 16

Zydrunas Savickas is one of the strongest man of all time and one of the greatest strongman competitor of all time.  He is the only strongman to have won every major strongman competition.

4 time World’s Strongest Man champion (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014)
2 time IFSA Strongman World Championships winner (2005-2006)
7 time Arnold Strongman Classic champion (2003-2008, 2014)
1 time Fortissimus champion (2009)
3 time Europe’s Strongest Man champion (2010, 2012, 2013)
5 time World Log Lift Championships winner (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013)
12 time Lithuania’s Strongest Man champion (1998-2000, 2002-2009, 2012, 2013)
10 time Lithuanian National Powerlifting Championships winner (1995-1997, 1999-2005)

Personal records:
Powerlifting:

• Squat – 425.5 kg (938 lb) (Lithuanian record)
• Bench press – 285.5 kg (629 lb) raw
• Deadlift – 407.5 kg (898 lb) (Lithuanian record)
• Total – 1,090 kg (2,400 lb) (Lithuanian record)

Done in the gym (personal records as of 2005 according to Savickas
himself)

• • Squat – 400 kg
    (880 lb) for 3 reps raw with knee wraps

• • Bench press – 285.5 kg
    (629 lb) for 1 rep; 250 kg
    (550 lb) for 3 reps

• • Deadlift – 407.5 kg (898 lb) for 1 rep no wrist straps

• • Deadlift with wrist straps – 442 kg (972 lb)

• • Standing Overhead Press – 200 kg (440 lb) for 5 reps
    without leg drive

• Standing Overhead Press – 240kg (529 lb) for 2 reps.

Strongman:

• • Log lift for Max Weight “new world record” – 227 kg (500 lb) (World record, 2014
    Gians Live Poland, Dolina Charlotty, Poland)

• • Log lift for Max Weight – 220 kg (490 lb) (World record, 2012 World’s Strongest Man, Los Angeles, USA)

• • Strongman Deadlift(with straps) – 442 kg (970 lb) Raw with straps (World Strongman Record, 2011)

• • Apollon’s Axle Press for Max Weight – 215 kg (470 lb) (World Record, 2010 Giants Live, Istanbul, Turkey)

• • Apollon’s Axle Press for Reps – 166 kg (370 lb) × 8 clean and press each rep (World record, 2006 Arnold Strongman Classic, Columbus, Ohio)

• • Giant Wooden Log lift for Max Weight – 210 kg (460 lb) (World Record, 2010 World’s Strongest Man, Sun City, South Africa)

• • Apollon’s Wheels Overhead for Reps – 155 kg (340 lb) × 8 reps

• • Giant Barbell Deadlift for Reps – 320 kg (710 lb) × 10 (World record, 2006 IFSA World Championships, Reykjavík, Iceland)

• • 22 kg (49 lb) Medicine ball for Height – 17 ft (5.18 m) (World record, 2004 Arnold Strongman Classic, Columbus, Ohio)

• • Atlas Stones (heavy set) – 25.65 seconds (World record, 2006 IFSA World Championships, Reykjavík, Iceland)

• • Metal Block press – 150 kg (330 lb) (World record, 2011 World’s Strongest Man, Wingate,North Carolina)

• • Hummer Tire Deadlift for Max Weight – 506.6 kg (1,117 lb) (World record, 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic, Columbus, Ohio)

• Heavy Super Yoke 500 kg (1,100 lb) – 7.50 seconds (World record, 2006 Arnold Strongman Classic, Columbus, Ohio)

VICTOR DELAMARRE

Strongman

Born: September 24, 1888 
Died: March 13, 1955, Quebec
Birthplace: Hébertville, Québec, Canada
Height: 5’51/2” (166.5 cm)
Weight: 154 lbs (70 kg)

Chest: 46″
Neck: 16″
Biceps: 17″
Waist: 28″
Thigh: 20″
Calf: 14″

He was one of thirteen children and built the foundation for his great strength at a young age by farming and working as a lumberjack.
Practising sports like Boxing and Wrestling since the age of 13.
When he was 14 years old, DeLamarre studied the exploits of Louis Cyr and declared that he would one day break Cyr’s records.
Came to Montreal and joined the Police. At the time, Montreal cops were required to be big strong individuals. Delamarre was deemed too small but his feats of strength spoke for himself.

Some of his feats of strength were climbing a ladder carrying a horse in a sling, bending a quarter between his thumb and forefinger, etc.

Had double tendons and a four-inch thick spine, more than the double of a strongman (facts verified at the autopsy). He was said to be hard as steel.  

April 2nd 1914, when, at age 25, weighting 154 pounds, Victor DeLamarre officially bent-pressed (dévissé) 309-1/2 lbs at the Arcade theater of Montreal. 
Doing so, Delamarre shattered 4 records.
1- Defeating Louis Cyr (273 lbs bent-press)
2- Lifting a weight twice as heavy as him overhead with one-hand.
3- Doing the heaviest Bent-press (dévissé) in history.
4- Defeating all the heavyweights of the world as a middleweight.

• February 24, 1922: officially clean-and-jerked 201.5 lbs with only one finger.
• Around 1925, at Montreal: backlifted 65 people on a platform (7000 lbs) 

He wrestled over 1500 bouts as a professional, mainly in 1930s.

An expert on the subject, Raymond Desbiens, is convinced that Victor Delamarre was stronger than Louis Cyr, billed as the strongest man of all time by many historians. Raymond Desbiens also stated that Victor Delamarre had visibly more stamina than Louis Cyr in his performances. However, Louis Cyr was a better showman and had the classic strongman look.

Louis Gagné, the general director of l’Ermitage Saint-Antoine de Lac Bouchette – were the strongman memorabilia are exposed – stated: “Victor Delamarre defeated Louis Cyr on everything except marketing. Delamarre could have been a lot more famous: he was offered movie roles from an american producer. But he refused since they wanted him to change his name for Delaware.”