Tag: Strongman

Resources, Training

Bill Kazmier, ‘Competitive Squatting Style and Techniques’ from Bill Kazmier, The Squat and Deadlift (Crain Power-Plus, 1981)

Conor Heffernan

The following extract comes from a fascinating twelve page pamphlet I recently got my hands on. Written by the Strongman and Powerlifter Bill Kazmier, the pamphlet details everything a budding strength enthusiast needs to learn to perform on the platform. Over the next few weeks we'll be dissecting Kazmier's advice for the Squat, Deadlift and the Bench Press.  In the meantime,… Continue reading Bill Kazmier, ‘Competitive Squatting Style and Techniques’ from Bill Kazmier, The Squat and Deadlift (Crain Power-Plus, 1981)

Basics, Biographies, Resources

Peary Rader, ‘The History of These Methods’, The Rader Master Bodybuilding and Weight Gaining System (1946)

Conor Heffernan

It is not customary for the history of a course to be given, but the history of the methods taught herein is so definite, inspiring and easily traced that we believe it will be of great value and interest to the reader. It will likewise give him an idea of what results have been obtained… Continue reading Peary Rader, ‘The History of These Methods’, The Rader Master Bodybuilding and Weight Gaining System (1946)

Basics, Biographies, Resources, Training

Mark Bell, ‘One on One with Ed Coan’, Power Magazine, 1, no. 1 (2009), 28-31.

Conor Heffernan

Ed Coan entered his first powerlifting competition at 16 years old, he went on become one of the best (if not THE best) powerlifters in the world. Here is my candid conversation with The Legend, Ed Coan. POWER: How did you get into powerlifting? ED: I saw Kaz [Bill Kazmier] on TV. That was the… Continue reading Mark Bell, ‘One on One with Ed Coan’, Power Magazine, 1, no. 1 (2009), 28-31.

Basics, Biographies, Resources, Training

The Confusing History of Strength Co-Efficients

Conor Heffernan

Undoubtedly we've all been faced with the question, who is stronger? As a teenager it emerged when those weighing 150 lbs. or less sought to square up to their heavier brethren. Was it more impressive bench pressing 200 lbs. at 150 or 280 lbs. at 200 lbs. bodyweight? While our adolescent selves often solved this… Continue reading The Confusing History of Strength Co-Efficients

Basics, Biographies, Resources

Maxick, ‘Maxick’s Lifting’, Muscle Control (1910)

Conor Heffernan

Lifters of all ages, weights, and nationalities were there in great force, they having been expressly invited to witness an exhibition by Maxick, of Munich. Professor Szalay, whose name was associated with weight-lifting more than a decade ago, and who has not inaptly been described as “the father of weight-lifting,” was there in all his… Continue reading Maxick, ‘Maxick’s Lifting’, Muscle Control (1910)

Biographies, Resources

Strength! Featuring Saxon Brown (1930)

Conor Heffernan

Born in England in the early 1900s, Saxon Brown (real name Henry Brown) was briefly lauded during the 1930s as 'Britain's strongest youth' & 'the world's strongest young man'. Though his time in the physical culture spotlight was short lived, Brown's strength was immortalised thanks to the below British Pathé footage. Featuring a number of… Continue reading Strength! Featuring Saxon Brown (1930)

Resources, Training

Bill Kazmier, ‘Competitive Squatting Style and Techniques’ from Bill Kazmier, The Squat and Deadlift (Crain Power-Plus, 1981)

Conor Heffernan

The following extract comes from a fascinating twelve page pamphlet I recently got my hands on. Written by the Strongman and Powerlifter Bill Kazmier, the pamphlet details everything a budding strength enthusiast needs to learn to perform on the platform. Over the next few weeks we'll be dissecting Kazmier's advice for the Squat, Deadlift and the Bench Press.  In the meantime,… Continue reading Bill Kazmier, ‘Competitive Squatting Style and Techniques’ from Bill Kazmier, The Squat and Deadlift (Crain Power-Plus, 1981)

Biographies, Resources

Deadlifting Cheese at the World’s Strongest Man (1983)

Conor Heffernan

I have, I believe, been fairly open about my love of the World's Strongest Man, specifically the opening decade of the competition. Whereas today's competition is professional, modern and scientific, the contests of yesteryear were undoubtedly more tongue-in-cheek. This is not to say that the contests were no less contested and the competitors impressive but… Continue reading Deadlifting Cheese at the World’s Strongest Man (1983)

Biographies

Alexander Zass, The Original Modern Samson: The Toughest Man on Earth (c. 1930s)

Conor Heffernan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG7vDgWX0G8 Much to my own shame, we have yet to discuss Alexander Zass on this website. Known as Samson for much of his stage career, the following footage, taken from Pathé, shows Zass performing some typical strongman feats from the early twentieth-century. What I love about this is that not only do we get a… Continue reading Alexander Zass, The Original Modern Samson: The Toughest Man on Earth (c. 1930s)

Nutrition

Thomas Inch’s Diet

Conor Heffernan

One of the strongest men of the early twentieth-century, Thomas Inch was known in both Great Britain and the United States for his feats of strength. Unlike others however, Inch was hardly strict with his diet. In fact Inch was recorded as saying There is nothing so wearisome as having to be extremely particular about what one… Continue reading Thomas Inch’s Diet