300lb One Arm DB Overhead Press

[Jay Hagadorn]

If you have ever struggled with a 300lb log clean and press it will put the weight into perspective. The great Paul Anderson...

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[Scott Markowitz]

Thanks for deflating my ego. :(

[Ryan Bracewell]

We all know anderson was a beast, but do you really think that DB weighs 300lbs? Can anyone really strict press a 300lbs DB, or a 200lb for that matter?

[Brandon R.]

We all know anderson was a beast, but do you really think that DB weighs 300lbs? Can anyone really strict press a 300lbs DB, or a 200lb for that matter?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSGz7mBIK5s
1:01 Dru Patrick does a press with a 170lb db. 3:48 he does reps with 190lb dumbbells while seated. So I don't think its too outlandish for someone to claim to press 200lb dumbbells, depending on the person.

Paul Anderson's lift looks like a combo strict/bent/side press. With just enough lean to get it up. Either way, Paul was a mutant way beyond anyone in his time.

[Jay Hagadorn]

We all know anderson was a beast, but do you really think that DB weighs 300lbs? Can anyone really strict press a 300lbs DB, or a 200lb for that matter?

I think if you search out info on this guy, you will see that yes it is very probable...

[JustinLallemand]

The guy was a legend - almost seems unreal.

All before PED's too...

He could do some amazing weights that would be equivalent to a belt squat with some saying close to 1500lbs. (Correct me if I'm wrong...)

[JustinLallemand]

We all know anderson was a beast, but do you really think that DB weighs 300lbs? Can anyone really strict press a 300lbs DB, or a 200lb for that matter?

I wouldn't say it was strict. Also, Z has done about a 465 log, right? And he is pretty much strict pressing it. Not a very direct comparison, but I guess it makes it look at least possible. I would love to see direct comparisons....but obviously, no chance.

I really do think he had some of the strongest hips/thighs probably ever. In the end, we will never really know.

He lived to be fairly old, did he not?

[Jonathan Macfarlane]

Big Z basically strict pressed the Arnold DB in years gone by. that's 200lbs or 5-10lbs less. No way I believe Anderson did 300. He was a freak, ahead of his time, but to outlift Z by so much on that lift, highly doubt it.

[Ian Duggan]

Paul Anderson is undeniably one of the strongest guys to ever have lived.

Equally, like all strongmen of that era, he inflated his numbers.

EDIT: Sorry, just to clarify; I'm not saying that's NOT 300lbs... just that it's possible that it's not.

[Mark A Cummings]

If you look at Paul's form in that video it is something of a modified bent press where he is bending his torso down under the weight at the same time he is pressing it. There is considerable speculation in some circles about the validity of some of Paul's lifts, but I'm not going to get into that here. Presonally, I believe that it is possible. One of my athletes, Lonny Fehr, set the new NAS Amateur Log record back in May at 400lbs. He still had more in the tank, and he's one of the best pressers around. He can strict press 200lbs on my Gator Balls dumbbell with 14" globes and a 3" grip. If Zydrunas practiced heavy dumbbell work in the same fashion that Paul did, then I totally believe that he could hit 300lbs. If you watch any of the athletes at the Arnold, Zyrdrunas included, they are pressing much more directly overhead than Paul was in that video. Next time you're in the gym give the bent press a try. Or better yet, look up some of the old time records from the bent press. Believe it or not you can get some tremendous weight up from that angle.:IMHO:

[Paul_Koskinen]

Paul Anderson is undeniably one of the strongest guys to ever have lived.

Equally, like all strongmen of that era, he inflated his numbers.


Wouldn't mind seeing proof of this statement as it applies to Anderson. From what I read he was annoyingly honest about these things.

[JustinLallemand]

Personally, I think Anderson's form is about the same as Poundstone's in this event. I bet Poundstone could easily break 250 with a little concentration on the event. Hell, he did 15 reps at 200!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwIWBwA88HI

If he worked on it as more of a max lift, I think he'd get 300. He has awesome technique in this event. It looks effortless - "looks" being the key word.

(Is it me, or does Paul Anderson seem to have short arms? He wasn't very tall, was he?)

[JustinLallemand]

Wouldn't mind seeing proof of this statement as it applies to Anderson. From what I read he was annoyingly honest about these things.

Haha - "annoyingly honest"? I think I know what you mean though...

[Mac Smith]

The guy was a legend - almost seems unreal.

All before PED's too...

He could do some amazing weights that would be equivalent to a belt squat with some saying close to 1500lbs. (Correct me if I'm wrong...)

WRONG!!! Not saying Paul Anderson was using anything, but PED's (as we know them, ie. synthetics) were developed in the 1930s.

[Paul E Ohl]

Louis Cyr was probably the greatest one-arm presser. He started with a 210-lb in 1885 and increased that lift that was then named after him to 273 1/4 lbs on Jan 19, 1892.
It was later reported that he had done up to 350 lbs at the bent press. Which I doubt having not found any valid report on such a lift.

The reason why you don't see such impressive figures today is that the one-arm strict press was left out of the strength events from the middle of the 20th century.

It made a remarkable comeback with the Inch Dumbbell at the Arnold's then the Circus Dumbbell. The big deal being the near 3-inch handle. But then again, they allow a two-hand clean and an "any which way" overhead.

Coming to the athletes, Zydrunas Savickas is THE best. He proved it at Fortissimus 2009 with a 7th lift at 225 lbs. He had another 15 lbs in him. By his own evaluation. And from what I saw, no doubt in my mind.

Derek Poundstone has to be ranked amongst the top 5 bar none. He has the mechanics, the strength, the raw power to explode and the iron will.

Travis Ortmayer has developed a style of his own. A one-arm jerk done with great speed. That earned him a remarkable 225-lb lift at Fortissimus. And huge congrats.

All in all, big Z is the greatest overhead lifter ever.

[dcarroll]

Randy Strossen, put out a pretty good book a few years ago called Paul Anderson, The Mightiest Minister. Randy obviously went to great lengths in researching this book, answering many questions regarding his biggest numbers.

Ian, Paul didn't need to inflate his numbers, they were impressive enough.

Paul, you're right he wasn't that tall 5'9", and yes he had short arms.

[RyanWilson]

Paul Anderson was definitely a legend, no doubt about it. Freakishly strong, gave up the chances of using his strength for fame to do charitable work via his exhibitions instead. I have my doubts about him greatly inflating his numbers - he was a pure beast and wouldn't have a lot of use to make massive claims since he wasn't pushing to sell himself, rather, what he was working for (in the way of his ministry and making a better life for wayward boys). He didn't live to be too old, as I recall his battle with Bright's Disease eventually affected his kidneys to the point of failure when he may have been around his 50s or so (too lazy to look it up right now). Nevertheless, probably one of the most powerful men to walk the earth, and probably the most humble among them based on all the tales that have been passed on for decades.

He was raw squatting something like 600-700 in his teens when that was an unheard of weight for ANYONE to be squatting under any age/conditions at the time. Apparently he blew people away when they'd see him lift, because his numbers were so far above the norm for most strength athletes at the time that it was almost comical to think that "some kid" was putting up world-record numbers just from training on home-made equipment in the middle of nowhere :D

The legend still lives on in his work. Check out http://www.payh.org (http://www.payh.org)to see his legacy of hard work for what he believed in.

[JustinLallemand]

WRONG!!! Not saying Paul Anderson was using anything, but PED's (as we know them, ie. synthetics) were developed in the 1930s.

REALLY? I thought that only in the 1930's had they been derived from bull testes. But then again, I have heard Hitler gave his guys this stuff (plus stimulants and opiates). And that wasn't too much after....

Cool to know. I'll check it out some more.

[srojv]

His lifts could have been alot more but he put most of his time into the boys home that he and his wife started in Georgia were he was the only support of this home he did this by traveling all over doing exhibition lifts weekly in diffrent states alot of times with out sleep or enough time to continually train. His books are a definate good read.

[srojv]

http://www.payh.org/site/PageServer?pagename=str_homepage
here is his web site

[BradyJones]

REALLY? I thought that only in the 1930's had they been derived from bull testes. But then again, I have heard Hitler gave his guys this stuff (plus stimulants and opiates). And that wasn't too much after....

Cool to know. I'll check it out some more.

test was derived from animal testes in the late 1800s...

[Paul F.X. Armstrong]

REALLY? I thought that only in the 1930's had they been derived from bull testes. But then again, I have heard Hitler gave his guys this stuff (plus stimulants and opiates). And that wasn't too much after....

Cool to know. I'll check it out some more.

Do a search on Berthold, Ruzicka and Hanisch for the really early stuff--then a search on 1954 -1960 ,USA ,Olympic Lifting Team doctor ,John Ziegler

Dr. Ziegler is sort of the godfather----the "good ol days"were not a squeeky clean as we try to portray it---PED side effects weren't fully understood,it wasn't illegal,it wasn't tested for,some coaches encouraged them--many thought of it as just another "super vitamin"or another tool in the arsenal

This has nothing to do with Paul Anderson but PEd's have been around for a long time---

[Alex Klotz]

Here's an article talking about the veracity of some of his lifts (mostly the 6200 lb backlift)
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/IGH/IGH0701/IGH0701e.pdf

Here's a message I got from his grandson.

I'm sure you may find this hard to believe but I am Paul Anderson. No ,not the 1 in guiness(thats my grandfather) but I was gifted enough to get his namesake and my fathers(i'm paul anderson 3rd. Thanks for remembrance of my grandfather and if you ever have any questions about his achievements feel free to email me at *****@***.com. I am more into triatholons and such but still like hearing about my grandfather. thanks

a friend,
Paul

PM me if you want the email.

[Paul E Ohl]

I salute and pay huge respect to the legacy of Paul Anderson.

Just read the article by Joe Roark. Although certain dates and details need to be corrected, it all comes down to this:

Looking back at two centuries of strongman , four names shine more brightly than any others in the history of strength feats:

-Louis Cyr, Paul Anderson, Bill Kazmaier and Zydrunas Savickas.

[Alex Klotz]

Paul have you done any research on Angus McAskill? There are some crazy claims about him (like carrying a 2800 lb anchor on his shoulder) but I'm not sure how true they are.

[Dennis Ruygrok]

I hate how they call that a press. It's a bent "something" but defintely not a press. He uses his body as a lever to lock out his arm.

[Paul E Ohl]

Alex, about Angus MacAskill.

He is currently known as the "Cape Breton Giant". At 7 feet 9 inches and over 450 lbs it seems evident why.

About his feats of strength, so to speak, most are reported as "extravagantly exaggerated".

About shouldering a heavy anchor ( reported between 1500 and 2700 lbs), there is a report by Dr. W.R. Bird, of the Historic Sites Advisory Council of the Province of Nova Scotia ( reported later by David P. Willoughby), saying that "it is generally agreed the anchor weighted 600 lbs".

MacAskill lived 1825-1863. He died the year Louis Cyr was born.

[Paul E Ohl]

Dennis, this is as close as can be in style for the one arm press.

And using the original cast iron dumbbells.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESNtnCuXVCs

[Tony Moses]

I believe everything Anderson personally claimed himself. This may sound like a silly reason, but honestly, I've done a little homework on him and, to me, he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would lie.

As far as PED's, they were around, but they weren't believed to have been used in the US until the late-50s or so. The guys at York Barbell went down to MD to be "experimented" on, it was claimed they were "doing isometrics and static contractions," lol, but they weren't. Out of respect for the board rules, I'll let you guys figure out for yourselves what was going on there. Bill Starr tells this story well if anyone wants to dig around for it. Remember, there was no stigma attached to that stuff all the way through the 70's, so hearing an old timer's account of it is priceless in my opinion.

Given the time Anderson was in his prime and his background (small, Southern town with little chance of being exposed to anything), I believe he was natural and not using any type of PED.

As far as the 300lb one-arm press, I really do buy it. I think the reason it is more than people today have done is simply because it is just not trained for in that manner. I think Ken Patera is someone who should come up when talking about the 5-10 best overhead lifters ever. In the 70s he strict pressed 505 (and despite the "olympic press" not being very strict, Ken's press was about as strict as it gets and he was all brute strength and zero technique). That said, while a 505 strict press may sound outrageous today, I think it's worth mentioning that nobody trains for a big strict, standing press. I think Savickas, Poundstone, Brian Schoonveld, and maybe a couple others could get there if it were something worth training to them.

[Brandon Campbell]

awsome......awsome.....and awsome

[Alex Klotz]

Thanks for the info, Paul.

[JustinLallemand]

I believe everything Anderson personally claimed himself. This may sound like a silly reason, but honestly, I've done a little homework on him and, to me, he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would lie.

As far as PED's, they were around, but they weren't believed to have been used in the US until the late-50s or so. The guys at York Barbell went down to MD to be "experimented" on, it was claimed they were "doing isometrics and static contractions," lol, but they weren't. Out of respect for the board rules, I'll let you guys figure out for yourselves what was going on there. Bill Starr tells this story well if anyone wants to dig around for it. Remember, there was no stigma attached to that stuff all the way through the 70's, so hearing an old timer's account of it is priceless in my opinion.

Given the time Anderson was in his prime and his background (small, Southern town with little chance of being exposed to anything), I believe he was natural and not using any type of PED.

As far as the 300lb one-arm press, I really do buy it. I think the reason it is more than people today have done is simply because it is just not trained for in that manner. I think Ken Patera is someone who should come up when talking about the 5-10 best overhead lifters ever. In the 70s he strict pressed 505 (and despite the "olympic press" not being very strict, Ken's press was about as strict as it gets and he was all brute strength and zero technique). That said, while a 505 strict press may sound outrageous today, I think it's worth mentioning that nobody trains for a big strict, standing press. I think Savickas, Poundstone, Brian Schoonveld, and maybe a couple others could get there if it were something worth training to them.

I've heard this before too. And kind of get that feeling as well. There may have been some details left out (like maybe somehow leverages made a lift actually less), but I don't feel like he would outright lie. And I do think he claimed most things.

Oh, and I saw Z attempt a 215kg log (474lbs or so) and it was in the middle of a contest after a few attempts around 200kg. I really think he could get it fresh on a good day (weird to say that about Z, lol). I really think he could get into oly C&J and do a push press (not jerk) and come close to some of the highest C&J numbers ever. I don't know how much he'd clean. But this whole idea is speculation. Also, presses back then when they were in the Olympics were not exactly strict, which is why they were dropped. I do find it amazing how the guys were able to shoot their hips forward and lean back so much almost doing an incline with a bit of help from dropping under it.

Anderson also had that sort of hip squat set up and is supposed to have done rediculous amounts of weight on it (kind of like a belt squat).

I do agree the DB press wasn't strict, but it would count in strongman today certainly. But it wasn't like he stood straight up and pressed it without moving his body at all.

Really cool to hear about this stuff though! It'd be awesome to have all of the greats in their prime today.

And while I'm replying to everything, lol, I've never known the complete history on derivation of test. I thought Hitler and his scientists were some of the first to do the synthetic stuff. (I guess they all got test, amphetimines, and opiates so they would keep trucking on, ha ha.)

[JustinLallemand]

Here's an article talking about the veracity of some of his lifts (mostly the 6200 lb backlift)
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/IGH/IGH0701/IGH0701e.pdf

Here's a message I got from his grandson.



PM me if you want the email.

That's awesome! Just curious, how tall was he? About 5'10" or so?

[JustinLallemand]

Do a search on Berthold, Ruzicka and Hanisch for the really early stuff--then a search on 1954 -1960 ,USA ,Olympic Lifting Team doctor ,John Ziegler

Dr. Ziegler is sort of the godfather----the "good ol days"were not a squeeky clean as we try to portray it---PED side effects weren't fully understood,it wasn't illegal,it wasn't tested for,some coaches encouraged them--many thought of it as just another "super vitamin"or another tool in the arsenal

This has nothing to do with Paul Anderson but PEd's have been around for a long time---

Yeah, we have heard all of the "propeganda" but maybe it didn't seem all that bad. Also got to add in there the Steelers took over for the NFL in the 70's :) (My favorite team, BTW.)

I remember reading when I was in highschool and doing a report that officially, doctors "didn't have evidence indicating that it actually increased strength" HAHA!

[JustinLallemand]

I salute and pay huge respect to the legacy of Paul Anderson.

Just read the article by Joe Roark. Although certain dates and details need to be corrected, it all comes down to this:

Looking back at two centuries of strongman , four names shine more brightly than any others in the history of strength feats:

-Louis Cyr, Paul Anderson, Bill Kazmaier and Zydrunas Savickas.

Man, we all see Savickas pretty often, but I like to go back and check out Kaz and his videos. And I've met him once. Just looking at him, you can tell he is one of the guys born for this stuff. I mean, just look at how he would only train in the gym and show up and log press 350 or so pretty easy. Balance seemed to be his only problem.

And since he's older, he just has a massive frame that he's maintained a ton of muscle on. FREAK

To be fair, all four of those guys can be called that - with some definite good cases for other guys since.

The only other guy that reminds me of Kaz just being born to be a beast is Filiou. The guy is 6'6" and usually it makes a guy look lankier. If you see him alone, you might think he's shorter than that - I'd guess his wrists are 10" around for example. But when you see him against a dude that's huge, say 6'3" and 340, then you realize how massive he is. Without getting into what motivates him, etc. I can safely say I'd love to have been born with those genes! :D

[Tony Moses]

That's awesome! Just curious, how tall was he? About 5'10" or so?

Anderson was short by anyone's standards . . . I've seen him listed between 5'7 and 5'9. He was probably closer to 5'7 than 5'9.

[Paul F.X. Armstrong]

I remember reading when I was in highschool and doing a report that officially, doctors "didn't have evidence indicating that it actually increased strength" HAHA!

My dad was an M.D.(he passed away this year) so i read many PDR's of the era(dad had all of them in his den from the early sixties-?- to the mid eighties-

i researched PED's as best i could in that era but not much 'real'information--In the PDR's After a description of what the drug could do and what it was to be prescribed for it usually mentioned that "there is no evidence that this medication will improve strength or athletic performance"---or words to that effect--

On the othe end of the spectrum i have a PDR from 1966 or 1967 that has LSD-25 listed as a medication(experimental)---things were crazier in the old days than many "old timers"like to admit-;)

[JustinLallemand]

My dad was an M.D.(he passed away this year) so i read many PDR's of the era(dad had all of them in his den from the early sixties-?- to the mid eighties-

i researched PED's as best i could in that era but not much 'real'information--In the PDR's After a description of what the drug could do and what it was to be prescribed for it usually mentioned that "there is no evidence that this medication will improve strength or athletic performance"---or words to that effect--

On the othe end of the spectrum i have a PDR from 1966 or 1967 that has LSD-25 listed as a medication(experimental)---things were crazier in the old days than many "old timers"like to admit-;)

Sorry to hear about your dad....

It's amazing that politics can creep its way into absolutely everything. You know those doctors had to be thinking "man, this stuff works!" I don't want to cross the line on the rules of this board, but I just have to say that how can any drug (for a non-competitor especially) that is not psychotropic (or affect the mind) be classified alongside cocaine, heroin, etc. FEAR is the tool of politician and they riled that up to get elected making it sound like it was so prevalent, etc.

At the same time, LSD? I believe I heard that before, but it couldn't have taken long to figure out this wasn't a great idea, lol.

[RyanWilson]

At the same time, LSD? I believe I heard that before, but it couldn't have taken long to figure out this wasn't a great idea, lol.

I'm sure that, after the negative press related to people who the government had dosed without their knowledge or consent (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Olson), it was probably figured that there wasn't much good to come out of it medically ;)

[JustinLallemand]

I'm sure that, after the negative press related to people who the government had dosed without their knowledge or consent (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Olson), it was probably figured that there wasn't much good to come out of it medically ;)

Ooops...THAT was a bad call. That probably took care of starting the ethics standards in medical experiments :) I think I'd like to know if someone gave me that, especially after a distant cousin of mine had some REALLY serious - and possibly permanent - effects from a bad trip. Not good as the guy was already pretty big, could take and inflict serious damaage in a normal state of mind, and got extreme psycho strength when he had flashback or whatever. I would guess it's something like how PCP affects some. Slowly he's come around and seems to have control, but isn't fully recovered.

It should be noted it was HIS experiment though :)

As far as ethics for social science testing - which extends to the business school (but not Finance so much - my area) - you could give this experimenta lot of weight in disclosure and limits on testing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment

I watched a documentary on it and it was amazing. The mob mentality can take over so quickly and so strongly for most people. I think I'd have a better shot than most since I am somewhat antisocial though, haha. But these group dynamics can even be extended to Nazi Germany and Abu Ghraib.

(I am so off topic - feel free to delete it if anyone would like....)

[Paul F.X. Armstrong]

Dennis, this is as close as can be in style for the one arm press.

And using the original cast iron dumbbells.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESNtnCuXVCs

Paul,
Why not a max effort single rep dumbbell lift in honor pf Anderson-?
in a future contest?

After watching Big Z man handle the 225-- after expending a lot of energy on the way up in that medley event-- and taking into consideration how easily Derek handles the 205 Circus Dumbbell at the Arnold--I feel it's just a matter of specialization -and time-before these guys could be close to,or actually 'in' or even over the 300# range.

At Chris mavromatis's Strongest man Alive in St Louis they had a max effor dumbell press and ended up around 210 or so,personally enjoyed the event,this was with a one hand only 'clean'(although they used a strap) and the sport of strongman was definitely in it's infancy.
Allow a 2 handed clean similar to Anderson,and a normal thickness bar(1 3/8"?)and I think it would be an amazing lift/event.

I know even all the way back in 1998 Whit Baskin @ a Bodyweight of 260 could one arm clean(straps)and press 225--although he didn't do that lift in a contest.

Imagin Zydrunas,Derek and others with a little specilialization-?-

[Paul E Ohl]

Paul, a suggestion that does not fall in a deaf ear.

I have asked Zydrunas about his chances of going to a 250-lb dumbbell press. His answer: very different from a dumbbell with revolving plates and the traditional iron-cast dumbbell. He makes it anywhere from 10 to 20 lbs. In other words, anything between 235 and 245 would be max for an iron-casr dumbbell.

Now, one-hand or two-hand clean ? Forget about the one-hand clean past 200 lbs, At least from what I have witnessed to this day.

Yes, it is a matter of training. But to what extend given the load of trg a world-class strongman has to put in weekly ?

One last thing: in the history of strongman, very, very few claims of a 300-lb + one-arm lift. Let alone a one-arm press. We have all heard of Arthur Saxon's amazing 340-lb bent press of course. But the bent press is a very different lift. Used to be done on a long bar . With no cleaning of the weight.

That leaves Louis Cyr with his recorded 273 plus one-arm press and one arm clean. He did 258-lb with the left arm. And, of course, Paul Anderson , with the lift that we can fortunately witness as often as required.