Author Topic: How Does Bill Kazmaier Stack Up Against Today's Strongmen? (Read 55324 times)

T-REX007 · « **Reply #100 on:** April 04, 2014, 12:13:16 PM »

I met Bill 2 years ago in Traverse City, Mi. He was promoting a line of gym equipment that a buddy of mine uses in his gym. I think he said he was 56 -? still BIG, thick, hands were the size of catcher mitts ? Really nice guy, soft spoken, VERY religious now, big time Christian etc... was still a solid 6'1 or 6'2 tall.
If he had todays competition to compete against AND training today I think is better than his era, he could still win, would probably need to be heavier though - he was what 330 and now guys are coming in at 400? His pressing was insane, pretty much a flat back bench press with not a lot of leg drive, strong dude !
TRUE LEGEND

JOHN MATRIX · « **Reply #101 on:** April 04, 2014, 01:42:37 PM »

Kaz would have dominated in any era

ProudVirgin69 · « **Reply #102 on:** April 04, 2014, 01:56:02 PM »

Quote from: irishdave on September 11, 2012, 12:01:17 PM

how bad was he? I heard he still answers the phone "Hello, strongest man in the world" or some shiet lol

Hahaha I literally lol'd at the thought of this

HavoX · « **Reply #103 on:** April 04, 2014, 02:32:15 PM »

Pretty big, I suppose...

doriancutlerman · « **Reply #104 on:** April 04, 2014, 02:33:23 PM »

Quote from: Fortress on September 07, 2012, 11:16:19 AM

I've met him and he was very cool with me. Maybe you met him on a bad day. We all have 'em. (For what it's worth, my good friend lived not too far from him several years ago and would see him frequently out and about. Says he was always nice to him, too.)

Anyway ...

Bill is my all-time fave strong man. His powerlifting feats, in my opinion, have yet to be bettered, when factoring in his minimal use of gear and the manner in which he performed his lifts. CRAZY strong.

And one of the true pioneers and great champions of strongman.

The man was born to be a freak of size and strength.

I realize this goes years back and all, but weren't you the gent who reported Kaz's weird spiel about "beams of light shooting out of his head" or the like?

I mean, I know who you are/were in the bodybuilding publications: Rob Fortney. Even though you have a spat with one of the coolest Getbiggers around IMO, my man Wild Willie, I also know you're a decent dude (so is Willie, BTW; y'all just hit it off on the wrong hoof I think).

I could've sworn, or could swear, it was you that said that of Kaz. Now, I'm perhaps a little drunk -- celebration tonight, what can I say? -- but I'm also cogent enough to recall how a fellow with an almost identical writing style "marveled" at how someone Nasser's size struggled mightily with 315 on a standard BB incline.

I think marveled was the word. My photographic memory has lots of splotches, false images and instances of extremely poor focus, particularly when everyone around me is urging me on to join them in just one more Heineken. Ah, so cold, so good. Plus, it lessens the impending impact of my ball and chain, who will be here in probably <30 min.

Shhhh. That's strictly Getbigger talk!

oldtimer1 · « **Reply #105 on:** April 04, 2014, 02:57:54 PM »

Kaz would really bury his powerlifting squats. If he did them as shallow as what is allowed now he could have added another 200lbs on his squats.

Wolfox · « **Reply #106 on:** April 04, 2014, 03:06:42 PM »

He had the raw strength base to stay relevant even with todays strongman. If he trained(event specific) and drugged (hgh and slin) like modern competitors he would see the podium.

Wolfox · « **Reply #107 on:** April 04, 2014, 03:08:26 PM »

Quote from: oldtimer1 on April 04, 2014, 02:57:54 PM

Kaz would really bury his powerlifting squats. If he did them as shallow as what is allowed now he could have added another 200lbs on his squats.

Also look how upright he is with his squats. Not a goodmorning squat like todays powerlifters.

bigkid · « **Reply #108 on:** April 04, 2014, 03:08:33 PM »

Still a pansy in my book. Strong, but never dieted down and put on the trunks.

THEBOSS · « **Reply #109 on:** April 04, 2014, 03:30:13 PM »

Quote from: Powerlift66 on September 07, 2012, 02:19:33 AM

Ever meet Kaz in person? I have.. Total douche-bag...

One of the best lifters ever, period. But still a douche..

Yes he is . Funny thing is for all his arrogance he couldn't lick a postage stamp . Have you seen him try the fighting game ?

Fortress · « **Reply #110 on:** April 04, 2014, 03:48:08 PM »

Quote from: doriancutlerman on April 04, 2014, 02:33:23 PM

I realize this goes years back and all, but weren't you the gent who reported Kaz's weird spiel about "beams of light shooting out of his head" or the like?

I mean, I know who you are/were in the bodybuilding publications: Rob Fortney. Even though you have a spat with one of the coolest Getbiggers around IMO, my man Wild Willie, I also know you're a decent dude (so is Willie, BTW; y'all just hit it off on the wrong hoof I think).

I could've sworn, or could swear, it was you that said that of Kaz. Now, I'm perhaps a little drunk -- celebration tonight, what can I say? -- but I'm also cogent enough to recall how a fellow with an almost identical writing style "marveled" at how someone Nasser's size struggled mightily with 315 on a standard BB incline.

I think marveled was the word. My photographic memory has lots of splotches, false images and instances of extremely poor focus, particularly when everyone around me is urging me on to join them in just one more Heineken. Ah, so cold, so good. Plus, it lessens the impending impact of my ball and chain, who will be here in probably <30 min.

Shhhh. That's strictly Getbigger talk!

Yep, that was me, all right. Kaz was talking about something kinda out of my realm of identification at that particular moment (you are correct: something about light from above helping pull him up or some such thing), but he was a great guy and very friendly.

And yeah, Nasser was pitiful in regards to strength ... at least when I watched/spotted him train.

BB · « **Reply #111 on:** April 04, 2014, 04:22:46 PM »

Kaz isn't horrible, he's just odd. One time you might get a very standoffish Kaz, other times you'll get a Kaz that will talk your ear off on a subject. No rhyme or reason to it.

gee38 · « **Reply #112 on:** April 04, 2014, 04:37:27 PM »

i think he is a great but his homosexuality put me off him to say the least. worst kept secret in WSM- him and geoff capes were as bad as each other

HavoX · « **Reply #113 on:** April 04, 2014, 05:08:19 PM »

Megalodon · « **Reply #114 on:** April 04, 2014, 05:11:23 PM »

Professional Powerlifting

Quote from: HavoX on April 04, 2014, 05:08:19 PM

Lol

irishdave · « **Reply #115 on:** April 04, 2014, 05:13:23 PM »

Quote from: gee38 on April 04, 2014, 04:37:27 PM

i think he is a great but his homosexuality put me off him to say the least. worst kept secret in WSM- him and geoff capes were as bad as each other

no way was bill gay

illuminati · « **Reply #116 on:** April 04, 2014, 05:28:01 PM »

Quote from: gee38 on April 04, 2014, 04:37:27 PM

i think he is a great but his homosexuality put me off him to say the least. worst kept secret in WSM- him and geoff capes were as bad as each other

Never heard a whisper or anything about this.
Would you care to explain or expand on your
comments.

Kim Jong Bob · « **Reply #117 on:** April 04, 2014, 05:38:27 PM »

Quote from: monopoly19 on September 06, 2012, 07:20:24 PM

Records have "long been broken"?? His raw PL numbers are still not far off what the current records are.

- He is wearing a "suit" for the squats, bench and DL were raw.

Guy was massively strong. If he was still in his prime today with the access athletes now have to strongman equipment, no doubt in my mind he'd still be winning titles. A true legend.

my friend was there and saw it live.he shook hands with kaz and said it was the biggest hands he ever seen

The Scott · « **Reply #118 on:** April 04, 2014, 06:34:46 PM »

I think Kaz would dominate today in much the same way Arnold would. They are who they are. Champions. And for the record, WSM is a fantastic sport. Those men are real strength athletes.

Darren Avey · « **Reply #119 on:** April 05, 2014, 05:40:50 AM »

Strong but no fucking way did he curl 400lbs!

BB · « **Reply #120 on:** April 05, 2014, 06:56:46 AM »

Quote from: Darren Avey on April 05, 2014, 05:40:50 AM

Strong but no fucking way did he curl 400lbs!

Yeah, that's not happening. Over the years it's changed in descriptions too, it use to be mid #300's for a cheat curl, then it was #400ish, now they've got it up to #440 in 1985, but I've never seen a reliable reference to it.

I think if it's ever picked apart, I think there will be some truth to it, but nowhere close #400+, it'll be something like a mid #300's Power Curl, which in turn, is more like a reverse grip Power Clean.

crownshep · « **Reply #121 on:** April 05, 2014, 07:45:41 AM »

Seeing as how this thread has popped up again,i wonder how many know that this years WSM contest was held a couple of weeks ago,instead of later in the year like it normally appears.I won`t post any results in case it spolis it for some.

kimo · « **Reply #122 on:** April 05, 2014, 10:43:34 AM »

kaz did drugs too. went from 275 pounds to 317 pounds in one year between 1978 and 1979 . anyway to my taste strongman is too much aerobic

BIG AL MCKECHNIE · « **Reply #123 on:** April 05, 2014, 10:54:47 AM »

Quote from: gee38 on April 04, 2014, 04:37:27 PM

i think he is a great but his homosexuality put me off him to say the least. worst kept secret in WSM- him and geoff capes were as bad as each other

I don't think Bill is gay. It's possible he is not interested in sex at all. He certainly didn't make a move on the ladies at the barbeques held in Scotland during the late 80's after the Highland games but on the other hand he didn't pursue any men either.

As for Geoff Capes, he is the biggest bullying kunt of all time. Back in the Britain's Strongest Man contest around 1980 he complained about every event and tried to bully the judges into changing decisions for the first few events. Pat Roach (6 ft 5, 270lb, judo black belt, pro wrestler and later movie hard man) was also competing and eventually lost the rag with Geoff and politely offered him extreme violence if he didn't shut the fuck up. Big hard bullying policeman Geoff did not utter another complaint for the duration.

Darren Avey · « **Reply #124 on:** April 05, 2014, 12:27:12 PM »

Capes turned down a large offer to fight Lenny Mclean in an all in