The Strongest Man who ever lived

[kimo]

cyr kazmaier and savickacs i guess . .

[Melkor]

I suppose it depends on what you define "strong" as. In it's technical sense, strength is the ability to produce force. In that regard, powerlifters are the absolute "strongest", as their sport is entirely based around the production of force. So therefore, the strongest most complete athlete would be the powerlifter with the greatest total. But this itself opens up a whole other debate due to the various stipulations involved in powerlifting.

Don Reinhoudt still holds the all-time raw total in powerlifting, set 40 years ago - unreal that it still stands today. But guys like Malanichev and Mark Henry have surpassed that using knee wraps for their squat attempts.

I suppose all things considered, Mark Henry would have to be the most legitimate contender. Not only is he one of the all time powerlifting greats (biggest ever raw, drug-free total with wraps) he was also a top level Olympic lifter and has the biggest total between the power and olympic lifts EVER. He also won the Arnold Strongman Classic to round it out. Who knows what he could have achieved if he kept lifting (he retired at 26) and especially if he had specialised in just one sport.

[kimo]

THEY SAY HE WAS DRUG FREE .  too bad henry bench press was so average . yes kaz was on dope . he admitted . how about guys like marius pudz or savickacs . things is the drugs wel what difference with them

[oldgolds]

I suppose it depends on what you define "strong" as. In it's technical sense, strength is the ability to produce force. In that regard, powerlifters are the absolute "strongest", as their sport is entirely based around the production of force. So therefore, the strongest most complete athlete would be the powerlifter with the greatest total. But this itself opens up a whole other debate due to the various stipulations involved in powerlifting.

Don Reinhoudt still holds the all-time raw total in powerlifting, set 40 years ago - unreal that it still stands today. But guys like Malanichev and Mark Henry have surpassed that using knee wraps for their squat attempts.

I suppose all things considered, Mark Henry would have to be the most legitimate contender. Not only is he one of the all time powerlifting greats (biggest ever raw, drug-free total with wraps) he was also a top level Olympic lifter and has the biggest total between the power and olympic lifts EVER. He also won the Arnold Strongman Classic to round it out. Who knows what he could have achieved if he kept lifting (he retired at 26) and especially if he had specialised in just one sport.

              Drug free, ya sure, they all say that..

[Simple Simon]

Hercules of course.

[Melkor]

              Drug free, ya sure, they all say that..

He has been tested numerous times by several powerlifting organisations and the US Weightlifting Federation and the US Olympic Committee. He has never failed a drug test. He was also very outspoken about drug use in Olympic Weightlifting during his time as a competitor and vowed to quit after the 96 games because he said the sport was too dirty.

Obviously nobody can be certain but I believe that Mark Henry was a drug free athlete. He is just a genetic freak in terms of his suitability toward strength sports. He was 225 lbs when he was around 10 years old. He was also squatting over 600 pounds in his freshman year at high school (aged around 15?).

[Darren Avey]

Henrys bench was average? What was it exactly?

[Melkor]

Henrys bench was average? What was it exactly?

Mid to high 500s. He did 518 in a three lift meet as part of his best ever raw total in a drug-tested meet. Only a moron could say that Henry had an average bench. When you consider his squat and deadlift numbers, to bench over 500 pounds is unreal.

[kimo]

thanks for the moron to bench 520 pounds at 380 bwt is not much . he was not great as a weightlifter . was better in the power three ...

[Rami]

Just imagine their joints, vertebra and innards every time they go for a record. It's interesting they have yet to reach the limit for what the human structure can withstand, but they must be getting closer. Good thing they are natural or they would probably be much closer to the limit.

[Melkor]

thanks for the moron to bench 520 pounds at 380 bwt is not much . he was not great as a weightlifter . was better in the power three ...

He has actually benched 585 in competition. His 520 was done as part of his record breaking total for one competition.

Firstly, I don't care how much you weigh, a 585 pound raw bench press in a three lift meet is unreal. The whole "pound for pound" strength argument becomes less relevant when the weights reach such poundages.

Secondly, for a lifter who specialised in the deadlift and the squat, to be able to simultaneously build his bench press up to almost 600 pounds is WAY above average. Rarely does a lifter excel in all three lifts, such is the nature of the sport.

And as far as not being a great weightlifter, sure he wasn't Olympic gold material, but he was the best Olympic lifter in the US for most of the nineties. Plus in all likelihood he was a drug free athlete (unlike other Olympic competitors).

[SuperTed]

Henry was awesome but drug free? Lets get real.

[Melkor]

Henry was awesome but drug free? Lets get real.

Definitely believable. Obviously can't say for sure but the guy was 225 pounds when he was 10 years old. Was squatting 600 pounds when he was 15. Only ever competed in drug tested federations and meets. And because he was on the Olympic team from 92 - 96 was subject to random drug tests by the US Olympic committee. And he was very open about other countries athletes using drugs at the 96 Olympics and said he would quit the sport afterwards because of it, which he did.

Like I said, you can't prove he was or wasn't but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he wasn't. In fact I'd be more surprised if he was using drugs during his career.

[hazbin]

Henry was awesome but drug free? Lets get real.

he's lucky, I had to pay for all of mine.

[SuperTed]

Definitely believable. Obviously can't say for sure but the guy was 225 pounds when he was 10 years old. Was squatting 600 pounds when he was 15. Only ever competed in drug tested federations and meets. And because he was on the Olympic team from 92 - 96 was subject to random drug tests by the US Olympic committee. And he was very open about other countries athletes using drugs at the 96 Olympics and said he would quit the sport afterwards because of it, which he did.

Like I said, you can't prove he was or wasn't but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he wasn't. In fact I'd be more surprised if he was using drugs during his career.

He was a genetic beast no doubt. But so is every elite strength athlete.
Its not like Henry would have been the first PED using athlete to have passed multiple tests. Nor would he the first PED using athlete to openly take an anti-drug stance.

Did he quit Olympic lifting because of the drug usage or because it wasn't his strongest field? I'd guess the latter even if Henry claimed the former.

Fact is the guy competed against the juiced the gills, genetic elite and often came up on top. Not to mention later becoming a pro wrestler where gear use is almost a requirement due to the intensity of the profession.
Overall, I find it very difficult to believe he did all this without so much as even a few orals in his system.

Could he have been natural? I guess so. Stranger things have happened.
Do I think he was natural? Hell no!

[SuperTed]

he's lucky, I had to pay for all of mine.

 

[Melkor]

He was a genetic beast no doubt. But so is every elite strength athlete.
Its not like Henry would have been the first PED using athlete to have passed multiple tests. Nor would he the first PED using athlete to openly take an anti-drug stance.

Did he quit Olympic lifting because of the drug usage or because it wasn't his strongest field? I'd guess the latter even if Henry claimed the former.

Fact is the guy competed against the juiced the gills, genetic elite and often came up on top. Not to mention later becoming a pro wrestler where gear use is almost a requirement due to the intensity of the profession.
Overall, I find it very difficult to believe he did all this without so much as even a few orals in his system.

Could he have been natural? I guess so. Stranger things have happened.
Do I think he was natural? Hell no!

Fair enough, at least we agree he was one of the strongest humans of all time during his prime. Imagine if he had focused 100% on powerlifting and was openly on anything he could get his hands on?

[SuperTed]

Fair enough, at least we agree he was one of the strongest humans of all time during his prime. Imagine if he had focused 100% on powerlifting and was openly on anything he could get his hands on?

He could have some ridiculous numbers if he had focused purely on one discipline. However, injuries can always prevent lifters from reaching their true potential.