Lou Ferrigno - How strong was he?

[gib]

Very strong. But remember for most "lifts" used to measure strength, you need both skill, co-ordination and flexibility. Which Lou didn't have.

[oldtimer1]

Very strong. But remember for most "lifts" used to measure strength, you need both skill, co-ordination and flexibility. Which Lou didn't have.

What are you talking about? In the superstars competition against the greatest athletes of the day he won his heat beating them in baseball hitting and bowling.  He won the rowing race too.   

[Methyl m1ke]

What are you talking about? In the superstars competition against the greatest athletes of the day he won his heat beating them in baseball hitting and bowling.  He won the rowing race too.   

How dare you argue with getbigs resident financial overlord!

[pamith]

Standing preses with 205 while weighing 250 in Pumping Iron kicked hi ass.

I love it

[pamith]

Didn't he do pretty well in that strong man competition back in the 70s?

Yes he did

[pamith]

That's a good question...I can answer with a story that someone posted, but I forget who...once at Gold's Gym Venice, there was a normal-sized guy who loaded 800-lb on the squat rack...allegedly to squat it.  Obviously that had to have been a super strong normal-sized guy, so it drew a crowd, including Lou Ferrigno.

I think the guy ended up having the weight slip/fall off his back right away and smash all over the ground.  Something like that.  But the fact that Lou Ferrigno allegedly took a moment out of his workout to watch that fiasco is evidence to me that he considers an 800-lb squat to be very impressive.  If he was squatting 700 or 800 in his prime, I highly doubt he would care if anyone else did it, regardless of size, or regardless of anything, really.

Because of that - and because Lou is very tall which makes him a powerful guy, but not necessarily on the conventional strength lifts [basic compound movements = bench press, squat, deadlift].  I suspect he could have probably pulled a lot of weight from the knees [rack pull], or performed heavy dumbbell chest flies, but that his range of motion would limit him from moving big numbers.

I's sort of like Brock Lesnar having a 475-lb bench press.  That's very impressive for anyone, but it's particularly impressive for Brock, because he has an 84" wingspan/reach.  If you wanted to make an apples-to-apples comparison for upper body strength between Brock Lesnar and I, you would have to see much he could lift for a 70" reach.  I have a shorter range of motion, which helps my bench but hurts my deadlifts.

Being Lou's height, and being a bodybuilder whose goal was mass and not strength [as well as potential for injury], my guess is that he wouldn't have had super high numbers on the three main lifts, but would have still been a very strong guy.

That bench press claim is believable simply because Lou was massive - massive in all three [1] chest, [2] shoulders, and [3] triceps, which are the main muscles being used for bench press.  So despite his reach, yeah, I could believe Lou hitting a 560-lb bench.  But what I believe and what I can prove are two separate things.  Even if he did bench that much, I would assume it would have been in the gym with a bounce [rather than strict contest form], and I'd still need some actual proof.

I think it might have been Tom Prince who recounted the Gold's Venice story where the normal guy put 800-lb on the squat rack to squat it.  From what I recall, the guy was described as someone you wouldn't expect to be squatting 800.  So he could have been described as 5'9" and 210-lb, or 6'1" and 180-lb for all I know - but just a normal/fit guy, from what I recall from the post...or an older than what you would expect...so just not the kind of guy you'd expect to see squatting heavy.

And a crowd sort of covertly watched...not necessarily gathered around him, but just sort of paused what they were doing to look over his way, or peek.  And Lou Ferrigno was said to be one of the people at Gold's Venice that day, watching this happen, only for the guy to un-rack the weight and for it to all come smashing down to the ground.  Then again, if it was Tom Prince who posted this story online...Tom also claimed to have a Master's Degree in English Literature and teach students at the university where he lived.  That story turned out to be complete hooey.  Not remotely true.  I noticed Tom spelled "hundreds" as "100's" in one post, and I was like "There's no way that this guy has any degree in English."

And I was right.

I could see him lie to include Lou Ferrigno in a story like the one above, but I didn't doubt the story when I heard it...so I assumed if Lou would take notice of a guy squatting 800, that he probably didn't over 675-lb himself.  I mean...that's seven plates per side.  I'm just really not seeing that.

More likely, I suspect Lou was probably squatting with 405-lbg to 495-lb for reps in his heyday.  But again, what I believe and what I can prove are not the same thing.

I wouldn't be surprised if Lou's bench, squat, and deadlift were all in the mid-500's.

I feel like my blabbering on is not getting you an answer to your question.  So maybe this will help...Lou Ferrigno's documentary "Stand Tall" came out in 1997, when Lou was 45-46.  He's still in amazing shape in the documentary, and massive.  Since he goes through some of his training sessions in the documentary, that might give you an idea of some of his strength.  And don't assume he can do anything not shown.  Often people make claims but don't back them up when they have the opportunity too.  If Lou was extremely strong, he would have wanted to share those strength achievements in this documentary.

Watch it now, before Lou sues the Greek [I think] guy for $20 who uploaded it to YouTube:

Holy crap you go on and on and on...a lot of blah blah blah!

[pamith]

I believe Lou could deadlift 850 lbs in his prime

[Titus Pullo]

I love it

In fairness, I think he was doing standing presses with at least 225 on his first filmed set, after which he called for "teh moe pouns" on, as his training partner clarified, per side?, to which Lou clarified, "Eh!"

So, it would seem he was heaving 245+ on his "Ahnolt!  Ahnolt!" set. : )

Still, earlier in the movie, he definitely had no more than 205 on an incline when he told Matty, "Lemme complete uh fehr rep" before he gassed after a dozen or so reps.  Unimpressive, but I think that was probably filmed toward the end of a workout.  I sincerely doubt the lug could ever bench 500, but seeing as how many of us actual lifters could incline 205-225 for the set Louie did, I stand by my guess that he was worn out when he did that set. 

[pamith]

In fairness, I think he was doing standing presses with at least 225 on his first filmed set, after which he called for "teh moe pouns" on, as his training partner clarified, per side?, to which Lou clarified, "Eh!"

So, it would seem he was heaving 245+ on his "Ahnolt!  Ahnolt!" set. : )

Still, earlier in the movie, he definitely had no more than 205 on an incline when he told Matty, "Lemme complete uh fehr rep" before he gassed after a dozen or so reps.  Unimpressive, but I think that was probably filmed toward the end of a workout.  I sincerely doubt the lug could ever bench 500, but seeing as how many of us actual lifters could incline 205-225 for the set Louie did, I stand by my guess that he was worn out when he did that set.

I guess you have a point

[Fortress]

The internet says he benched 560 lbs

Not a chance.

Lou was never of the mind to lift that heavy. Ever.

I’d not think he ever exceeded mid-fours. At any time. 

During his comeback, when he was at his most gassed/biggest, he didn’t even barbell bench.

[Fortress]

I believe Lou could deadlift 850 lbs in his prime

No disrespect, but you’re SO out to lunch in matters of strength.

Lou never came within two-hundred pounds of an 850 dead.

He NEVER did the specific training to even kind of approach such an elite mark.

During his time, 850 was the domain of perhaps two or three top-flight superheavy powerlifters.

[pamith]

No disrespect, but you’re SO out to lunch in matters of strength.

Lou never came within two-hundred pounds of an 850 dead.

He NEVER did the specific training to even kind of approach such an elite mark.

During his time, 850 was the domain of perhaps two or three top-flight superheavy powerlifters.

You seem angry

[oldtimer1]

 I got some of the facts wrong on the superstars competition. I was working from memory and it was 1976. I think he got second in the push press in the finals with 325lbs taken off the squat racks.  The world record holder in the shot put Brian Oldfield beat him in the push press.

This gives the facts of the preliminaries. He competed against Hall of fame boxer Ken Norton. Hall of famer football player Lynn Swann and other athletes like undefeated full contact Karate champ Bill Wallace.

http://www.thesuperstars.org/comp/76pr4.html

This is the 1977 Worlds strongest man where Lou came in 4th. Here he is winning the bar bend competition.

This shows Lou winning the car deadlift competition. I bet he was good for 800lbs plus deadlift. He beat the powerlifters and Franco. They filled the trunk with plates.  It's later in the video.

[Walter Sobchak]

Two things I can tell you about Lou Ferrigno

He never benched 560 lbs

He has an aversion to telling the truth.

[keanu]

Lou lifted heavy when he was younger but his long limbs don't give him an advantage on lifts like bench press or shoulder press. His legs were undersized , he never worked them hard. Forget about big squat or deadlift numbers.  During his comeback he was a pure pumper using light weights for volume. All drugs.

[pamith]

560 lb bench 850 lb deadlift

[ChristopherA]

Holy crap you go on and on and on...a lot of blah blah blah!

He's def high af. Nobody sober could post that much run on bullshit

[Matt]

Holy crap you go on and on and on...a lot of blah blah blah!

Yeah, but I'm not buying it.  I think he probably had the genetics to be a 560-lb bench presser, but I have been following bodybuilding and reading bodybuilding history since 2000, and no videos of Lou being that strong have emerged.

He definitely looks like he could be a 560-lb bench presser.  But he's also very long-limbed.  And again - there's no evidence anywhere posted that I have seen.

Is it possible he lifted that much, or had the potential to?  Yes.  There's just no evidence.  What I believe is possible and what I can prove are two different things.

What makes you think he benched 560-lb?

[Matt]

He's def high af. Nobody sober could post that much run on bullshit

In my case, I have a massive text-based bodybuilding [article] website that goes back to 2003, with how many thousands of pages I wrote.  Then going back to 15, I was top in my keyboarding class.

It's just genetic, considering I typed this fast from almost as soon as I started using a keyboard.

You and I should just upload videos of us taking an online typing test.  If you saw how fast I typed, it would make sense.  You'd be typing at half my speed, and I'd be still typing faster than you if you were drinking coffee and I was sedated with something.  I'd bet any money on that one.

And that's what makes your being high statement so retarded - I could literally be half asleep and type faster than you if you were high on drugs [or just drinking coffee, for that matter].

It's funny to me that your brain operates so slowly that you are incapable of expressing your ideas to a keyboard anywhere near the rate I can, so you assume drugs.  So I process information faster than you do, so it must be drugs?

Yes, and Walter Sobchack says my lifts are the product of steroid use, and I have literally the thickest and fastest growing hair of any human being I've ever met.  I should take this as a compliment.  If I posted a video taking an online typing test, you'd see just how fast I churn out posts.

[Matt]

LOL...great timing for this video to auto-play...I was watching a video called "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" from the same channel, then this came on...

He was given Coke by the police, but wanted heroin.  Which Getbigger is this?:

[Mr Anabolic]

Standing preses with 205 while weighing 250 in Pumping Iron kicked hi ass.

He was curling 100lb dumbbells in one scene with his dad.

[Walter Sobchak]

In my case, I have a massive text-based bodybuilding [article] website that goes back to 2003, with how many thousands of pages I wrote.  Then going back to 15, I was top in my keyboarding class.

It's just genetic, considering I typed this fast from almost as soon as I started using a keyboard.

You and I should just upload videos of us taking an online typing test.  If you saw how fast I typed, it would make sense.  You'd be typing at half my speed, and I'd be still typing faster than you if you were drinking coffee and I was sedated with something.  I'd bet any money on that one.

And that's what makes your being high statement so retarded - I could literally be half asleep and type faster than you if you were high on drugs [or just drinking coffee, for that matter].

It's funny to me that your brain operates so slowly that you are incapable of expressing your ideas to a keyboard anywhere near the rate I can, so you assume drugs.  So I process information faster than you do, so it must be drugs?

Yes, and Walter Sobchack says my lifts are the product of steroid use, and I have literally the thickest and fastest growing hair of any human being I've ever met.  I should take this as a compliment.  If I posted a video taking an online typing test, you'd see just how fast I churn out posts.

Matt Aspy,

You are not special, you are special needs.

You self-diagnosed autism is really a spastic version of mild retardation.

As far as weightlifting or bodybuilding go, nothing you have done there is special, it’s farcical on its best day.

[Fortress]

You seem angry

I’m always angry.

[Fortress]

Lou likely could have pulled over eight and pressed into the fives/low sixes IF he focused on strength specificity.

But he never did.

There are a few folks here who haven’t much of a clue about upper-elite strength and numbers.

[pkaz]

I used to see Louie in World Gym Santa Monica while he was training for his first Hercules movie. 1980 ish. First off he was a loud mouth, 2nd he used to bench press 315 for a shitty 6 to 7 reps. And he was huge for that movie.