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In the 1980s, Kazmaier became famous for his claim to be "the strongest man who ever lived" by equaling and surpassing spectacular and versatile feats of strength of famous strongmen of the 20th century.
- Brian Shaw – Strongman. BORN: USA, 1982. HEIGHT: 6’8″ WEIGHT: 435 LBS. Shaw, a four-time WSM winner (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016), has posted bests of 1,014 pounds in the deadlift and 1,140 pounds in the Hummer tire deadlift in competition (with straps).
- Leonid Taranenko – Weightlifter. BORN: USSR, 1956. HEIGHT: 5’11” WEIGHT: 260 LBS. Taranenko set the world record in weightlifting for the clean and jerk (266 kilograms, or 58.2 pounds) and total (475 kilograms, or 1,045 pounds) way back in 1988—an eon in weightlifting years—and these records still stand today.
- Andy Bolton – Powerlifter. BORN: ENGLAND, 1970. HEIGHT: 6′ WEIGHT: 350 LBS. Britain’s Andy Bolton is the first man in history to have deadlifted 1,000 pounds.
- Brian Siders – Powerlifter. BORN: USA, 1978. HEIGHT: 6’2″ WEIGHT: 345 LBS. Siders belongs on this impressive list for his overall strength–he excels in all three powerlifts with personal bests of 1,019 pounds in the squat, 799 pounds on the bench, and a deadlift of 865 pounds for a 2,651-pound total.
- Bruce Wilhelm
- Don Reinhoudt
- Bill Kazmaier
- Geoff Capes
- Jón Páll Sigmarsson
- Jamie Reeves
- Magnús Ver Magnússon
- Ted Van Der Parre
- Gary Taylor
- Jouko Ahola
The inaugural World’s Strongest Man contest was held at Universal Studios, California, in 1977 and featured a hodgepodge of impressive athletes, including bodybuilders like Franco Columbu and Lou Ferrigno, professional wrestler/weightlifter Ken Patera, and NFL player Bob Young. [Read More: The 17 Best Chest Exercises for Big Pecs and a Strong Ben...
Following his runner-up placing in 1978, IPF World PowerliftingChampion Don Reinhoudt finished the 1970s as the only other winner of the nascent WSM competition with a victory in ’79. He competed in the WSM the following year for a final time, placing ninth. Though Reinhoudt didn’t have much of a reign on the top, the 1979 contest is notable for th...
With a new decade underway, Bill Kazmaier staked his claim as strongman’s first major superstar thanks to his dominance at the WSM from 1980 to 1982. The intensity in his eyes and charisma in front of the camera was enough for the powerlifter to garner an incredible fanbase, and he’s still the measuring stick for all other crossover strongmanstars ...
Thanks in part to Kazmaier’s absence in 1983, England’s Geoff Capes became the first non-American to win the title in 1983, edging out the upstart Jón Páll Sigmarsson by 1.5 points. This was also the first WSM to be held outside the United States, but it would be far from the last. Capes regained the title in 1985, again beating Sigmarsson by 1.5 p...
Iceland’s Jón Páll Sigmarsson finally got the monkey off his back by securing his first title in 1984 and another in 1986, both of which were in convincing fashion. There was no WSM contest held in 1987, but fans were treated to the first fantasy matchupin the sport’s history in 1988 when Kazmaier returned to challenge Sigmarsson for the throne. [R...
Hailing from the UK, Jamie Reeves took home the prize at the 12th WSM contest after his third-place finish the year before. Reeves clinched the top spot by five points over runner-up Ab Wolders, and he managed to topple both Sigmarsson (third) and Kazmaier (fourth) by the time all was said and done. Reeves landed on the WSM podium just one more tim...
A new crop of competitors emerged in the ‘90s, but one theme remained: an Icelandic strongman would dominate. Sigmarsson wasn’t competing anymore, but young Magnús Ver Magnússonwas ready to take the torch from his fellow countryman and run with it. [Read More: The Best Supplements for Muscle Growth] Magnússon won his first title in 1991 but spent t...
Ted van der Parre of the Netherlands stood in the way of Ver Magnússon’s dominance in 1992, becoming the tallest man to ever winthe title at 6’10”. Though van der Parre won a trio of Strongest Man of the Netherlands crowns, he only appeared in one more WSM in 1994. Unfortunately, he had to bow out of that one early due to an injury. As of 2023, he ...
One year after van der Parre won as the tallest competitor, six-foot-tall Gary Taylor claimed the championship as the shortest man to stand atop the podium, according toGuinness World Records. [Read More: The Ultimate 10-Week Powerbuilding Workout Routine for Mass and Strength] Unfortunately for Taylor, he was unable to move past the qualifying hea...
Jouko Ahola burst onto the WSM scene in 1997 with a dominant four-point victory over runner-up Flemming Rasmussen. Most surprising is the fact that Magnússon was eliminated in the qualifying heat, ending his historic reign. Ahola kept the momentum going with a runner-up spot in 1998 and his second WSM title in 1999. During this time, he also won tw...
- Bruce Wilhelm (1977, 1978) Bruce Wilhelm began his professional career as an Olympic weightlifter, and was highly successful in that sport as well. He won a silver medal for the United States at the 1975 Pan-American Games in Mexico City in the +110 kg division, and placed 5th at the 1976 Olympic Games.
- Don Reinhoudt (1979) Don Reinhoudt came from a successful powerlifting background, having won four IPF World Championships between 1973-1976. He then crossed over to Strongman in 1978 and got a silver medal.
- Bill Kazmaier (1980, 1981, 1982) The year 1980 saw the rise of one of the most Iconic Strongman athletes in history. Bill Kazmaier broke through and won three consecutive World’s Strongest Man titles, becoming the first man in history to do so.
- Geoff Capes (1983, 1985) As Bill Kazmaier opted not to defend his title for the third time the British representative, Geoff Capes, won two World’s Strongest Man competitions in 1983 and 1985.
Oct 3, 2023 · Peter Bohler. He’s climbed the 1,300-foot Moonlight Buttress in Zion National Park, the 2,500-foot El Sendero Luminoso in Mexico, and the nearly 3,000-foot El Capitan in Yosemite. And he’s done...
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Icelandic: [ˈhafθour ˈjuːlijʏs ˈpjœr̥sɔn] ⓘ; transliterated as Hafthor in English; born 26 November 1988) is an Icelandic professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. [2][3] He is the first and only person to have won the Arnold Strongman Classic ...
Aug 29, 2023 · PAUL ANDERSON. He is often regarded as one of the strongest men in history. Anderson was a weightlifter and powerlifter who achieved incredible feats of strength, including a backlift of 6,270 pounds. American Paul Anderson (1932-94) won the super-heavyweight gold medal in weightlifting at the 1956 Olympics, setting records.
