The Strongest: The 16 Strongest People of the Last Century

Since ancient times, people have tried in various ways to find out who is stronger. In every generation there were individuals whose capabilities far exceeded those around them. They surprised and aroused interest. Over time, such people began to perform in circuses and give separate performances. Then strength sports and special competitions such as powerlifting appeared.

The strongest people on the planet

N	Athlete	A country	Year of birth
1	Louis Cyr	Canada	1863
2	Victor Delamare	Canada	1888
3	Alexander Zass	Russia	1888
4	Paul Anderson	USA	1932
5	Bill Kazmaier	USA	1953
6	Dennis Rogers	USA	1958
7	Magnus Ver Magnusson	Iceland	1963
8	Andy Bolton	England	1970
9	Henry Mark	USA	1971
10	Becca Swanson	USA	1973
11	Elbrus Nigmatullin	Russia	1974
12	Zydrunas Savickas	Lithuania	1975
13	Mariusz Pudzianowski	Poland	1977
14	Mikhail Koklyaev	Russia	1978
15	Brian Shaw	USA	1982
16	Hafthor Bjornsson	Iceland	1988

Louis Cyr

He was born in 1863. Louis's height was 177 cm, and his chest circumference exceeded 135 cm. For several years, Sir worked as a police officer in the city of Montreal, but then left the service and went on tour with a troupe of wrestlers and strongmen. He toured a lot, showing the audience strength tricks, and took part in weightlifting and wrestling competitions. Louis Cyr surprised people with his capabilities, for example, he pushed a freight car up a hill and could pull four horses. His most famous record was lifting a platform with his back, while there were 18 people on it, its total weight exceeded 1960 kg.

Strong personalities are examples of famous people in Russia. Joy Mangano

History knows many strong personalities and examples of famous people, whose biography may well be a role model.

One of these is an American housewife named Joy Mangano, a real example of realizing the notorious American dream.

This woman was born with an inventive streak. She lived in poverty, went to work early, and her first job was a veterinary clinic. After watching naughty flea-infested dogs, Joy invented a flea collar that could glow in the dark.

But since I was a teenager, I was unable to bring my idea to life. Instead, it was done by a “senior comrade”, to whom the idea brought millions. The offended girl decided that next time she would definitely grab fate by the tail and become an example of people who achieved success from scratch.

A few years later, already being a mother with three children, she came up with a miracle mop. The device had a cotton rag and a simple wringer mechanism - if you have something similar in your home, then remember that we have to thank the ordinary American Joy Mangano for the self-wringing mop))

For the first batch of one hundred mops, the inventor collected money from friends, humiliated herself and begged. And then... in 20 minutes in the TV store she managed to sell 18,000 pieces. Today they are sold at ten million a year, and Joy has become one of the richest women businessmen - she has built an Empire for the development of useful little things for the household.

Victor Delamare

Victor was born in Canada in 1888. He was not tall and had huge muscles, but at the same time he surprised those around him with his physical capabilities. This man was able to climb a ladder with a horse in tow, break a quarter with two fingers, lift 140 kg with only one hand, and perform a one-finger push with a weight of 90 kg. When Delamare died and was autopsied, it was discovered that he had double tendons and a spine that was thicker than a normal person's.

Arguments from literature

(56 words) In D.I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor,” Starodum can serve as an example of fortitude. The hero meets a young officer who seems decent. However, war was soon declared, the protagonist’s friend evaded the defense of the Motherland and succeeded in the rear. Starodum went to the battlefield, was wounded and outflanked. But this incident did not break him and did not deprive him of faith in the triumph of truth.
(48 words) Erast, the hero of the story by N.M. Karamzin "Poor Liza", turned out to be a weak person, could not match the love of the peasant woman Liza. The young man, having seduced the girl and got his, squanders his fortune and decides to find himself a profitable match. Erast deceived Lisa and married someone else, and she drowned herself, so the hero’s powerlessness was punished by eternal pangs of conscience.
(54 words) Chatsky, hero of the comedy A.S. Griboyedov “Woe from Wit” is a truly strong man, he had the courage to go not only against one influential person, Famusov, but also against a crowd of his supporters. Chatsky preached truth, freedom, opposed veneration and lies. Everyone turned their backs on him, but Alexander still did not give up, isn’t this strength of spirit?
(59 words) In the novel in verse “Eugene Onegin” by A.S. Pushkin, the strength of the spirit is concentrated in Tatyana. Having fallen in love with Onegin, she was ready to do anything for him. The girl was not even afraid to confess, but this was unacceptable in the 19th century. The strength of spirit, the power of love overcame all obstacles, except one - the lack of reciprocal feelings. Tatyana remained unhappy, but she has a core and the truth is on her side.
(47 words) Mtsyri, the main character of the poem of the same name by M.Yu. Lermontov, yearned for his native Caucasus and freedom all his life. The hero had a goal: to live for real, at least for a moment, outside the monastery. And Mtsyri fled and tried to return to his native place. It didn’t work out for him, but this thirst for freedom reveals the strength of spirit in the hero.
(48 words) Pechorin, the main character of the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov’s “Hero of Our Time” is a strong-willed man. For example, when Grushnitsky started an unfair duel against him, Grigory was not afraid, but calmly brought the game to the end, punishing the scoundrel with death. This act is not at all merciful, but strong, because otherwise the hero himself would have died.
(52 words) The main character of the story M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin's "The Wise Minnow" is completely devoid of any spiritual strength, he was afraid of dangers all his life, and therefore did not live, but only existed in a hole without friends, love, simple joys. Because of his weakness, everything passed by the gudgeon, although his existence was long, but absolutely empty. Without strength of spirit there is no life.
(36 words) In the story by A.P. Chekhov's “Death of an Official”, the executor Chervyakov sneezed on General Bryzzhalov and was so frightened by the consequences of this accident that, in the end, he died of horror. Fear has deprived the hero of common sense, this is what weakness of spirit leads to.
(41 words) Andrei Sokolov, the main character of the story by M.A. Sholokhov’s “The Fate of Man” can be called a strong personality. He went to war because his homeland was in danger, he went through all its horrors, then captivity and a concentration camp. Sokolov is a real hero, although he himself never understood his strength.
(60 words) Vasily Terkin, the hero of the poem of the same name by A.T. Tvardovsky, fortitude is combined with humor and ease, as if it costs nothing for a fighter to do things that few modern people can repeat without fear and posturing. For example, the chapter “Duel” tells about the hero’s confrontation with a German: the enemy is fattened, better prepared, but Vasily won, and this victory occurred solely on moral and volitional qualities, because of fortitude.

Alexander Zass

Alexander Zass first gained fame in England. The world recognized him under the name “Iron Samson”. This man did not have outstanding physical parameters - his height was only 167 cm, and his weight was about 80 kg. Alexander performed in the circus all his life, performing various acts: he caught a cannonball fired from a cannon, lifted a horse, hammered nails with his hands, carried a piano with girls sitting on it. One of his most famous achievements was carrying an iron beam to the top of a building with his teeth.

The most powerful - the strongest kick in football

The strongest football kick belongs to the excellent football player and one of the most handsome men in the world, David Beckham. Back in 1997, the ball flew into the Chelsea goal at a speed of about 156 km per hour, and the goalkeeper, after such a powerful blow, could only throw up his hands. The famous football player ended his sports career on May 16, 2013.

Paul Edward Anderson

This man set many records during his life and won gold at the Olympics in 1956. He became famous for his squat with a barbell that weighed 567 kg, and this record was achieved without the use of special equipment or doping. Anderson was also included in the Guinness Book of Records as the person who lifted the greatest weight in history - 2844 kg. Another of his achievements was recorded - Anderson was able to lift a weight of 172 kg with one hand above his head.

Ability to read people

Strong character is the ability not to be offended, and for this you need to correctly read people's intentions. To truly understand them you need only two things:

Listen and don’t think too much. Conducting internal dialogues, searching for hidden meaning behind a banal smile or an open door in front of you is often misleading. It may simply be politeness, which is perceived as sympathy.
Observe. Often a person gives signals, intentionally or unconsciously, which, if ignored, lead to misunderstandings. For example, a guy constantly says that he would really like to meet and postpones the meeting every time. This indicates that there is not much desire in him. Or a girl who constantly showers her with praise, flirts and at the same time asks to replace her at work, to perform some duties for her, is actually a skilled manipulator.

Bill Kazmaier

Kazmaier was the first to win the title of Strongest Man three times in a row. Kazmaier was very strong and practically invincible, and the organizers of the competition, so that other athletes also had a chance to win, decided to remove Bill from participation in the competition. The records he set in 1981 lasted for quite a long time, for example, a bench press of 300 kg.

Dennis Rogers

This man is not distinguished by his outstanding dimensions and huge muscles; Dennis has an average build. However, this man has remarkable strength. He is capable of bending a steel rod, tearing a reference book containing more than one and a half thousand pages, and easily breaking handcuffs. Rogers' most spectacular stunts include hammering a nail into a frying pan on a wooden board with his fist.

Magnus Ver Magnusson

This man managed to win the title of the strongest man on our planet four times, moreover, he climbed to the second step of the podium twice more. Magnus has never been known for his huge muscles and powerful physique. Weighing only 130 kg, he did not look very powerful compared to his competitors, but often beat them. Among other things, Magnus received the title of the strongest man in Iceland 8 times.

What makes a person strong

Every person has noticed that some people are self-confident and successful, always keeping their mark, while others, having everything for complete happiness, continue to complain about life. They sometimes try to appear successful and strong individuals, but every new attempt to get closer to the goal ends in nothing, and they do not have the spirit and willpower to take a new leap to get closer to the goal.

Why is this happening? The secret is simple! The first type includes a strong-willed person who has certain beliefs, habits and principles. They do not change their behavior in any situation, unlike the second type of people. They do not need to pretend or pretend that everything is fine for them - this is visible to the naked eye. An interesting fact is that strong personalities are usually simple and open people.

Habits of strong people

Each person with a strong character has his own rules, principles and habits. The main ones include:

enjoy the little things (you shouldn’t expect praise and sincere emotions from someone; your own, even small, achievements are a reason for joy);
do not speak judgmentally about others (strong people know that everyone has advantages and disadvantages, but confident people simply have no time to monitor others and compare someone with someone else);
are not afraid to say “no” (they do it clearly and confidently, without unnecessary explanations and “lisping”);
they listen a lot, talk a little (they don’t need to try to prove something with words, they will quickly do an action that will speak for itself);
are expressed clearly and distinctly (a person who cannot express his thoughts concisely is unlikely to be able to convince his subordinates or partners).

Motivation of strong people

Many people want to change their lives for the better, but not everyone knows how to become a strong person. Some tips to help you become stronger:

break with the past and burn bridges (realizing that there will be no way to retreat, a person automatically begins to move forward, first slowly, then faster and faster);
increase motivation (visual aids depicting a goal work best);
spend your free time in the company of people with a positive attitude (such individuals charge you with cheerfulness and inspire you to implement your plans);
engage in self-inspiration (listening to audio recordings, reading books, watching films that increase motivation - this is very useful on the way to achieving the goal);
get rid of negative emotions and sources of information (spend time with kind people and family, put things in order in your life and home);
get rid of old clothes (you need to correspond to the new status and gradually realize what it means to be a strong person);
act (having decided on goals, you need to immediately begin to implement them without looking back, from now on - only forward).

Mark Henry

Henry is the only one who was able to simultaneously receive the title of winner of a powerlifting competition in America, as well as win in weightlifting. The records set by this man in powerlifting without equipment have still not been broken by anyone: in squats he was able to lift a weight of over 430 kg, and in the deadlift - more than 400. Among other things, Mark Henry became the winner of the Arnold Classic. His achievements also include the fact that he managed to squeeze the famous Thomas Inch dumbbell with one hand. However, Henry left powerlifting and switched to wrestling.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

In the modern world, the most famous strongman is the American Arnold Schwarzenegger (born 1947). While still very young, he managed to win honorary awards and became a winner in various competitions.

Every day his popularity grew, and soon Iron Arnie became the idol of millions of boys. He had a magnificent body with perfect proportions.

When Schwarzenegger appeared on stage, along with other bodybuilders, all the public's attention was focused on his figure. Over time, he began starring in films, many of which became cinema classics.

Even today, when he is already in his eighties, Arnold still remains in excellent shape.

Elbrus Nigmatullin

There are strong men in our country too. For a long time, Nigmatullin was considered the strongest man in Russia. He is a native of the Chelyabinsk region. Elbrus began playing sports at about the age of 12, when he himself equipped a gym in his yard. Elbrus has repeatedly set records in the traction of various vehicles. Also, one of his achievements is that he was able to stretch a cargo ship weighing 760 tons 20 meters along the Agidel River.

Ivan Poddubny

Perhaps everyone knows this name. This eminent athlete became the best strongman in Russia and beyond. However, his stellar career began with defeat, for sure, and spurred him on to achieve all those countless victories and results that the athlete achieved. An interesting fact is that Poddubny’s sports career lasted for 40 years, and he lost only once. In addition, Ivan completely abandoned nicotine, alcohol and other bad habits.

He approached his training with special attention, sparing neither effort nor time; lifting weights weighing almost 40 kg and barbells weighing more than 100 kg was his daily norm. In addition, Ivan also performed in the circus, as a weight lifter and wrestler. Poddubny was feared not only in Russia, but also abroad. Just look at the comments of eyewitnesses after the fights with the great Roald de Boucher. He enjoyed it not only in Europe, but also in America, where he filled the halls. Ivan is a six-time world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation and Honored Master of Sports of the USSR.

Zydrunas Savickas

Zydrunas is a native of Lithuania. He was able to become the strongest man on the planet four times and win the Arnold Classic championship 8 times. Savickas is the only man to have won every major strength competition. The personal records of this strongman include a squat with a weight of 400 kg without using equipment, a deadlift without equipment of 407 kg, and a bench press of 285 kg.

Mikhail Koklyaev

Koklyaev was born in the Chelyabinsk region. At the age of 13, Mikhail began playing sports, choosing weightlifting; as an adult, he became the national champion in deadlift. Koklyaev won the champion title in this sport 8 times. Mikhail lifted a barbell in the clean and jerk, the weight of which was 250 kg. After finishing his career in weightlifting, Koklyaev switched to extreme strength sports, where he also achieved fame and success. He set more than one strength record, for example, by moving a bus and pulling it several meters behind him.

Becca Swenson

As you know, a woman is born to break rules and destroy stereotypes. One such famous and great woman is Becca Stevenson. She received the title of the strongest woman on the planet. In addition to her title, she is a record holder for lifting a barbell weighing 387 kg from a sitting position. Even men cannot break this record. In addition, Becca is the only representative of the fairer sex who managed to lift 270 kg from a prone position and 310 in a deadlift . Today, Becca continues to play sports, but pays special attention to her family.

Brian Shaw

Brian was born in 1982. Shaw was one of the top three in the Strongest Man competition five times. Brian also won it three times. He set a record of lifting more than 500 kg in a deadlift with tires, and he also owns another achievement: deadlifting 440 kg using straps. He was also able to squat with a weight of more than 370, and this man’s bench press record exceeded 240 kg. Shaw has won the Arnold Classic twice.

Joe Rollino

American Joe Rollino (1905-2010) is the oldest strongman in the world. He lived to be 104 years old, dying in a car accident.

Interestingly, Dundee did not eat meat, remaining a vegetarian until the end of his days, and also abstained from alcohol. Perhaps thanks to this he was able to achieve such fantastic results.

At one time, Joe was the absolute king of the ring, winning all boxing matches. Surprisingly, with a height of 165 cm and a weight of 68 kg, he knocked out opponents of any weight category.

Dundee could lift 300kg off the ground with just one finger. He gained worldwide popularity after lifting 500 kg in 1920 as a 15-year-old teenager.

Until the end of his days, Rollino remained in excellent shape and was considered one of the strongest men in the world.

When Joe turned 104, he could still bend a coin with his bare hands, which seems incredible for that age.