I have posted about strongman before and I often have links to useful sites. If you’re interested, check out my top 10 website resources for strongman. I also love watching World’s Strongest Man on television – it’s probably the highlight of my televiewing year – and I enjoy using strongman equipment in my workouts, especially when the weather is nice and I can use the garden.
And not only has it been an enjoyable experience for me, training wise, it’s produced some fun blog posts too, including:
- how to make simple farmers’ walk bars;
- how to make (more complicated) farmer’s walk bars;
- how to make a cheap sandbag;
- training with sandbags (lifting and loading);
- how to make a fat bar (for axle deadlifts, cleans and presses).
However, please note that I don’t compete and I don’t profess to any inside knowledge. That aside, I hope you enjoy this article.
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Review of the 1980 and 1982 Worlds’ Strongest Man Finals
Following my post on Monday about the World’s Strongest Man 1980s, here is the first set of reviews.
This is a quick look at the events of the 1980 and 1982 World’s Strongest Man (I don’t have the 1981 episode because the footage isn’t on the DVD collection). If you want to buy the DVD collection, you can find it here
The World’s Strongest Man DVDs
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1980 Playboy Mansion (Winner: Kazmaier)
This year’s contest was held at the Playboy Mansion so it was quite distracting, with all the bunnies wandering around in the background. However, you’ll be pleased to hear that I did manage to concentrate for most of the programme.
During the introductions to the contestants, I noted with some amusement that Geoff Capes was the only one smiling and jigging about nervously. Even before he spoke, you could tell he wasn’t American. He has a huge amount of charm and a genuinely warm character that gets everyone rooting for him.
Capes also looked as thin as I have ever seen him on TV. Later on, after one of the events, he tells the commentator that he’ll be happy with a mid-range placing and he’ll be coming back next year about 15lbs heavier. In fact, he finished third overall and by 1982 weighed 20lbs heavier.
The contest was sponsored by British Meat and the prize was presented by a very amenable and chatty Henry Cooper.
- Log lift: Kazmaier and Hedlund shared first place in this event. I thought Lars Hedlund actually looked smoother and easier over the whole lift, although the press was clearly very easy for both of them.
- Weight for height: Capes was thought to be favourite to take the weight for height but a mistake pushed him down into third place. Dolegiewicz took first and Kazmaier second.
- Truck pull: The truck pull was a 7.25 quarter tonnes and it was obvious that the bigger guys had an advantage getting it moving. Dean took first, Reinhoudt second and Capes was pushed into third despite moving quickly once the momentum was established.
- Wheelbarrow: The wheelbarrow saw Capes and Kazmaier racing each other in the same heat, pushing each other to get first for Kazmaier and second for Capes. Hedlund came third despite not having the same competitive pacing.
- Bar bending: The bar bending yielded some simian noises as the contestants battled with the 11/16 inch diameter bar. Kazmaier was the only contestant to finish and he strolled around with it around his neck like a medallion as the others failed. Capes came close, however, to get second and Hedlund a distant third.
- Freezer carry: Hedlund looked very stable in the freezer carry but Capes just pipped him to the post, again, by racing Kazmaier. Kazmaier took second and Hedlund third. Hedlund watched their performance with a wry disappointment, drawing on a cigarette.
- Block lift: The block lift created some controversy as Capes moved his feet laterally during the lift. His lift was disqualified but he was given another chance. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete it again. Kazmaier took first and Hedlund second.
- Silver dollar deadlift: Hedlund failed at 906lbs for third place on the silver dollar deadlift and Kazmaier lifted 956lbs easily to win, ahead of Kidney.
- Battery hold: Jerry Hannan, Olympic lifter, surprised everyone by winning the battery hold, with Graham and Kazmaier coming in second and third. Not a strong event for Capes, who struggled.
- Tug of war: The tug of war came down to a final between Kazmaier and Capes. Capes apparently gave up after a long stalemate that tested both men. The commentator suggested that Kazmaier had psyched him out but I suspect that with no motivation to win, Capes had no real drive to continue.
You can see Kazmaier beating Hedlund in the tug of war on YouTube here:
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1982 California (Winner: Kazmaier)
Held again in Magic Mountain, California, this year’s contest was strange as the only non-American competitors were Geoff Capes (UK) and Tom Magee (Canada). Without the European contestants, the line-up was filled with football players who were clearly not in the same league as the real strongmen. This is the year that Kazmaier makes the bold claim, that he is “the strongest man who ever lived”.
The contest was sponsored by British Beef and the prize was presented by Olympic gold medallist hammer thrower, Harold Connolly.
- Truck pull: The truck pull was controversial because no-one finished in the yellow lane until Capes raced with Kazmaier at the end. The trucks were bigger than in 1980 and the distance seemed longer. Capes looked incredibly stable as he went back for a pull in the blue lane for second place behind Kazmaier.
- Log lift: In the log lift, Capes managed a 320lbs log, which was a personal best up from 312lbs. Kazmaier took first, ahead of Tom Magee and Ernie Hackett.
- Weight for height: The weight for height was expected to be hotly contested between Capes and Kazmaier, Capes being the world record holder from 1981 and Kazmaier expecting to clear 18ft for a new world record. In fact, Capes hit the bar on the way down from one of his throws, leaving Kazmaier free to take first place. When he did throw, however, his throw cleared the bar by so much it was clear that 18ft was no empty boast.
- Bar bending: This year, in the bar bending, it was Capes who closed his bar in the first few seconds, leaving the others sweating and grunting in his wake. Again, the bar was 11/16 inches so it seems odd that Kazmaier should be unable to complete what he easily achieved in 1980.
- Caber toss: Capes had a bitter disappointment in the caber toss and was eliminated early on. Dave Waddington took first place with a new course record.
- Lorry loading: The keg loading really punished the competitors and the football players did well against the strongmen. However, Tom Magee took first with an amazing effort that reminded me of vintage Manfred Hoeberl. He had the same sort of physique and off-the-mark sprinting approach.
- Battery lift: Gamble and Hackett took first and second in the battery lift as Capes came last.
- Block lift: In the block lift, Capes tore his rotator cuff and Kazmaier hurt his thigh. Waddington and Magee both lifted 955lbs where Kazmaier was injured. They both bit off more than they could chew attempting a new world record of 1,001lbs and came joint first.
- Silver dollar deadlift: In the silver dollar deadlift, Magee lifted 925lbs but was defeated by Hackett and Kazmaier with 975lbs. Both men went on to lift 1,055lbs and failed at 1,085lbs.
- Sumo: In the sumo, while Kazmaier made it to the finals, guaranteeing his overall victory, it was nice to watch him getting handled like a baby by American footballer Marsh. And while I can’t find any footage of that great moment, here is a video of Kazmaier defeating Waddington.
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