I had the privilege of meeting Paul Anderson at the Bartow Florida Civic Center in 1970 when I was 8 years old. I was in awe of his presence but one thing I will never forget is how humble he was. He will always have my respect as a man and role model.
@@johnnytest4226 i know u most likely are a weak man. Mentally and physically. But there is some strong men out there naturally kiddo. Now shut your bitch ass up.
I met Paul Anderson in about 1976 or 77! There are really too many people these days that have never heard of him. Shoot even back in the mid 70's I had never heard of him until he visited our church and put on a demonstration.
I remember Paul Anderson from when I was a kid. I knew he was a big man and a world record holder. We went to church a lot when I was a kid. I remember him from church news. Thanks for doing the story. Brought back some memories good memories
I was born in toccoa and I bet you know my parents. Bryan Stokes is my dad. He knew Paul fairly well and I got to meet Paul twice. He was a big influence to everyone that met him.
I saw Paul at Fort Campbell, KY in 1969. The man was a phenom. He lifted nine men on an oaken table on his back. After showing his incredible strength he spoke about Jesus Christ and claimed that his strength came from his Lord and Savior.What a godly man...
No drugs, No belt, No wraps...And to top it all he just flat out press the weight over his head...no technique! He is or was a freak of nature and by all accounts a great human being!
at first i thought what was so special about lifting/pressing 300/400 pounds, they do allot more today. Then i saw the way he lifted it, there is very little technique in the press he just pushes it up with strenght, almost like he's doing reps in the gym,,, amazing.
I saw Paul when I was 15 He lifted 12 guys ona platform at Prince Ave Baptist Church. I loved lifting since then. A man his size saved my life by stopping a run away car on a hill alone with his bare strength, I was 3 or 4 at the time. In Jan '84 after the Ga Cotton Bowl victory in Texas (10 to 9) I damaged my rotator cuff and for 2.5 months I could barely lift the bar. But in those next 3 weeks my connective tissue got stronger than its ever been and I was able to press 405 like the 45 lb bar as if it was paper. My left presses were easily around 800. For the next couple of years I was at my best. In '93 I was away from it a long time but lifted a safe for a bank over 1600 lbs. I had spent more time lifting weights than sleep. Anderson credited all his strength the Jesus and I too. Never touching a steroid or anything to add performance. Just eating high protein of about 6-8000 calories a day, resting 48 hrs between the same work outs and warming up slowly. To me strength can mean the difference between saving a life or not.
It was in September of 1975 Fort Bliss Texas, We had a mandatory Battalion assembly, Paul Anderson was on stage, where he was showing his Incredible strength, he had a 250 lb dumbbell, were he picked it up in his left hand, like doing a double arm interval with one arm levitated it straight out shoulder High as if he's picking up a baby. he then asked if anybody like to come and pick it up and see if was a legit weight, couple guys went to pick it up and they couldn't, only when they use both hands they could pick it up the floor. about 10 in, then he took a calisthenic wooden support exercising platform, and took three guys per side which equals 12 and I swear that every one of them weighed more 150 lb and he crawled underneath it and lifted up on his shoulders and he lifted it one foot off the floor, after many other demonstrations he asked if anybody like to come up for he,,, could shake our hands,! I got in line, to shake his hand, when done I look at my hand in his hand and It look like a three year old holding their dad's hand. I noticed that he had a brief case that was open and I glanced over at it, and I think he had like 5 Snickers candy bars with 3 Coca-Cola's, which he replied that was his snacks😁 one of the many greatest moments being in the Army, very very proud to shake Mr. Anderson's hand.
Dale Slover: I Am So Happy For You To Have Had This Great Privilege To See And To Shake Hands With Paul Anderson!!!!! I Know That You Were In Awe About That!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Hardaway Mr. Hardaway I've seen a lot of impressive things in my life but I put Paul Anderson on the top of the list, he literally left you speechless.
I'm jealous but still very happy for you, thank you for sharing your story, above this comment I saw another man say the same thing, possibly someone you may of known, God bless you and thank you for your service.
included in the Guinness Book of World Records (1985 edition) Backlift: 6,270 lb (2,840 kg) (weight raised slightly off trestles; done June 12, 1957, in Toccoa, Georgia)[15] → listed as the greatest weight ever lifted by a human being[15][18] Powerlifting Guinness also listed Anderson's best powerlifts[15] Done in small exhibitions or training (according to Anderson himself) Squat: 1,200 lb (540 kg) raw[19] Bench press: 628 lb (285 kg) raw Deadlift: 820 lb (370 kg) raw[20] Olympic weightlifting Best gym lifts (according to Anderson himself)[15] Clean and press: 485 lb (220 kg) Snatch: 375 lb (170 kg) Clean and jerk: 485 lb (220 kg) Other lifts Done in small exhibitions or training Best "authenticated" full squat: 930 lb (420 kg) - as a professional at Silver Springs, Maryland in 1965 Full squat: 1,206 lb (547 kg)[3] Assisted deadlift: 1,000 lb (450 kg) (using metal hooks attached to his wrists)[3][14] Push press: 560 lb (250 kg)[15] (off the rack) Military press: 435 lb (197 kg) One-arm side press: 380 lb (170 kg)[3]
I can't prove it, but I'm fairly sure that Allosauri don't come over when called, lie across your back, & wait to be back-lifted. Allosaurus can eat over 340 lbs in a few bites. "Paul? Where are you Paul?"
+ I"m Eunich -- Let me guess ? You're 19 yoa , been working out for 2 years. Done some steroids. You squat 315 , and you bench 275.. You've never been anywhere or seen anything but you know everything about Paul Anderson and any other great lifter of the past.
Niko Korteniemi: I Definitely Believe This Too!!! Paul Anderson Had Amazing Extraordinary Physical Strength Beyond Measure!!!!! Paul Anderson Had The Amazing Physical Strength To Do It!!!!!
What's crazy to me is, that sure... some people have lifted more these days, but that's with sometimes much larger people, all the coaching, conditioning, special foods, vitamins, minerals, steroids, and other legal/illegal substances, thousands more in competitions that drive each other to strive for more, technique learned from more people, and the goals of the lifts previously that can help them reach today's high standards Paul Anderson had little to NONE of that. He was without any special anything for his nutrition, had archaic technique and training, and was ahead of the field for years. He was just one bad dude. It makes the old films that much more mesmerizing. It's like... "wow there he is. What the hell WAS he?" Probably a culmination of genetic rarity and old-fashioned living, possibly some manual labor as a kid building the always underestimated hand strength. In the genetics subject, take a look at how deep the arms and legs are built. Very interesting build.
I wonder how much he can lift with the technique weightlifters use today, it looks like he is just using brute force and some momentum to get those weights up. With the same amount of brute force and the use of technique of today's weightlifters, I wonder how he compares to todays olympic athletes.
Such ignorance. Back in those days the rules were different ye idiots. The bar was not allowed touch the body in the clean or snatch unlike today which is much more difficult . Today lifters can bounce the bar up using their hips etc. please stop trying to look informative when ye haven’t a clue what ye are talking about. Ye just look stupid
Imagine if this dude had the modern lifting techniques of today. Yes people lift more these days but there are alot of other factors to consider when determining the strongest man in history....it's a title no man could really have because there is no way of truly knowing.
I was really enjoying this until I got to reading the comments it's a shame how far man has fallen,we respect those who have no respect for their self or others
i never saw so many foolish statements in my life. Paul was one of the strongest men if not the. strongest of the modern era. my friend saw him lift as a guest lifter in 1962 at the Garden. 445 lb military for six reps. no juice , no test. no hgh . just God and an iron will
The odd placement of the video clip at 4:20 is so out of place, I wonder if anyone else noticed it?some smug suit kicks the dog in order to Stetson up for a visit down memory lane.. strange indeed
Brute strength at its best! No lifting aids, no steroids, no human growth hormones, no chemicals!! Just beans, greens, and fried chicken :-). Way ahead of his time.
@7:32 they said he lifted the 420lbs as if it was a toy. Yet I watched that same video and he def did not lift that weight as if it were a toy. I love how in accurate the personal accounts are.
I had a great grandpa who took bets on his strength & took a bet that he could lift a keg of whisky & drink from the bung hole & he did according to legend. But I have no doubt that he was nothing like Paul.
Ur looking at footage of a truly physically strong young man who was a "bull" literally with all his God given talents for strength and power. Impressive. And this was in the days where you couldn't just go buy anabolic steroids to "assist" his efforts. I bet his thighs were 34" each lol how huge his pelvis was. A true mesomorph. He couldn't get cut up if he tried his best. He didn't need to.
@@stevevastakis9981 Steve I aint never heard that but you're absolutely right. The strongest people are always the ones that have a normal amount of body fat and a big pelvic circumference. Which is not me.
