Since 1977, every athlete who wanted to compete for the title of “The Strongest Man on the Planet” has participated in the show of the same name (World’s Strongest Man). Similar competitions were also held by the International Federation of Strength Athletes (IFSA) and at the Arnold Sports Festival.
But still, due to the diversity of species, it is not possible to determine a single champion; fans everywhere recognize only the winner of their direction or organization. For example, powerlifting fans consider Ed Cohen the strongest person in the world, who set maximum records relative to his own weight; or the much larger Andy Bolton - maximum in the absolute. Fans of strongman competitions will name three-time world champion Bill Kazmaier or five-time world champion Mariusz Pudzianowski (pictured above).
All the athletes listed here, of course, deserve to be called the strongest, but only one should remain. To determine the champion, we turned to the man who knows the most about strength competitions: Dr. Terry Todd. Not only was he the winner of America's first national eventing competitions (in 1964 and 1965), but he was also a powerlifter who achieved first-time record totals of 1600 lb (726 kg), 1700 (771 kg), 1800 (817 kg) and 1900 (862 kg). He is also one of the organizers of the Arnold Strongman Classic tournament and the director of the world's largest museum of physical culture and sports (Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports) at the University of Texas. We turned to his extensive collection and examined documented strength records of all time.
Of course, comparing the achievements of athletes from different eras is not so easy: firstly, today pharmaceuticals are used that were clearly not available to the French “Apollo” Louis Uni. Secondly, as Todd notes, at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, strongmen did not have the opportunity to constantly train, but only showed their achievements at infrequent performances. Although the spectators were amazed at the unprecedented power, it only developed through these rare demonstrations - there were no preparation systems. So we not only looked at recorded records, but also took into account some potential. Okay, enough introductions, let’s find out the name of the most powerful man on the planet!
No. 10 among the most powerful people on the planet
Brian Shaw, strongman.
Year and place of birth: 1982, USA.
Height: 203 cm.
Weight: 197 kg.
Shaw, who began his sports career in basketball, was among the top three finalists of the World’s Strongest Man seven times and won four times (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016). His competition records include a deadlift of 441 kg and a deadlift with Hummer wheels of 521.5 kg (with straps). The best results in the gym are squat 410.5 kg, bench press 242.5 and deadlift 447 (in straps).
No. 9 among the most powerful people on the planet
Leonid Taranenko, weightlifter.
Year and place of birth: 1956, USSR.
Height: 180 cm.
Weight: 118 kg.
Taranenko set a world record in the clean and jerk (266 kg) and the combined total (475 kg) back in 1988. Due to the revision of weight categories by the International Weightlifting Federation, Taranenko’s achievements have now been replaced by others, but he is still respected by any weightlifter. Do you think it’s easy to bench press a bar that has 6 twenties on each side? Imagine lifting that much above your head - that’s power!
No. 8 among the most powerful people on the planet
Andy Bolton, powerlifter.
Year and place of birth: 1970, England.
Height: 183 cm.
Weight: 159 kg.
Briton Bolton was the first in history to deadlift 1,000 pounds (454 kg). Then he broke his competition record twice: 455 and 457 kg. He is also ranked 4th in the world in squat (550.5 kg) and 3rd in total (1273 kg). Andy said that he dreams of raising a record amount of 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg), which no one in the world has yet achieved.
No. 7 among the most powerful people on the planet
Brian Siders, powerlifter.
Year and place of birth: 1978, USA.
Height: 188 cm.
Weight: 157 kg.
Siders excelled in all competitive lifts of powerlifting: a max squat of 462 kg, a bench press of 362 kg, a deadlift of 392 kg and a best total of 1202 kg. Speaking in bare-knuckle competitions, he bench-pressed 295 kg and deadlifted 381. These records were set without the use of aids, thanks to outstanding genetics and brutal work in the gym.
No. 6 among the most powerful people on the planet
Louis Uni, strongman.
Time and place of residence: 1862-1928, France.
Height: 191 cm.
Weight: 118 kg.
The achievements of the French strongman, nicknamed by his contemporaries the Mighty Apollo, are difficult to compare with today's records; There were no professional judges then; power tricks were more often described by ordinary spectators. Louis was known for his outstanding grip strength, lifting and pushing a railroad axle with a pair of wheels weighing 118 kg ("Apollo Axle"). Also - unlike modern giants - Louis Uni was in excellent physical shape and was engaged in wrestling.
No. 5 among the most powerful people on the planet
Vasil Virastyuk, strongman.
Year and place of birth: 1974, USSR (Ukraine).
Height: 191 cm.
Weight: 145 kg.
Virastyuk became the first winner in two competitions - World’s Strongest Man (2004) and the IFSA World Championship (2007). In addition, the Ukrainian strongman took second place three times at the Arnold Strongman Classic tournament (2005-2007). Currently, forty-year-old Virastyuk is taking a break from competitions, but his records are still inspiring.
No. 4 among the most powerful people on the planet
Paul Anderson, weightlifter, powerlifter.
Time and place of residence: 1932-1994, USA.
Height: 175 cm.
Weight: 159 kg.
Paul Anderson's name is the most controversial on this list; although some people consider him the world's greatest strongman, others are skeptical. There is still some debate as to whether he actually squatted 1,200 pounds (544 kg), but Dr. Todd saw Paul squat 700 (317 kg) 8 times with his own eyes. And this at a time when the official world record (1RM) was a little higher! In weightlifting, Anderson won a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
No. 3 among the most powerful people on the planet
Bill Kazmaier, powerlifter, strongman .
Year and place of birth: 1953, USA.
Height: 191 cm.
Weight: 150 kg.
Bill is considered by many to be the strongest of the strong, and it's hard to argue with that. Having become a three-time WSM champion (1980, 1981, 1982), he was removed by the organizers from the 1983 championship - with his participation, no one else had a chance. Bill was the first in history to lift all five McGlashan stones (from 90 to 160 kg). No one could beat his 300-kilogram bench press for many years. If not for a subsequent pectoral muscle tear, Bill might have surpassed this record himself. And his eventing total of 1100 kg (collected in 1981) remains unsurpassed in raw powerlifting - without a bench shirt and squat suit.
No. 2 among the most powerful people on the planet
Mark Henry, weightlifter, powerlifter, strongman, wrestler.
Year and place of birth: 1971, USA.
Height: 193 cm.
Weight: 187 kg.
Mark is a unique athlete who simultaneously became the US champion in weightlifting and powerlifting. But Dr. Todd believes that Mark Henry had incredible potential and could have amazed us even more if he had not switched to wrestling (WWE). So he could very well lay claim to the title of the strongest man of all time. If not for the next one...
No. 1 among the most powerful people on the planet
Zydrunas Savickas, powerlifter, strongman.
Year and place of birth: 1975, USSR (Lithuania).
Height: 191 cm.
Weight: 181 kg.
In our opinion, he is the most powerful athlete of all time. Savickas was the champion of the Arnold Strongman Classic tournament 8 times (2003-2008, 2014, 2016), where strength records are recorded more strictly than at WSM. In 2005, he broke three world records when winning the IFSA World Championships. In 2002, 2004 and 2005, Savickas placed second in the WSM, usually outperforming in pure strength and inferior in tasks that required speed and agility. In 2009, he managed to win, which he repeated several more times (2010, 2012, 2014). In 2015, Savickas set a world record in the log press - 228 kg, in addition to his collection: raw squat 399 kg, deadlift 430 kg, bench press 286 kg.
Ten most powerful people in the world
10th place - Becca Swanson
Becca Swanson, despite her gender, is able to compete with many of the strongest men. She earned 10th place for her success in powerlifting, but if we take into account that she is a woman, her place in the ranking could have been raised. Previously, Becca was involved in bodybuilding, but she achieved dizzying success only in triathlon, winning several world awards.
9th place - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Undoubtedly, today it is Arnold Schwarzenegger who personifies bodybuilding and all strength sports. Even though he never trained in powerlifting, his strength is worthy of mention in this article. He began his journey at the age of 15 and very quickly began to receive his first awards, eventually becoming a seven-time winner of Mr. Olympia.
8th place - Bruce Khlebnikov
He is a young but very promising security officer. At the age of 23, he managed to set several dozen records. At the age of eight, he was able to tear a book, and later he was able to move a heavy bus. Many of his achievements are documented in the book of records.
7th place - Bruce Wilhelm
Bruce Wilhelm was awarded the title of the strongest man in 77 of the last century, and in 78 he managed to confirm this title. Wilhelm devoted his entire subsequent life to refereeing and organizing various strength competitions and events.
6th place - Vasily Alekseev
Vasily Alekseev is the strongest weightlifter in the Soviet Union. He set more than eighty different records in the USSR. The athlete managed to win the title of world champion 8 times, and some of his successes are still unattainable today. At the end of his life he worked in a children's weightlifting school.
5th place - Vasily Virastyuk
Vasily Virastyuk began to engage in strength sports since childhood. He worked as a mentor in the gym for some time, and later managed to win the title of the strongest athlete on Earth. A few years later he confirmed this title. A clear demonstration of his strength is that he was once able to move seven cars and several trams.
4th place - Zydrunas Savickas
Baltic Žydrunas Savickas received the title of the strongest athlete on Earth in 2009. This was not the first achievement for the athlete, but its significance was much higher than all previous awards. Since childhood, the Lithuanian was much taller than his peers. He later took advantage of his genetics by taking up eventing. Midway through his career, he suffered severe knee injuries. But thanks to perseverance, he managed to recover from injury and earn a high award in 2009.
3rd place - Yakub Chekhovskaya
Yakub Chekhovskaya is a truly unique personality. He received a gold medal when he carried away several tall guardsmen on one arm. He often showed this number to a wide audience. Among other things, Yakuba could stand on a gymnastics bridge, holding a dozen people on top, and could also hold the orchestra platform.
2nd place - Alexander Zass
Alexander Zass is a legendary character who managed to survive after a truck drove over him. For this trick he was nicknamed Iron Samson. Zass was short and not the most impressive weight. However, the characteristics were deceptive, since Alexander was a real strongman who worked in the circus, where he performed many tricks. According to eyewitnesses, during the First World War, Zass carried a wounded horse from the battlefield and saved his comrades many times.
1 place - D jo Rollino
And finally, first place goes to Joe Rollino, who was a long-liver, dying at 105 years old. With a modest height and weight of only 65 kilograms, Joe could hold several hundred kilograms with one finger. But real fame came to him when Rollino lifted 500 kilograms from the ground. Even in old age he retained his abilities, so at the age of 104 he managed to crush a coin.
It is not possible to definitely name the strongest person – after all, in almost every country there were and are worthy athletes who show stunning results.
These strongmen adhered to different lifestyles, were long-livers or lived relatively few years, but they were all united by the will to win and new sports results. In different historical periods, different heroes find themselves on the podium, whose achievements will forever remain in people's memory and they are included in the generally recognized ranking of strongmen.
1 Long-lived and vegetarian Joe Rollino
He was the oldest strongman on the planet. At the age of 104 he was able to bend a coin with his fingers! Since the age of 20, Joe did not eat meat, did not drink alcoholic beverages, did not smoke, and had a sporty lifestyle. Despite the fact that Joe did not differ in athletic parameters (height 165 cm, weight 68 kg), his strength was truly incredible. "Baby Dandy" remained unbeaten in his weight class in boxing matches. In 1920 he lifted 1454 kg. Joe was not only a strongman, but also a boxer, a war veteran, an athlete and a Brooklyn legend. Having survived World War II, he could lift a weight of 215 kg with his teeth, and a weight of 290 kg with just one finger.
2 Alexander Zassa
It’s not for nothing that he was dubbed Iron Samson - after all, he fell under a truck, but remained alive! A native of Lithuania also could not boast of outstanding physical skills. parameters: height 167.5 cm, and maximum weight - 75 kg. In order to strengthen the tendons, Zass developed his own training method. Fame came to Alexander during the First World War. Having escaped from captivity, he managed to carry a wounded horse on himself. Later he performed with the Hungarian circus, demonstrating extraordinary tricks: he carried a horse or a piano around the arena with two girls; caught a cannonball weighing 90 kilograms fired from a cannon from a distance of 8 m; held on his body a cobblestone weighing 0.5 tons, which they hit with sledgehammers, while Alexander lay on nails driven into the board.
Strong photo of Alexander
3 Yakub Chekhovskaya
The name of the famous hero and circus weightlifter is now almost forgotten. Jakuba Chekhovskaya, already in his teens, entertained his friends by holding an iron beam on his shoulders with two guys holding on to its ends and spinning them around, as if on a carousel. An incident helped him become famous: in the Warsaw circus, Ciniselli announced: if one of the spectators lasts at least 5 minutes in sparring with a wrestler, he will receive a substantial prize. To the amazement of the audience, it took the unknown guy less than 3 minutes to defeat the professional wrestler, putting him on his shoulder blades. The next morning, all the newspapers in Warsaw trumpeted about such a sensation, and Yakuba received offers from circus entrepreneurs. Subsequently, Chekhovskoy was awarded a gold belt for carrying six strong men in a circle with one hand.
Photo of a strong wrestler
4 Arnold Schwarzenegger
Started strength training at the age of 15. Schwarzenegger became Mr. Olympia in 5 years, although other athletes took an average of 10 years to achieve this. Arnold is the youngest Mr. Universe, and the title of Mr. Olympia belonged to Arnold 7 times. Since the 70s, he has starred in spectacular films that are so popular with all viewers.
Photo in strong youth
5 Zydrunas Savickas
Lithuanian Zydrunas Savickas is the strongest on the planet (according to 2009). The weight of this weightlifter is 180 kg with a height of 191 cm. 523 kg - this is how much the barbell weighed that the athlete lifted in 2014 at the Arnold Strongman Classic. Zydrunas continues to work out now, and not only in the gym: he ties ropes to cars and rolls them around the yard. One of his cars, the Nissan Pathfinder, weighs 2.2 tons.
See photo
6 Vasily Virastyuk
A native of Ivano-Frankivsk, Vasily Virastyuk has been involved in weightlifting since he was 10 years old. In 2004, he became officially the strongest in the world.
In addition, he holds a number of Ukrainian records:
- he independently pulled a train weighing 101.5 tons;
- in a minute he moved a couple of 10 cars by 18.5 meters;
- in 60 seconds he managed to lift and install 4 ice cubes weighing 0.6 tons to a height of 1.3 meters.
It should be noted that no one had worked with ice before Virastyuk.
Strong record in the photo
7 Vasily Alekseev
An outstanding weightlifter of the Soviet period. A two-time Olympic champion, he has 81 Soviet Union records and 80 world records. The Russian Bear spent his childhood in the Arkhangelsk region. Helping to raft wood during school holidays, Vasily lifted heavy logs and so gradually moved on to weightlifting. Interesting fact: for a long time Vasily trained completely independently. At the age of nineteen, he already became a master of sports, lifting a total weight of 315 kilograms. Vasily is the “eternal” holder of the world record for three exercises - 645 kg (such competitions are not held now). It was Alekseev who became the first “six hundred”, conquering the peak of 600 kg.
Photo by Vasily Alekseev
8 Pole Mariusz Zbigniew Pudzianowski
Five-time winner of the World’s Strongest Man competition, the strongest man in the world in 2006 – 2007.
See photo
9 Bruce Wilhelm
He is also a twice-titled world strongman: the first time in 1977, and the second time exactly one year later. Then he contributed in every possible way to organizing the Strongman competitions and wrote a lot of books and articles on weightlifting.
Photo
10 Raivis Vidzis
The strongman rightfully held the title of the strongest man in Latvia (2000 - 2003). He was a Strongman Cub winner in 2004 and 2005. Physical data (Raivis's height is 184 cm, weight - 133 kilograms) allow the athlete to move heavy trucks, lift cobblestones weighing about 180 kg, move 400 kg tires and even heavier barrels.
The strongest man in the whole world
For fights without rules
Brazilian Anderson de Silva is the strongest MMA fighter on the planet. His career, which began in 1997, is not over yet. In 2012, Anderson was recognized as the strongest fighter in the middleweight division. The MMA community recognized him as one of the strongest fighters in the history of the sport. Silva has been repeatedly recognized as the best fighter, and Men’s Health included him in the list of the 15 strongest men on the planet.
In boxing
The animal aggression of Michael (Mike) Gerard Tyson, lightning speed combined with destructive power contributed to the fact that throughout his entire sports career, Michael won 50 out of 58 fights, 44 of which he completed with a complete knockout. Mike is the absolute world champion (1987 - 1990). At the 49th WBC Convention, it was decided to include Tyson in the Guinness Book of Records: for the fastest knockouts and for being the youngest heavyweight boxer on the planet.
In the bar
Soviet weightlifter Leonid Taranenko lifted the heaviest weight in the history of mankind back in the last century. His record has never been achieved by anyone else. Author of 19 world records, 2 of which remain unsurpassed today. The life story of the greatest strongman shows that there are no limits to human capabilities.
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.
The most powerful boy in the world
In 2001, the name of a Russian boy with an unusual fate, Bruce Khlebnikov, was included in the Guinness Book of Records. His mother watched TV shows with Bruce Lee throughout her pregnancy and then named her son after him. Trying to imitate his idol since childhood, at the age of five Bruce became the champion of the Russian Federation in wushu and stronger than all the guys in the yard. At the age of six he pulled a Volga, and at the age of 8 he lifted a weight weighing 8 kilograms 300 times. Bruce tore up 400-page calendars and 700-page books. When Bruce was just eleven, he lifted a weight of 240 tons and moved a crane that weighed 38 tons using 10 cm of hanging twine, tying it to his long hair. In addition, the boy conquered many records. At the age of 23, Bruce Klebnikov had already achieved 23 records.
Top 10 strongest people (strongmen)
Strong people have always been valued. They were admired and tried to inherit them. Women dreamed of marrying a physically strong man in order to feel security and peace of mind. But there are strongmen whose names are known throughout the world.
This strongman adhered to the principles of vegetarianism all his life. He did not drink alcohol and did not encourage other bad habits. This is probably why he lived to almost 105 years old. Joe Rollino could only hold three hundredweight on his toe. Then he lifted half a ton, after which he became famous throughout the planet.
He became famous for falling under the wheels of a truck full of coal and not dying. After this, many considered him crazy. Alexander worked in the circus for more than fifty years.
This incredibly strong man carried six soldiers in a circle on his arm. After this he was awarded an honorary gold belt. Three trucks with people were passing along the bridge on his chest.
Perhaps the most famous strongman in the world. He has earned the Mr. Olympia title seven times. Then he began acting in films, where he also reached the pinnacle of success. And to this day Arnold remains famous and famous.
In 2009, he was awarded the title of the strongest man in the world. Even after serious leg injuries, the Lithuanian was able to achieve success, although few people believed in him.
Even as a ten-year-old boy, the athlete took up weightlifting. Then he worked as a coach in a sports club. He became the strongest man on the planet in 2004 and three years later received this title again.
The most famous Soviet weightlifter. He set 81 records in the USSR and slightly fewer records in the world. In total, he was world champion 8 times. He later worked as the director of a children's weightlifting school in the United States.
Bruce Wilhelm, Raivis Widzis, Mariusz Pudzianowski.
There are three people here because their achievements are equal. They were all the strongest people in the world twice. All of them are undoubtedly some of the strongest people on the planet.
A young guy, a little over twenty years old, but he has already set more than thirty records. Many of his records were noted in the Guinness Book of Records. Bruce tore 365 thick tear-off calendars in an hour and a half.
Despite the fact that Becca is a woman, she has remarkable physical strength. Not every man can compare with her. It has world records.
The limits of human physical capabilities are practically unlimited. Year after year, incredible athletes defy their natures and produce results that may be hard to believe unless you've seen them with your own eyes.
In this article we will talk about who deserves the title “the strongest man in the world.” It is worth noting that in the history of almost every country there is at least one phenomenal strongman who will remain in people’s memory for a long time.
The strongest people alive
Obviously, strongmen capable of lifting tons of weight have existed throughout human history, and it is almost impossible to compile a complete list of them. Therefore, we will present to you the most powerful people living in different parts of the world.
Vasily Virastyuk - strongman from Ukraine
As a child, Ukrainian Vasily Virastyuk was involved in athletics and shot put, and after serving in the army he decided to continue playing sports. His main specialization was still athletics (Vasily even received the title of international master of sports and was a member of the national team). However, the remarkable strength of the Ukrainian hero made him interested in other types of physical exercises.
Since 2000, Virastyuk has been successfully involved in strength all-around competitions as part of the “World’s Strongest Man” competition. In 2004, based on the results of international competitions, he received the title of the strongest man in the world. It is capable of pulling a train with its own resources, the total weight of which is 101.5 tons.
Arnold Schwarzenegger - American bodybuilder
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a strongman who needs no introduction. Those who remember the Austrian actor young and full of energy imagine him as a real “mountain of muscles.” Schwarzenegger began his bodybuilding career at the age of fifteen, and in a short time managed to achieve impressive results.
In just five years, Arnold achieved a form that allowed him to receive the prestigious title of Mr. Olympia (other athletes worked on this for about ten years). Over the course of a year, he increased his muscle mass by 9 kilograms. And in 1967, Schwarzenegger became the youngest ever winner of the Mr. Universe title. The actor also wrote many works on bodybuilding and made a great contribution to its popularization, ending his sports career in 1980.
Zydrunas Savickas - the strongest man on the planet
This Lithuanian is one of the most titled strongmen in the world today. He received the status of the most powerful man on the planet four times: in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014. He also repeatedly became the winner of the Arnold Classic competition, organized by the above-mentioned Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1988.
With a height of 191 cm, this weightlifter weighs 180 kg. In 2014, at the Arnold Classic tournament, he lifted a barbell weighing 523 kg. In his free time from visiting the gym, Žydrunas Savickas amuses himself by rolling cars around the yard with ropes tied to them. One of his cars weighs more than two tons.
Mariusz Zbigniew Pudzianowski – tough powerlifter from Poland
This strongman was born into the family of Wojtech Pudzianowski, a famous Polish weightlifter. Therefore, it is not surprising that Mariusz began playing sports from childhood. At first he preferred Kyokushinkai karate, and then became interested in powerlifting and boxing. In 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008, Pudzianowski became the winner of the World Strongman Championship. In addition, he set several records during these competitions.
Mariusz is also a successful weightlifter, rugby player, Kyokushin karate and MMA fighter. He is also known for spending more than a year and a half in prison in the early 2000s after being convicted of robbery and assault. According to the strongman himself, he tried to save the young man from being beaten by the local mafia. A few years after his release, Pudzianowski held a meeting for other former prisoners of the prison in Łowicz, where he served his sentence.
Bruce Wilhelm - famous American strongman of the 20th century
Speaking about the strongest people in the world, one cannot help but recall this strongman and weightlifter, who turned 71 in 2017. American Bruce Wilhelm began with the running disciplines of athletics, then took up shot put and discus throwing, and during his university years he became interested in freestyle wrestling (Wilhelm competed in the heavyweight division).
Bruce subsequently took up weightlifting and finished second at the 1975 Pan American Games and fifth at the 1976 Olympics. In 1977, when the first “World’s Strongest Man” tournament in the history of our world was organized, it was Wilhelm who became its winner. He repeated this result in 1978. After retiring from big-time sports, the American strongman began writing books and articles on weightlifting, helping with competitions, and also working on various sports committees.
Raivis Vidzis – the strongest powerlifter from Latvia
Once upon a time, Raivis Vidzis was a frail boy suffering from asthma. To improve his well-being, he began swimming, then powerlifting, and then became so fit and physically strong that he turned his attention to powerlifting. He even became a master of sports, and then one day he saw a strongman competition on TV.
Having no passion for “posing in underpants” (that is, bodybuilding), Raivis decided to compete for victory with other strongmen of the world. He has several successful performances at “World’s Strongest Man” and “World StrongMan Cup Federation” under his belt, and Vidzis is not going to stop there.
Becca Swanson is the world's strongest woman
The strongest people in the world are not always men. For example, American Becca Swanson is currently considered the strongest woman on the planet, as well as one of the ten most powerful people in the whole world (of both sexes). Becca has been involved in powerlifting for almost thirty years.
The strongest woman in the world is able to lift a barbell weighing 270 kg in the bench press, 310 kg in the deadlift, and 387 kg in the squat. Not every male powerlifter can boast of such results.
List of the strongest of all time
When talking about the strongest people on the planet, we cannot fail to mention several strongmen who, unfortunately, are no longer alive. However, their phenomenal abilities turned them into true legends who remain widely known to this day.
Joe Rollino - a real superhero of the 20th century
Joe Rollino, who tragically died under the wheels of a car in 2010, when he was 104 years old, was a truly unique person. He was not involved in bodybuilding or bodybuilding, but he had incredible strength: with just one finger he could lift a weight of 290 kg. In 1920, Joe Rollino lifted 1,454 kilograms, gaining the status of the strongest man. In addition, he was invincible in the boxing ring, although he weighed only 68 kg with a height of 165 cm.
Rollino is also known for being a vegetarian, not smoking, not drinking alcohol, leading a healthy lifestyle and almost living to be 105 years old. If it had not been for the accident, he quite possibly would have lived for many more years.
Alexander Zass - circus strongman from the Russian Empire
Alexander Zass was born in the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th century, and from a young age he demonstrated impressive strength. In 1908, he first performed in the circus arena in Orenburg. Alexander did not have a large physique, but he developed a unique training system that allowed him to become one of the strongest people of our time.
For his abilities, Zass, who survived after a truck drove over him, received the nickname “Iron Samson.” During the First World War he took part in hostilities, and in peacetime he performed in the circus. For example, it cost him nothing to carry a horse across the arena, catch a cannonball weighing 90 kg, hold a huge cobblestone, and so on. Alexander also trained various animals.
Yakub Chekhovskaya - famous Russian hero
Not too much is known about Yakuba Chekhovsky, who also lived at the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. They said that from a young age he was distinguished by phenomenal strength, but the general public learned about this almost by accident.
One day Yakuba attended a performance by the Ciniselli Circus in Warsaw. The presenter offered any interested viewer a good prize if he could endure at least 5 minutes of sparring with a circus strongman. Chekhovskoy not only withstood 5 minutes, but defeated his opponent in just 3 minutes, becoming a real sensation. Subsequently, Yakuba, capable of holding six large men on one hand, performed in front of amazed spectators in the circus arena.
Vasily Alekseev was a Soviet athlete specializing in weightlifting. Already at the age of 28, he set a world record: he gained 600 kg in triathlon total. Subsequently, Vasily Ivanovich became the champion of the Olympic Games twice, won the title of European champion eight times, and also became an Honored Master of Sports and an Honored Trainer of the USSR.
Having completed his sports career, he took up coaching and passed on his experience to the younger generation. Under his leadership, the CIS national weightlifting team became first in the team competition at the 1992 Olympic Games. Vasily Alekseev died in 2011 due to heart problems, he was 69 years old.
Our Top 10 most powerful people in history
To form an extremely accurate rating of the strongest people who have ever lived on our planet is a difficult and unlikely task. However, we offer you our TOP 10 most worthy, from our point of view, strongmen in the entire history of mankind.
| Name | Height | Date of Birth | Date of death | A country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Joe Rollino | 165 cm | 19.03.1905 | 11.01.2010 | USA |
| 2. Alexander Zass | 167.5 cm | 1888 | 26.09.1962 | Russian empire |
| 3. Yakub Chekhovskaya | 180 cm | 30.12.1879 | 31.07.1941 | Russian empire |
| 4. Vasily Alekseev | 186 cm | 07.01.1942 | 25.11.2011 | USSR |
| 5. Arnold Schwarzenegger | 188 cm | 30.07.1947 | Austria, USA | |
| 6. Vasily Virastyuk | 191 cm | 22.04.1974 | Ukraine | |
| 7. Zydrunas Savickas | 191 cm | 15.07.1975 | Lithuania | |
| 8. Mariusz Pudzianowski | 186 cm | 07.02.1977 | Poland | |
| 9. Bruce Wilhelm | 188 cm | 13.07.1945 | USA | |
| 10. Raivis Vidzis | 184 cm | 22.03.1976 | Latvia |
Video on the topic
You can see some of the above strongmen in action in the video below. The video will show you how the strongest people in the world pull trucks, carry enormous weights and otherwise demonstrate their extraordinary abilities.
All information used to write this article was taken from free sources (including the free encyclopedia Wikipedia).
