Iron Masters of Yesteryear

by Osmo "John" Kiiha Ken Patera, on the right, was the first American to Clean and Jerk over 500 pounds.

National Championships. But, who were the first men to lift 400 or more pounds over their heads? To find that we have to turn the pages of history back many years. The first to accomplish this feat was Karl Swoboda, a giant of a man over 350 Ibs. bodyweight. In Vienna, 1910 he did this by doing the Continental and Jerk with 401 3/4 lbs.. The following year in Vienna, Nov. 4, 1911 he broke the record and Bruce Klemens Photo did 409 Ibs. You may wonder what is a Continental. The barbell is taken to the shoulders in a series of movements and may be rested upon or against any part of the legs and trunk in doing so.

A belt may also be worn to support the bell prior to turning it to the shoulders, from whence it shall be jerked to arm’s length overhead. It is worthy of note that, in executing his lift of 409 Ibs., Swoboda took no less than five movements to get his barbell to the shoulders before jerking it overhead. He also jerked or push pressed 440 Ibs. for two reps after the weight was placed on his shoulders by two men in 1912. The German professional strongman Hermann Goerner did a Continental to the shoulders with 442 Ibs. January 10, 1933. No effort was made to jerk the weight. His best ofÏcial Clean and Jerk was 390 1/4 Ibs. made July 11, 1920.

Bill Good (U.S.A.) was probably the first American to Continental 400 Ibs. to his shoulders. He did this the summer of 1936. Bill made four successful Continentals to his shoulders with 400 Ibs. only to lose the jerks at the last second. His bodyweight was only 185 Ibs. Best Clean and Jerk was around 360 Ibs. The first man on American soil to Jerk over 400 Ibs. over his head was the former German amateur heavyweight champion Josef Manger. He jerked from the shoulders a barbell of 402 1/2 Ibs. in New York City on June 25, 1938 on the occasion of the German weightlifting team’s visit to America. The bar was listed to his shoulders with the assistance of two other men.

I believe Mangers best Clean and Jerk was around 369 1/2 Ibs. Norbert Schemansky, former heavyweight world champion, did a Continental and Jerk with 440 Ibs. and a Continental to the shoulders with 451 lbs., but missed the Jerk, after the competition at the 1954 World Championships in Vienna. His best Clean and Jerk was around 440 Ibs., made in the 1960's. Paul Anderson, former world’s strongest man, did a Continental and Jerk with 460 Ibs. in the middle 1950’s. In training he did 480 Ibs. Paul also jerked from the rack 560 Ibs. in 1957. His best Clean and Jerk was around 460 lbs., made in training.

The first man to Clean and Jerk over 400 lbs. was Charles Rigoulot (bodyweight 222) of France with 402 1/2 Ibs. on February 1, 1929. After eleven attempts he succeeded. This feat was performed on his specially constructed shot loading, spherical ended barbell, over 8 feet in length and in which the handle was exceedingly springy. UnofÏcially did 409 Ibs. Clean and Jerk. This weight he jerked twice from the shoulders. Although it had been reported that Rigoulot performed unofÏcially a two hands Clean to the shoulders with 422 lbs., more exact information regarding this lift would appear to be unobtainable. Rigoulot died in Paris on August 22, 1962 following the removal of one of his lungs.

He was approaching the age of 60.

The first ofÏcial over 400 Ibs. Clean and Jerk done on a standard Olympic set, was accomplished by the great John Davis, Championships in Los Angeles, California, June 16, 1951. approached the over 400 Ib. Jerk himself. He started the steady climb to the 500 Ib. Clean and Jerk, attained by Ken Patera.

IRON MASTERS OF YE Continued from Page 47 Hermann Goerner Hermann Goerner was born in Haenichen near Leipzig, Germany on April 13, 1891. By 1920 Hermann had become the World’s Strongest Amateur Weight Lifter, in the heavyweight class, by champion. In 1921 Hermann Goerner became a professional strongman.

He was probably the strongest man of all time.

Some of his lifts haven’t been exceeded even today. In a 4event strength contest (consisting of two hands Curl, one hand Dead Lift, two hands Dead Lift, two hands Clean and Jerk) Goerner would rank near the top even today. Goerner was capable of 242 1/2 strict two hands curl, no swing, very little back bend, 727 1/2 one hand Dead Lift, 793 3/4 two hands Dead Lift, 390 1/4 two hands Clean and Jerk, 2154 1/2 Ib. total. Probably the only person in the world who could approach this total today is Bil] Kazmaier, but even he would be hard pressed to beat Goerner’s one hand Dead Lift Goemer’s bodyweight ranged from around 220 Ibs. to 290 Ibs. during his lifting career.

Hermann died in 1956 after a long illness.

Ken Patera, Completing His Historic 501 Clean and Ray Routledge, 1961 AAU Mr. America and N.A.B.B.A.

Mr. Universe, visited me last year. Ray will be 58 years old this year. He is still in great shape and continues to work out three to four times a week. Ray was probably the strongest Mr. America ever. He even defeated Franco Columbu in a ten lift contest.

Franco had been hailed as the world’s strongest bodybuilder. Ray said he had done close to a 900 Ib. Squat when his bodyweight was around 300 Ibs. and a well over 500 up with three men: Don Arnold, John McWilliams and Doug Hepburn. It seems that all three men hold that distinction. Don Arnold was probably the first to perform the lift in a manner which would be accepted under todays existing lb. Bench Press. On the Olympic Lifts Ray did 320 Olympic rules. Arnold, a professional wrestler from San Diego, used Press, 280 Snatch, 345 Clean and Jerk at a bodyweight of a shoulder width grip and a very slow movement. He weighed around 230 lbs. around 230. In 1958 Ray won the Junior Mr. America.

In 1962 Ray won the European Military Weightlifting Championships in Laon, France and won his height class in the professional Mr. Universe contest in London. He has also Bench Pressed a pair of 205 Ib. dumbbells (410 Ibs.) for 4 reps. Try that sometime! Truly one of the nice guys of the John McWilliams held the heavyweight press record for a time with 408 Ibs. There are rumors that he did around 500 Ibs. in training years later Doug Hepburn was the first to Bench Press 500 Ibs. with a two second pause, May 28, 1953. His best Bench was 580 Ibs. done with an extreme wide grip and slight bounce at the Iron Game. chest.

Doug’s best strict Bench with a closer grip and three second pause was 525 Ibs, He also did seven reps with 500 Ibs.

Who was the oldest man to Bench Press over 400 Ibs.? Well, that honor goes to Karl Norberg, who was 74 years old when he made 465 Ibs. with a narrow grip and legs held You'll notice a lot of our BFS High School AllAmericans Bench 400 Plus, but who were the straight out on the bench.

Karl also Benched over 300 Ibs. when in his early eighties. first men to accomplish this feat?

Who was the first man to Bench Press 400 Ibs.? much researching of back issues of muscle magazines, I came

From BFS Magazine — Spring 1993. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).