Paul Edward Anderson (October 17, 1932 – August 15, 1994) was an American weightlifter, powerlifter and strongman. He was an Olympic gold medalist, a world champion, and a two-time national champion in Olympic weightlifting.[3] Anderson contributed significantly to the development of competitive powerlifting and is widely considered one of the strongest humans in history.
Anderson was born in Toccoa, Georgia, the only son of Ethel Bennett and Robert Anderson. As a teenager, he began his early weight training and training on his own in his family's backyard to increase his size and strength so that he would be able to play on the Toccoa High School football team, where he earned a position as first-team blocking back.[4] He used special homemade weights that his father created out of concrete poured into a wooden form.[5] Anderson attended Furman University on a football scholarship, where he began lifting weights. He later moved to Elizabethton, Tennessee, with his parents, where he met weightlifter Bob Peoples, who would greatly influence him in squat training and introduce him into weightlifting circles.[4][6]
In 1955, at the height of the Cold War, Anderson, as winner of the USA National Amateur Athletic Union Weightlifting Championship, traveled to the Soviet Union, where weightlifting was a popular sport, for an international weightlifting competition. In a newsreel of the event shown in the United States the narrator, Bud Palmer, commented as follows: "Then, up to the bar stepped a great ball of a man, Paul Anderson." Palmer said, "The Russians snickered as Anderson gripped the bar, which was set at 402.5 lb (182.6 kg), an unheard-of lift. But their snickers quickly changed to awe and all-out cheers as up went the bar and Anderson lifted the heaviest weight overhead of any human in history." "We rarely have such weights lifted," said the solemn Russian announcer as Anderson hoisted it in the two-hand press discipline.[7] Prior to Anderson's lift, the Soviet champion, Alexey Medvedev, had matched the Olympic record of the time with a 330.3 lb (149.8 kg) press. Anderson then did a 402.5 lb (182.6 kg) press. At a time when Americans were engaged in a symbolic Cold War battle with the Soviet Union, Anderson's strength — and his singular, tank-like appearance — became a rallying cry to all.[8]
During the 1955 World Championships in Munich, Germany, that October, Anderson went on to establish two other world records (for the press 407.7 lb (184.9 kg) and total weight cleared 1,129.5 lb (512.3 kg) for press, snatch and clean and jerk, as he easily won the competition in his weight class to become world champion. Upon his return to the United States, Anderson was received by then Vice-President Richard Nixon, who thanked him for being a goodwill ambassador.
In 1956, Anderson won a gold medal in a long, tough duel with ArgentineHumberto Selvetti in the Melbourne, Australia, Olympic Games as a weightlifter in the super-heavyweight class (while suffering from a 104 °F (40 °C) fever). The two competitors were tied in the amount of weight lifted, but because Anderson, who weighed in at 137.9 kg (304 lb), was lighter than Selvetti at the time, who weighed 143.5 kg (316 lb). Anderson was awarded the gold.
In 1958, Paul tried his hand in professional wrestling. He wrestled in Chicago most notably wrestling against Bozo Brown in the International Amphitheater on November 7, 1958.[9]
Anderson could not compete in the 1960 Olympics because he had been ruled a professional for accepting money for some of his weightlifting and strength exhibitions, including a stint in professional wrestling. Thus at the 1960 Olympics the Soviet heavyweight Yury Vlasov bested records set at the 1956 Olympics, with Anderson not competing in the contest. A short time later, however, not to be outdone by the Russian as the World's Strongest Man, Anderson lifted the same weight as Vlasov three times in quick succession, demonstrating unbelievable strength. This feat solidified his position as the most dominant lifter in the world and cemented his legacy as the strongest of the strong.[10][11][12][13]
In 1961, Anderson and his wife Glenda founded the Paul Anderson Youth Home, a home for troubled youth, in Vidalia, Georgia. They both helped to build and support the home with an average of 500 speaking engagements and strength exhibitions per year—notwithstanding the congenital chronic kidney disease that eventually killed him at age 61. He would perform stunts such as hammering a nail with his bare fist and raising a table loaded with eight men onto his back.
The Guinness Book of World Records (1985 edition) lists his feat of lifting 6,270 lb (2,840 kg) in a back lift as "the greatest weight ever raised by a human being".[12] Anderson turned professional after the 1956 Summer Olympics, and thus many of his feats of strength, while some are credible, were neither done under rigorous enough conditions to be official nor can't be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. In fact, controversy surrounding the figure in the 1985 Guinness Book led to its withdrawal in subsequent editions;[14] the currently listed Guinness record is 5,340 lb (2,420 kg) set by Gregg Ernst in 1993.[15]
In 1950, Anderson married Glenda Garland. The couple were devout Christians. They had one daughter, born 1966.
While competing, Anderson weighed 275–370 lb (125–168 kg)[16] and stood between 5 feet 9.5 inches (1.77 m) and 5 feet 10.5 inches (1.79 m) tall.[17][4]
As a child, Anderson suffered from Bright's disease (now known as chronic nephritis), a kidney disorder, and he eventually died from kidney disease on August 15, 1994, at the age of 61.[18]
Anderson's true life testimony can be heard through the Unshackled! radio ministry. It was first broadcast as program number 2521 and later redramatized as program number 3478.[19]Unshackled! has also produced a comic booklet telling Anderson's story, which includes breaking a brick and stopping bank robbers.
Paul Anderson Memorial Park, located at the corner of East Tugalo Street and Big A Road in Toccoa, is named for Anderson.[20] The park features a life-size sculpture of him performing an overhead barbell lift.[21] The sculpture was created by Jerry McKenna, renowned American sculptor.
Was once a contestant on "You Bet Your Life" with Groucho Marx. Paul and his partner answered four questions correctly, winning them $1000.
Total – 1,175 lb (533.0 kg) (C&P: 400 lb (181.4 kg), S: 335 lb (152.0 kg), C&J: 440 lb (199.6 kg) (1956 Senior Nationals, Philadelphia)
→ Prior to 1964 no contact between the bar and the athlete's body was permitted during the pulling phase of either the snatch or the clean. From 1964 to 1968 a "thigh brush" was allowed, and from 1969 onwards a full-contact hip bump was permitted to assist in completing the lift.[22]
→ Paul's heaviest authenticated squat to depth according to Bob Peoples. According to the contest report, Paul jumped from 820 lb (371.9 kg) to 930 lb (421.8 kg), which he lifted "with no trouble at all".[25]This remained the heaviest raw squat until 1976 when Don Reinhoudtsquatted934.5 lb (423.9 kg).[28]In 1973 Reinhoudt squatted 950 lb (430.9 kg) with only a lifting belt, but it was disallowed due to depth.[29]
Squat for reps – 900 lb (408.2 kg) for 5 reps raw(Public record, 1965 or 1966 exhibition at Silver Springs boys club)[30][31]
Bench press – 500 lb (226.8 kg)[32]raw, paused(Training session with Doug Hepburn during production of "Once Upon a Horse.")
Bench press – 575 lb (260.8 kg)[23]raw, touch and go(Highest number reported in contemporary articles; considered credible by Neece.)
Deadlift – 750 lb (340.2 kg) raw without straps[23](Public record, 1965-66. Contemporary articles reference him exceeding 800 lbs (363 kg) on several occasions.)[33]
StrongmanDifferent sources provide different numbers on these feats.
→ Taken from hooks attached to a specialty belt. Weight pulled from hooks 6 inches below the belt to about 6 inches above the waist.
Deadlift – 820 lb (371.9 kg) raw[37](Anderson claim)
Assisted deadlift (using metal hooks attached to the wrists) – 1,000 lb (453.6 kg)[4][16](Claimed to have witnessed by Tommy Kono, date uncertain. Kono in 1992 also claimed that Anderson pulled "Nearly" 1,000 lb (453.6 kg) for reps.)[25]
Push press (off the rack) – 545–600 lb (247.2–272.2 kg)[17](Different sources provide different numbers. The uppermost number is claimed to have witnessed by Bob Hise, date uncertain)
One-arm dumbbell side press – 380 lb (172.4 kg)[4](Claimed to have witnessed by Paul Magistratte, date uncertain)
The following are examples of training routines used by Anderson at various points in his life. According to Anderson's autobiography, he preferred to train at 95 percent intensity for every lift.[38]
Olympic lifting routine, prior to April 1954[17][39]
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
Overhead press – 320 lb (145.1 kg), several sets of 2 reps
Dumbbell press – 135 lb (61.2 kg) per hand, multiple sets of 3 reps
Snatch – 310 lb (140.6 kg), multiple singles
Clean – 400 lb (181.4 kg), multiple singles
Deadlift – 690 lb (313.0 kg), 2 sets of 3 reps, raw with metal hooks to aid grip
Clean pull to waist height – 500 lb (226.8 kg), 4 sets of 3 reps, raw with metal hooks to aid grip
Additionally, Paul deadlifted 700 lb (317.5 kg) for a single with mixed grip as a demonstration
Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday
Back squat – 780 lb (353.8 kg), 1 to 3 sets of 2 reps. Paul's best single at this time was 820 lb (371.9 kg)
Occasionally
Bench press – 410 lb (186.0 kg), 3 sets of 2 reps
Quarter squat – 1,800 lb (816.5 kg)
Power training routine circa 1955-57. Gallagher's earlier date (1955)[40] is disputed by Charles Poliquin, who places it after Paul turned professional following the 1956 Summer Olympics in December of that year.[16] This dating is supported by the fact that Paul spent much of 1954 recovering from a car accident in which he suffered a hip injury and several broken ribs[41] and Paul's own statement that he only trained the bench press regularly from 1955-1957 and again later in 1965.[42]
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
Overhead press – 300 lb (136.1 kg) × 6 reps, 370 lb (167.8 kg) × 2 reps, 390 lb (176.9 kg) × 2 reps, 400 lb (181.4 kg) × 2 reps
Overhead press from sticking point to lockout – 500 lb (226.8 kg) × 4 reps
Overhead press from shoulders to top of head – 500 lb (226.8 kg) × 4 reps
Push press – 450 lb (204.1 kg) × 3 reps
Bench press – 400 lb (181.4 kg) to 450 lb (204.1 kg), multiple sets of 6 to 8 reps
Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday
Back squat – 600 lb (272.2 kg), 2 sets × 10 reps, 825 lb (374.2 kg) × 2 reps, 845 lb (383.3 kg) × 2 reps, 900 lb (408.2 kg) × 2 reps
Half squat – 1,200 lb (544.3 kg) × 2 reps
Quarter squat – 1,800 lb (816.5 kg) × 2 reps
Deadlift – 650 lb (294.8 kg) for 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps
Finally, Jeff Everson relates Anderson's squat training routine when Anderson was in his prime during the early 1960s, at a bodyweight of approximately 370 lb (167.8 kg):[43]
Back squat – 600 lb (272.2 kg), 3 sets × 10 reps, 800–850 lb (362.9–385.6 kg), multiple sets of 4 to 6 reps
"I could do 310 in a standing one-arm side press with a dumbbell. Paul could do it for reps with ease." [44] – Chuck Ahrens (strongman)
"Though I never met him personally until the Strength Symposium in Florida, I saw films of him lifting in his heyday, with such absolute ease it was astonishing. Using his strength to benefit others is something that should make all powerlifters proud. What a great benefactor to mankind." – Ed Coan (powerlifter)
"My love and respect for Paul runs deep. His ability to lift enormous weights in limited movements surpasses all. Those who attempt to discredit him shame our sport." – Jon Cole (powerlifter)
"He's the king of strength. His backlift was unbelievable. But more amazing was his total commitment as a Christian." – Bill Kazmaier (powerlifter & strongman)
"Paul was an inspiration to me. Some of his feats may never be surpassed." – Don Reinhoudt (powerlifter & strongman)
"A lot of lifters gathered at Sydney's on Santa Monica Beach near the base of the Pier. Here, as they got pissed [drunk], their stories became more and more fantastic. One heard of deltoids like watermelons and squats of a thousand pounds. This last turned out to be a solid fact for the incredible Paul Anderson. He was squatting with almost twice as much as anyone else's maximum." [45] – Oliver Sacks (powerlifter & neurologist)
"Anderson overcame the limits of human capabilities .. I eagerly absorbed the crumbs of information about his training from the sports magazines. I tried to understand the nature of his amazing power. I did not associate it only with body weight. There should have been something in his training, different from the accepted norms." [46] – Yuri Vlasov (weightlifter)
"Absolutely no question, Paul was the strongest of the strong. His physical deterioration and prolonged illness for the last 16 years of his life was a fate unbefitting such a great strongman and humanitarian. Paul was really a powerlifter and did the overhead lifts only because powerlifting as a sport did not exist 40 years ago. He excelled and was world and Olympic champ because he was far stronger than anyone else. When I hear people talk that a powerlifter will never win an Olympic gold medal, I tell them that Paul Anderson already did it, almost forty years ago." – Bruce Wilhelm (strongman)
Dear Paul. Wish you were here / Baldy. "Dear Paul. Wish you were here", 1958, editorial cartoon by Clifford H. Baldowski, Clifford H. Baldowski Editorial Cartoon Collection, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.