Feats of Strength
Various Strength Feats of Strongmen and Circus Performers, both old and new.
This page lists many of the strength feats often performed by professional old-time Strongmen, and demonstrates/explains exactly how to train for each one. Even if your goals do not include spending a bit of time in front of an audience, these are well worth learning.
After all, you can never be too strong.
Bending
Horseshoe by 'Unbreakable' Adam T Glass.
Demonstrations
- Barehanded Nail Bending (Jim)
- Horseshoe Bending (Mike 'The Machine' Bruce)
- Destroying Wrench (with tissue wraps) (Dennis Rogers)
Technique and Training
- Advanced Nail Wrapping (Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson)
- Reverse Bending Instructional Video ('Unbreakable' Adam T Glass)
- SttB Guide to Bending (Scott Andrew Bird)
Blowing
Georges Christen.
Demonstrations
Chain Breaking
Pierre Gasnier.
Demonstrations
Crushing
The Crushdown.
Demonstrations
- Crushing Full Soda Can (Jeff Wilson)
Ears and Eyes
Demonstrations
- The Baron Von Geiger (Ears)
- Mohammed Sabir Sipra (Eyelid)
Finger Lifting
Finger lifts.
Demonstrations
Technique and Training
Frying Pan Rolling
Demonstrations
Grippers
Demonstrations
- Repping with the CoC #3 (Viper)
Technique and Training
Hair Feats
Demonstrations
- Tram Pull (Bruce Khlebnikov)
- Bus Pull (Rani Manchi)
- 300lb Hair Lift (Chris Rider)
Hammers and Levering
Demonstrations
Technique and Training
- Leverage lifts: A reverse engineering problem turned to a breakthrough in power ('Unbreakable' Adam T Glass)
- Hammering Strength into the Wrists (Jedd Johnson)
- Introduction to Sledgehammer Levering (Michael Parrella)
- SttB Guide to Sledgehammer Training (Scott Andrew Bird)
Hand Balancing
Doug Hepburn.
Demonstrations
Technique and Training
- Band-supported Handstand Push-ups (Jeff Tucker)
- Handstand Drills (CrossFit Journal)
Human Link
Louis Cyr.
Demonstrations
Juggling Weights
Demonstrations
- Bumper Plate Juggling (David Hoffmaster)
- Kettlebell Juggling (Pairs)
- Juggling the Baby Inch (Steve 'Mobster' Gardener)
Technique and Training
Muscle Control
Maxick (Max Sick).
Demonstrations
Technique and Training
Nail Driving with the Hands
Demonstrations
- Nail Driving Through Phonebook and Board (Aaron 'The Mighty Mac' Mckenzie)
- Nail Driving Through Shoe and Board (Tommy Heslep)
- Balloon-bustin' Bare-handed Nail Driving (Ryan Pitts)
Technique and Training
Odd-Object Lifting
Herbert 'HE' Mann.
Demonstrations
- Washing Machine
- Odd Stone Load (Doug Madewell)
- 'Big Red' (Logan Christopher)
Other Lifts
Ed Zercher.
Demonstrations
Technique and Training
Partial Lifts
Demonstrations
- Band Resisted Rack Pulls (Jim 'Smitty' Smith)
- 625lb Low Rack Deadlift (Brian Schwab)
- The Human Rack Lift (Mike 'The Machine' Bruce)
Technique and Training
Pinching
Demonstrations
- 6 Dime Pinch (Ryan Johnson)
- Europinching (John Eaton)
- Around the World Plate Pinch (Diesel Crew)
Technique and Training
Pullups/Chinning
Jasper Benincasa.
Demonstrations
Technique and Training
- Band resisted chin-ups (Scott Bird)
- Going Further : Pull-up Drills 3 (Jeff Tucker)
- Assisted Pull-ups with Exercise Bands (workoutz.com)
Rope Climbing
Wolfgang Güllich.
Demonstrations
Technique and Training
- Rope Climbing Technique : The Cinch and Pinch (CrossFit Oldtown)
- Attaching a Climbing Rope (CrossFit Foums)
Stone lifting
Mick Holding. Photo by Steve Collins.
Demonstrations
Technique and Training
- Atlas Stone Technique (Jouko Ahola)
- Training Tip : Atlas Stones (Jim 'Smitty' Smith)
- Lifting an Atlas Stone
Tearing
Torn cards.
Demonstrations
- Phonebook Tearing (Scott McElroy)
- Sharkbite Phonebook Tear (Dave 'Iron Tamer' Whitley)
- When I'm 94... (Jack Beers)
Technique and Training
- Tearing A License Plate (Chris Rider)
- Card Tearing Anyone? (Chuck Halbakken)
- Overhand Card Tearing ('Unbreakable' Adam T Glass)
- Review of the Card Tearing eBook (Scott Andrew Bird)
Teeth and Jaw Feats
Lawanda - the Iron-Jawed Man.
Demonstrations
Two Hands Anyhow
Arthur Saxon.
Demonstrations
- Kettlebell Two Hands Anyhow (Bruce Y)
Technique and Training
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