Cyr was a big man in all ways, both heart and size, being a great trencherman, eating more than four normal men. In more recent years, Ben Weider wrote and published a similar tome, well worth reading, and highly entertaining, entitled “The Strongest Man in History” detailing much of Cyr’s life and adventures. This awkward hunk of iron required lots of practice before one learned the little details needed to be successful at lifting it. across the deltoids 25.6″/65cm. Sargent listed Cyr’s height as just 5’8 1/2″.

Men from all parts of the country came to see if they might get it overhead. Cyr’s dumbbells were often so unwieldy that many respectable strongmen were unable to budge them OFF THE FLOOR, let alone lift them over head. In case you are unfamiliar with Paul Ohl, let us introduce him by noting that in addition to being a sports historian, he is a former member of both the International and Canadian Olympic Academy, and most germane to this discussion, his biography of Louis Cyr stands in a class by itself. Showmanship par-excellence was exhibited by both in this extraordinary feat, but can you imagine the amount of strength that was involved? W. J. Lowry once wrote ‘Credit may have been given to certain people in the past by writers whose integrity is doubtless beyond reproach, but nevertheless possibly allowed their enthusiasm to sway their sense of responsibility towards registrars of history.’ What is interesting is to compare some of the measurements of todays behemoths in the Worlds Strongest Man Contest, e.g. Prudent with his earnings. A look at a young Louis Cyr taking a huge Globe Dumbbell for a ride. He was the second child of seventeen children born to Pierre and Philomene Berger Cyr. In case anyone is not sure, Cyr is the big one in the background and the tiny figure in the bottom right in a similar pose (I think at that bodyweight I had the advantage in shape & definition over ole Louie for this pose-off!!) Highland Games. Who could foresee Ted Arcidi’s 700 lb. Some men are perhaps similar to, but there will never be another Louis Cyr. Cyr was very popular in Britain, being feted by celebrities and Royalty alike, including the then Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria. On January 19, 1892, at the Royal Aquarium Hall, in London, UK, he performed a right-arm dumbbell press of 273-1/4 pounds. The weight of that dumbell was always being changed. One of Cyr’s most-talked about stunts occurred on 10 December 1891 in Montreal. Up to 6 lbs. His over eating and large size and the onset of Brights disease put an end to competition and performing. I offered him some chalk to absorb the moisture of his hand. As gently as a child he would lift her over the counter, and as gently deposit her on the other side without a break in his speech. We deal in kilos and meters, pounds and feet. Sullivan by the way was known as The Boston Strong Boy and was VERY powerful, but not in Cyr’s class) Cyr, happy in his own environment beat all comers when challenged to perform. On May 7th and 8th 1896, he performed a crucifix with 97.25lb/44kg in his right hand, and 88lb/40kg in his left. But soon organized another troupe of wrestlers, boxers, and weightlifters. He just kept looking at me and the awkward hunk of iron mass that was defying him. After spending some time as a lumberjack, Cyr became a professional strongman, touring all over the United States and Europe. Years ago, after the French Canadian giant, Louis Cyr, had forsaken the stage to take charge of his saloon in Montreal, thousands of his admirers continued to pay homage to him. !” We all eyeballed the massive, well weathered statue and couldn’t miss the inscription! His father was quite strong and worked as a lumberjack and farmer. I thought it would be neat to display this since the recent article appeared in a recent Daily News below. This rare engraving is from a Quebec newspaper from the late 1800s. With this superb reference, Louis joined the good guys, becoming for several years a genuine police officer. A champion is one who is tops in HIS OR HER TIME ALONE! Travis, Sandow etc. Those who tried it remember that only too well. On January 30, 1892, at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, UK, he did a right-arm dumbbell press of 174 pounds for 16 consecutive repetitions, from a kneeling position. The Cyr dumbell we had was always a bone of contention. By co-incidence on his visit to Britain, the top of the pops was a ditty entitled ‘Get Your Hair Cut’…Louis must have taken the hint, as afterwards he always sported short hair. It has to be stressed when you later compare some of Cyr’s feats of strength with his modern equivalent that ALL standards have, and do increase over the years, as much due to psychological as physiological reasons. Louis Cyr was in his first strongman competition at the age of 17, when he faced Michaud of Quebec. at 6′ 1″. Yet, he always performed it in an off hand way, that made him appear to be indifferent to any effect the feat had upon the spectators. In 1886 Cyr met and defeated Richard Pennell, then Pennell being 40, and Louis just 23. It was on this historical occasion, on January 19th 1892 that Cyr pressed the pre-mentioned 273.75 lb. The Cyr Dumbbell now resides at the York Barbell Museum. Unfortunately, I do not remember how much it was loaded to at the time. IronMind: Tools of the Trade for Serious Strength Athletes . Knowing what she wanted, the ponderous giant would neither withdraw his gaze or stop in his speech, but would lower his right hand in a nonchalant fashion, upon which his wife would sit. He smiled as if to say, “that’s easy,” and no one would doubt him. Cyr did a one handed deadlift with a dumbbell weighing 525lb/238kg, made harder by the fact that the bar was 1.5 inches thick. 5.

Regrettably David Willoughby never lived to see some of today’s behemoths or powerlifters, far beyond any of Dave’s predictions or limits based on scientific calculations. Cyr had just defeated David Michaud, the Canadian champion. Great homage was paid by all of Canada with immense crowds attending the funeral, floral tributes coming from all over the World. They constantly patronized his saloon so they could claim friendship with this iron king. I remembered the huge hands Carnera had when he shook my hand, and knew if anyone could handle this weight it was him. Louis Cyr, the Canadian Hercules, raises a 273-pound dumbbell above his head with one hand. He came over, very casually gripped the stubby handle and made a half-hearted attempt to lift it. One of his most famous feats was the back lift. John Grimek prepares to lift the famous Cyr Dumbbell.

Sandow was an astute showman, but no fool, and avoided any such challenges throughout his esteemed career after early mistakes, like the time when he was beaten by McCann. Promoted by Fox, Louis went on tour circa 1885 – 1891 beating amongst others Sebastian Miller, Bienkowski or Cyclops who could genuinely bend coins, August Johnson and Richard Pennell, plus continually challenging …. Lowry, Dave Willoughby and George Jowett.

In 1896, he did a left-arm press of 258-1/4 pounds. At the height of his career, Cyr stood only 5’10” tall but he weighed over 300 pounds and had a 60″ chest when it was expanded (55.2″ normally). Fox offered a side bet of $5,000 to anyone who could beat Cyr at any of his strength feats. Four horses were tied to his arms (two on each side) and, while the grooms whipped and urged the horses to pull, Cyr managed to restrain all of them. Others felt much the same way about this big man. The same evening he became the first human to ever lift over 1,500 pounds to the knees (1,897 pounds) bench press, and almost regular heavy weights now squatting with near or over 1000 lbs. Check out our Resource Pages for more information on, 4 Grippers, 1 Goal: Strong and Healthy Hands, Captains of Crush Grippers: What They Are and How to Close Them, Olympic-style Weightlifting & Weight Training, 15” Olympic Plate Loading Pin & Carabiner, One-Hand Deadlift: Rules and World Records, Red Nail & Gold Nail - Rules for Bending & Certification. . The strongman who obtained his strength from barbell training, and who took to tossing iron for his particular sport, is still the monarch of strength athletes. From there he and his wife moved to Saint-Helene, where his parents had moved to. Louis Cyr was a large man. It never did. Simple, fun and effective. He went to school from age 9 to 12 years, and then went to work in the lumber camps in the winter, and on the farm in the summer. This was the third or fourth time we had become lost in that sprawling city during that exciting weekend! Rogue Fitness modelled the new Dumbbell on plans of the original that is currently held in the Stark Center.

On May 8, 1896, at the Saint-Louis Hall , in Chicago, Illinois, Cyr performed a crucifix hold of ten seconds with a 97-1/4-pound dumbbell in the right hand and an 88-pound dumbbell in the left hand. In 1878 the Cyr family moved to the United States in hopes of greater financial gains. When it counted in HIS TIME, Cyr was without doubt a champion, and an honest one to boot. 3. . The young man defeated the reigning Canadian strongman by lifting a granite boulder weighing over 400 pounds. He was matched in a contest against Michaud of Quebec, who was recognized as Canada’s strongest man of the time, the results being that Cyr beat him, the tests being the lifting of heavy stones, Cyr winning the match by hoisting a granite boulder weighing 480 lbs./ 217.7 kg. (Cyr was well acquainted with the famous John F. Sullivan, being one of the few to defy Sullivan’s commands to drink when he drank. For about two years he worked as a policeman, and for a short time owned a tavern.

In May, 1883, at age 19, Louis Cyr became the greatest stone lifter ever, hoisting from the ground to the shoulder a 517-pound boulder, in Lowell, Massachusetts. His lightest bodyweight was when he competed against August Johnson, then just 270 lbs., although his normal contest condition was nearer 320 lbs. Many years later Doc Aumont, son-in-law of Louis, loaned Cyr’s famous dumbbell to the Weider’s Your Physique office in Montreal for a month, during …