SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
part 3
By BOB HOFFMAN
Author of "Weightlifting"
THIS MONTH I am going to set the record straight concerning powerlifting in this country. Joe Weider wrote in his publication, "For once again they, Bob Hoffman and the AAU, are at war with another branch of weightlifting, this time their guns are levelled at powerlifting...dangerous? a waste of muscle. That is what Bob Hoffman would have the world think of powerlifting. But Joe Weider is set to battle for the rights of powerlifters."
He writes about small minds and little people. The man who wrote what I have quoted does not have the record straight for Hoffman, York and AAU have been promoting powerlifting since Joe Weider was in diapers!
I purchased the old STRENGTH magazine which had its inception in 1915. It was combined with Strength & Health magazine which has long been called "The Weightlifter's Magazine" which had its inception in 1932 and has worked hard for weightlifting and bodybuilding ever since.
Soon after the end of World Ward I, three powerlifts, the supine press, the squat and the deadlift were regularly practiced. In one of the early Philadelphia strength shows, Joe Nordquest supine pressed 363½ pounds. This lift was done on the floor, the barbell being pulled over the face and pressed up as in the bench press.
In another Philadelphia show, Milo Steinborn, who was a combination strongman, wrestler, weightlifter and powerlifter, set a record of 552½ pounds in the squat which was to remain the high mark for many years. Steinborn put the weight on his shoulders unassisted; he did not use power stands.
Bob Peoples, a phenomenal light-heavyweight, set a deadlift record of 725 which has only been surpassed by heavyweights and superheavyweights. In 1935 John Terry set a featherweight deadlift record of 610 pounds which has not been closely approached to this day.
Although we of the York Barbell Club have been mainly specialists in Olympic weightlifting for that is where the worldwide action is, we practiced most of the 50 lifts I described in detail in my popular book WEIGHTLIFTING. These lifts include the powerlifts as they are used today. Many were the contests we had on these powerlifts and in the thirties, before Weider even started putting out a few mimeographed sheets which afterwards grew into his magazines, contests were held all over the United States called "odd lift contests". Now these contests are most often called strength lifts or powerlifts.
Let me quote from the AAU Official Weightlifting Rules book. Don Haley who has been chairman and co-chairman of the National AAU Weightlifting Committee for a number of years and was one of the managers of the American team at the recent World's Championships in Columbus, Ohio, wrote the article about powerlifting in the AAU rules book. He wrote: "As interest in Olympic style weightlifting began to surge forward in the early twenties, powerlifting was used on an ever broadening scale for the physical development so desirable in all forms of athletics.
In 1939, the first reports of regularly scheduled and sanctioned open powerlift meets began to make their appearance in the United states publications, STRENGTH & HEALTH and IRON MAN. Weider was not even heard of at that time. Now, 30 years later, Weider is set, so he says, to battle for the rights of powerlifters.
Further quoting Don Haley: "In the far West, the Southern California Weightlifting Association pioneered in this field by scheduling annually a five lift open powerlifting contest. These contests were held each year prior to the beginning of the regular Olympic lifting season and participation included not only the true powerlifters but also the outstanding exponents of the quick lifts in that area. The selection of the lifts was varied from time to time in order for the competitors to demonstrate their all around abilities in the various lifts."
Let me cut in on Don Haley for a moment. The International Five Lifts were made a part of the Olympic Games in 1924. The five lifts were: one arm snatch, one arm clean and jerk, two arm military press, two arm snatch and two arm clean and jerk. Prior to that time, odd lifts determined the Olympic championships in weightlifting. In 1896 there were to lifts, the one arm clean and jerk and the two arm clean and jerk. In 1904 the lifts were the two arm continental clean and jerk and a one arm dumbell lift. In 1920 the lifts were: Two arm military press, two arm snatch and two arm clean and jerk.
In 1924 we, or I believe in all fairness I can say I, conducted the first regular contest in the United States. Prior to this time all weightlifting had been exhibitions or attempts to set a record on any one of the 50 lifts. In this contest we had seven weight classes lifting on seven platforms for we did not know of the method now in use where all lift on one platform with the lesser lifters starting first and the stronger lifters coming on when the weight they thought they could handle was placed on the bar. I collected the seven platforms, seven barbells and selected 21 officials which was quite a job in those days when we few officials were around. I competed in the contest and won by a small margin. The lifts were: one arm snatch, one arm clean and bent press, two arm snatch, two arm clean and jerk and the deadlift - a good combination of quick lifts and powerlifts.
From 1928 the Olympic weightlifting was conducted on the three lifts as we know them today except that the military press was used until '56 when the present style of Olympic pressing was used. Five lifts were used in U.S. national competition up until 1935.
Back to Don Haley's quote: "On the national scene, early contests usually included the one arm snatch and one arm clean and jerk plus the perennial favorites, the supine press, the regular curl and the deadlift. It is interesting to note that pressing on a bench had not always been considered an index of pure power. The press flat on the floor, with or without body arch, was a long time favorite. From time to time the bent press had been included. (For a time, the two arm curl and upright rowing motion were a part of odd lift competition. These were included to develop pulling power for the various two arm lifts. Arthur.)
"The tendency to standarize competition utilizing pure power movements, such as the bent press, the squat and the deadlift had been used as the basis of competition in most odd lifts or powerlifts or strength lifts as they were variously called. Powerlift competition will rise to unprecedented levels in both national interest and in the quality of performance in the next few years.
"The bench press, squat and deadlift have been officially accepted as the AAU Powerlift Competition. The rules for competition are forth elsewhere in this book."
PHOTO CAPTIONS
- Joe Nordquest doing a supine press with a heavy barbell. Joe held the record at 363½ pounds. Bar is pulled over face into position for pressing. Lift was made at end of World War 1.
- Milo Steinborn performed a heavy squat. Milo did 552½ pounds, putting the weight on his shoulders unassisted! Lift was made in 1924.
- Bob Peoples deadlifting 704 pounds in a sanctioned-AAU meet 28 years ago. He later pushed the mark up to 727½. Bob weighted 175 pounds!
- Powerlifters don't get old. Here is Milo today, 80 years old, with his sons, Dick (left) and Henry (right). Milo operates this fine gym in Orlando, Florida.