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

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

Demonstrations

• Mario Strong
• Ather Butt
• Shobha Tipnis

Chain Breaking

Demonstrations

• Chest Expansion Chain Breaking
• Unbraced Pulling ('Unbreakable' Adam T Glass)

Crushing

Demonstrations

• Crushing Full Soda Can (Jeff Wilson)

Ears and Eyes

Demonstrations

• The Baron Von Geiger (Ears)
• Mohammed Sabir Sipra (Eyelid)

Finger Lifting

Demonstrations

• 'Unbreakable' Adam T Glass
• Ryan Pitts

Technique and Training

• Training for the One Finger Lift (Jeff Wilson)

Frying Pan Rolling

Demonstrations

• Clayton Edgin
• Aneta Florczyk
• Built Old Lady (Gayle)

Grippers

Demonstrations

• Repping with the CoC #3 (Viper)

Technique and Training

• Choked Gripper Training (Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson)
• Magnus Samuelsson on Gripper Training

Hair Feats

Demonstrations

• Tram Pull (Bruce Khlebnikov)
• Bus Pull (Rani Manchi)
• 300lb Hair Lift (Chris Rider)

Hammers and Levering

Demonstrations

• Adam Glass
• Ryan Pitts

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

Demonstrations

• One-armed Handstand Push-ups
• A Day in the Life

Technique and Training

• Band-supported Handstand Push-ups (Jeff Tucker)
• Handstand Drills (CrossFit Journal)

Human Link

Demonstrations

• Chad Netherland
• Lolik the Strongman

Juggling Weights

Demonstrations

• Bumper Plate Juggling (David Hoffmaster)
• Kettlebell Juggling (Pairs)
• Juggling the Baby Inch (Steve 'Mobster' Gardener)

Technique and Training

• The Definitive Guide to Kettlebell Juggling (Logan Christopher)

Muscle Control

Demonstrations

• Maxalding video

Technique and Training

• Performing a Stomach Vacuum

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

• Bare-Handed Nail Driving Basics (Ryan Pitts)

Odd-Object Lifting

Demonstrations

• Washing Machine
• Odd Stone Load (Doug Madewell)
• 'Big Red' (Logan Christopher)

Other Lifts

Demonstrations

• Steinborn Log Lift
• Reynir Sterki performing Hip Lift
• The Zercher Squat

Technique and Training

• Hack Squat
• Zottman Curl
• Jefferson Lift

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

• The Partial Deadlift and Why its Beneficial to Fighters (Mike 'The Machine' Bruce)

Pinching

Demonstrations

• 6 Dime Pinch (Ryan Johnson)
• Europinching (John Eaton)
• Around the World Plate Pinch (Diesel Crew)

Technique and Training

• The Many Types of Blobs (Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson)
• Hub Lifting (part II) (Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson)

Pullups/Chinning

Demonstrations

• Advanced Pull-up Variations (Diesel Crew)
• Rafter Pull-ups
• Pinch-Grip Pull-ups

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

Demonstrations

• Weighted Rope Climbing (Jake Hilton)
• Double Rope Climb

Technique and Training

• Rope Climbing Technique : The Cinch and Pinch (CrossFit Oldtown)
• Attaching a Climbing Rope (CrossFit Foums)

Stone lifting

Demonstrations

• Derek Poundstone Shouldering a 405lb Stone
• Scott Lifts the Dinnie Stones

Technique and Training

• Atlas Stone Technique (Jouko Ahola)
• Training Tip : Atlas Stones (Jim 'Smitty' Smith)
• Lifting an Atlas Stone

Tearing

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

Demonstrations

• Nick Arpad Pulling Ferry
• Elvis Mokko (chairs)
• Lifting Tables

Two Hands Anyhow

Demonstrations

• Kettlebell Two Hands Anyhow (Bruce Y)

Technique and Training

• Barbell Two Hands Anyhow (Jason Kirby)

Want more? No problem - I love this stuff. No matter which strength feat you're looking for, it'll be on this site. Dive in.