andrew
Bodybuilding has grown into a global phenomenon, with Instagram influencers and YouTube tutorials dominating the scene, offering all sorts of advice on body recomposition, lifting, and diets. While the modern era celebrates high-tech equipment, protein shakes, and precise macros, I can’t help but long for the times when strength was more about showmanship and feats of absurd strength. This wasn’t about gym-perfect bodies but rather the theatrics—throwing around objects from a junkyard or letting a car drive over your chest. And let’s not forget those iconic singlets with one strap. Here’s a look at five old-time strongmen who made strength look like an art form.
5. Louis Cyr
Louis Cyr was the embodiment of brute force, a living legend with a physique and strength that couldn’t be matched—he didn’t waste his time eating “clean” meals or prepping macros. No, Cyr was out there lifting more weight than most men’s entire families weigh and following it up with the biggest meals the world had to offer.
He wasn’t just a strongman—he was an absolute beast. A major highlight? He lifted 1,897 pounds, coming incredibly close to the mythical 2-ton feat that is usually saved for cartoons. On top of that, Cyr once lifted a total of 4,327 pounds with his back, and even in his 40s, he was still an untouchable powerhouse. After a younger contender challenged him, Cyr lifted himself off the couch and proved he still had the strength to crush it, pulling up 2,870 pounds.
4. Apollon
When it comes to true strength, meet Apollon, or Louis Uni. This guy’s physique wasn’t about aesthetics or strutting around on Instagram, but that doesn’t mean his strength was any less legendary. Apollon’s signature lift—the infamous Apollon Wheels—was the definition of raw power. These massive railroad wheels were connected by a hefty 2-inch axle, totaling a staggering 366 pounds. But Apollon didn’t just lift them; he cleaned and jerked them twice a day, cementing his place in strongman lore.
3. Thomas Topham
Strength doesn’t always need to be flashy, and Thomas Topham proved that in spades. In fact, you don’t even need to have rippling muscles or social media clout when you can lift 1,836 pounds. Topham was so strong, he could make jaws drop, even if he was simply lifting a table with his teeth, weighing a mind-boggling 100 pounds. Best known for performing strongman stunts in his pub to attract customers, Topham eventually became known for feats far beyond serving drinks.
2. Eugene Sandow
Sure, Eugene Sandow might look like he’s made for a modern bodybuilding stage (he essentially set the stage for today’s fitness craze), but let’s not forget where it all started. The father of modern bodybuilding certainly knew how to pose and flex but wasn’t immune to the old-time strength ideals that still carried a mix of spectacle. His definition of the ideal male physique had everything: strength, power, and the showmanship to match. In his day, his chiselled body was a marvel, balancing grace with raw power.
1. Angus MacAskill
Lastly, there’s Angus MacAskill, a literal giant of history and a Scottish powerhouse. Towering at 7-foot-9, this 425-pound beast could lift unimaginable weights. His reported feats include hoisting a ship’s anchor weighing an astounding 2,800 pounds and effortlessly hauling a full-grown horse over a 4-foot fence—without breaking a sweat. With these otherworldly abilities, it’s no surprise MacAskill caught the eye of P.T. Barnum and toured the world as a circus attraction, forever cementing his place as one of history’s most unassailable strongmen.
These amazing old-time strongmen might not fit the modern mold, but they embodied the essence of strength in its most raw, epic, and theatrical form. Each one was a living myth, reminding us that true strength goes beyond sheer muscle—sometimes, it’s all about the spectacle.
