Yes, Franco was a professional boxer before getting into powerlifting and bodybuilding. If you check out “Pumping Iron” there is a little bit there where he’s showing off for a bunch of skinny mofos.
If you believe Greg Kovack’s claims, he may be the strongest (in absolute terms). But I think Ronnie has more credibility.
I terms of relative strength, maybe Franco but I’m not sure.
No one mentioned Platz or Gaspari, they were strong squatters. Also, I think that Chris Duffy was strong. Can’t think of anyone else right now…
Ronnies #s are definitely impressive. Johny Jackson has held several world records in different PL federations. And who could forget the shot of Franco lifting the car in Pumping Iron. And to whoever made that dumb comment about anyone getting strong if they do enough AAS. Cmon! how many guys are juiced to the gills and cant lift their way out of a paper bag???
I think Franco Columbu was the Italian lightweight or bantamweight Boxing Champion when he was a teenager. Another thing about Franco was his performance in all those “feats of strength” events. The guy could explode hot water bottles by blowing them up with his breath and bending nails and all that crazy type of shit. All round animal, yet with the most child-like demeanor.
Soo true… very well said.
Muscle dont grow by itself and with drugs by itself, it takes a lot of work to achieve were they are at.
oh my dear lord!!! kovacs looks like a cadaver. that man is dead…as will the rest of those monkeys be soon. they all look sick, the men, the women, the fitness girls, even the figure girls are looking just disturbing these days. this just portrays bodybuilding in a terrible light…
yeah, but whos the strongest gay bodybuilder???
I love the way Franco moved that car around in Pumping Iron.
Reminds me of the first time I lifted the back wheels of a car. It was one of those really small ones and I was just a teen. Anyway, when my friend and I saw the wheels come off the floor we laughed for like 5 minutes straight! I couldn’t believe I actually lifted it, I was in complete disbelief… The whole thing just seemed absurd.
Lifting small cars became something of a hobby for me and my buddies. One of them (an Oly lifter, real strong dude!) could also lift large cars like it was nothing.
Sad to say, Mariusz P. is dead. It says so right after that videotape of that strongman on ESPN.
Yeah I definetly thought that Franco looked more dense and harder than Arnold in PI.
Mariusz P. is Dead??? No way!
My bad. I’m now sorry to say I fucked up.Marius P. is still one strong dude. Again, sorry.
If Marius is dead then how did he compete this last weekend in Columbos, Ohio in the Arnold Strongman Classic?
Hmm, pretty good for a dead guy.
As for strongest…I’d say that Jackson guy, he is the real deal, Chris Cormier has a great bench but his dead are suspect another powerhouse is Ernie Elllwod and yes (to whomever posted it) he did qualify for 2003 World’s Strongest Man in Zambia and while going through the qualifiers he tore his right bicep tendon off and was forced to retire from the comp. He is old school and completely hardcore.
Another old school strength god was Mike Francois, watched a video of him squatting 7plates/side for four reps with just knee wraps and a belt…SWEET!
RAGINGHULK
He just competed at the Arnold like three days ago. Did pretty well too, for a dead guy.
Ronnie Coleman is a big dude! Last month, i saw him working out at Gold’s Gym where I work out. It was impressive. I guess he went back to his regular gym b/c I never saw him again. Who knows but he looked like he’d break me in half!
Ah c’mon P-dog that’s such a dumb question!
Everybody knows all Bodybuilders are gay.
I saw Jonnie Jackson and got to meet him at the 2003 British Grand Prix (Bodybuilding event, not motor racing haha), and the announcer Kerry Kayes (Dorian Yates partner in CNP Ltd) said that he lifted a 2100 total in the WPO.
Cheers
Stubob
Well there have been a few ex-bodybuilders turned strongman down the years.
Sven Karlsen springs to mind, ex-pro bodybuilder never hit the top spots due to injuries and WSM in 2001, No.2 in 2000 WSM.
And Gary Taylor was a Bodybuilder and Olympic Lifter before winning WSM in 93.
Also Manfred Hoeberl of Austria looked to be on his way to becoming WSM in 95 before a nasty car crash. OK so he wasn’t a great bodybuilder only placing fourth in Mr. Germany qualifer but the guy had 22" arms and could curl 440lbs for reps
I may get it in the neck for this but Eddy Ellwood is far stronger than Ronnie Colman. Rechecked and Brian Batcheldor confirmed that he pulled a conventional 400kg DL or 880lb. Bill Kazmier actually said ‘he is the strongest body builder i have ever seen’
Ronnie does Deadlift over 800 lbs in his video for 2 full reps and this was pre contest he claims he lifts even heavier in the offseason, whose to doubt him? Just look at the mother fucker he is insane even for pro bodybuilders.
I saw an ad in a magazine in which the real deal chris cormier had nearly a dozen plates or so stacked up for rows. If the plates were legit he must be the real deal.
The one pro bodybuilder video i really liked was dorian yates. The guy didnt lift as heavy as ron in DL, but every single exercise he did he went over my max. And he did them for reps. Many believe the heavy lifting in the video is what attributed to his career ending injury.
another strong bodybuilder nobody mentioned is retired big man Mike Francois. He used to train west side style to get in top notch shape for the arnold classic. Back in early mid nities he was dl 800 for reps.