Paul Anderson, Weightlifting Champion

World (1955) and Olympic (1956) weightlifting champion - and holder of all the world records at the time - Paul Anderson, the subject of an excellent new book by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D., was probably the strongest man who ever walked the face of the earth. One of the best known athletes of his time, no other strongman, before or since, has captured the imagination of the world the way Anderson did in the '50s and early '60s.
Paul Anderson's still unequaled prowess in the deep knee bend or squat. Outshining his historic performances in the Olympic lifts, Dr. Strossen writes, "He squatting ability surpassed anyone's wildest dreams...He was getting close to squatting double what the record had been before he assaulted it."
At a time when the world record was around 650 pounds, Anderson was doing 900 pounds for reps in exhibitions. He eventually squatted 1160 pounds before reputable witnesses at Muscle Beach and again on The Ed Sullivan Show before a national television audience. Pressed for his all-time best, Anderson told Strossen, "I did 1200 pounds face value with no reservations whatsoever."
As to doubting Thomases, he said, "My squatting power was never challenged or no one ever disputed it after they saw me do, say, 10 reps with 800". Which he did many times as a guest lifter at early power lifting contests.


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