Russel Knipp

:: 8/11/2015: Victor Rosenberg, Cleveland Heights Ohio, USA
In the December 1972 issue of Strength & Health Bob Hoffman wrote that the judge who gave Knipp a white light on his world record attempt at Munich was from Communist Poland, while the judges who gave him red lights were from Norway and Austria. And it appears that Hoffman himself turned down a clean and jerk attempt by Knipp at the senior nationals (see the October 1972 issue) for the same reason, namely not holding the bar.

:: 1/23/2013: JAN KNIPP, COSTA MESA CA, USA
Please note in your stats: Russ one AT LEAST one gold medal in world championships that I know for certain [Lima Peru]. There were more that I cannot recall. And he won all Gold medals (every lift and the all-around) in all Pan American Games Championships, he competed in: including Winnepeg. There were more that I cannot recall. Please change your display of records. Many thanks! ~Jan Knipp

:: 1/12/2013: Alfonso A. Rodriguez, Palm Bay Florida, USA
Correction on my last entry. I meant that Russell Knipp could not lock his elbows. I left the word 'not' out of the sentence.

:: 1/12/2013: Alfonso A. Rodriguez, Palm Bay Florida, USA
Russell could lock his elbows to save his life which is why he had problem in the snatch and the jerk which are fast lifts unlike the press which was slow by comparison. In Munich '72 he was victimized by two eastern block judges when they gave red lights on what was the best press I had seen to that point in any class with a world record 369 lbs. Add to that that he had to rush and warm up quickly for the snatch since he was one of first ones to start. He managed 281 lbs on the second try. In those days they did not have a break in the competition like today and warm ups for guy like Knipp who normally was last to press and first to snatch was at a disadvantage. Had he had the time to warm up properly, we was strong enough for a 292 and and with the 369 and his jerk could come in tied for a bronze medal. But it was not to be. The Olympics are cut throat and in those days the COLD WAR was very much in evidence at the Olympics. It was unfair, but there is nothing that could be done, Russell Knipp, for my money, was among the top three pressers, pound by pound, in the world.

:: 6/16/2011: GILBERT, QC, CANADA
A GREAT PRESSER

:: 7/17/2009: Phil Guske, Rockford Il, USA
I had the honor of working out with Russ Knipp while at Athletes in Action HQ,summer 1971. He was a very gifted lifter and humbly gave all credit to his Lord for his success.

:: 7/17/2009: Phil Guske, Rockford Il, USA
I had the honor of working out with Russ Knipp while at Athletes in Action HQ,summer 1972. He was a very gifted lifter and humbly gave all credit to his Lord for his success.

:: 7/10/2008: Arthur B. Fox, Pittsburgh PA, USA
Russ Knipp was my boyhood hero. I remember when he pressed 257 in 1962, a teenage world featherweight record at the time. I trained a few times at the old Boys Club in Pittsburgh, after Russ had left and joined the Army. His pressing and squatting powers were unreal. Boy did the BC of Pgh. have the atmosphere, dust, hoffmans rub, old worn-out lifting platform, and the olympic bars Russ had trained on. I did not actually meet Russ until years later in 1970 when I lived and trained in York for most of that year. He talked to a few of us in the parking lot behind the gym. I saw him one time after that, at the 1978 Worlds in Gettysburg. Was very sad to see his OB in the Pgh. Papers 2 years ago. I now live about 1 mile from his old homestead in the Brookline section of Pittsburgh. Also Russ worked briefly at the Westinghouse Airbrake Co. in Wilmerding in the 1960s, with a family friend of mine, who said he was a nice and humble young men. He was not aware who Russ Knipp was, until another worker told him Russ was a world Class weightlifter. Memories.

:: 12/3/2007: john dunigan, whitefish MT, usa
So osrry to hear abot Russ. As a lifting middleweight in those days he was someone I always looked up to...

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