Paul Anderson

:: 11/13/2014: dave rosenow, pacific mo, franklin
Paul Anderson was the original. He used a wide variety of training methods. I did some Olympic Lifting in the mid 60's. Pauls' technique was very crude yet he was able to establish world records. No telling what he could have done with a lifting coach. His brute strength has yet to be matched.

:: 1/26/2014: Guy Melton, Normsn Ok, USA
Mr Anderson came to my sister HS about 1966.he did his famous table lift.will always remember him

:: 4/9/2012: Dan Griffis, Jacksonville FL, USA
Paul Anderson came to my small high school in Hampton, SC, in 1969, and gave a demonstation/speech. I will never forget when he first walked out on stage - all the kids started snickering and giggling because he was so huge (they thought he was fat). I remember him reaching for the microphone and setting it aside. The first words he spoke reverberated off the back wall of the auditorium with such force that the whole audience was stunned into silence. He had our undivided attention from that moment on. His feats of strength were stupendous, but his strength of character and inspiring message were truly magnificent. A true inspiration and example....

:: 2/4/2012: Robert Wojcik, Warsaw , Poland
Mr. Paul Anderson inspired me to become strong, or to be a weightlifter, what meant the same in my young days. I started my trainings in 1955 when he reached 500 kgs in total as the first man in the world. Then I reached 217,5 kgs. First I dreamt to reach 300 kg, but I did not as I started studying at Technical University and my parents and friends advised me to concentrate on studying. Shortly speaking I refused their advise and in 1961 I reached 300 (307,5 kg to be correct). To make it shorter I became the first man in Poland who reached 500 kg in total in 1968. I met personally the strongest guys of those times like Zabotynski, Alekseev, your Bob Bednarski and the others, more I competed against them. And all that because once upon a time during Could War I read in newspaper about Mr. Paul Anderson.

:: 8/23/2011: Terry Byers, Lexinton Ky., USA
I never met him , but I did hear him speak on TV once. He said ' some people call me the strongest man in the world...BUT, I can't get thru ONE day without JESUS '. That IMPRESSED me, I think about that to this day. I still serve JESUS CHRIST !!

:: 11/10/2010: Gioacchino Ricci, Rome , Italy
Let me make some small assumption... Back in 1955 other lifters could press not more than 165, i think, with the Anderson tecnique. The c&j lift by other athletes was around 195kg, this means that a press with modern style could be 190kg, From 165 to 190 means that Anderson could go from 185.5 to 213.5! And certainly P.A. could jerk 210 or even 220 kg if only he could clean them. So Yury Vlasov never really Broke Anderson's press record with his 200kg with push and bent, It took Alexeev 15 years later.... I think I'm not far from the truth saying that russian invented the last press tecnique being desperate with Anderson's press record, in 1962 this tecnique was almost perfect, so the record by Anderson was gone, Otherwise would have to spend another 8 years and a new generation of athletes

:: 5/15/2010: Gioacchino Ricci, Rome , Italy
I dont know where to put it, but since Anderson was very strong in the press.... Here is a noticeable history of the press in weightlifting: http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JSH/JSH2001/JSH2803/JSH2803d.pdf

:: 2/5/2010: DAVID HUBACH, AUSTIN TEXAS, USA
I FIRST SAW PAUL ANDERSON AT YORK HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM AT THE SENIOR NATIONALS IN 1976 I REMEMBER THE ALMOST SILENCE THAT CAME OVER THE CROWD WHEN HE ENTERED THE AUDITORIUM I WALKED OVER AND SCHOOK HIS HAND . IT WAS A TRUE HONOR TO MEET HIM .

:: 10/4/2009: R.F. Johns, Cambridge Ontario, Canada
I met Paul Anderson at the Gettysburg weightlifting championships in the 70's. I was standing alone at a corner of a street when I saw a huge man huffing and puffing coming up a slight hill towards me, with his body swinging from side to side that included a large cross around his neck moving at the same cadence. This visual actually looked comical! I immediately recognized the mighty Paul Anderson world renown for his incredible lifts illustrated for decades within the Guinness book of world records. I was greeted with his booming voice with a southern drawl as if I was one of his family. This man showed great warmth and an outstanding character. This man was the type of person that you could always count on and want as a friend!

:: 5/12/2009: Marvin Hutcheson, Kilgore Tx, USA
I was born in Kibbie Ga. Paul Andersen has been a great hero of mine since I was a small boy. Not only in his strenth but his love of God and Life. I wished we had more hero's like him. I loved that man He was my Hero.

:: 9/30/2008: Ron Tallon, Woodstock Ga, USA
I saw Paul at my High School back in the 60s. Back then it was ok for someone to come in and give a talk about God. Now, of course, you cant do that or someone will sue. Paul lifted a table with a full load of big boys on it such as another poster described. He amazed us with his great strength. Then he delivered a Christian message with great sincerity and power. Later, Paul opened his home for troubled youth that still stands today. There are not many people who have done as much good in their lives as Paul Anderson, The Vidalia Superman. RIP Paul. Thanks for being a great example for us all.

:: 8/10/2008: Ned Harkey, Irmo SC, United States
I saw Paul perform his stage show at the Old Columbia High School in Columbia, SC back in the early 70's. He was an awesome lifter! He single arm pressed a 350lb. dumbbell three times. My friends and I were teenagers and could not even roll the dumbbell where it sat on the stage floor after the event was over. His strength and message inspired me to start lifting weights at age 15 and I still enjoy lifting to this day!

:: 7/16/2007: Frank Wright, Galveston TX, USA
I never got a chance to see him or hear him speak but I remember him leaving quite an impression on my peers @ The University of Louisiana @ Lafayette. He delivered a Christian message but he also performed a demonstration of strength. He had nine men sit on top of a rectangular cafeteria type table and he crouched down and lifted them. While they were still elevated he described the technique and mental focus required to do something of that nature.

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