I love writing about bronze-era strongmen because they are a testament to what the human body is capable of naturally.
Their physical development and feats of strength were accomplished through their natural bodily strength, sinew, and power of will. I study the old school strongmen to see the levels of muscle and strength that can be obtained without steroids.
One of the strongest men of the bronze era of bodybuilding was Hermann Goerner.
Goerner was an absolute powerhouse. We was a mountain of a man capable of lifting 27 full grown men on a plank of wood. Goerner left jaws dropping everywhere he went with his mind-blowing feats of strength. Here we talk about some of his amazing feats of strength, unconventional training techniques, philosophy and lifestyle.
Goerner The Giant
Goerner was billed at 6’3″ tall and weighed over 270 pounds in his prime.
He became known as the German Superman that could juggle weights that other strongman couldn’t even budge an inch off the ground.
Görner’s Rise to Power and Physical Dominance
Hermann Gorner was born in 1891 in Saxony, Germany. He seemed destined for greatness right from the start.
Goerner was something of a wunderkind. At the ripe age of 10 year old Goerner was already swinging kettlebells like a pro. He had a natural inclination for lifting weights and a kinetic intelligence that all elite athletes possess.
By the time he was a teenager he could swing a 110-pound kettlebell overhead with one hand. He did all of this without a teacher, mentor, or coach.
Goerner became a heavyweight amateur weightlifting champion for the famous Leipzig Weightlifting Club before he turned 21 years old. The guy was a force to be reckoned with and quickly dominated the weightlifting scene of his Motherland.
Hermann build quite the reputation as a weightlifter across the European continent and many thought of him as the successor to Arthur Saxon, the physical culture icon of the time.
In the early 1910’s Goerner put his muscle to use as as showman. He teamed up with his brother Otto and their training partner, Otto Breuer, to form the “Atlas Trio.”
This trio toured the countryside performing mind-blowing feats of strength. Everything from lifting, to acrobatics, to posing and other stunts and displays of raw physical power and muscle control.
Hermann Goerner became the clear favorite of the group and the troupe eventually changed their name to the “Hermann Strongford Trio.”
Hermann Goerner and The Great War
Goerner fought as a soldier in World War I where he served on the Western Front. He was badly injured when a piece a shrapnel hit his eye. But he didn’t let that stop his colossal rise to stardom in the strong man arena.
After the war, Goerner got hitched to his wife Elise and ventured down to South Africa where he spent 16 years living the strongman life and honing his skills and strength.
Goerner gained steam as a strongman and earned the monikers “Herculean” and the “Goliath of the 20th Century”.
Goerner linked up with William Pagel, a circus owner and promotor who was also a Herculean strongman. They became business associates and Pagel sponsored Goerner’s strongman acts.
Pagel himself was no joke. He knew his way around the gymnasium. And he once carried a 1,050-pound horse up 18-foot ladders just for the fun of it.
Hermann Goerner Epic Feats of Strength
Goerner was already the world’s mightiest deadlifter by age 25. His displays of super strength also included the following:
Lifted 17 men at once
17 large men sat on a plank of wood and Goerner leg pressed them into the air with his massive thighs.
Two-Hand Snatch
While Goerner was touring through Kalk Bay, South Africa, he reportedly lifted 135 kgs (297 lbs.) in the Two-Hands Snatch.
One-Hand Clean and Jerk
Goerner jerked 120 kilograms (264 lbs.) in Leipzig on November 9th 1919.
The Human Bridge
During his performances with the circus, Görner would lie on his back, raise his legs and shoulders off the ground, and support multiple people standing on his stomach to show off his impressive core and abdominal strength.
Wrestled an Elephant
He would wrestle an elephant as part of his circus act. When the tour began the elephant weighed about 700 lbs. But toward the end of the tour the elephant weighed more than 1,500 pounds. Goerner would lock arms and judo roll with this massive beast.
One-Handed Weightlifting Beast
Görner hoisted a colossal 330 pounds (150 kg) overhead with one hand to set a new world record.
One-handed deadlift
Goerner set and holds a Guinness World Record for 301 kg (664 lbs.) in October 1920. Other sources reported a one-handed deadlift of 727.5 pounds.
Weightlifting Competitions
Hermann came in second place at the 1911 European Championships in Leipzig and took third at the 1913 National Championships in Kassel.
He was fourth in the 1913 World Championships in Breslau, and second in the 1919 National Championships in Munich.
On 4th April 1920, Goerner snatched 125 kilograms (275 lbs.) and jerked 160 kilograms (352 lbs.) in a win against Karl Möerke at the Restaurant Hall of Leipzig’s Zoological Garden.
Other impressive feats of strength in rapid fire format
Many of his record breaking lifts were done after he was wounded in war. Which shows Goerner’s perseverance, grit and relentless spirit.
- Deadlift – Goerner was dubbed the world’s greatest deadlifter by hoisting 793 pounds officially.
- Cross snatched a 230 pound barbell.
- Carried a 1,444 pound piano on his back for over 50 feet.
- His famous Challenge Barbell – Elevate overhead at arms length. Then drop it into the crux of his elbows (like how you hold a barbell during a Zercher Squat) before lowering it gently to the ground.
- Incredible grip strength.
- Amazing hand and finger strength – 132 pound kettlebell only using his index finger. 110 points kettlebell swing using his pinky. 4 finguer barbell deadlift of 500 pounds using two fingers of each hand.
- Leg pressing 4000 pounds.
- Pinch grip snatch. 9-inch wrists and 16 inch forearms. Like bowling pins.
Didn’t specialize in one particular lift or stunt. Well rounded and challenged all his muscles and training many movements with the weigh.
Training routine, methods and philosophy
Goerner said that he “lifts for the sheer pleasure of testing his super human powers.”
I get where he is coming from – There is a tremendous amount of joy and satisfaction discovering the strength your body and mind are capable of.
Hermann Goerner’s Workout Routine
Goerner trained 3 days per week for 2 hours per session. He trained in the gymnasium during the cold and snowy winter months. But when summer rolled around he trained outside in the open air for 3-4 hours per session.
He would jump, jog, and swim in addition to training with barbells, kettlebells, and dumbbells.
Unconventional training methods and improvised lifts
Goerner would lift bricks by laying them in a row and squeezing them together.
282 pounds of brinks lined up side by side. He would squeeze the bricks together with his massive hands creating a vise-like pressure to keep the brinks in line while he lifted them.
132 barbell snatching from one end of the barbell stability and balance and sheer strength and control is impressive.
He didn’t like the bent press though and he didn’t do it. Which is a stark contrast to other oldschool strongmen of the time like Eugen Sandow. Goerner thought it wasn’t worth the risk. Makes sense for a tall guy to not like the bent press as a long torso is more risky to perform the bent press with.
Rest, Recovery and Diet
Goerner slept a lot. Would go to bed at sunset and wake up at sunrise. Got into a natural rhythm and slept soundly.
He also ate a lot – up to 4.5 pounds of mince meat per day, along with potatoes, fruits, and nuts.
He ate twice per day. Didn’t drink much alcohol or spirits but did enjoy beer like any good German would.
Later Life and Death
Goerner got locked up by the Nazi regime in a Polish concentration camp for two years because he was a card holding member of a workers party. He was targeted a a political enemy and stuffed into a labor camp. He suffered malnutrition, was treated like a dog, and was forced to do hard labor.
Despite the overwhelming odds Goerner never gave up. He could have rolled over a died. He could have lost his purpose and his spirit. But like the true warrior he was, Goerner never gave up.
After WWII he was reunited with his wife and lived as refugees in a tiny village near Hannover. He lost everything in a war. Money and personal material possessions were stolen, destroyed are rendered useless due to terrible foreign policy.
His home was just a small room where he slept, ate, cooked, and did some serious philosophical pondering. Picture a humble space with a bed, a table, two chairs, a cupboard, and a tiny stove to keep warm and whip up some grub.
In 1956, at age 65, Goerner died from gallbladder colic. He didn’t have any living relatives, but he entrusted his epic collection of weightlifting and biographical items as well as the material possessions he accumulated in his twilight years to his friend Edgar Mueller. Mueller, being a true friend and supporter, worked tirelessly to keep Goerner’s legacy alive and wrote a book, Goerner the Mighty.
Conclusion
Hermann Goerner’s story is a testament to his incredible strength, determination, and resilience. From swinging kettlebells as a kid to dominating the weightlifting scene and performing traveling the world wowing crowds. He truly left an indelible mark on the world of strength sports and physical culture.
His journey from a teenage powerhouse to a legendary figure in the strength world is awe-inspiring. From the mind-bending Human Bridge to one-handed weightlifting madness, Görner redefined the limits of what the human body is capable of.
Hit the gym, push your limits, and strive for greatness. Who knows? Maybe someday, you’ll be the next legend with your name into the halls of history. Keep lifting heavy and keep chasing those gains.
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