Among the famous Russians, whom the whole world applauded, the hero Alexander Zass occupies an honorable place.
His name in his homeland is not as well known to the general public as the names of Poddubny and Zaikin, but in Europe he was considered the most famous Russian strongman.

He started, like most of his colleagues, with performances in the circus. Crowds of people came to see this kid playfully lifting multi-pound weights. This was absolutely incredible, considering that at that time Alexander weighed less than 80 kilograms. For example, Ivan Zaikin’s weight was more than 120 kg, Ivan Poddubny’s weight was 135 kg.

The First World War radically changed the artist’s life. He ended up on the front line, on the Austrian front. This is where his strength came in handy! Many times he pulled cannons out of the mud where horses could not do it, and once in a hand-to-hand fight Alexander killed two Austrians, hitting them with their foreheads and throwing them in different directions... And in one of the battles he was wounded horse, and Alexander carried it on his shoulders for about a kilometer. Rumors about the Russian strongman spread on both sides of the front. Many could not believe these stories, but looking ahead - later Alexander Zass demonstrated this trick more than once - carrying a horse on his shoulders...

In one of the battles, Zass was seriously wounded by shrapnel in both legs. He was captured, and the Austrian surgeon began amputation. But Zass begged not to do this. He believed in his powerful body and the therapeutic gymnastics that he developed for himself. And he recovered! Soon he, along with other prisoners, was sent to heavy road work. He made several unsuccessful escapes, after which he was severely punished. The third escape was remarkable. Having escaped from the camp, Alexander found himself in the city of Kaposvár in southern Hungary, where the Schmidt Circus, known throughout Europe, was on tour. Presenting himself before the owner of the circus, Zass openly told him about his misfortune, as well as about his work in Russian circuses. Immediately the director suggested that he break the chain and bend a thick metal rod. Of course, hungry and tired, Zass was not in good athletic shape, but through an effort of will he coped with the task. He was taken to the circus, and soon the news of the amazing athlete spread throughout the city.

But one day the military commandant came to his performance. He became interested in why such a strong young athlete was not serving in the Austrian army. That same evening it turned out that Samson was a Russian prisoner of war. He was taken to the basement of the fortress, into a damp, dark room. And then he made a new escape, breaking the chain connecting the handcuffs, breaking the bars on the window, and knocking out the sentry guarding the dungeon.

After long wanderings, with the help of a Hungarian wrestler known since pre-war times, Alexander Zass ends up in the troupe of an Italian circus impresario, and his tour of Europe begins. The fame of the hero named Samson resounds throughout Europe, but most of all in England, where Alexander Zass ends up with his circus. Famous athletes such as Edward Aston, Thomas Inch, Pullum began to try their hand at repeating Zass's tricks, but not a single attempt was successful. Mr Pullum, director of the famous Camberwell Weightlifting Club and editor-in-chief of the sports magazine Health and Strength, wrote of him: “A man has arrived straight into the heart of England, capable of performing feats that common sense refuses to believe. If he had been a huge fellow, his performances might have been perceived as believable. But pay attention at least to the chest excursion (the difference between inhalation and exhalation) of this short man. It is equal to 23 centimeters, which says a lot to specialists. Therefore, I say that he not only has unprecedented physical strength, not only a magnificent artist, but also a man who uses his mind as well as his muscles.” And here is what the poster of the famous Alhambra hall, where Alexander Zass was supposed to perform, testifies: “In Manchester, during construction work, Samson, suspended with one leg from a crane, lifted a metal beam from the ground with his teeth, and was carried to the top of the building by a crane, in while the crowd stood below with their mouths open. If the Russian had opened his mouth, the crowd would never have been able to tell what they saw.” Posters and newspapers did not lag behind. Daily Telegraph: “Mr Samson is certainly the strongest man on earth. You can believe this when you see how easily he ties iron rods into knots.”
Manchester Guardian: "According to the advertisements, he is the strongest man on Earth, and after we have seen him for ourselves... this statement can be considered irrefutable."

In 1938 in the English city of Sheffield. In front of the crowd, a truck loaded with coal ran over a man sprawled on the cobblestone street. People screamed in horror. But the next second there was a cry of delight: “Glory to the Russian Samson!”

His repertoire of power routines was amazing:

He carried a horse or a piano around the arena with a pianist and dancer located on the lid;

He caught with his hands a 9-kilogram cannonball flying out of a circus cannon from an eight-meter distance;

He tore a metal beam with assistants sitting at its ends from the floor and held it in his teeth;

Having threaded the shin of one leg into the loop of a rope fixed under the dome, he held the platform with the piano and pianist in his teeth;

Lying with his bare back on a board studded with nails, he held on his chest a stone weighing 500 kilograms, which was hit by those from the public with sledgehammers;

In the famous attraction, the “Projectile Man” caught with his hands an assistant flying out of a circus cannon and describing a 12-meter trajectory over the arena;

He tore the links of chains with his fingers;

He hammered nails into 3-inch boards with an unprotected palm, and then pulled them out, wrapping his index finger around the head.

They tried not to remember him in the Russian Empire, because he formally remained a military serviceman, but did not return to Russia. Some even called him a deserter.
Samson died in 1962. He was buried near London in the small town of Hockley.

There are several recordings of his late performances, when the athlete was over 55 years old...

___________________________

A 90-kilogram cannonball, which Samson catches, is fired from a specially designed circus cannon himself.

Samson did something similar in reality! An assistant was fired from a special cannon, which Samson caught!

Hello, dear readers!

About 100 years ago there lived a great man - Alexander Ivanovich Zass. He is known around the world under the pseudonym “Samson”, or “Iron Samson”, or “Russian Samson”. To this day, he is famous for his heroic strength, which he showed in the circus arena, as was customary in those days. Based on his wealth of experience, Alexander Zass has compiled a system of isometric training that allows everyone to significantly develop their strength.

Large biceps are not a sign of strength, just as a big belly is not a sign of good digestion.

Where did the power come from?

In 1888, in the city of Vilna, a boy, Alexander, was born into a large family. Alexander spent his childhood and youth in Saransk. He grew up and saw his father often put on performances and show his family his strength. The boy was always very impressed by this.

A visit to the circus with his father, Ivan Petrovich, played a decisive role in Alexander’s fate. The most amazing thing for the little boy was the performance of a strongman who, with his strength, broke chains and bent horseshoes. After the tricks, the strongman invited volunteers from the audience who wanted to test their abilities. After their failure, Ivan Petrovich entered the arena and easily performed all the strongman’s tricks, which surprised the latter a lot. After this, Alexander definitely decided that he wanted to be a circus performer. The circus became his guiding star.

His training ground was set up right next to his house and consisted of homemade horizontal bars and scrap materials. The guy worked hard, but soon realized that to achieve results he needed a system and help. Sasha convinced his father that he needed to order Evgeniy Sandov’s book “Strength and How to Become Strong” from Moscow.

Alexander began to study with even greater zeal using a new method for that time. He was intrigued by the fact that Sandow, who was not naturally endowed with a powerful body, managed to achieve significant results in the development of his physical strength through systematic training. became Alexander's idol, leading him to his dream.

Over time, Sandow’s knowledge and training became not enough for the growing strongman. He addressed letters to the famous athlete Pyotr Krylov for methodological recommendations in training with weights, and to the famous Dmitriev-Morro for instructions in training with a barbell. Alexander began a new stage of training.

The young athlete’s consciousness was accompanied by a picture of power tricks from the circus. Therefore, among his training equipment there were always thick chains, a large number of horseshoes, metal rods and various nails. He systematically made many attempts to master the chain and iron rod tricks he had seen in the circus. And he understood that this bears fruit in achieving physical strength.

From the experience gained Alexander Zass discovered isometric exercises. When practicing them together with dynamic loads, muscle strength significantly develops. This became the basis of the isometric exercise technique using chains.

Achieving your dreams

When Alexander began working in the circus, he mastered many genres at a very high level: aerial gymnastics, horse riding, power wrestling. For some time he was an assistant to the great trainer Anatoly Durov. Later he assisted the strongman Mikhail Kuchkin, where his first practice took place. Kuchkin correctly predicted that Zass would become a celebrity thanks to his strength, and despite his height and weight.

The height of the already adult Alexander was only 167.5 cm, and weighed less than 80 kg. The girth of the chest when inhaling was 119 cm, biceps - 38 cm. Later I pumped up my biceps to 41 for a more impressive appearance in the arena.

All of Zass’ routines were very popular with the public, be it hammering nails into a board with his hand, or lifting several people with one hand, or holding a platform with wrestlers in his teeth, or stretching with horses, or breaking a thick chain with his fingers...

Wartime difficulties

Zass was called up for service in 1914. He ended up in the 180th Vindavsky Cavalry Regiment. Even during the First World War, Alexander Zass did not stop demonstrating his muscular strength, strength of humanity and fortitude. Returning from a planned reconnaissance, not far from his regiment, he was spotted by the Austrian enemy. During the shooting, a bullet wounded a horse. After making sure that the horse and rider had fallen, the enemies left them. Alexander decided to save the horse and carried it on his shoulders to his regiment, walking with it 500–600 meters (for reference: the horse’s weight is about 400–600 kg). Subsequently, the athlete will include in his performances a routine where he carries a horse around the arena.

During another battle, Alexander received a severe leg wound from shrapnel. He almost lost them when he woke up in an enemy hospital. The doctors' indecisiveness saved him from amputation. Alexander developed special gymnastics for himself, thanks to which he got back on his feet.

The athlete had to shed sweat as a prisoner during road work. He tried to escape several times, but after each escape, severe punishment was sure to follow. The third attempt was special. He managed to escape from the camp, and fate brought him to the city of Kaposvár, in the south of Hungary. At that time, the Schmidt Circus, then famous throughout Europe, was on tour there.

When meeting with the owner of the circus, Alexander honestly explained how he got here and how he performed in circuses. Having interested the circus owner and showing his skills, even without being in good athletic shape, Zass was invited by Schmidt to work in the circus. After two weeks, Alexander Zass performed for the first time under the new name “Samson”. The news about the new strongman artist spread quickly and reached the military commandant. It was surprising to him that such a strong man did not serve in the Austrian army. It turned out that Samson was a Russian prisoner.

And again the most severe punishment, then the basement of the fortress and a damp room. But Alexander Zass has a will as strong as himself. He runs again thanks to his heroic strength. Neither the chain and handcuffs nor the bars stopped him.

In Budapest I had to work as a loader at the port.

Chaya Janos, a world wrestling champion, helped him become a circus performer again. Alexander met a Hungarian friend back in Russia. An old acquaintance took the exhausted athlete to the village to visit his relatives. There Alexander Zass gradually regained his strength. There he met the great impresario Pasolini from Italy, whom Chaya Janos brought with him.

World fame

Pasolini knew perfectly well the capabilities and achievements of Alexander Zass. Therefore, he did not hesitate to offer him a long-term contract with payment of a fifth of the fee. The athlete agreed.

Thus began his international tours: Italy, Germany, England, Switzerland, France. Everywhere he is called Samson. Stunning performances became a sensation wherever they took place.

However, Alexander does not stand still. He continues to develop: he studies the performances of other strongmen, updates his numbers, constantly complicating them with additional tricks.

In 1924, in the publication “Health and Strength” (England), on a separate color spread, portraits of A. Zass, or Samson, and E. Sandow, who never ceased to be the athlete’s idol, were placed together.

In 1925, Pullum published the book “The Amazing Samson” in London. The author presented the amazing life and career growth of the Russian strongman.

In 1938, in Sheffield (England), Samson staged a performance of himself, lying on a cobblestone street, being run over by a truck fully loaded with coal. The shocked crowd furiously shouted: “Glory to the Russian Samson!” - when the safe and sound Alexander Zass stood up from the pavement and bowed to the jubilant audience.

Alexander Zass gave almost 60 years of his life to the circus, of which about 40 years he performed power tricks.

In 1962, a natural athlete of the 20th century. died and was buried at Hockley, near London.

Records of Alexander Zass

Let us imagine once again how strong this man was physically and spiritually, performing such tricks:

• carried a horse on his shoulders around the arena;
• carried the piano with people;
• caught a 90 kg cannonball fired from a distance of 8 m;
• caught an assistant flying out of a special cannon from a distance of 12 m;
• he held an iron beam with assistants at the ends suspended with his teeth;
• Lying with his back on a board with nails, he held a 500 kg cobblestone, which anyone could hit with a sledgehammer.

Samson always said that it’s not about muscles, but about how much willpower you have, how strong your tendons are, and how you know how to control your muscles.

Wait for the continuation of the story about Zhelezny Samsovna - Alexander Zass, in which we will look at his system of isometric training.

Read articles about other natural athletes of the 20th century:

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This happened in 1938 in the English city of Sheffield. In front of the crowd, a truck loaded with coal ran over a man sprawled on the cobblestone street. People screamed in horror. But the next second there was a cry of delight: “Glory to the Russian Samson!”. And the man to whom the storm of jubilation was felt, stood up from under the wheels as if nothing had happened, bowed to the audience with a smile. For several decades, the name of the Russian athlete has not left the circus posters of many countries. Alexandra Zassa, who performed under the pseudonym Samson. His repertoire of power routines was amazing:

• he carried a horse or a piano around the arena with a pianist and dancer located on the lid;
• caught with his hands a 9-kilogram cannonball flying out of a circus cannon from an eight-meter distance;
• he tore a metal beam with assistants sitting at its ends from the floor and held it in his teeth;
• having threaded the shin of one leg into the loop of a rope fixed under the dome, he held a platform with a piano and a pianist in his teeth;
• lying with his bare back on a board studded with nails, he held a stone weighing 500 kilograms on his chest, which was hit by those from the public with sledgehammers;
• in the famous attraction “Projectile Man” he caught with his hands an assistant flying out of a circus cannon and describing a 12-meter trajectory above the arena;
• he broke the links of chains with his fingers;
• He hammered nails into 3-inch boards with his unprotected palm, and then pulled them out, grasping the head with his index finger.

The performances were triumphant. This is explained not only by the original athletic numbers, most of which could not be repeated by any athlete, but also by the fact that he was not like many strongmen of that time, who had massive figures and great weight. His height - 167.5 cm, weight - 80 kg, chest circumference 119 centimeters, biceps - by 41 centimeters. He liked to say that big biceps are not always an indicator of strength. As well as a big belly does not mean good digestion. The main thing is strength of will, strong tendons And ability to control your muscles. Often Samson I had to answer the question of how he achieved such strength. He replied that this was the result of purposeful work, enormous tension of all spiritual and physical forces. If you trace your entire life path Alexandra Zassa, then you can see that it consisted of constant training and a strict regime. In one photograph, where Samson is captured sitting at a table near a samovar, there is his note: “5 minutes of rest,” but he was then 74 years old, and he continued to work, although not in the strength genre, but as a trainer, but often included in their performances are power tricks. So, at the age of seventy, he carried two lions around the arena on a special yoke! Of course Alexandra Zassa there was enormous natural strength, which is what distinguished his ancestors in general. Once in his native Saransk he visited the circus with his father. The boy especially liked the mighty strongman who broke chains and bent horseshoes. At the end of his performance, the artist, as was customary at that time, addressed the audience, inviting them to repeat his tricks. Alas, no one was able to bend a horseshoe or lift a ball barbell with a thick bar off the ground. And suddenly father Alexandra, Ivan Petrovich Zass, rose from his seat and entered the arena. Alexander knew that his father was very strong. Sometimes he demonstrated his strength to the guests. And so the strong man handed the horseshoe to his father. To the surprise of the public, the horseshoe in the hands of Zass Sr. began to unbend. Then Ivan Petrovich he tore a huge barbell off the platform and, straightening his torso, raised it above his knees. The audience applauded like crazy. The circus strongman was embarrassed. He called the uniformist over to him. He ran backstage and brought a silver ruble. The artist raised his hand with a ruble and said: “But this is for your feat and for a drink!” The father took the ruble, then rummaged in his pocket, pulled out a three-ruble ruble, and handed it to the athlete along with the ruble, saying: “I don’t drink! But take it, but drink only tea!” Since then, his son lived only in the circus. In the backyard of the house, with the help of adults, I installed two horizontal bars, hung trapeze bars, got hold of household weights, made a primitive barbell, and began to train with incredible persistence. I tried to repeat what I saw. Having mastered the “sun” (large rotation) on the horizontal bar, he began to fly from one bar to another, doing backflips not only on the floor, but also on a horse. I did one-arm pull-ups several times. But all these activities were unsystematic. He convinced his father to order books on physical development from Moscow. And soon a book by the then famous athlete “Strength and How to Become Strong” arrived. The author talked about his athletic career, about victories over famous athletes, and even about fighting a huge lion, which before the fight was given a muzzle and special huge mittens on its paws. The lion lunged at him several times Sandow, but he threw it off himself every time. Then came eighteen exercises with dumbbells, that is, what was especially necessary Alexandru. And he began to study Sandow system- your idol. But he soon realized that exercises with dumbbells alone could not develop the strength that a professional strongman needs. He turns to famous athletes and Dmitriev-Morro for help, who did not ignore the young man’s request, and soon Zass received methodological recommendations from these athletes. Krylov recommended exercises with weights, and Dmitriev - with a barbell. He squeezed two-pound weights simultaneously and alternately (“mill”), pressed them upside down, and juggled. With the barbell I performed mainly bench presses, clean and jerks, and overhead presses. With his own weight of 66 kg, young Zass twisted (press with torso deviation) with his right hand 80 kg. But most of all he was attracted by the power tricks that he saw in the circus. And he visited the circus constantly. His sports props began to be replenished with horseshoes, chains, metal rods, and nails. And then he realized that repeated attempts to perform a trick - breaking a chain or bending a thick metal rod - bring tangible results in the development of physical strength. In essence, these were the now widely known isometric exercises. Thus, purely empirically (based on experience) Alexander Zass came to the conviction that athletic strength can be developed by combining dynamic exercises with isometric exercises in training. He later published his isometric system, and the pamphlet created a sensation. Once at the circus, Zass at one time he worked as an assistant to the legendary trainer Anatoly Durov, then as an athlete Mikhail Kuchkin, and he often told his assistant: “Someday, Sasha, you will become a famous strongman, I have not seen anyone who is as strong as you, having such a small height and weight.” Generally Zass He worked in the circus for about sixty years and almost forty of them with athletic acts.

In 1914, world war broke out. Alexandra Zassa drafted into the 180th Vindavsky Cavalry Regiment. One day an incident occurred that amazed even those who were well aware of the extraordinary power Alexandra. One day he was returning from another reconnaissance mission, and suddenly, already close to the Russian positions, they noticed him and opened fire. The bullet shot through the horse's leg. The Austrian soldiers, seeing that the horse and rider had fallen, did not pursue the cavalryman and turned back. Zass, making sure that the danger had passed, did not want to leave the wounded horse. There was still half a kilometer left to his regiment, but this did not bother him. Putting the horse on his shoulders, Zass so he brought it to his camp. Time will pass, he will remember this episode and will include carrying a horse on his shoulders in his repertoire. In one of the fights Zass was seriously wounded by shrapnel in both legs. He was captured, and the Austrian surgeon began amputation. But Zass I begged him not to do this. He believed in his powerful body and the therapeutic gymnastics that he developed for himself. And he recovered! Soon he, along with other prisoners, was sent to heavy road work. He made several unsuccessful escapes, after which he was severely punished. The third escape was remarkable. Having escaped from the camp, Alexander I found myself in the city of Kaposvár in the south of Hungary, where the Schmidt Circus, known throughout Europe, was on tour. Appearing before the circus owner, Zass Frankly told him about his misfortune, as well as about working in Russian circuses. Immediately the director suggested that he break the chain and bend a thick metal rod. Of course, hungry and tired Zass I was not in good athletic shape, but by force of will I completed the task. He was taken to the circus, and soon the news of the amazing athlete spread throughout the city. But one day the military commandant came to his performance. He became interested in why such a strong young athlete was not serving in the Austrian army. That same evening it turned out that Samson was a Russian prisoner of war. He was taken to the basement of the fortress, into a damp, dark room. But his strength and will were not broken. He made a new escape by breaking the chain connecting the handcuffs and breaking down the bars. Now he gets to Budapest, where he gets a job as a loader at the port, and then at the circus arena. A wrestler, world champion, helped him Tea Janos, which Alexander met back in Russia. This good-natured, powerful Hungarian treated the unfortunate Zassu. Took him to the village to his relatives, where the strength Alexandra gradually recovered. Then he performed for three years in a wrestling troupe under the direction of Janos tea, alternating fights on the mat with athletic performances.

One day Janos introduced the Russian strongman to the famous Italian impresario Signor Pasolini who has heard a lot about athletic capabilities Zassa. The Italian offered to conclude a contract. European tour begins Zassa, his fame is growing. Finally, he comes to England, where his performances generally aroused fantastic interest. Famous athletes such as Edward Aston, Thomas Inch, Pullum began to try their hand at repeating tricks Zassa, but not a single attempt was successful. Mr Pullum, director of the famous Camberwell Weightlifting Club and editor-in-chief of the sports magazine Health and Strength, wrote of him: “A man has arrived straight into the heart of England, capable of performing feats that common sense refuses to believe. If he had been a huge fellow, his performances might have been perceived as believable. But pay attention at least to the chest excursion (the difference between inhalation and exhalation) of this short man. It is equal to 23 centimeters, which says a lot to specialists. Therefore, I say that he not only has unprecedented physical strength, not only a magnificent artist, but also a man who uses his mind as well as his muscles.” And this is what the poster of the famous Alhambra hall, where he was supposed to perform, testifies Alexander Zass: “In Manchester, during construction work, Samson, suspended by one leg from a crane, lifted a metal beam from the ground with his teeth, and was carried to the top of the building by a crane, while the crowd stood gaping below. If the Russian had opened his mouth, the crowd would never have been able to tell what they saw.” Posters and newspapers did not lag behind. Daily Telegraph: " Mister Samson, is certainly the strongest man on earth. You can believe this when you see how easily he ties iron rods into knots.”

Manchester Guardian: "According to the advertisements, he is the strongest man on Earth, and after we have seen him for ourselves... this statement can be considered irrefutable."

Health and Strength Magazine: "In the face Samson we have a strongman whose achievements are completely open to scrutiny. Truly, his muscles are made of steel."

At the end of your life Alexander Zass invented the hand dynamometer, designed and manufactured a circus cannon for the “Projectile Man” attraction. Died Samson in 1962. He was buried near London, in the small town of Hockley.

Bruce Lee

In addition to the fact that he fought well, he pinned the US champion in the 110kg weight class Van Williams. The result of such targeted training was the forearms. Powerful, amazing strength. They felt as hard as a baseball bat. Said Van Williams. Somehow Bruce offered to fight him. I sat down at the table with the idea of ​​playing along with him as a friend. I was 112 kg then. How could I compete with Bruce seriously! However, it turned out that I did not have enough strength to overcome the resistance of his hand! Moreover, I could not move his hand even a millimeter. In a conversation with Herb Jackson, Lee jokingly said that he could become the World Arm Wrestling Champion. ABOUT Bruce Lee I can tell you a lot, but with a weight of 65 kg, he picked up 2 dumbbells of 37 kg each and held them on outstretched arms for 20 seconds.

Milo

Famous Hellenic athlete Milo from the city Crotona lived in the 6th century BC He was unbeatable in strength training and wrestling for twenty years, winning the overall winner's crown at the Olympic Games six times. He developed phenomenal strength, which became proverbial, almost according to modern principles of training: duration, continuity, gradual increase in load. First Milo lifted the bull on his shoulders when he was a calf, and subsequently carried him around the stadium arena every day. The bull grew, grew and Milo's power. The end of the attraction is for the needs of the ancient public. Having lowered the bull to the ground, the athlete killed him with a punch between the eyes. Milo stood on a disk greased with lard or oil, and none of the spectators could push him off this slippery pedestal. A stone weighing 136 kilograms was thrown six meters. He put six people in a chariot, lifted it on his head and carried it around the arena. But he saved the most amazing of his tricks for last. Milo he squeezed a ripe pomegranate in his palm and invited those who wanted to take it out. No one succeeded. The athlete unclenched his hand - the pomegranate was completely intact and not even dented: to such an extent, while tensing the muscles of his fingers, he was able to simultaneously relax the muscles of his palm. During the war between his native Croton and the city of Sybaris Milona was elected commander. Like Hercules, the famous hero, dressed in a lion's skin, fought with a huge club in his hands, replacing an entire squad. The death of the strongman was tragic. Having gone into the forest to get firewood for his old mother, he hammered wedges into the crack of a thick trunk and tried to tear it in two with his hands. But the released wedges fell to the ground, and the tree pinched the fingers. Milo I didn’t take into account that even champions lose their strength with age. He was unable to free his hands and found himself chained to the trunk. Helpless, hungry and exhausted, the famous athlete was torn to pieces by wild animals. That's how he died Milo of Croton, to whom a marble monument was erected and whose name was included six times in the lists of winners of ancient Olympia. Milo of Croton wrote the scientific treatise "Physics" and became famous as a singer - throughout his life he confirmed the ideal of harmony of body and soul. This ideal was put forward by Pythagoras, known to us from school, an Olympic champion and an excellent fist fighter. The father of medicine, the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, had phenomenal physical strength and stood out among the Hellenic wrestlers and horsemen. The winners of the highest awards for sporting valor were the famous philosophers Plato and Socrates, and the tragic poets Sophocles and Euripides. Many of the most prominent philosophers and poets, statesmen and generals of Ancient Greece (remember, for example, Pindar and Alcinades) are outstanding athletes and winners of Olympic competitions. The combination of greatness of strength and nobility of spirit was demonstrated by the ancient Greek hero Polydamus of Thessaly. He was relaxing with friends in a cave when the earthquake began. Polydamus supported the vault until his companions left the cave, but he himself was covered with stones. It is known about this athlete that he killed a lion with his bare hands, which in ancient times was considered something of a standard for the title of master of sports.

Albion athletes

Cornish farmer Payne had a son Anthony. Already as a child, he was distinguished by his extraordinary strength: he could put one of his peers on each arm and run up a steep hill with them. Being a huntsman, he went to hurry the servant, who was supposed to bring firewood on a donkey. He shouldered the donkey, the firewood, and the servant - and brought it all home. As you remember, a test of strength in ancient times was an exercise with a lion, and in the Middle Ages it was replaced with a harmless donkey. What degradation! Strength was not the privilege of only tall people. At the beginning of the 18th century, a dwarf toured Ireland Owen Farrell height 113 centimeters. He danced with two adults under his arm. And he walked freely, carrying four people. Enjoyed great fame Thomas Topham, born in London in 1710. His tricks were amazing. May 20, 1731 (this number shocked the audience so much that even the exact date of its performance was preserved) at a performance in Derby Topham lifted three barrels of water with a total weight of 863 kilograms on a belt thrown over his shoulders and neck.

The strength of heroes in Rus' is traditionally combined with selfless courage. During the battle in 1240, when our army under the command of Alexander Nevsky victoriously repelled the Swedes, the Novgorod warriors showed courage and extraordinary strength. Those who went down in history especially distinguished themselves Gavrilo Oleksic, Sbyslav Yakunovich And Yakov Polovchanin. Working magnificently with battle axes and swords, they crashed into the thick of the enemies and paved the way for the entire army. Interest in people of outstanding stature and heroic strength was persistent. Peter I issued personalized decrees, according to which heroes were wanted throughout Rus'. This is understandable - courageous people who reliably held weapons in powerful hands were always needed by the Fatherland. At the end of the 18th century, a famous artist lived in St. Petersburg Orlovsky, a man of enormous stature and phenomenal strength. He could juggle a two-handed sword while holding it with three fingers. Having gone to someone's home and not finding the owner, Orlovsky would leave a poker tied in a knot as a sign of his visit. This is what they wrote about the captain of the frigate "Raphael" Vasily Lukin, who died in the Battle of Athos during the war between Russia and Turkey: “His strength was amazing, but it was difficult to force Lukina use it only in a cheerful hour among friends. He easily broke horseshoes, could hold pound cannonballs in his outstretched hands for half an hour, press a nail into a ship wall with one finger; could fold a massive silver plate into a pipe so that it was impossible to determine what it was originally. Once, while protecting his sailors from drunken, riotous English sailors, Lukin killed a dozen fighters on the spot, and the rest shamefully retreated from the scene of the massacre." In the second half of the 19th century, wrestling of a purely forceful nature gained popularity. They had gigantic strength, Zaikin, Shemyakin, Hackenschmidt, Kashcheev. Everyone knew the leading athletes, young and old. The pages of magazines were full of photographs of strongmen, their portraits were exhibited in store windows, and products were advertised with their names. In those years, there was still no orderly assessment of strength, and athletes came up with various feats such as bending a poker, lifting stones, and horses. They tore chains in front of spectators, tore apart a folded deck of cards with their fingers, weaved patterns from nails...

How the steel rose

It was difficult to say who was stronger until an objective opportunity for an answer appeared - the barbell. A standard projectile, lifted according to strictly defined rules. And here the heroes of our Motherland proved that they are fully worthy of their mighty ancestors: domestic weightlifters are, without a doubt, the strongest in the world. The largest number of records in weightlifting was set by the Soviet athlete Vasily Alekseev - 80 world records. He was the first to lift 600 kilograms in triathlon. Olympic champion Yuri Vlasov installed 28 world records. Other Russian heroes performed like them on the international stage - A. Voronin, N. Kolesnikov, Yu. Vardanyan, D. Rigert, L. Jabotinsky, Yu. Zaitsev and many others. So we can rightfully say: our athletes today are the strongest people on the planet.

Unsurpassed records

As the crowd watched, a truck loaded with coal ran over a man sprawled on the cobblestones. This trick was demonstrated Alexander Zass (Samson). With his own weight of no more than 80 kg, he carried a horse weighing up to 400 kg on his shoulders. He lifted an iron beam with his teeth, at the ends of which two assistants sat, the total weight was 265 kg. For fun, he could lift a taxi and drive it like a wheelbarrow, break horseshoes and break chains. He lifted 20 people on the platform. Grigory Kashcheev walked around the circus arena, shouldering 12 two-pound weights (384 kg), and once lifted a forty-pound (640 kg) beam. Peter Krylov, the King of Kettlebells, pressed 114.6 kg with his left hand and bent rails on his shoulders. He set several world records in weightlifting: bench press on a wrestling bridge - 134 kg, bench press with a two-pound weight with his left hand - 86 times, spread his straight arms to the sides, holding a weight weighing 41 kg in each. Yakub Chekhovskaya demonstrated a sensational strength trick in 1913 - he carried six soldiers of the Guards regiment (at least 400 kg) around the arena on an outstretched arm, for which he was awarded an honorary gold belt. This record number has not yet been repeated by any athlete in the world. World champion in French wrestling Nikolay Vakhturov threw a two-pound weight over a railway carriage, and the world champion in wrestling Ivan Zaikin lifted a 40-bucket barrel of water onto his back and carried it around the arena. Athlete Herman Gerner, holding 50 kg in each hand, ran 100 meters in 18.4 seconds. Athlete Ludwig Chaplinsky for fun, he jumped over the dining table (80 cm high and wide) with a ram in his hands, and the athlete Peter Yankovsky on a dare, he squeezed three-pound weights into his palms while sitting on the floor. Georg Hackenschmidt lifted an iron core weighing over 585 kg twice in a row, tearing it off the platform by 10 centimeters. The greatest weight ever lifted by a person is 2844 kilograms. He was held on the shoulders of an American weightlifter Paul Anderson. Great Leonardo da Vinci, of course, is familiar to each of us. But few people know that, possessing enormous strength, he swung with one hand such church bells that only four people could swing at the same time.

Exotic feminization

Lidia Rybakova(her weight is 68 kg) lifted a barbell weighing 900 kg from the ground. At the age of 33, on March 4, 1990, she started off and dragged a LAZ bus with 48 passengers in the cabin with a total weight of 10 tons 850 kilograms along the asphalt.

20 year old Svetlana Gavrilina from Serpukhov in December 1991, moved a 40-ton Tu-134 by more than two meters. Before her record, Svetlana studied... ballet for seven years. Her height is 164 cm, weight is 56 kilograms. Now she confidently lifts 500 kg on her belt, as well as a bar attached to her belt, on which 7 adult men are sitting. April 15, 1895 American Josephine Blatt(1869-1923) held a load of 1616 kilograms thrown on belts over her shoulders. This women's weight lifting record has not been broken to this day.

Pyramid of Dikul

Valentin Ivanovich Dikul(born 1947) is an outstanding athlete of our time. He performed two unique strength acts in the circus arena: holding a metal “pyramid” weighing a ton on his body, and holding a Volga car on his back (the load was 1570 kilograms). The uniqueness of these numbers is also in the fact that the athlete performed them after a severe spinal injury - he could not move for almost seven years and, with the help of exercise equipment of his own design, managed to restore his previous form. Now IN AND. Dikul heads the Center for Rehabilitation of Patients with Spinal Injury and Consequences of Cerebral Palsy.

Krasnoyarsk Hercules

Klementy Boul born in 1888 in Achinsk; Soon the family moved to Krasnoyarsk. In 1911, for the first time he had the opportunity to participate in an international classical wrestling tournament held in St. Petersburg. The tournament brought together the best European wrestlers: the great Grigory Kashcheev, the Dutchman Van Riel, the Volga hero Nikolai Vakhturov. The high-profile titles did not bother the Siberian; in 16 fights he emerged victorious and won the title of champion.

Boule has established himself as an unsurpassed master of wrestling techniques. Being a heavyweight, he acted with extraordinary ease; his style was even compared to acrobatics. Boule met with the best carpet masters of that time -, Shemyakin, Zaikin, Lurich. In the final of the match, which took place in the arena of the Kursk circus in October 1928, he fought with himself. In one hour Boule was able to withstand the six-time world champion and won a well-deserved victory. Further Klementy Boul In the championships in classical wrestling he did not know defeats; in the mid-30s he switched to coaching. In the Dynamo society, he trained dozens of first-class wrestlers, including the European champion Konstantin Koberidze.

Died Klementy Iosifovich Bul in 1953, at the age of 66.

This man, 1000 photos, trained 12 hours a day, lived in the mountains for 3 years, fought 270 fights without a single defeat, a fight with him rarely lasted more than three rounds (it’s good that they fought with gloves), and usually lasted no more than 10 seconds . In live combat, he killed a person with one blow; if the person blocked, the limb would break. Demonstrating human capabilities, Oyama without fear he went into battle with a bull and cut off the horns of the enraged animal with a blow of his hand. He took part in fights with the strongest wrestlers and boxers of that time, and always emerged victorious. For his incredible strength and talent, admiring Americans dubbed Oyamu"by the hand of the Lord." Then they looked at him as a miracle, something supernatural. It took years for the secret of the great master to be revealed to all of us - any person engaged in Kyokushin karate. All you need is desire and perseverance in achieving your goal. During his life, he killed 52 bulls, 3 of them died on the first blow.

In 1957 in Mexico, at the age of 34, he was on the verge of death when a bull gored Oyamu. Oyama managed to knock down the bull and cut off its horn. He was bedridden for 6 months recovering from a usually fatal wound. The Humane Society of Japan protested against Oyama's animal fighting after Oyama announced his intention to fight with a tiger and a bear, although the bulls were killed Oyama were intended for slaughter. Here is a list of exercises that Oyama performed every day:

During a period of short but fruitful asceticism in the mountains Oyama lived according to a strictly developed regime, which often appears in biographies of the master and serves as an edification to frivolous students:

• 4 o'clock in the morning - rise. Meditation with closed eyes - 10 min. Running in the mountains - 2 hours.
• 7 am - cooking.
• 8 a.m. - meal, combining breakfast and lunch.
• 9 am - start of training.
  Perform a set of five exercises ten times:
  1. lift a sixty-kilogram barbell 20 times;
  2. do push-ups on your fingers 20 times;
  3. do 20 handstand push-ups;
  4. do pull-ups on the bar 20 times;
  5. deliver 20 punches from the right and left to the makiwara.

  After completing each complex, do breathing exercises and immediately begin the next complex. After completing this complex ten times, rest for up to 11 hours.

• 11 a.m. - performing kata.
• 2 o'clock in the afternoon
  • lifting weights. Lift a sixty-kilogram barbell 20 times, then gradually increase the load.
  • Do 1000 push-ups: 200 times on two fingers, 200 times on four fingers, 400 times on five fingers. Before each complex, take a short break. Sometimes, for variety, do 1000 push-ups with fists, with a break after 500.
• 3 pm
  • development of sparring techniques;
  • exercises with makiwara;
  • rope climbing;
  • abdominal exercises - 200 times;
  • breaking stones.
• 5 pm - cooking. Dinner.
• 6 pm - meditation and going to bed.

In addition to this eloquent document, we note that many kempo devotees and enthusiasts adhered to such a daily routine not for a year or two, but for twenty, thirty years or their entire lives.

In 1952, Oyama went on a tour of the United States, where he created a sensation and brought complete confusion to the audience, demonstrating superhuman performances. In fact, how should American spectators react when a visiting master pounded huge cobblestones like porcelain, tore off the necks of beer bottles without the bottles falling off, beat himself on the knuckles with a hammer, punched thick boards with his hands and feet, (about 30 cm) tiles laid in fifteen to twenty layers and three or four bricks lying on top of each other? Oyama traveled throughout the United States for a year demonstrating his karate skills live and on national television. For my students Oyama developed a whole cascade of dizzying tricks that embody the highest achievements of karate on the physical level:

• punching a sheet of thin rice paper suspended on two threads with blows of the fist and fingers;
• splitting a board (or brick) suspended on a rope with blows of the fist, elbow, edge of the palm, edge of the foot and forefoot from a standing position on the ground or while jumping;
• splitting several inch boards in the hands of two assistants with all possible blows of the hands and feet, including jumping at a height of about two meters;
• splitting a one-inch board floating in a barrel of water;
• splitting up to twenty layers of tiles with hands, feet and head;
• splitting three bricks stacked on top of each other with a “hand-sword” or “iron hammer” blow;
• splitting with a sword-hand blow three ice slabs, each three inches thick, stacked one above the other at intervals;
• breaking through an ice block with your hand and head;
• splitting massive cobblestones with the base of the edge of the palm;
• cutting off the neck of a standing bottle;
• penetration with a “hand-spear” blow into a tightly tied bundle of bamboo rods;
• piercing a suspended cow carcass with a hand-spear blow.

Alexander (Samson) Zass. The numbers of the Russian strongman crushed the common sense of the British

For several years we have published essays about the outstanding Russian strongman Alexander Zass. All these manuscripts were kindly offered to us by his nephew Yuri Vladimirovich Shaposhnikov. But the last publication in No. 2 of our magazine did not quench the interest in this fantastic figure, which was the reason for the appearance of today’s memories.

This happened in 1938 in the English city of Sheffield. In front of the crowd, a truck loaded with coal ran over a man sprawled on the cobblestone street. People screamed in horror. But the next second there was a cry of delight: “Glory to the Russian Samson!” And the man to whom the storm of jubilation was felt, stood up from under the wheels as if nothing had happened, bowed to the audience with a smile.

For several decades, the name of the Russian athlete Alexander Zass, who performed under the pseudonym Samson, has not left the circus posters of many countries. The repertoire of his power routines was amazing: he carried a horse or a piano around the arena with a pianist and dancer located on the lid; caught with his hands a 9-kilogram cannonball flying out of a circus cannon from an eight-meter distance; he tore a metal beam with assistants sitting at its ends from the floor and held it in his teeth; having threaded the shin of one leg into the loop of a rope fixed under the dome, he held a platform with a piano and a pianist in his teeth; lying with his bare back on a board studded with nails, he held a stone weighing 500 kilograms on his chest, which was hit by those from the public with sledgehammers; in the famous attraction “Projectile Man” he caught with his hands an assistant flying out of a circus cannon and describing a 12-meter trajectory above the arena; he broke the links of chains with his fingers; He hammered nails into 3-inch boards with his unprotected palm, and then pulled them out, grasping the head with his index finger.

Alexander Zass's performances were triumphant. This is explained not only by the original athletic numbers, most of which could not be repeated by any athlete, but also by the fact that he was not like many strongmen of that time, who had massive figures and great weight. His height is 167.5 cm, weight is 80 kg, chest circumference is 119 centimeters, biceps are 41 centimeters each. He liked to say that big biceps are not always an indicator of strength. Just like a big belly does not mean good digestion. The main thing is willpower, strong tendons and the ability to control your muscles.

Very often Samson had to answer the question of how he achieved such power. He replied that this was the result of purposeful work, enormous tension of all spiritual and physical forces. If you trace the entire life path of Alexander Zass, you can see that it consisted of constant training and a strict regime. In one photograph, where Samson is captured sitting at a table near a samovar, there is his note: “5 minutes of rest,” but he was then 74 years old, and he continued to work, although not in the strength genre, but as a trainer, but often included in their performances are power tricks. So, at the age of seventy, he carried two lions around the arena on a special yoke!

Of course, Alexander Zass had enormous natural strength, which is what distinguished his ancestors in general. Once in his native Saransk he visited the circus with his father. The boy especially liked the mighty strongman who broke chains and bent horseshoes. At the end of his performance, the artist, as was customary at that time, addressed the audience, inviting them to repeat his tricks. Alas, no one was able to bend a horseshoe or lift a ball barbell with a thick bar off the ground. And suddenly Alexander’s father, Ivan Petrovich Zass, rose from his seat and entered the arena. Alexander knew that his father was very strong. Sometimes he demonstrated his strength to the guests.

And so the strong man handed the horseshoe to his father. To the surprise of the public, the horseshoe in the hands of Zass Sr. began to unbend. Then Ivan Petrovich tore the huge barbell off the platform and, straightening his torso, raised it above his knees. The audience applauded like crazy. The circus strongman was embarrassed. He called the uniformist over to him. He ran backstage and brought a silver ruble. The artist raised his hand with a ruble and said: “But this is for your feat and for a drink!” The father took the ruble, then rummaged in his pocket, pulled out a three-ruble ruble, and handed it to the athlete along with the ruble, saying: “I don’t drink! But take it, but drink only tea!”

Since then, his son lived only in the circus. In the backyard of the house, with the help of adults, I installed two horizontal bars, hung trapeze bars, got hold of household weights, made a primitive barbell, and began to train with incredible persistence. I tried to repeat what I saw. Having mastered the “sun” (large rotation) on the horizontal bar, he began to fly from one bar to another, doing backflips not only on the floor, but also on a horse. I did one-arm pull-ups several times. But all these activities were unsystematic.

He convinced his father to order books on physical development from Moscow. And soon a book by the then famous athlete Evgeniy Sandov, “Strength and How to Become Strong,” arrived. The author talked about his athletic career, about victories over famous athletes, and even about fighting a huge lion, which before the fight was given a muzzle and special huge mittens on its paws. The lion rushed at Sandow several times, but he threw him off each time.

Then came eighteen exercises with dumbbells, that is, what Alexander especially needed. And he began to study according to the Sandov system - his idol. But he soon realized that exercises with dumbbells alone could not develop the strength that a professional strongman needs. He turns for help to the famous athletes Pyotr Krylov and Dmitriev-Morro, who did not ignore the young man’s request, and soon Zass received methodological recommendations from these athletes. Krylov recommended exercises with weights, and Dmitriev - with a barbell.

He squeezed two-pound weights simultaneously and alternately (“mill”), pressed them upside down, and juggled. With the barbell I performed mainly bench presses, clean and jerks, and overhead presses. With his own weight of 66 kg, young Zass twisted (press with torso deviation) with his right hand 80 kg. But most of all he was attracted by the power tricks that he saw in the circus. And he visited the circus constantly. His sports props began to be replenished with horseshoes, chains, metal rods, and nails. And then he realized that repeated attempts to perform a trick - breaking a chain or bending a thick metal rod - bring tangible results in the development of physical strength. In essence, these were the now widely known isometric exercises. Thus, purely empirically (based on experience), Alexander Zass came to the conclusion that athletic strength can be developed by combining dynamic exercises with isometric ones in training. He later published his isometric system, and the pamphlet created a sensation.

Once in the circus, Zass at one time worked as an assistant to the legendary trainer Anatoly Durov, then as an athlete Mikhail Kuchkin, and he often told his assistant: “Someday, Sasha, you will become a famous strongman, I have never seen anyone who was so strong , like you, having such a small height and weight.” In general, Zass worked in the circus for about sixty years and almost forty of them - with athletic acts.

In 1914, world war broke out. Alexander Zass was drafted into the 180th Vindavsky Cavalry Regiment. One day an incident occurred that amazed even those who were well aware of Alexander’s extraordinary strength. One day he was returning from another reconnaissance mission, and suddenly, already close to the Russian positions, they noticed him and opened fire. The bullet shot through the horse's leg. The Austrian soldiers, seeing that the horse and rider had fallen, did not pursue the cavalryman and turned back. Zass, convinced that the danger had passed, did not want to leave the wounded horse. There was still half a kilometer left to his regiment, but this did not bother him. Having shouldered the horse, Zass brought it to his camp. Time will pass, he will remember this episode and will include carrying a horse on his shoulders in his repertoire.

In one of the battles, Zass was seriously wounded by shrapnel in both legs. He was captured, and the Austrian surgeon began amputation. But Zass begged not to do this. He believed in his powerful body and the therapeutic gymnastics that he developed for himself. And he recovered! Soon he, along with other prisoners, was sent to heavy road work. He made several unsuccessful escapes, after which he was severely punished. The third escape was remarkable. Having escaped from the camp, Alexander found himself in the city of Kaposvár in southern Hungary, where the Schmidt Circus, known throughout Europe, was on tour. Presenting himself before the owner of the circus, Zass openly told him about his misfortune, as well as about his work in Russian circuses. Immediately the director suggested that he break the chain and bend a thick metal rod. Of course, hungry and tired, Zass was not in good athletic shape, but through an effort of will he coped with the task.

He was taken to the circus, and soon the news of the amazing athlete spread throughout the city. But one day the military commandant came to his performance. He became interested in why such a strong young athlete was not serving in the Austrian army. That same evening it turned out that Samson was a Russian prisoner of war. He was taken to the basement of the fortress, into a damp, dark room. But his strength and will were not broken. He made a new escape by breaking the chain connecting the handcuffs and breaking down the bars.

Now he gets to Budapest, where he gets a job as a loader at the port, and then at the circus arena. The wrestler, world champion Chaya Janos, whom Alexander met back in Russia, helped him. This good-natured, powerful Hungarian treated the unfortunate Zass with sympathy. He took him to the village to his relatives, where Alexander’s strength gradually recovered. He then performed for three years in a wrestling troupe led by Chai Janos, alternating wrestling on the mat with athletic performances.

One day, Janos introduced the Russian strongman to the famous Italian impresario Signor Pasolini, who had heard a lot about Zass’s athletic capabilities. The Italian offered to conclude a contract. Zass's European tour begins, his fame grows. Finally, he comes to England, where his performances generally aroused fantastic interest. Famous athletes such as Edward Aston, Thomas Inch, Pullum began to try their hand at repeating Zass's tricks, but not a single attempt was successful.

Mr Pullum, director of the famous Camberwell Weightlifting Club and editor-in-chief of the sports magazine Health and Strength, wrote of him: “A man has arrived straight into the heart of England, capable of performing feats that common sense refuses to believe. If he had been a huge fellow, his performances might have been perceived as believable. But pay attention at least to the chest excursion (the difference between inhalation and exhalation) of this short man. It is equal to 23 centimeters, which says a lot to specialists. Therefore, I say that he not only has unprecedented physical strength, not only a magnificent artist, but also a man who uses his mind as well as his muscles.”

And here is what the poster of the famous Alhambra hall, where Alexander Zass was supposed to perform, testifies: “In Manchester, during construction work, Samson, suspended with one leg from a crane, lifted a metal beam from the ground with his teeth, and was carried to the top of the building by a crane, in while the crowd stood below with their mouths open. If the Russian had opened his mouth, the crowd would never have been able to tell what they saw.”

Posters and newspapers did not lag behind. Daily Telegraph: “Mr Samson is certainly the strongest man on earth. You can believe this when you see how easily he ties iron rods into knots.”

Manchester Guardian: "According to the advertisements, he is the strongest man on Earth, and after we have seen him for ourselves... this statement can be considered irrefutable."

Health and Strength Magazine: “In Samson we have a strongman whose achievements are completely open to scrutiny. Truly, his muscles are made of steel."

Late in his life, my uncle invented the hand dynamometer and designed and built the circus cannon for the Bullet Man attraction. Samson died in 1962. He was buried near London, in the small town of Hockley.

Letters from Hockley from the legendary Samson

Where did it all start? I remember my childhood years. Provincial Saransk, near the station Troitsky Lane... Guests often came to us. My parents greeted them solemnly: they played a gramophone record with some march or an old waltz. Everyone sat down at the table - to the samovar.

Usually the meeting began with the showing of the family album. My mother Nadezhda Ivanovna Zass (married Shaposhnikov) was turning over the pages. First there were photographs of her grandparents, and then she proudly said: “And here is my brother Alexander. He is a circus performer, a strongman!” There were five photographs of my mother's brother in total. There was also his business card with the inscription: “Alexander Ivanovich Zass - athlete-wrestler.” And a circus poster from 1913 listing the power stunts performed by Alexander Zass. I reread the text of the poster many times, trying to imagine these tricks.

My parents and I often went to the circus - by that time we had moved to Izhevsk, I was eight or nine years old, but I remember well the parades of wrestlers, fights on the mat (the wrestling was in the third section). I remember the famous Ivan Vladimirovich Lebedev (Uncle Vanya), Ivan Poddubny, Mikhail Borov, but I, a boy, was especially impressed by the masked wrestlers and athletes with power moves.

There were also two letters from Alexander Zass, dated 1924. They came from England in the name of my grandfather Ivan Petrovich Zass, from them we learned about the adventure-filled fate of Alexander.

In 1914 he was drafted into the army. Front, seriously wounded in both legs by shrapnel. Miraculously, amputation was avoided. He recovered and made several escapes from a prisoner of war camp. The last one was successful. He ended up in Budapest, where he began working in the port as a loader, then joined the local circus. For three years he fought in a group led by world champion Chai Janos, then performed in different countries with athletic performances. In 1924, Zass came on tour to England, and from here he wrote a letter to his grandfather.

Years passed. I continued to play sports, collecting a collection on the history of athletics (postcards with pictures of wrestlers, magazines, books, various systems of physical development). Sports activities were interrupted by the Great Patriotic War. Returning from the army, he entered the State Center for Physical Culture and Physical Culture, graduating in 1953. He worked as a teacher at the swimming department.

One day, it was in 1958, I went to the Central Research Institute of Physical Culture, to the department of foreign sports. There I met senior researcher Georgy Pavlovich Tenno, who is rightly considered the founder of bodybuilding in Moscow, and even in the country. This charming man, by the way, was fluent in English and had encyclopedic knowledge of the history of athletics, and was also an excellent weightlifting coach: his student Alexander Bozhko became a world record holder. Tenno was interested in the story about my uncle and recommended that I look through bodybuilding magazines from previous years.

And so, in one of the issues of the English magazine “Health and Strength” I saw a photograph of my uncle and under it the caption: “The famous European strongman Alexander Zass, known as “The Amazing Samson”, performs a sensational dramatic stunt “Projectile Man”, in which he catches an assistant flying out of the mouth of a circus cannon at a distance of 12 meters.”

We decided to continue searching. Georgy Pavlovich sent an official request about Samson to the editors of the magazine “Health and Strength”, and soon a response came from the editor-in-chief V. Pulum, by the way, a 9-time world champion in the barbell. It said that Samson was alive and working as a trainer. After some time, my mother received a letter from her brother. It turns out that he tirelessly searched for his loved ones. Then I began to receive letters, posters, and photographs from my uncle. Soon the book “The Amazing Samson” arrived, edited by Pulum. The book was published in 1925 in London. It tells about the amazing fate and athletic career of Alexander Zass. I began sending my uncle the magazine “Soviet Circus” and books on circus. I also inquired about his training methods. This is what he wrote to me in one of his letters: “I never strived for big muscles, believing that the main thing was strong tendons, willpower and the ability to control my muscles. When I started performing in the circus as an athlete, my biceps were only 38 centimeters. But the public needs a look, and I had to increase them to 42 centimeters (to a reasonable limit) through exercises with dumbbells and self-resistance exercises.”

One of the magazines I received reported that Samson, during wrestling, increased the volume of his neck to 56 centimeters! On this occasion, friendly cartoons appeared in the press. In 1961, the Soviet circus was on tour in London. Samson met with Vladimir Durov. I told him that in his youth he worked as an assistant to his grandfather, Anatoly Leonidovich Durov. He shared his dream - to come to Russia. Vladimir Grigorievich told me about this after returning from the tour. We were waiting for Samson's arrival. But the letters stopped coming. And soon we were informed that Samson had died.

His wife Betty Jackson, a former animal trainer, continued to correspond with us for some time. She sent sports magazines and photographs of athletes. And one day an unusual gift arrived: Samson’s cane. It was presented to Alexander in 1927 for lifting a barrel of beer with his teeth during the brewers' festival. The barrel was huge and weighed about 180 kg! This cane is adorned with all sorts of metal plaques with monograms and lyrics from artist friends. And here's a new tragic message: Betty died in a car accident. It should be said that by this time she was driving a wheelchair, since she was seriously injured at one of the performances. Samson had a performance in which he, having threaded the foot of his left foot into the loop of a rope fixed under the circus dome, hung, holding a platform with a piano in his teeth. Betty played the piano. And during one of the performances, the mount on the ceiling collapsed and the artists fell. Betty suffered a spinal fracture and spent three years in the hospital. Samson was injured, but returned to work a month later.

Thus the connection was broken. There were no replies to our letters. Years passed... I dreamed of going to Hockley, where Samson was buried. And then one spring Sunday in 1991, during a service in the church of Christian Evangelists in Konkovo-Derevlevo (my wife is a permanent parishioner there, and I, an Orthodox Christian, was her accompaniment) we quite by chance met an elderly married couple. When I learned that they were from England, I said that my uncle lived in Hockley and was buried there. They cried out in amazement, because they themselves lived in this city. And when I told about Samson, they said that they knew his grave very well.

And these nice people invited us to visit them. That same year, my wife Lilia and I came to Hockley to visit the Estalls. The next day we went to the ancient cemetery. Here, next to the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, is the grave of Samson. The text on the monument is in Russian and English. Correspondents appeared, and the next day the Evening Echo newspaper published an article and a photograph of Samson carrying a horse on his shoulders. And also our photo at Samson's grave. Everyone who knew my uncle began to come to visit us. They brought old photographs, posters, newspaper clippings, and booklets.

In one photograph, Samson lifts with his teeth (without support on his knees) a huge roll of printing paper. Workers from the Daily Post printing house are standing around. And the booklet reports on the fight between the French heavyweight wrestling champion (140 kg) Gaston Gevert and his winner Alexander Zass from Russia. I also saw a newspaper report, supported by a photograph, dated January 21, 1945. The note is called “He tames “killers” with words.” “Circus strongman Alexander Zass (Samson) met three ferocious three-year-old African lions in a cage. This story is about the 10-pound bet of A. Zass, a strongman from the circus. To win this bet, Samson risked his life. Armed only with a trident, Samson entered the cage. His soft, rhythmic, special words, spoken in Russian, German, French and Hungarian, were met with aggressive, sharp animal movements that made the audience tremble in fear. There were moments when it seemed that his life was hanging by a thread. But Samson came out of the cage alive, and thereby demonstrated his power over the animals.”

Several photographs showed cars with passengers running over Samson. Some - on the lower back, others - on the legs and chest. In the photographs, Samson lifts a car with people by the wheel. Here's an interesting note about a trick that, at first glance, anyone can do. The publication is called “I can’t break a match.” Samson admits that there is one trick that he finds very difficult to perform. He was only able to do it twice. This trick involves breaking a match held between your thumb and forefinger.

And one more message in the newspaper. One day Samson stayed in a rural one-story hotel in southern Hungary. At night a gang of bandits burst in there. The owners began to scream, call for help, and call the police. Samson grabbed the robbers and, without hesitation, threw them out of the window.

In Hockley, of course, we visited the house where Samson lived. The new tenants altered it a little, but overall it remained the same. The accompanying people, who knew Samson, showed us the stable, which Alexander Ivanovich himself made. In recent years he worked as a trainer and had several horses, ponies, dogs, and monkeys.

Samson used to hammer nails into boards with his bare hand, and these famous nails were marked by the owners of the house. In another house they showed us Samson’s weight and several chains that he tore with his hands. The metal cannonball that was fired from the circus cannon has also been preserved; Samson caught it with his hands. The weight of that core is 90 kg! I was only able to move it from its place. Apparently, the core inside is filled with lead.

And finally, we were invited to a performance by Samson’s student, Trevor Barnett. His act is very effective. He performs in Samson's belt, given to him by Alexander Ivanovich. He uses a special Samson table and nails to pierce the board. Barnett would drive a nail into a 3-inch board with his bare palm and then pull it out by the head with his teeth. In his teeth he carried a chair with a seated violinist. He bent thick metal rods into a horseshoe shape (in a competition with the audience), did stretching with 12 spectators (the stage could accommodate that many people). Let me remind you that Zass did this act with 50 volunteers.

Trevor Barnett often comes to Hockley and brings flowers to the grave of his teacher, Samson. It's nice that Zass still has such a good student in England. We also have a person in Russia who considers himself a correspondence student of Samson, since he studied according to his system of isometric exercises. This is pop artist Ivan Shutov. This means that the memory of my uncle, of whom I am infinitely proud, lives not only in photographs and in old newspapers.

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A person's possession of remarkable strength has always attracted the attention of society. General admiration for the physical capabilities of individual unique individuals has not diminished in intensity throughout the entire history of human existence.

Those who have seen with their own eyes the manifestations of the developed abilities of strongmen do not remain indifferent. And everyone asks the question: How is this possible for an ordinary person?

The life story of a magnificent athlete, ways of developing the strength and strong-willed character of Alexander Zass, will reveal the secrets of the amazing abilities of this amazing person.

Short biography. The birth of the power of Iron Samson

Little Sasha was born on February 23, 1888, in the family of a simple peasant. He was the third child in a family of seven people: father Ivan Petrovich, mother Ekaterina Emelyanovna and two more brothers and two sisters Alexander. They lived in the Vilna province of the Russian Empire, on a small farm without a name.

Childhood, youth and circus

Soon after Sasha's birth, the whole family moved to Tula, and then to Saransk, since Ivan Petrovich received the position of clerk. The landowners' estates, which were managed by his father, were located between Saransk and Penza.

The management of bank accounts and household management was completely taken over by the purposeful and strong-willed Ekaterina Emelyanovna. The entire life of the Zassovs was arranged in such a way that each family member worked constantly, as hard as he could. From memories it is known that the family did not need, there was plenty of food and drink, but all this was obtained through hard, incessant work.

Alexander's childhood was not full of interesting events, but his father had high hopes for his son: he trusted him with the transportation of large sums of money to be credited to a bank account and saw Sasha in the future as a locomotive driver. His father was ready to provide him with a good technical education, but the boy himself was not drawn to this profession.

The soul of the future athlete strived for bright, enchanting circus performances.

One day, after a successful transaction for selling horses at a fair, Ivan Petrovich went with his son to a performance of a traveling circus. The spectacle deeply shocked Sasha with its festive splendor. I especially liked the strongman who bent an iron rod around his neck and easily juggled heavy weights.

The incredible sharpness and intensity of the emotions received at the performance did not allow Sasha to fall asleep that evening. And then he committed a terrible crime - he ran away from the room at the inn where he and his dad spent the night and, at his own expense, watched the artists perform again.

After such disobedience, the father severely punished his son and then sent him to work as a shepherd in a remote village. The boy was 12 years old when he learned to manage large herds of horses, cows and camels, and also gained undeniable authority among six ferocious and capricious wolfhounds, who obeyed him well in his work.

Thoughts about the circus did not leave Alexander all this time. He learned to shoot well, protecting the herds from predators. mastered the basics of training, teaching horses circus tricks. All this was useful to him later.

Returning to Saransk, Sasha began studying the biographies of famous gymnasts, athletes and circus performers. His idol was Evgeniy Sandov, the most famous strongman of the 19th century.

The boy enthusiastically collects literature on the development of physical capabilities and body strength, studies the works of famous athletes, masters exercises using available materials: wood, stones, and carries a calf on his shoulders.

And although Sashenka was a weak, sickly child as a child, regular exercise brings significant benefits to the health and endurance of the body. he feels his muscles strengthen and his body’s strength capabilities expand.

When Alexander turned 20, his father sent him to Orenburg to study as an assistant driver. At the same time, the famous Andrzhievsky circus comes to the city on tour and, of course, the young man goes to the performance.

The boundless love for the circus, the skills acquired through regular training and the desire to realize his lifelong dream add courage to Alexander. And he turns to the director of the circus with a request to hire him. To his surprise, he receives approval with the explanation that for now he will only be hired as a laborer and his life will be very difficult. But the future artist, hardened by difficulties, is not afraid of obstacles on the way to his dream and goes to work in the circus.

At the new place, Sasha does the hardest “menial” work. He meets and begins to help the athlete Kuratkin prepare for power routines. With his determination and perseverance, Zass earned the sympathy of the strongman and he teaches the young man the wisdom of circus performances.

Thanks to self-training and competent mentoring, the young man begins to perform in the arena within a few months.

In the future, Alexander Zass will perform in the Yupatov and Khoitsev circus, constantly improving his athletic abilities.

War, captivity and escapes

The outbreak of the First World War suspended the development of the career of the great strongman. And, after mobilization, Alexander Ivanovich Zass was enlisted in an infantry regiment, and then in reconnaissance, where he made mounted raids behind enemy lines.

He turned out to be a skilled and fearless warrior, his developed fighting qualities and skills ensured a quick promotion, and his brave deeds were legendary.

Thus, the story of how Alexander brought a wounded horse back to his regiment was very popular.

But we didn’t have to fight for long. In the battle, the athlete was seriously wounded and captured. Doctors wanted to amputate both of his legs, but the indecisiveness of the doctors and regular passive exercises from the personal system made such an operation completely unnecessary.

The prisoner, thanks to incessant training, left to his own devices, learned to walk again. After some time, he not only walked on crutches, but also helped care for other patients.

Four escapes from captivity speak of the great perseverance and fortitude of the Russian hero. Each time, overcoming any obstacles, Alexander found himself free and tried to get to his people. Three times he was caught, and, after severe punishment, he was returned to hard work or imprisonment. And only on the fourth time, we managed to break free completely.

Life in Europe and circus acts

Having suffered in the war and in captivity, Alexander Ivanovich decided that there was no place for a soldier of the tsarist army in Soviet Russia and remained in Europe. In the early 20s of the last century, the athlete took the pseudonym Samson, under which he performed in the Schmidt Circus. With his unique abilities he won worldwide fame and enormous popularity among the European public.

He performed briefly in Paris, then at 24 he received an invitation from Oswald Stoll, the head of British variety shows. Having moved to England, he settled there until the end of his life.

Throughout his life, Alexander Ivanovich Zass studied and analyzed the physical capabilities of the human body. He tested his knowledge in practice, proving by personal example the effectiveness of the exercise systems he used, and now we can apply his wealth of experience in improving our body.

Training principles of Alexander Zass

The athlete started training very early. Little Shura used available means, such as a heavy barrel, stones, and wood. Trying to lift the barrel, he noticed how he was gradually becoming stronger in everyday life, although he had not yet been able to overcome the projectile. Thus, drawing conclusions during the training process, he derived his own principles for the development of strength indicators.

Focus on tendons

The first principle includes the development and strengthening of tendons, which, according to the master himself, are the second strongest tissue in the body, after bones.

Large muscles without a strong tendon base are not a guarantee of great physical strength.

I don't believe in big muscles unless there's real big tendon power next to them. You can see physical fitness enthusiasts who have quite large muscles. But what good are they if there is no powerful foundation - developed tendons. They are unable to fully utilize the strength of their muscles during an actual test of strength. And therefore their power is only an illusion.

Increasing tension, with an action that is obviously impossible, without including motor muscle contraction in the process, is the basis of isometric exercises.

Pushing a wall, trying to lift a truck, breaking a chain, etc. Such efforts best strengthen the tendon system of the body.

The importance of dynamic exercises

The second principle is to increase muscle size through the use of dynamic exercises.

An increase in muscle mass occurs due to monotonously repeated muscle contractions with a gradual increase in the mass of the projectiles used.

Alexander Ivanovich considered increasing muscle volume a priority in achieving a spectacular appearance, giving preference to the development of tendon strength.

Alexander Zass training program

The training program, developed on the basis of personal experience, includes a set of isometric and dynamic exercises. In addition to using special exercises, the master noted the need for a healthy lifestyle without alcohol and nicotine.

Alternating exercise with rest, accompanied by high-calorie nutrition, daily jogging of 3 km, gymnastics.

But the athlete considered the development of tendon strength to be the basis of all success. And only after strengthening the tendons can you begin to improve the muscular system.

Zass tendon exercises

They consist of two training sessions, developed on the basis of personal knowledge and practical experience of the master. It must be remembered that these exercises create the basis for the successful development of all physical abilities of the body and are dominant in the athlete’s system.

Basic rules for performing tendon exercises

• A positive attitude is required. All exercises are performed with pleasure, readiness for stress and concentration of the whole body.
• The whole body is subject to training. The main goal will be to create a force wave in the body, not lifting weights or breaking a chain.
• Calm, even breathing when tension increases.
• Smooth entry and exit from gain, without jerks or sudden movements.
• Full training no more than twice a week and no longer than an hour in duration. Gains for 5 repetitions would be correctly distributed as follows: 1. - 75%, 2. - 90%, 3. - 95%, 4. - 90%, 5. - 75%.
• The interval between exercises is 30-60 seconds.
• To maintain tone, select 5-8 exercises and do them daily, performing 1 - 3 efforts, with tension distribution: 60% - 90% - 75% for each exercise.
• Maintaining gradualism and consistency.
• Mandatory regularity of classes.
• Paying attention to your well-being.

First set of exercises

	We hold the ends of the chain in our hands. We bend our right hand and stretch the chain. The left arm remains straight while holding the chain. We repeat for the left hand.
	Hands hold the chain above your head, straight at shoulder width or slightly wider. We stretch the chain to the sides, strain our arms, chest, and upper back.
	We bend our arms in front of our chest, holding the chain and pulling it with our left hand to the right elbow, and with the right hand to the left.
	We stretch the chain behind our back, working the triceps.
	We stretch the chain behind our back, connecting the abdominal and chest muscles to the triceps.
	Exhaling, wrap the chain around your chest and secure it. As you inhale, tense your chest and back, stretching the chain.
	We use two chains with leather loops attached. We thread the feet into the loops. The body is straight as a string. Hands are lowered along the body. We pull the chains, straining the trapezius muscles and arms.
	We change hands in the starting position. We engage the triceps and deltoid muscles.
	Changing the starting positions of the arms and legs. We pull the chain, trying to bend the arm at the elbow. We do it for both hands alternately.
	We pull the chain, leaning on the left and right thigh alternately.

	We reach for the left, then to the right supporting leg alternately, changing the starting position.
	We overcome the resistance of the chain in a lying position. The back is straight, the abs tense.
	We stretch the apparatus in a handstand, while balancing we direct the load towards the fingers.
	We put one leg through the lower loop of the chain and step on it, and put the other one on the head so that its upper part covers the back of the head. We stretch the chain, including the muscles of the neck, back, abdominals, and chest.
	We keep the body straight, maintaining balance. We stretch the chain with our right hand and right foot. We try to bend our arm as much as possible at the elbow and straighten our leg. The muscles of the arm and the back of the thigh work. We do it for the left side.

Second set of exercises

1. We bend and raise our arms with the chain in front of our chest. elbows at shoulder level. Stretch to the sides.
2. Bent arms behind head. We stretch the chain by changing the grip width.
3. Two chains with loops at both ends. By changing the length of the chains, we pull them straight up to the shoulders, at the level of the head and above it, alternately.
4. We pass the foot of the right foot into the lower loop, and hold the upper loop in our hand. Pull the chain by straightening your arm upward. We perform the exercise alternately and simultaneously.
5. We wrap the chain around the chest while inhaling and secure it. We try to inhale more, expanding the chest.
6. Legs wider than shoulders. Loop on the right foot, bent left arm at waist level, pull the chain. Repeat for the right hand.
7. We attach the chain to the wall at waist level, pull it with our hands, trying to pull it out of the fastening.
8. We attach one end of the chain to the floor, and on the other we attach a handle at knee level. pull, trying to tear the chain out of the fastening. Can be repeated at different grip levels.

Dynamic exercises

Despite the fact that Alexander Ivanovich placed the main emphasis on tendon exercises, over time he began to note the need for dynamic ones, which play a significant role in acquiring a spectacular appearance. After all, at the beginning of his career, he did not impress the public with his enormous, superbly developed muscles, which, however, did not prevent him from showing miracles of strength capabilities.

The exercises are presented with weights in the form of a special bag, the weight of which was increased by gradually replacing the filler with a heavier one. From 7 kg of sawdust he moved up in weight, gradually replacing them with sand, shot, and then lead so that the final weight reached 70 kg.

1. Feet shoulder-width apart, bag on the floor, slightly bending your legs, lift the weights to your chest in one motion. After a pause, press up above your head and fix the position, then return to your chest and to the floor. (10-15 times).

2. Feet shoulder-width apart, the bag in the palm of one hand near the shoulder, squeeze the weight up, fix the position and rotate the projectile using the wrist as the axis of rotation. Repeat for the other hand. Complication: with the bag raised at the highest point, we make alternating movements with our fingers, as if we are trying to lift the projectile even higher. We perform to the maximum possible repetitions.

3. Standing with your heels together and toes apart, hold the bag on your chest. We squat on our toes, simultaneously squeezing the bag up, and fix the position. Next, we return the weight to the chest, while straightening the legs. (10-15 times).

4. Legs wider than shoulders, bag on the palm near the shoulder. Pushing with the strength of our legs and arms, we transfer it to the other hand so that the projectile describes a semicircle in the air. We gradually increase the force of the push and the magnitude of the flight path (10-15 times).

5. Feet wider than shoulder width, knees slightly bent. We hold the bag at knee level. simultaneously straightening the legs and torso, we throw the projectile up and catch it on the shoulder blades, absorbing the blow with our legs. We throw it to the left and catch it with our hands. Repeat for the right side.

6. Lying on your back, bag behind your head at arm's length. We take the bag in our hands and lift it up with straight arms to a vertical position, lower it onto our chest, then squeeze it up and return to the standing position. (10-15 times).

7. I.p. the same as in ex. 6. The bag is at the level of the ankles of straight legs, take it with your feet and lift it up, transfer it to your feet and do a bench press. We return to IP. (10-15 times).

8. Standing with your heels together and toes apart, hold the bag with your hands on the floor. Raising the projectile up through the left side, we describe an arc above the head and lower it through the right side. Repeat clockwise and counterclockwise. (10-15 times).

World fame Zass

With his unique abilities, Iron Samson won enormous popularity and love from the audience. The contingent of his admirers spread from ordinary people to nobles. The fame of the amazing athlete thundered throughout the world.

The phenomenon of Iron Samson haunted many. Imitators of the amazing athlete appeared. The artist's international tours were extremely popular with viewers.

His photos appeared on the covers of magazines next to images of Evgeniy Sandov, who forever remained Zass’s idol.

Books dedicated to the Russian hero were published: “The Amazing Samson” - published in London in 1925.

All his life until his death, Alexander Ivanovich Zass remained an active, strong man. He demonstrated his last strength performance at the age of 66, subsequently training animals.

This wonderful man died as a result of an accident. While rescuing animals from a burning van, he suffered serious burns to his head and was taken to hospital. A few days later, Alexander Ivanovich died of a heart attack and was buried in Hockley, near London in 1962.

Records of Alexander Zass

The amazing capabilities achieved with the help of a independently developed unique system of exercises still amaze the imagination:

• He carried a horse and a piano with people on his shoulders.
• He withstood the weight of a truck loaded with coal moving over him.
• I caught a cannonball weighing 90 kg, fired from a distance of 8 m.
• He was holding an iron beam with people in it with his teeth.
• Lying on a board with nails, he held a cobblestone weighing 500 kg on his chest, which anyone could hit with a sledgehammer.

The most important thing is self-control. I have been on the verge of death dozens of times. And only the ability to pull myself together, remain calm, and make a sound decision kept me alive.

The hero himself always said that strength lies in a person’s character and will, as well as in the strength of tendons and the ability to control muscles. Iron Samson left a trail of glory shining in history and his memory will never disappear.