John Brzenk

[darthsith19]

This thread is about John Brzenk, the world's greatest arm wrestler (puller). He is 43 years old now and is past his prime, but still going strong. He says at one time his biceps were 18', recent measurements show that he has 17' biceps. His right forearm is a whopping 16', which his left is only 13.5'! His weight goes anywhere from 198 to about 220+, he says he usually weighs about 210 and is 6'2. He says his chest is 44 relaxed and 48' expanded / flexed. I can't find where it tells his max bench press, anyone care to guess? Here are some pics:


http://images.google.com/images?svnu...=Search+Images



Here are two good ones:







(this one perhaps shows his chest the best)




For bench, I would guess 300 for max, but I am not sure, it is hard to say.



This is what Sylvester Stallone says about John Brzenk and his arm wrestling:

"But make no mistake about it, these are unbelievably powerful guys, especially the legendary John Brzenk, who is so powerful he could literally rip your arm off and use it for a flyswatter, and there’s not a thing you could do about it except savor the visual."







Hopefully I posted this in the right place, if not, could it please be moved to the miscellaneous section? I know Brzenk isn't a powerlifter, but since he does have an extremely powerful arm I thought this might be the place to make a thread about him, but I'm not sure.

[75kg]

Check out Gripboard, they have a whole forum dedicated to Armwrestling with some good AW's in their to boot. It'll never happen but I bet you Cleve Dean was better.

[CYLON RAIDER]

I did happen and Cleve and John have beaten each other on different occasions. Search armwrestling.tv to find the old matches.

[darthsith19]

This is from an ask John Brzenk page:


"I have known Cleve for about 15 years now. We have only pulled against each other at three different organized tournaments. The first in 1986. It was at an Over the Top qualifier event in Houston Texas. That was the first time I felt the awesome power of Cleve Dean. His hand to say the least felt very uncomfortable to me. We slipped grips on the first go, and after being put in the straps he beat me easily. Later that same year I got a chance to spend some time with Cleve in New York at a toy show that had to do with the dolls made of us for the movie Over The Top. During this time we spent a lot of time on the table and I soon realized what would work and what to avoid. I didn't pull Cleve for 10 years after my experience at the toy show, but I knew in my mind I would have a chance the next time we would meet. That next time would be in the finals of a Yukon Jack tournament in I believe 1994. My strategy was to grab him a little lower an the wrist and hope my hand strength was enough to turn him into a hook, forcing him to beat me inside with his Arm strength verses that incredible hand that he has. This worked, and I won that Tournament...Later that same year I pulled Cleve in a small tournament on the East Coast using the same strategy I beat him there also. They guy your thinking of, I think is Bobby Hopkins it was a Steve Simonds WPAA tournament with the two go system, there was no strap, and once the competitors slipped they were required to pull to the end in a hook. I also was at that same tournament. If I remember right, I think Cleve was fouled out for not staying in a hook and Bobby did win that tournament."

[train4guns]

John is a beast, thick arms for sure, I'm sure he doesn't care much for benching and spends more time "at the table" so to speak, but I remember reading somewhere he close gripped 350 for a triple, this was ages ago, I'll try find the interview. He said that he didn't focus on weights a lot in the same interview.

[75kg]

Ah, I had no idea! Cleve has possibly the largest hands on anyone under 7'5", he's no slouch height-wise either though.

The other guy in the first picture is 6'8" and has 9" hands from the bottom of his palm to the tip of his fingers and Cleve's hands engulf them. The second guy has 8" hands. I hear from a friend of Cleve's that Cleve has near 11" hands, put a ruler against your own to see just how inconcevably massive that is.


http://www.gripboard.com/uploads/117...149_561343.jpg
http://www.gripboard.com/uploads/112..._149_86914.jpg
http://www.gripboard.com/uploads/112...149_102113.jpg

[Rawngus]

I am a fan of John Brzenk but i still think allen fisher is the greatest ever or maybe even magnuss s. but all 3 of them are armwrestling gods

[darthsith19]

but I remember reading somewhere he close gripped 350 for a triple, this was ages ago, I'll try find the interview.

350 for a triple? Are you saying he benched 350 three times for a max? Sorry about my lack of understanding things that probably should be obvious.

I am a fan of John Brzenk but i still think allen fisher is the greatest ever or maybe even magnuss s. but all 3 of them are armwrestling gods

Allen Fisher is good, it is possible that he is better for his weight than Brzenk is, but Brzenk would kill him if they went at it. As for Magnus, he isn't even on any top 5 charts, Brzenk would destroy him, so would Alexey Voevoda and Travis Bagent. They are the top 3.

[Rawngus]

Allen Fisher is good, it is possible that he is better for his weight than Brzenk is, but Brzenk would kill him if they went at it. As for Magnus, he isn't even on any top 5 charts, Brzenk would destroy him, so would Alexey Voevoda and Travis Bagent. They are the top 3.

thats because magnus never went international but was the best in europe but quit armwrestling for strongman

[Above Existence]

I'll say this one time. Magnus BROKE Nathan Jones's arm in an arm-wrestling match and Nathan was much bigger than Magnus overall at the time. IF Magnus was still arm-wrestling today, then NOBODY would beat him. He even closes COC #4 for reps like it was tissue to him.

[dirtpool]

I have 8" hands a wiiiide palm

[75kg]

I'll say this one time. Magnus BROKE Nathan Jones's arm in an arm-wrestling match and Nathan was much bigger than Magnus overall at the time. IF Magnus was still arm-wrestling today, then NOBODY would beat him. He even closes COC #4 for reps like it was tissue to him.

Yeah but Megaman wasn't an armwrestler and by 1994 Magnus was one of the best competing armwrestlers in Europe. Also, Magnus can close an old #4 and to use his words with "no problem". He hasn't tried the new beast of a #4 that is out now. I'm pretty sure that Brzenk would beat Samuelsson even despite his size and arm strength, Brzenk has better technique. Honestly, Cleve Dean is somewhere around 6'10" and was well over 350lbs when he competed so if Brzenk could beat him more than once in top form that pretty much proves that size doesn't really matter much.

[RIPcookiethief]

The veins in Brzenk's right forearm are insane.

Can't seem to find a good pic tho.

[darthsith19]

thats because magnus never went international but was the best in europe but quit armwrestling for strongman

No way man. Magnus had trouble beating Nathan Jones, and while Jones is big, he has no arm wrestling experience or technique. Brzenk is called the world's best because he is. If somebody could beat him they would - and Alexey Voevoda is trying and I think soon he will be able to beat him regularly - he already beat him once.

I'll say this one time. Magnus BROKE Nathan Jones's arm in an arm-wrestling match and Nathan was much bigger than Magnus overall at the time. IF Magnus was still arm-wrestling today, then NOBODY would beat him. He even closes COC #4 for reps like it was tissue to him.

I am sorry, I am sure you know about fifty times more about bodybuilding than I do, but you don't know a lot about arm wrestling. Jones is a beast, but he is not a professional arm wrestler. Magnus is. That's the only reason Magnus beat him, and it was pretty even until Jones' arm broke, and if it hadn't there's even a chance Jones would have won. Brzenk had beat people who are Jones size and have technique. In an arm wrestle technique is just as important as strength is - third most important is endurance. For example, and not to brag, but I am 5'11 and weigh about 165, and can beat one of my friends who is around 6'2 and weight 225 (he probably has about 15% body fat), and another guy I beat was about 5'9 and probably weighed about 200, and 2 other guys were about 5'11 and weighed probably around 240 but some extra weight, and I beat them, which shows that technique is just as important as strength is.

Honestly, Cleve Dean is somewhere around 6'10" and was well over 350lbs when he competed so if Brzenk could beat him more than once in top form that pretty much proves that size doesn't really matter much.

he is 6'7 and weighs 465 lbs, though he is very fat. he is also very strong.

http://strongestman.billhenderson.org/bios/cleve.html

[75kg]

he is 6'7 and weighs 465 lbs, though he is very fat. he is also very strong.

http://strongestman.billhenderson.org/bios/cleve.html

Pretty in depth bio. I'm pretty sure he's abit taller than 6'7" though but I wont argue. This is about Brzenk, not Dean.

[John Prophet]

Brzenk is a beast

here is some video
http://www.proarm.com/
google for Alexey Voevoda to find more vids. He is the Russian guy who beat John...then he evidently got out of arm wrestling for a while to do bobsledding and won at least an olympic silver.

there is also video of Voevoda doing some interesting armwrestling training

[darthsith19]

I think Voevoda did bobsledding first and then swicthed to arm wrestling. He did ebat Brzenk once, but as of now Brzenk is still considered overall better than Voevoda.

[breathingmurder]

Semerenko is another big guy.

[JustinStephan89]

reminds me of the dude from lady in the water who only worked out the right side of his body ........

[Sash]

Voevoda destroyed him pretty good in that 2004 world cup, have they arm wrestled since?

[breathingmurder]

Voevoda destroyed him pretty good in that 2004 world cup, have they arm wrestled since?

I think Voevoda was making a comeback, but it doesn't seem that that comeback has been fully made... haven't really heard anything more than that he is making a comeback.

But I'm not really up on armwestling stuff, you could post on gripboard about it if you have an s/n, I'm sure they'd know.

[75kg]

I think Voevoda was making a comeback, but it doesn't seem that that comeback has been fully made... haven't really heard anything more than that he is making a comeback.

But I'm not really up on armwestling stuff, you could post on gripboard about it if you have an s/n, I'm sure they'd know.

There was a thread about just that actually.

[Armbender]

John i agree is one of the greatest..but i have to say pound for pound is Dave Patton from USA.....and trust me..John is not out of his prime..here is an awesome pic of John Brzenk vs Taras Ivakin

[Sash]

I think Voevoda was making a comeback, but it doesn't seem that that comeback has been fully made... haven't really heard anything more than that he is making a comeback.

But I'm not really up on armwestling stuff, you could post on gripboard about it if you have an s/n, I'm sure they'd know.

just registered, cheers

[Armbender]

I think there are a lot of politics wrapped around Voevoda's comeback...i'm not even sure if he representing Russia at the Olympics again for bobsledding....

[darthsith19]

John i agree is one of the greatest..but i have to say pound for pound is Dave Patton from USA.....and trust me..John is not out of his prime..here is an awesome pic of John Brzenk vs Taras Ivakin

Well, John Brzenk said himself that he was in his prime about ten years ago, but to me he hasn't seemed to decline very much. If he hadn't said that I would also have thought that he was still as good as ever. Dang, the otehr guy in the pic has huge arms! It seems like Brzenk beats a lot of guys who are stronger than he is.

just registered, cheers

For what, an arm wrestling competition?

I think there are a lot of politics wrapped around Voevoda's comeback...i'm not even sure if he representing Russia at the Olympics again for bobsledding....

Why, did he get in trouble or something? So do you arm wrestle in tournaments? Pro or amateur?

[Armbender]

I compete for Team Canada...and yes teh other guy in the pic, Taras....as on e of the most impressive biceps i have ever seen....his body was made for armwrestling...i am not sure of the facts about Voevoda coming out and im sure it will stay behind closed doors...

[Sash]

well in regards to him saying he was at his peak 10 years ago, he (John Breznk) mentioned on the gripboard in regards to closing a number 3 coc

Nope NO chance of that....I have to do some more work to close the 3 ...I only get it about half way

But his friend on the board mentioned he was nearly able to close one some years prior (bob brown said that) so he may have had an issue with his hand or perhaps he can't train it as hard as he used to /shrug.

Besides that though, he seems to more than make up for it with insane endurance and static strength, most of the videos i've watched of him now, he seems to be able to outlast and turn fights in his favor if it is anywhere near close.

Here's a good example of that, maybe someone can embed:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=T--vQhpKSeU

Darthsith19: no i didn't register for a comp, just meant for the site.

btw, Voevoda has decided to make his comeback, he beat Michael Todd in May this year 6-0, lets hope Breznk gets another shot at him with some extra weight, Voevoda was 275lb for that Vendetta.

[Above Existence]

John i agree is one of the greatest..but i have to say pound for pound is Dave Patton from USA.....and trust me..John is not out of his prime..here is an awesome pic of John Brzenk vs Taras Ivakin

Taras's bicep is insane for his overall size. If you look at the pic closely it looks like John's right forearm is almost the size of Taras's right bicep, which is insane. Would you happen to know the measurements of John's forearms?

[crackyflipside]

Ah, I had no idea! Cleve has possibly the largest hands on anyone under 7'5", he's no slouch height-wise either though.

The other guy in the first picture is 6'8" and has 9" hands from the bottom of his palm to the tip of his fingers and Cleve's hands engulf them. The second guy has 8" hands. I hear from a friend of Cleve's that Cleve has near 11" hands, put a ruler against your own to see just how inconcevably massive that is.


http://www.gripboard.com/uploads/117...149_561343.jpg
http://www.gripboard.com/uploads/112..._149_86914.jpg
http://www.gripboard.com/uploads/112...149_102113.jpg

Holy crap, dude's got banana hands!