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How Does John Brookfield Stack Up?


Ari

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In this forum, I've seen stories and videos of people doing truly impressive things. In Brookfield's books, he talks about being one of the few who could lift a blob, and I've seen videos here of dozens of people lifting the blob, cleaning the blob, etc.

Many of his other feats have also been duplicated (red nail bending, etc).

Could somebody like dave Morton, say, claim that they have stronger hands than John Brookfield.

Is there any area in which John Brookfield still stands above all others?

Just a question.

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Remember at the time Brookfield did those feats not many if anyone could do them.

It took someone like him to show that it was possible to do these feats,now many others over time have done the same feats but brookfield has lead the way on alot of stuff.

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Brookfeild is still the strongest all around in the world for hand strength, I think Big Steve is right up there though.

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In this forum, I've seen stories and videos of people doing truly impressive things. In Brookfield's books, he talks about being one of the few who could lift a blob, and I've seen videos here of dozens of people lifting the blob, cleaning the blob, etc.

Many of his other feats have also been duplicated (red nail bending, etc).

Could somebody like dave Morton, say, claim that they have stronger hands than John Brookfield.

Is there any area in which John Brookfield still stands above all others?

Just a question.

Depends on how you want to define hand strength. My money is on Dave if him and Brookfield are squeezing grippers. If you're talking card tearing, I'd go with Brookfield. They both bend with different styles so you can't really compare the two as I doubt each of them could match the other using thier opponent's style. Just depends on the feat.

As far as Brookfield being number one at something: I think he's the best card tearer out there. Others will say Dennis Rogers, but JB is my pick. He also tears tennis balls in half, which a lot of people think is impossible unless you alter the seam with a slice or hole. Assuming it's legit and we're talking a new, good/normal quality ball then I haven't heard of anyone else duplicating this.

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John Brookfield also claims to be the best steel scroller living today in the Gripmaster's Manual. I don't think we can all get steel as readily and as cheap as he does, but with that being said, the size of steel he uses for his designs are unrivalled to my knowledge. Card tearing in volume, he's most likely the best, for difficulty, I'd say that's up in the air. All around grip strength, he's hard to beat, any suggested rival would be debatable. I'd like to see what JB can do in the V-bar or strattle one hand deadlift.

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A word says eveything....Gripmaster

I think that he has done many feats of strength even before many of us hear start to know about the existense of grippers and etc.

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I think you have to consider that as a showman, Brookfield does things in public that are probably a good bit below his maximum capabilities. It'd ruin the act if he made a practice of failing while all eyes are on him. I'd love to see the feats he does when no one else is watching.

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John Brookfield is the man. That's all I got to say.

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John Brookfield is the man. That's all I got to say.

hahaha nicely said, i think brookfeild is crazy because its not like he is really good at just crush or tearing or bending etc. He is great at all of them.

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You will probably never see Brookfield go up against allround grip champions like David Horne as he would have everything to loose.

Ludicrous to claim that someone who never competes has the strongest grip in the world (now that we have quite a few grip competitions every year). It is based largely on faith and not on cold facts.

Edited by Mikael Siversson
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Could somebody like dave Morton, say, claim that they have stronger hands than John Brookfield.

While having a very strong grip, Dave Morton has never won an allround grip competition. So if Dave is as strong as John in his hands (no idea if he is), then we have quite a few competitors with a considerably stronger allround grip.

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I think that IF (hypothetical), John Brookfield were to be involved in contests, such as the contests sported by the board here, and IF, Brookfield trained the contest events, no question in my mind, I would put my money on Brookfield to take top spot. No doubter in my opinion.

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You will probably never see Brookfield go up against allround grip champions like David Horne as he would have everything to loose.

Ludicrous to claim that someone who never competes has the strongest grip in the world (now that we have quite a few grip competitions every year). It is based largely on faith and not on cold facts.

I agree with you Mikael. Isn't it funny that most posts about what John Brookfield can do start with the words "I've heard that John Brookfield did......." Only a handful of Grip Board members can actually say that they have seen John Brookfield perform in person. I saw him perform at the 2004 AOBS, and he bent a couple of hefty steel bars, and since I did not personally test them, I can't say how hard they were to bend. As we all know, steel varies all over the map. Is Mr. Brookfield strong? Yes, very, but his legend grows as the stories are passed from person to person. John told me himself that he has a 150 pound kettlebell with a 2" thick handle that he flips from hand to hand for sets of 20. When I saw him perform at the 2004 AOBS, he did this using what he told the crowd was an 80 pound kettlebell. Impressive, yes, but he did not toy with it easily enough to make me believe that he can toy around with a 150 pound kettlebell with a 2 inch handle for sets of 20 reps.

Here is an interesting tidbit that is probably a little known fact about John Brookfield and Randy Strossen's relationship. From what Randy Strossen writes about John, you would think that Randy has seen John do so many things in person over the past 10-15 years. Randy Strossen told me himself that he met John for the first time in person at The Arnold Classic in March of 2004. In other words, Randy Strossen had to take John Brookfield at his word about all that he claims to have done. Interesting. He had never seen him bend a nail, or a horseshoe in person. Here is a fun fact. The first person that Randy Strossen ever saw bend a horseshoe in person was Pat Povilaitis at the 2003 AOBS dinner.

Anyway, this post is not to a knock on John, but it is intended to provide a reality check about strength feat documentation. If you can't test what is being lifted or bent personally, and the claim seems way off the charts, then you have to think about what is being claimed.

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Rick,

I'd keep your money safe in your pocket, John isn't even the best in the U.S. never mind further afield.

David

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i personaly find that what i know of brookfield, ( through his books and, any clips i have seen of him), he seems very honest. so i believe anything he says.

but i think with the growth of this board and grip strength in general, everyone is getting information on how to get strong hands. with the passing of enough time most of brookfields feats will be duplicated or even passed.

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You will probably never see Brookfield go up against allround grip champions like David Horne as he would have everything to loose.

Ludicrous to claim that someone who never competes has the strongest grip in the world (now that we have quite a few grip competitions every year). It is based largely on faith and not on cold facts.

Mikael,

It is interesting that you say this as a similar situation arose with Bud Jeffries 1k bottom squat challenge. His websites say that he may be the strongest drug free man in the world, yet he does not compete.

Can someone lay claim to something without actually pulling it off in competition and beating others?

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Brookfield told me at Pat at the Arnold he was throwing a KB, don't remember the exact weight around 30lbs I think, 30-35 feet in the air and catching it as it returned.

I will believe a lot of things, that ain't one of'em..........

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Anyone can claim anything. Heck in the early part of the last century every vaudeville theatre had the 'World's Strongest Man' showing that week! Haha!

Anyway this is no sleight on Bud as I don't know him at all, and don't know enough about the ins-and-outs of bottom rack squats.

By the way, which of Brookfield's feats haven't been passed yet?

Look at the strength in depth of the american gripsters out there competing. I find it strange to portray John Brookfield higher than these athletes.

In the recognised area of events that are used in the U.S.

Grippers- Dave Morton, Tommy Heslep, Heath Sexton, Shane Larson, Clay Edgin, Steve McGranahan. WOW!

Pinch-Jedd Johnson, Steve McGranahan, Tommy Heslep, Chad Woodall, Wade Gillingham, Richard Sorin. WOWZA!

V-bar- Dave Thorton, Jedd Johnson, Clay Edgin, Rob W. Vigeant, Chad Woodall. WOW AGAIN!

Thick bar- Jeff Bissonette, Joel Sward, Mark Henry, Shane Larson, Wade Gillingham, Eli Kiener. CRIKEY!

Bending- Pat Povilaitis, Greg Amidon, Dave Morton, Eric Milfeld, Steve McGranahan. HOLY MACKERAL!

So as you can see there is some fantastic strength in depth there in the U.S., and no doubt I've missed some off, sorry!

David

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the question was how does john brookfield stack up well he is up there on the list . is he the best i dont think so there are lots of guys here that can do the things he does . who is the best . i dont think one person can be put in this category every lift , stunt, and feat of strength has its little hanicap like what kind of steel what brand of cards how long is a sledge handel most people pick brookfield becauls he was one of the first to do these things and tv airtime helps to as for all the other guys here on the board who are as good or better than brookfield we know who you are or at least i do save your breath trying to convince someone that there idol isint the best its like pulling the glasses of of superman :tongue

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Rick,

I'd keep your money safe in your pocket, John isn't even the best in the U.S. never mind further afield.

David

Allow me to say my opinion this way. If you take Brookfield and say 6 other guys, whom are noted for grip contests competition, give them all 6 weeks to train on 5 events, I think Brookfield would prevail.

Yes and I picked Texas over USC. And I did not keep my money in my pocket on this. :)

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Rick,

Of course you are allowed an opinion, as everyone else has.

The bookmakers love people having their opinions :laugh .

It's good to debate.

David

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Without John and a few others from the past - none of us would be doing this at all. I respect him as a pioneer who played a major role in what we call "our sport". Whether he is the strongest is not really the point, at least to me - he's still a very strong man and up till a few years ago, I think he certainly was the strongest grip athlete, he was practicaly the only..

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