Best forearms ever?

[Roark]

Go to the Arnold Classic site and click on

photo of the day. Lee Priest is shown with

arms overhead and his forearm flexors must

be seen to be believed.

[Griparn]

Im sure he has well-developed forearms...

But what can he do with these arms?

Can he even close the Trainer?

[Nathan Say]

I'm not impressed. That's what thay guy JOE fom DPF would call "drug induced elephantiasis". Yeah, can he do anything with those forearms or are they just decorations?

[supersqueeze]

Joe, is he left handed? His left side appears to be larger all the way from his neck down (including his neck). It may just be lighting and camera angle but it sure looks that way. He has definately NOT neglected his forearms!

Mike M.

[Adam Black]

[Roark]

I have no knowledge or Lee's drug program or

lack of it. So if we discover he is drug free, then

you will be 'impressed'?

There are plenty of folks who have unimpressive

forearm development who can close a 2. Muscularly,

they are hardly showcaseable. Except for those seconds when they are squeezing a gripper shut, they are not

attention grabbers. That's fine if that's their goal.

I do not understand the logic that great strength

demonstrations unaccompanied by great musculature

is fine, but that great musculature precludes Lee

from training on the grippers, for example, and

managing to close a 2 or a 3.

Because muscular strength is at least partly

dependent on muscle cross sectional size, Lee has

an incredible head start, it seems to me.

I suspect he can wrist curl some heavy weight, but I

admit ignorance at this point.

[Tyrannosaurus Dave]

This guy looks like he might exceed the 2:1 forearm to wrist ratio.  Any reliable stats?

[Roark]

I tried to reach Lee a few minutes ago; will keep

trying. Mentioned in my message to him that I am

interested in his wrist curling strength levels.

I have seen some ridiculous and impossible claims

for his forearm size- not from Lee but from writers,

so hopefully we can get some accurate stats.

[Guest juggernaut216]

Lee Priest is known for being very vocal about his steroid use.There is an article in Muscular Development March 2002 that has an article about him using steroids.I think he was also on a video that Tom Platz did about bodybuilders using steroids.I think he can curl 300lbs for reps.I also think that there is a misconception about bodybuilders not being strong.Ronnie Coleman is a good example of this.He can deadlift over 800lbs for reps.

[Nathan Say]

I'm pretty sure the strongest powerlifter or olympic lifter could outlift the strongest bodybuilder at the same bodyweight.

[Guest juggernaut216]

There is no doubt that powerlifters and OL are stronger.That is the nature of their sport.Just as if you take a powerlifter of the same weight and put them in a bodybuilding comp,the bodybuilder would win.But if you read Brooks Kubik's book and talk to alot of people,they say bodybuilders are weak.This just isnt true.Arnold could bench 500 lbs.Just because he didnt do 700 doesnt make him "not strong".

Bodybuilders are the strongest lifters because thats not what they do.They "body" build.They do however put up some serious poundage.

[Sybersnott]

Take a look at Sybersnott's forearms in the Grip Gallery.  Oh yeah.... no steroids whatsoever!!  

[Mjoynt]

I thinks Brooks was referring to the average bodybuilder in today's gyms.  They may look pretty but most couldn't lift a pillow.

[Guest juggernaut216]

Mjoynt,

Your right.I guess Brooks was reffering to the "Mens Fitness" kinda guys.Hardcore bodybuilders are alot different.You know though,

the thing about grip training is if you have a good Powerlifter or Bodybuilder,alot of grip tests will stop them cold.That's whats awesome about the grip!

[Mjoynt]

Even modest feats of grip strength will quiet a typical pro bodybuilder!

[Roark]

To say that an olympic lifter or powerlifter could outlift

a bodybuilder of the same weight, are you referring to

the olympic & powerlifts being the test? Then certainly

you are right, Nathan.

But ask that olympic lifter or powerlifter to keep pace and

sets and reps with a bodybuilder's program, and they will

be the losers.

[mobsterone]

I have 2 or three Lee Preist videos here and on both he mentions being prouder of his hands and a muscle that comes up at the base of the index finger and thumb. This while you see striations (sp) on his biceps...

[Arne]

I think that the big bodybuilder Gunnar Røssbø from Norway had the biggest forearms of them all. In World Championship in  Cairo 1981 a medical team from Canada measure them (in ripped condition,  to 49 cm (19.3 inches) cold. The highest measure offseason was 51 cm (20.1 inches)! I have seen Gunnar Røssbø and I have never seen more brutal forearms and wrists than Røssbøs.

[Roark]

Arne,

Phenomenal size. Wayne Demilia told me that he was

chatting with Gunnar during a meal, and asked him

how he got such size. Gunnar said that his father,

who never really got into serious weight training had

comparable forearms!

I assume those measurements were in the goose-

necked positions, and not straight armed?

[Arne]

Roark!

Probably goosenecked position, but I´m not 100% sure. Can you put in the picture i send to you? I have hear the same story about his father.

[Guest T-Bear]

Many bodybuilders have weak forearms cause they use straps when they trained deadlift and other backexercises. If you don't use straps you get pretty strong hands, I know this because when I trained bodybuilding I could hold 352 pounds overhandgrip without closing my thumbs, but I could only deadlift 347 pounds. I think Lee Priest are griptraining cause many BB.ers train heavy without straps but don't come close to mr Priest.

[Arne]

Wannagrip, I've just send you a picture of Røssbø. Is it possible for You to put it in here?

[Guest JoeQ1966]

I could be all wrong about this but I had a muscle and fitness and it featured lee in priest in it about forearms and in the issue he told of never doing any direct forearm training..He said his forearms where from doing all his lifting and holding the bar so tight.I know people,,my dad for instance that have never done any direct forearm training yet have massive forearms.Once again I think its a genetic potential to get freaky size with little effort.

         joe

[Allman]

There are a few bodybuilding champs who had/have enormous forearms. Chuck Sipes, Sergio Oliva, Casey Viator, and of course Lee Priest. Most of the guys with huge upper arms also have very respectable forearms. They all had to lift a lot of heavy weights to get that big.

I am impressed by all excellence. Those who acquire large muscles get my respect. Those who develop amazing strength also get my respect. Some acquire both size and strength.

I recall a discussion I had with Samir Bannout in 1980. I had just asked the larger of the Barbarian brothers what his aim was. He said he wanted to be the biggest and strongest man who ever lived. I told him he would never achieve that goal. He asked why and I replied that he didn't have the vocabulary! He shouted out that he did have the vocabulary. I then asked him if he knew Steve Marjanian. He did not and turned around to the guys in the gym and asked who Steve Marjanian was. Well, the point was that Reg Park tried to be the biggest and strongest but discovered that he had to chose one or the other because there was no way he could be both.  Steve Marjanian was very big and very strong but he was hardly a champion bodybuilder. It was at this point that Samir *rescued* me saying that he had seen some of those big guys hit anyone that upset them. I wasn't afraid of any of those guys. Anyway, Samir and I got into a discussion about muscle size and strength. He reported that he noticed that the guys with the largest bodyparts were also the strongest in that part. For example, Bill Grant was supposed to be strong in curls and had huge biceps.  Chris Dickerson was strong in heel raises. I have heard that Paul Dillett is very strong in the biceps.

On another previous visit to Golds I met Steve Marjanian and found him a gentle giant. I recall challenging him to pinch lift the huge wooden block that many used to stand on while doing rows, etc. I think the block weighed about 60 pounds and was about 4 inches thick. Well, I could lift it easily. Steve couldn't negotiate it at all as his hands couldn't quite get around it enough to make it possible. He then fetched an Olympic bar and held it out in front of him with a straight arm. He then easily rotated the bar and then brought it back to parallel again. He said, *Here, kid, your turn*. I declined the invitation and said it was one all! Ah, the audaciousness of youth.  I even challenged George Frenn and Peanuts West to have a go at pinching the block but they just looked at me as if I were a pest. I then muttered something about the strongest man in the world being afraid to have a go with a grip feat. The magazines called George the strongest man in the world at that time. 1968.

I don't think too many people know about the feats that many on this board can easily do but few can come close to what they do. It might not be wise to go up to Lee Priest or any of the other guys with a CoC #3 and ask them to close them. We all have to retain a certain amount of modesty and not impose our values and feats onto others.

I know that most of us have to specialize on an event before we excell at it.  We can hardly expect others to be able to duplicate our efforts if they do not train for it.  

The question about what is preferred, a large arm or strength cannot be answered. Some might feel they want both. It truly is an individual thing about what is important.

[whitleyd]

i notice in the pic that i appears that Mr. Priest's wrist flexors are huge but that his finger flexors are, by comparison, much smaller. this indicates (to me,anyway) that he desn't do much specific grip training, choosing instead to focus on fore arm training. i'd say that this is becuase IFBB judges dont give a rats booty about grip strength, but are interested in highly developed fore arms.

It's not really fair,in my opinion, to question his grip strength, anymore than it would be to ask something like "Well sure, Mr.Brookfield( or Mr.Sorin,or Mr. Kinney, or Mr. Sexton,or the mighty SyberSnott, etc.) has a tremendous grip, but how would he look in posing briefs?"

I see it as an apples to oranges thing. Just my opinion.