Inch Sets Record

[Roark]

Thomas Inch, on October 22, 1929, still age 47,

set a new record in the Two Hands Anyhow, a

lift which employs two separate weights, one for

each hand.

Inch decided to use two dumbells of 220 and 56

pounds, thus lifting 276 total.

Also, exactly two years later, Goerner performed a

right hand snatch off two chairs (thus eliminating

much of the momentum) with 154.25 pounds.

[Guest Luke Reimer]

Joe, why did Inch use only 56 pounds for his left hand?? It's hard to imagine that his left hand was that much weaker than his right.  Also, why no mention of handle diameter?

That awkward snatch by Goerner speaks of massive upper body strength!

Those history blurbs are great! Keep them coming.

[Roark]

Luke,

In those days for the Two Hands Anyhow, the

usual method was to put a heavy weight up with

one hand, such as in the bent press, then while

the body was bent over, reach down, and grab

a lighter weight with the other hand, stand erect,

then fast curl, or clean the lighter weight up overhead,

so that both arms were extended overhead.

Often the lighter weight would be a kettlebell, which

had a handle standing higher off the floor so that the

lifter did not have to bend so far.

Of course, the lifter could employ any means he

preferred because the name of the lift was 'anyhow'.

Usually regular diameter bars would be preferred

for the lighter weight, which had to be cleaned. For

the heavier weight, if the bent press were used, a

thicker bar would be a benefit if the lifter shouldered

it by first standing the bell on end, leaning into the middle of the bar, and rocking it onto his shoulder.

This was a record for Inch, but certainly Saxon did

much more.