"It's big, like people were back in the 70s... Big when you get that way because you're just real damn strong." Brought to you from the Wichita Falls Athletic Club, 70sbig.com will teach you how to eat, how to train, and how to style your moustache so that you can get 70s big. Not interested in becoming 70s big? Then stop by and observe the amazing feats of those who were, like weightlifter Anatoly Pisarenko, who cleaned and jerked 583 pounds, or powerlifter Doug Young, who deadlifted 711 pounds in competition despite three broken ribs. The site also feature a series of cheeky interviews with Mark Rippetoe, owner of WFAC and author of books like Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training and Practical Programming for Strength Training.
posted by ludwig_van on Oct 8, 2009 - 48 comments

Mistress Krista says: Only YOU can stop gym dorkery! Stumptuous, one of AskMe's favourite fitness sites, has both a spiffy new design and a bunch of new content (Why your excuses are crap; Lies in the gym; Things you should not lift if you want to look like Madonna). Beginners will find plenty of smart and blunt information about eating, starting and refining a training program, avoiding and recovering from injuries, and developing a home gym one way or another. But Stumptuous has also extended its domain to YouTube. Part of the original Dork to Diva web series on correct technique is now up at YT (deadlifts; biceps curl) thanks to the support of The Prevention of Gym Idiocy Society (Ladies' Auxiliary), but you can also find some more unorthodox exercise ideas.
posted by maudlin on May 7, 2009 - 21 comments

Meet Liam Hoekstra. He is a remarkable toddler with a rare genetic disorder called Myostatin-Related Muscle Hypertrophy, which causes him to have accelerated muscle mass and development, which leads to enhanced strength, speed, and agility. Supposedly, the same genes were manipulated to create these beefcakes [previously].
posted by aftermarketradio on Mar 31, 2009 - 53 comments

Paul Anderson was the strongest man in the world.
posted by Joe Beese on Dec 30, 2008 - 16 comments

The Third World Squat (Some images not 100% safe for work) When it comes to training someone who's new to the world of squats, deadlifts, and the fine art of picking up heavy stuff, I've found a substantial disparity in the learning curve between North Americans and those from third-world countries . . . There are a variety of possible reasons for this, but there's one dominant variable that's a great predictor of a trainee's immediate potential before they even step foot in the gym: The third-world squat.
posted by jason's_planet on Dec 29, 2007 - 48 comments

Aneta Florczyk is an extraordinarily strong woman. Here is a video of her twisting a frying pan into a cylinder. She has deadlifted over 500 pounds. And pressed more than 250 pounds overhead.
posted by jason's_planet on Jul 30, 2007 - 34 comments

I'M THE HIGH PLAINS HEAVY METAL IRON MASTER, BOY!
posted by jason's_planet on Mar 27, 2007 - 15 comments

How to perform strong man stunts - learn how to how to how to lift and swing a man with your teeth, how to support 1000 lbs. of living weight with ease, and other manly feats that will get you looking Charles Atlas buff for the summer. See also.
posted by madamjujujive on Jun 20, 2005 - 26 comments

The Mythical Quest , an old exhibition at the British Library. 'Throughout the world, tales have always been told of heroes and heroines embarking on perilous quests in search of lost loved ones, the secret of immortality, earthly paradise or simply great riches. Many of these stories have elements in common, such as clashes with monsters, battles with the elements, interventions by the gods and tests of moral character, mental cunning and physical strength. These tales have been expressed in songs, literature, art and dance for thousands of years, and are still being reinterpreted today in books, comic strips, interactive games and adventure films.'
More British Library exhibits here, from early Indian photography to the secret life of maps.
Examples of mythical quests :- Monkey: Journey to the West (another version here, not to mention the TV series); the Ramayana (and the Ramakian, the Thai version); Cupid and Psyche at the Classics Pages (subject of a previous thread); the Holy Grail (more at the Catholic Enyclopaedia); the journey of Alexander the Great; Pilgrim's Progress and John Bunyan; the world of Dante and a map of Hell.
posted by plep on Jul 11, 2003 - 17 comments

Russian boy pulls 4 tonne jet fighter 1.5 metres with his hair. No wonder Bruce Khlebnikov is the world's strongest kid.
posted by Why on Jun 1, 2002 - 10 comments

The US army selects MIT for $50 million superhuman exoskeleton project. Includes nanomaterials, invisibility, superhuman strength, protection from ballistics, and a built in kit for autonomous treatment. Will this be the soldier of the future?
posted by Aikido on Mar 14, 2002 - 37 comments

These guys are at it again.

"We will send about 20 men, their ages ranging from 25 to 77, to pull the 400-seat B747. We hope to set a world record."

And I was impressed by those World Ironman competitions...
posted by PWA_BadBoy on Jan 8, 2001 - 3 comments

Sure an ant can move stuff 50 times its weight, but can it do this? Gotta be wondering what goes on in these guys' minds when they're doing this stuff! (insert dirty joke here)
posted by PWA_BadBoy on Nov 3, 2000 - 7 comments

You know that ad where a guy offers to pull a semi with his Chevy Tracker? Well, these guys showed up Chevy by pulling a truck with their...uh...winkies. [Via fark]
posted by plinth on Oct 23, 2000 - 9 comments