June 2011 – Page 5

Monthly Archives: June 2011

Joseph L. Greenstein, aka The Mighty Atom

June 4, 2011 Al Myers

by Dennis Mitchell

This photo of Joseph Greenstein, aka The Mighty Atom, was prominently displayed on the stage at York Barbell during the York Barbell Hall of Fame induction of The Mighty Atom.

In 1893 in the village of Suvalk, Poland, Joseph Greenstein was born. He was born prematurely and was not expected to live more than a few hours. Somehow he did survive, however, his childhood was a battle of various illnesses. At the age of fourteen he had tuberculosis, and his parents were told that he would not survive. Once again he proved the doctors wrong. His life changed when he was caught sneaking into a circus to see a strongman called “Champion Volanco”. The stagehand who caught him was in the proses of beating him up when “Champion Volanco” came to his rescue. Volanco took a liking to Joseph and over the next eighteen months the two of them traveled with the Issakev Brothers Circus where Joseph learned how to develop and strengthen his body. He changed so much that when he returned home his family didn’t recognize him.

With in the next few years Joseph got married and started wrestling under the name of “kid Greenstein”. With anti-semitism on the rise in Europe, Joseph and his wife, Leah, left for America. This was sometime in 1914. They settled in Galveston, Texas where he worked on the docks. Another life changing event occurred at this time when a man who was obsessed with Leah tried to kill Joseph by shooting him. The bullet hit him in his forehead, but instead of killing him, flattened out and fell to the ground. Somehow, according to Joseph, this awakened his mental powers, and by focusing his mind he was able to do amazing strength feats. This started his career as a strong man.

He was billed as The Mighty Atom because of his small size. At 5’5″ he weighed 140 pounds. He could drive nails through a board with his bare hands. He would lie on a bed of nails while supporting as many as fourteen men. He would bend iron bars with his hand or with his teeth. He could bite through chains, nails and coins, and lift weights and pull cars with his hair. Along with his strongman act, The Mighty Atom would give lectures on exercise, clean living, and diet. It was while performing in Gilbertsville, PA that he met Lawrence “Slim” Farman. Shortly after this meeting, The Mighty Atom became Slims mentor. Later Slim was known as Slim the Hammer Man. However, this is a story for another article. Along with performing and lecturing, Joseph wrote several books. He was written about several times in Ripley’s Believe it or Not, and in 1976 was in the Guinness book of World Records. Both he and Slim the Hammer Man were honored at York Barbell on May 21, 2011 by being inducted into the York Barbell Hall of Fame.

The Mighty Atom was still performing into his 80’s. He passed away on October 8, 1977 in Brooklyn New York.

USAWA Daily News

Andrew Durniat & the Inch Dumbbell

June 2, 2011 Al Myers

by Al Myers

Andrew Durniat lifts the Dino Gym's Inch Dumbbell Replica at the 2010 Dino Gym Grip Challenge.

USAWA member Andrew Durniat did something at the York Barbell Festival that not very many lifters have done – he walked with a pair of Inch Dumbbells! I was busy with the USAWA Heavy Lift Nationals at the time he did it, and unfortunately missed this feat. I really wish I could have seen it! He walked at least 50 feet, and then after he dropped the dumbbells, he picked them up again and walked back to the starting line. I am just glad Jedd Johnson, of Diesel Crew, caught this unbelievable Inch DB walk on video and uploaded it on YouTube (YouTube Video of Andrew’s Inch Dumbbell Walk). Without this proof, I might even have a hard time believing it!

I have an Inch Dumbbell Replica in the Dino Gym. Most of the time it is nothing more than a heavy doorstop – as most of the gym members can’t even budge it an inch off the floor. The interesting thing about it is that it LOOKS liftable, but only after repeated failures and shaking your head in defeat, do you realize what a grip challenge it really is. The Dino Gym’s Inch Dumbbell Replica has only been lifted by FIVE people, all of which are great grip lifters. Let me give you a list of these guys, because they deserve the recognition – Matt Graham (the first one), John Conner, Dave Brown, Matt Vincent, and now Andrew Durniat. Andrew lifted it with ease at my 2010 Dino Gym Grip Challenge which was promoted by Dino Gym member Ben Edwards. It seemed like he could hold it forever when I took his picture of him doing it. At the York Festival I compared my hand size with that of Andrews. It was humbling to say the least. His fingers are at least an inch longer than mine, which is a very important part of most gripping feats. In the future, Andrew Durniat is a name you will be hearing alot of in the world of strength!

USAWA Daily News

Jackson Weightlifting Club Logo

June 1, 2011 Thom Van Vleck

by Thom Van Vleck

The modern JWC Logo.

The Jackson Weightlifting Club has a history that reaches back to 1928. Like many Clubs and Gyms it has it’s own logo. Above you will see the modern JWC Logo. The modern logo has it’s root to the late 1950’s and is based on one that my Uncle Phil Jackson drew. I have a copy of that drawing, the original drawing is in Phil’s possession.

Copy of the original JWC logo first developed by Phil Jackson in the late 50's

There was a point I wanted to make a standard logo for the modern incarnation of the JWC. After some experimentation, I came up with the modern logo and you will find it painted on the JWC Training Hall wall and it is often used on our meet shirts and other related JWC stuff. In the modern JWC Logo you will find many elements present in the original and a few new things. I used the shield and barbell, just like Uncle Phil did. I used a copy of the York Barbell “deep dish” weights for the “barbell” part of the logo. I felt this appropriate as this was the first Olympic set ever purchased by the JWC (and I still have it!). I used the same shield but got rid of the small barbell plate at the middle point. I kept the JWC on the diagonal and added a couple elements. A lot of thought actually went into this.

First, I added the cross. A Celtic style cross to celebrate the Celtic roots of the Jackson family. But more importantly to signify our Christianity. My family has always been strong in their faith and that is most notable in the fact that the modern JWC has an evangelism team that has done well over 200 strongman evangelism shows in the spirit of how Paul Anderson used to spread the Gospel with his feats of strength. The cross is at the top because it is most important. That section of the shield is the symbolic location of the heart and I wanted everyone to know that the JWC holds Christ in it’s heart.

The fancy JWC logo.

Second, the Anvil. It was added to symbolize Grandpa Jackson’s Anvil. If you don’t know, the first inspiration for Dalton Jackson to lift weights was his father (Arthur Jackson) lifting his anvil overhead to impress his kids. Later, around 1928, Dalton and his future brother-in-law, Coda Baugher, made some homemade weights and began to train. Every generation since has lifted the anvil and it sits proudly in my gym to this day! I tried to make the shape exactly like the real anvil. I also put it at the bottom because to me the anvil is the foundation of our club. So now you know the history of the JWC logo. I hope someday my kids take it and make it their own!

USAWA Daily News

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