Bill Kazmaier sets UNDEFEATED Max. Squat EVENT RECORD | World's Strongest Man

At the 1981 World's Strongest Man, Hall of Famer Bill Kazmaier lifted an extraordinary 969lbs (440kg) Max. Squat to cement the World Record in the event. Little did he know at the time, this World Record would still stand, unbeaten, 30 years later!
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Created in 1977, The World's Strongest Man™ has become the premier event in strength athletics. For over 30 years, the strongest men on the planet have come together in a series of unique and amazing tests of strength to determine The World's Strongest Man. The competition has travelled to stunning and varied locations such as Zambia, Iceland, Mauritius, Malaysia, Morocco, China and the USA.
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[@sameerturki4317]

Kaz was way ahead of his time.

[@ZachGatesHere]

In order to lose he had to be out of the contest for six years and even then it took another all time legend to just barely bear him.

[@doublem1975x]

Sigmarrson isn’t a legend. Fake protected “champion”. The event organizers had to fix events so Kazmaier would lose.

[@seife41]

@@doublem1975x you cant even write his name

[@tevezcarlos412]

@@ZachGatesHere come on stop this pitiful nonsense, jon pall sigmarsson dominated bill at world strongest man (pure strength) 1987 . And he beated him at world strongest man 1988/ score:(56 to 51) . Jon pall is better

[@bengough6955]

@@ZachGatesHere yeah didn't he come second to Jon Pall?

[@NassifKazan]

It's a miracle Capes' knees survived this.

[@user-my2se7sn3s]

Awful by capes surprises me with him

[@kalzonenu]

It hurts just looking at it!

[@morgancook5000]

His hips too, turned inward in a horrifying way 😵😵

[@tonybarfridge4369]

Kaz always looks like somebody just threatened his family and his manhood

[@BestBackingTracks]

That's the point though. Eddie Hall explains it well behind the scenes of his 500kg deadlift. You need to mentally put yourself in a place where you truly believe you can lift such a staggering weight - In Eddie's case, he literally imagines his family trapped inside a burning car that he needs to overturn. I can't speak to what Kaz's thoughts were but I'm sure the look that he gives when lifting isn't coincidental.

[@tonybarfridge4369]

@@BestBackingTracks In Eddie's case he had not lifted near that weight before and so I understand the reasoning. When I was young I tried to max out on the deadlift once and it was a bit too heavy so I just became positive about it and told myself to stand up like my life depended on it, and it worked. Others noticed that the weight paused half way and it seemed I couldn't do it, but then I just stood up with it

[@mogenvonbogel7342]

That’s what sets him apart from the rest

[@tonybarfridge4369]

@@mogenvonbogel7342 Do u think that's what it takes to lift a bit more than otherwise?

[@mogenvonbogel7342]

@@tonybarfridge4369 yeah I believe it’s all mental

[@calvins6753]

I wish we could have seen Kaz with today's knowledge of training and recovery, he was an absolute monster.

[@robbisson6506]

He was and is already.

[@iwontreplybacklol7481]

You mean drugs of today.

[@mogenvonbogel7342]

He had all the knowledge he needed

[@towerofresonance4877]

Him and Eddie Hall are long lost father and son!

[@DT_Worlds_Strongest_Goth]

Bring back the max squat and let's put Kaz's record to the test

[@seife41]

nono, left it where it is :D

[@JPqbss]

Isn’t the shaw classic gonna have a max squat this year?

[@ONE-pg7wd]

yeah squat is vastly underated in strongman. I mean i get it not really that neccessary of a movement for the other things except stone lifting. However squats really are an astounding lift

[@DT_Worlds_Strongest_Goth]

@@ONE-pg7wd I wish they would alternate between deadlifts in the finals one year and squat the next. whether it be max or reps... (I prefer max though)

[@bdegrds]

@@ONE-pg7wd squat helps on virtually everything. Your a new lifter which is fine but your way off on that

[@giteausuperstar]

I’d love to see a max squat instead of max deadlift for a change.

[@strategygaming5830]

Kaz looked like he was ready to do 800 for reps.

[@Danimal77]

Kazmaier was the strongest he had ever been in 1981. His ABSOLUTE peak in strength. Superhuman at that time (before the multiple muscle tears and injuries started to set in).

[@vincentmcgettigan2338]

You're completely right. 1981 Kaz was ridiculously strong. There's weights he moved around back at that time that I'd wager some of the top strongmen today would have trouble with, if not totally being unable to do it. Kaz was literally gifted with strength. His purpose was strength.

[@jeremylay1694]

Probably would have won five or six world's strongest man titles in a row if they not banned him if they not banned him

[@zacknicley8150]

Kaz whispered something in that rack’s ear before he set himself under the bar. It was going to go up for him no matter what.

[@dongatello6969]

Kaz could’ve been the first and only to get 4 wsm in a row

[@seangentri8878]

Absolutely. If he wasn’t banned and given the right set of events and avoided injury he could have had 5-6 consecutive wins. Unfortunately we will never know

[@alivingpotato3253]

@@seangentri8878 why was he banned?

[@seangentri8878]

@@alivingpotato3253 …for being too dominant lol.

[@wolfsfire68]

Definitely, I'll bet he could have gotten 5 in a row. Banned from competing for being the best, absolutely absurd.

[@15blackshirt]

He was just too aggressive and masculine for the promoters to handle

[@RenegadeRanga]

Kaz is a legend and beast. He was in a league of his own.

[@lort6022]

Because competition sucked back then. Most of these guys are clueless and just fat.

[@marcusblake5996]

@@lort6022 your ignorance hurts my eyes.... all of the ex competitors, even the losers were better than you'll ever be at this sport - are you a wsm candidate? Didn't think so....

[@miskee11]

Kaz is undeniably one of the all-time greats, but since this sport has only lately started to become slightly standardized, world records like this aren't exactly accurate. The lack of standardization means we have no reliable information on the actual weight, no consistency regarding squat depth and not much control regarding equipment use and so on. Another factor worth considering is the rarity of certain events. Squats for maximum weight have always been a very uncommon event in strongman. This record was set in 1981, and the next time any top level international strongman competition had this event was 14 years later in the 1995 WSM Final. In the 1995 event, Magnús Ver Magnússon squatted 437.5 kilograms, and he did it easily (and with questionable depth) as he was leading the event and had no reason to squat anymore. WSM had this event again in 1996 and 1997, and IFSA included it in 1999. After the turn of the millenium, we have _never again_ seen the event. That's 22 years since anyone even had a chance to beat it! Records like the log lift for max, axle for max, deadlift for max, 18 inch deadlift for max, Hummer tire deadlift for max et cetera have been challenged routinely nearly every year for more than a decade with minor exceptions in the mix. The squat for max is way too rare, and with only a handful of athletes having had the chance of trying it over the past 40 years, the record is likely not as untouchable as it may seem. Bill Kazmaier was a phenomenal powerlifter and possibly an even more legendary strongman. His squat record in powerlifting was 420 kg, so we know his squat was ahead of practically everyone from his era. However, now we have guys capable of squatting 450+. Hafthor Björnssön (yes, he retired, I know!) squatted 440 kg in a sanctioned powerlifting meet, and also went down and stood back up did 460 kilograms on his back, but got redlighted due to strict judging. This would suggest, that if the event was included in modern competitions, the record should fall. And then, we come full circle back to the problem of 0 standardization. This record might be incredibly difficult to break, since the apparatus used in 1981 may no longer even exist, and the "440 kilogram load" inside that apparatus might only have felt like 400 kilograms on Bill's back! I personally do not consider the 440 kg mark as an absolute truth, and a weight discrepancy of up to 10% seems realistic to me. I believe this is also one of the reasons why Tom Magee's 18 inch deadlift record stood for such a long time, as the weights and setup they used in 1983 were not comparable to the weights and setup used in 2020 when Novikov finally broke the record. The line-up of WSM 1983 wasn't stronger than the line-up of 2020, yet 4 athletes pulled "495" kilograms or more in 1983, whereas only the best deadlifters of all time managed to reach similar results in 2020 (Jerry Pritchett, Adam Bishop and JF Caron pulled 509, and only Novikov did 537.5 kg). The old strongman records need to go for the good of the sport itself! Bill's squat was the best squat of that day, but to consider it a legitimate 440 kilogram squat and a strongman world record is -- in my opinion -- a bit silly. While the sport does benefit from the LACK of standardization, I firmly believe actual world records need to be verifiable, replicable and comparable to previous records.

[@doublem1975x]

It’s probably due to the risk of injury. Kazmaier tore his hamstrings doing this event.

[@miskee11]

@@davestephens3246 While the sport does benefit from the LACK of standardization, I firmly believe actual world records need to be verifiable, replicable and comparable to previous records.

[@stooge_mobile]

@@davestephens3246 You don't get the point he's making. He explicitly said that no standardisation was good for the sport in general. But don't count it as a record. And don't compare a squat on this machine with a squat on a different machine with different weights 40 years later.

[@silvershelbygt5006]

Bill looked like he could have done 500kg as easy as that last squat went up.

[@msstry1]

I've never seen 969lbs move so quick

[@lordmegatron6145]

if he changes his eye color to red , i bet he can do 600 kg :)

[@stormarrow2120]

If you look up the word intensity in a dictionary it has a picture of Bill Kazmaier. No words necessary. All time favorite WSM.

[@enricomarxstrongman]

If I remember correctly, Don Reinhoudt squatted 1000 lbs at WSM 1979. You might want to check if this is truly Bill's record and not Don's.

[@mastersironmantarmstrong7148]

Don was definitely way stronger than Kaz in the squat but without the braggadocious ego

[@hey12358y]

You remember correctly. On this same apparatus. It's on KZbin. But every source gives Kaz the record. Why that is, I can't find out.

[@tonymcnamara9368]

Brilliant era of strongman!

[@fmagalhaes1521]

If Bill Kazmaier ever went to a Planet Fitness, the Lunk Alarm would constantly be going off.

[@incrediblehulk771]

That was an incredible squat performance. Definitely would like to see that in future competitions.

[@robertmastnak581]

This man is real strong, one of the strongest. He is a legend!

[@atodaso1668]

Kaz making it look easy

[@bklon6107]

Wasn't this event held in 1980, not 1981 as the description suggests? I was of the understanding that 1980's competition was in Vernon / Great Gorge New Jersey, and 1981 was the first year it was held at Magic Mountain in California.

[@duffman7065]

Can you imagine how blokes have blown out their arses trying to replicate this in this gym since? Jesus, I did my back just watching it.

[@possiblepilotdeviation5791]

Capes form was awful. Still love the guy though.

[@anthonyproffitt5341]

What was e trying to do?

[@Scyllax]

He got 800 in a powerlifting meet, and, back then, there were no suits. I don’t think he understood the apparatus.

[@anthonyproffitt5341]

@@Scyllax Kaz best squat was 925# in 1981/870# in 1979, and used a single ply suit but his deadlift and bench were raw.

[@Scyllax]

@@anthonyproffitt5341 I don’t think Capes understood how to bounce on The Smith Machine because he had lifted more than 710 in powerlifting. That was my point.

[@anthonyproffitt5341]

@@Scyllax my bad I thought this was in response to a Kaz thread. Agree about capes. He didn’t get his hips low enough to drive with his legs.

[@jackcostello5757]

Great camera work here. Why would we need to see his legs?

[@jonathanmcniel6483]

Very impressive

[@lukemckee2255]

Capes was thinking id love to snap my legs up

[@hamansgallows]

Fricking Kaz. Freak of nature. What a machine.

[@stuartmackay9270]

Can you explain to me how it is undefeated? Is this the Official WSM KZbin channel, if so have you checked all of your records? What is the significance of capitalising UNDEFEATED and EVENT, it is suggestive of with that apparatus ( event) it is undefeated... Thus excluding heavier lifts...

[@hey12358y]

Anyone know why Kaz gets the record and not Reinhoudt for his 1000 in '79 on this event?

[@donjorgensen6393]

You decide!

[@michaelabercrombie7698]

Isn't it nice the guy just sticks a microphone in your face after you fail a lift?

[@MrInzombia]

kaz was a freakin tank. LEGENDARY STRENGTH

[@justinwood6407]

Old school strongest men competition, where bellys were a must

[@Pletzmutz]

Seeing as this isn't exactly full depth and using a special apparatus, I would be careful comparing this to a regular squat. This is exactly why records shouldn't be such a focal point in strongman, the point is to sort the athletes by putting them through a variety of non-standardized tests of strength.

[@AchillesFeel]

The thumbnail 😆

[@TheFoofighter11]

That eyes from Kaz

[@-Erebus]

Mr. Incredible

[@Byfsasdfsad]

why did they zoom in on faces instead of showing the actual squat lmao

[@dublessings]

Undefeated .. make that event again ..

[@QQyoko]

How did people follow WSM back then without being able to check spreadsheets online?

[@Droppinthehammer]

Quarter squats and that's Happy Gilmore's caddy spotting on the left.

[@bb-gaming3153]

So why don’t they use the solid grey cinder blocks for a lift instead of hollow ones on the same frame !?

[@DJSOTO07]

Wow dude is a animal

[@ONE-pg7wd]

where teh hell is the full profile of him squatting it ? why wouldnt they have it

[@austinreid2555]

that Piper fella looks kinda like an older Robert Oberst

[@ratemyweights]

That set up is basically a vertical leg press or a fancy Smith machine .

[@plebpunk]

From the thumbnail, I thought it was a young Les Dawson

[@4kirk8675309]

Who?

[@hardertom]

The Tom Platz would have done this to warm up before training ;-)

[@iwontreplybacklol7481]

"i kno wut men can do wen there angry"

[@bryanmartinez1278]

Why does he sound like liver king lol

[@schmidtythekidd]

Light Weight!!!!

[@jonathanmcniel6483]

It's all in the mustache.

[@Danimal77]

Geoff Capes had not yet reached his peak strength. He was MUCH stronger and MUCH heavier (between 360 and 375 pounds of body weight) from 1983-1986 pounds compared to 315-320 pounds from 1980-1982.

[@sciencechomp5444]

Staggo looks like Newman.

[@graffzon]

Max squat record is 505kg tho nowadays. Yes its in powerlifting but its still squat wr

[@-Erebus]

Jeff with the valgus collapse

[@4kirk8675309]

@@a-a-rondavis9438 I watched it and thought "I guess squat wasn't a big part of Cape's training." He legitimately looks like someone who has not practiced the lift

[@chadpennington4594]

Kaz had MUCH more in the tank.

[@rorytymon5678]

Do they even do max squat anymore?

[@roybatty-]

Those squats were so shallow this video might make it into a gym fails compilation.

[@Nirsterkur]

Agreed.

[@hey12358y]

Some of the greatest powerlifters ever. Cope, Nobody.

[@CaptainAMAZINGGG]

Those are some short-ass shorts

[@samcoon6699]

I was really surprised by 2 things in this clip. Bruce Wilhelm was tiny compared to how he looked in the 70s. I really couldn't believe that was him. The 2nd being how horrible Jeoff Capes form was. I mean....I'm not sure how he managed to develop that.

[@Allan_Melon]

Bill was in a league of his own, absolute BEAST

[@boogienightsmarkwahlberg6011]

I wonder what he could have done if he hadnt literally been banned from competition for being too strong LOL.

[@Kaynos]

Most of these guys competing against Kaz had no chances. These are just bigger than average guys having a regular job training for strongmen as a hobby during their weekend.

[@doublem1975x]

No there were actually decent guys competing during this time. It was after they banned Kaz and left the US when the competition got soft.

[@icomur825]

Kaz out here putting his tongue between his teeth with nearly 1000 pounds on his back like a lunatic. Then again maybe his tongue is made of steel, cuz we all know his balls are.

[@SpidermansSymbiote]

So it's like squatting in a smith machine.

[@joshuahettinger9287]

900 lbs in a smith machine is a hell of a feat

[@ValensBellator]

Kaz looks like he could have done more, made that look easy 😂

[@michaelstagar4254]

Bill kazmier has lost a step with age. Now he can only squat 967. Lol.

[@alanfrost75]

Not much range on their squat setup, is there?

[@guillermogarcia-amaro1512]

He could have done 100 more

[@olidoran2485]

Hemorrhoids like Jupiter's moons......

[@rushgush]

kaz won’t even attempt the back press

[@Jjohnny642]

Geoff Capes might have had the worst form for anyone squatting over 50 pounds. Good thing he only attempted 700

[@matelslug1]

@ 2:07 a very un-professional anchor breathing on athlete's face back then!!!!

[@no-ml4yi]

"Depth? Where we're going, we dont need depth"

[@lort6022]

They knew nothing back then .. WTF is up with 0:40 and knees caving in like a first time squatter, did they find most of these guys on the street

[@Intelligenkeit]

i mean if you look at these people they are absolout amateurs compared to real olympic weightlifters

[@bengough6955]

Kaz is a good dude ....but back then he looked like he was prepping to kill someone. Every one else there is there to have fun at the "circus " kaz knows this sport is going to be great one day and takes it very seriously

[@joshuahettinger9287]

He looked like a supersized 90's movie high school bully lol. Something about those eyes.

[@vanguard4065]

Capes is NOT a squatter

[@rushgush]

louis cyr still the strongest man in the past 120 years. back pressed 4300 lbs with no training for it. then a canadian blacksmith who trained years just to break that record, did 5300 lbs. louis cyr also lifted a 525lb weight using only his pinky finger a few inches off the ground. list goes on folks

[@Silky_boi]

Didn’t don reinhoudt do 1000lbs on the squat? Or is it the girl lift?

[@hulkhulk2237]

Rip Bill kazmayer best ♥️

[@timdunlap1473]

He is still alive?

[@syedsyclone6827]

aww, remember when it was about max strength and distance rather than speed and time. Good ol' days, welp back to Arnold's Classic for me.

[@techbeef]

Have you actually watched all of the old WSM shows? There are several timed events in each, always has been. The reason the max events have been minimized in current strength shows is that it makes the very strongest people, who are going to win that event have to push themselves much further than the people who have no chance in a max event. It honestly makes sense to leave max events for World Deadlift competitions, world log press, etc.

[@syedsyclone6827]

@@techbeef thanks.

[@allylilith5605]

@@syedsyclone6827 ye, lets go back to the good old days of gravel shoveling, 200m races with 100kg bricks on your back, loading races that take 2+ minutes and wrist rolling

[@King-O-Hell]

They used to flip cars and race to a finish line. It was mostly about the flip but the race was kind of a funny attachment at the end.

[@bundyboy961]

Not even full depth of squat though!

[@martindunwell6099]

If kaz competed today he would have been cancelled again a man who says it as it is and I don't want him to change . just does not fit into the kiss arse box

[@benbrodie8605]

It's not an accurate way to measure moving weight 🙈

[@amirfoysal42]

Why on earth he wasn't invited after winning 3 competition in a row!!

[@thibaultdelandsheer9109]

Well because he was too good. That's literally the only reason haha

[@stevedaddy3498]

Because he won 3 competitions in a row

[@roybatty-]

Because he was combative towards the event organizer and competitors. AKA roid rage.

[@MrPikkabo]

These have to be the worst cameramen in history

[@callofdutymobile6259]

Dislike for that face after lifting.that was not cool.

[@Munkeygamermg]

He's not the one who uploaded the video, bit stupid

[@lastactionhero7541]

Your name is Call of Duty. No one cares what you think.

[@callofdutymobile6259]

@@lastactionhero7541 🤣🤣🤣I want to say to your mother hello when will I see her again son :)

[@lastactionhero7541]

@@callofdutymobile6259 tell your dad I’m sorry I went so rough on him. The blood doesn’t normally pour out like that.

[@callofdutymobile6259]

@@lastactionhero7541 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣