Superman of the Century

Herb Glossbrenner a long time statistician for Powerlifting and Olympic lifting, decided to identify who would wear the title of “Superman of the Century” for the 20^th century.  Herb took over a year to compile and write the history, which ran in 6 consecutive issues September 1996 through February 1997 of Powerlifting USA.  In all of Herbs 35 years of writing for top magazines such as Powerlifting USA, Iron Man and International Olympic lifters and many more, he received more calls and mail praising and congratulating him on the Superman series. 

I don’t think many athletes, let alone the general public realize how difficult Powerlifting and Olympic lifting are.  To be good at just one of these sports is a great achievement. To compete in both sports is difficult enough, but to successful at both is a major achievement. It’s like being good at two different sports such as Basketball and Football.  All of the lifters from the United States and throughout the world who competed in the different classes deserve a big applause!

Getting in the Sport of Powerlifting and Olympic Lifting

In 1974, a 94 pound 15 year old Indiana native began his weight lifting adventure.  Jim wrote; to Strength & Health magazine Bob Hoffman owner of this magazine as well as other magazines and Health & Fitness products.  Bob was the head of the York Barbell weightlifting team.  The top team in the Nation and one of the top in the world since the 1930’s.  Jim’s letter got the attention of a top official at York.  John sent Jim the address of Herb Glossbrenner a top Power & Olympic lifter in Indiana along with National Statistician and Writer.  Jim was very excited and wrote a 15page letter to Herb.  Ironically, years later Jim was selected by York Barbell to lift for their team. 

Over the next 4 to 5 years Jim was coached by Herb and won his first National Championship at 16 years old.  Herb became like a second father to Jim and they have remained very close over the last 35 years.  But back in the late 70’s Herb knew he could only take Jim so far and recommended him to travel to camps and train with Olympic coach Carl Miller.  Carl lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Jim moved there after High School at 17 years old.  Under Carl Jim won more championships.  Then moving back to Indiana Jim went under the tutelage of another top coach Marty Schnorf.  At this time, Jim won the American Cup against some of the best lifters in the world.  In the next few years, Jim worked with great coaches such as Bob Hise, Tommy Kono.  In 1981, Jim was picked to train at the Olympic Training Center, where top coach Harvey Newton taught Jim even more and in 1981, Jim won the Silver metal at the Pan American Championships. 

Learning the core of his foundation and being quizzed by Herb on stats and facts paved the highway of Jim’s path.  “The knowledge these men have is extraordinary!  Herb once wrote a summary up of Jim’s life “Jim’s, life is an adventure, a precarious walk on the high wire.”   
From 1975 to 1999, Jim competed in over 300 meets.  He won four National Championships in one year – back when there were only a couple of federations around.  In 1980, Jim won the Nationals in Power & Olympic lifting and in 1984 the Gold Medal at the Olympic Trails.  “I officially did a 644 pound Dead-lift at a body weight of 148 pounds at the age of 20 and officially a 690 Dead-lift at the age of 23 at a body weight of 165 pounds.  I still don’t know if these records have been broken as Junior World Records?”

Jim pursued life to the fullest.  He remembers his coaches saying that if he would put a little more time and dedication into his training, who knows what you can do.  Even though he may not have pushed his limits early, Jim is rock solid on foundation and technique.  By embracing a strict code of technique, Jim gets the most out of every lift.  “I’m a big believer in doing any exercise or athletic event correctly and never sacrifice technique for weight.  If athletes today would take the time to learn the correct technique and set a foundation, they would lift more and be a much better athlete.”

Winning the Title of Superman of the Century

Over the course of 35 years, Jim has been instructed by the best, trained with the best and knows what it takes to be the best.  Now holding several National and World Records, Jim reached a point in his life that very few will ever know.  Powerlifting USA awarded Jim’s accomplishments with the prestigious title of 1900-1999 “Superman of the Century” and pound for pound the strongest man in the world of the 20th Century.  “I am so honored to have so many people acknowledge me as Superman of the Century and just simply blown away at the number of people that are looking up at him.  I am so encouraged that others want to follow my theory of training and the impact I am able to have on people’s lives.”

Jims Life

Taking no rest in his Fortress of Solitude, this Superman was ready for his next adventure.  However, this journey was filled with perilous times.  In 2003, Jim was hit by a truck and was left in a coma for three days with a continued twelve days in the intensive care.  He was told that he would walk with a limp and never be able to compete in weightlifting again.  Crushed by the news, Jim returned to his core beliefs and kept his outlook on life determined to one day make a come back.  In May of 2006, that time had come.  Jim returned to the competition circuit, despite all the odds, in September 2006 where Jim set the World Record in Squat in the 181 Masters Age Group with an official 720 pounds.  Superman of the Century was back, but something wasn’t right with Jim.  Not feeling right, Jim began to seek advice for medical profession. He did not want any distractions as he made his comeback and no one in the world would be ready to hear the news, yet alone himself.  After his February 20, 2007 meet, where Jim set Master Squat and total records at 198 pounds, 750 squat. Jim was informed that he had a serious illness. After many hospitalizations, doctors, and prescriptions Jim once again was told that he would never compete again and this time the news really crushed the hope right out of him.   It took Jim a year and a half but his inner strength pulled him through another toll on his body.  Jim started training for the Worlds that were held in October 2008 in Germany. In September Jim competed in a meet at 220 bodyweight, Squatted 755 with knee wraps & briefs, Benched Pressed 460 easy & Deadlifted 655. He got in the best shape of his life in Powerlifting. Body weight was up to 237 pounds.  A few weeks before the meet he started feeling ill again, but kept on training Squatting 755 with just knee wraps, Bench Pressed 515 and Deadlifted 675.  He knew something just wasn’t right his breathing was shallow and always felt fatigued. The day before he was to leave for Germany he just couldn’t seem to catch his breath so he went to the Doctors and got a chest x-ray.  The results admitted him in the hospital with bilateral pneumonia, renal failure and a multitude of other illnesses.  While in ICU it was, touch and go for Jim.  Those of you who know him, know how willed he is to make a come back.  Well, this trip to the hospital was no different.  He dropped 40 pounds, got a staff infection while in the hospital and again was told he should never lift heavy again. 

Jim Today

Jim again is training this time for the Georgia state championships that are being held in, April 2009.   Even though he is still competing he is also working on writing his biography, coaching, individuals as well as a team that will be competing in drug free raw meets.  Part of his new direction is creating his website. Not only will be informing his readers about Powerlifting and Olympic lifting, but also going to focus on the baby boomers keeping and staying in shape, working with athletes for improving in their sport in a way they will be shocked how they will be able to perform better than they ever have.  As you’ve read Jim’s resume he has a vast array of sports knowledge behind him. 

He will be introducing new products on his website.  Representing products he personally invented, or endorsed due to his belief in the product. For example, one product he feels has helped him keep going and feeling better after being so sick is Go Natural Liquid Nutrition. He has tried about every supplement every made going back to the old days with Energol from York Barbell Club and Protein shakes that were almost impossible to mix with a blender then add brewers yeast and desecrated liver, now it really became hard to get down.  Liquid New Nutrition taste great and Works! Everyone I coach along with myself love it and start feeling better within 10 to 14 days!

I have coached on and off over the years Olympic, Powerlifting, cage fighting and strength coaching for specific sports.   In 2007, I coached for the Augusta Spartans and they won the World Indoor Football League Championship. Having been coached by some of the best coaches in the world, and fighters such as Terry Ray 2 time WBO cruiserweight world champion in boxing. I worked with him in his strength training at the same time he coached me in boxing. I’m currently training a Tia Chi instructor in Powerlifting while he is teaching me Tia Chi and meditation.

Along with my products, for example Superman T-Shirts, Sunglasses and an array of other Superman items along with Jim being available to help anyone with their training.  If you live local to this area please email me to discuss on one on one personalize training. If you are not local, I still have one on one training that we can discuss.  Again, please email me for further information.