Ed Coan

[stef]

Rip interviews Ed Coan -- most accomplished powerlifter in the history of the sport -- & Marty Gallagher.

Video (http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/starting_strength_series_ed_coan)

Resources page (http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/resources)

[Dastardly]

In regards to the little discussion about no athlete being that far ahead of the rest of the game, I think Yurik Vardanyan would be a good candidate;


The 400 kg total lifted by Vardanian in the 1980 Moscow Olympics was worthy a gold medal not only in his, but also in two heavier weight classes: Peter Baczako (90 kg) won gold with a total of 377.5 kg and Ota Zaremba (100 kg) totaled 395 kg. Even in the 110 kg class Vardanian would have a won a bronze, beating Gygorgy Syzali (390 kg). At the 1984 Friendship Cup in Varna, Vardanyan set his last world records, 182.5 kg in the snatch, 224.0 kg in the clean & jerk and 405 kg in the total.


Vardanian was the first light-heavyweight athlete to lift a total of 400 kg total in an official competition. This record is no longer recognised because of a restructuring of the weight classes in 1993 and then again in 1998. However, no athlete has lifted 400 kg thus far in the closest (heavier) weight division of 85 kg.

[Audun Runde]

At around 56:30: Rip: "tell us about your hip" -- (Ed had hip surgery and got a replacement) Ed: "I got a new one" ... "I go below parallel in the squat; I can squat 700 right now with just a belt, below parallel".

Hmm, hope this does not mean I have to get a new hip ... I'm still several 100's lbs from squatting 700 ... not sure if a new hip would magically change things, to be honest. Ed Coan just seems to be someone very special :-)

Very interesting interview.

[TheFuzz1290]

Great interview, he seems like a very humble guy.

As for strength athletes, I'm not that well versed, but there have been athletes way above anyone else in their sport (ie. Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods).

[dhartnet]

Great interview. I met Ed years ago, he was judging the New England Record Breakers meet in Amherst, MA.

Very friendly, very humble...

[Corrie]

Great interview, he seems like a very humble guy.

As for strength athletes, I'm not that well versed, but there have been athletes way above anyone else in their sport (ie. Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods).

14% is a lot though. I know in some sports you can't make direct comparisons between athletes, but did Armstrong ever finish a tour de france 14% faster than the next person to finish?

[Slatts]

14% is a lot though. I know in some sports you can't make direct comparisons between athletes, but did Armstrong ever finish a tour de france 14% faster than the next person to finish?

No, but only because his drugs weren't 14% better than the next person. Sorry but had to do it.

Coan is a freak of nature. He's perfectly built for the squat and deadlift. Those hands! And a size 12 shoe at 5-6". Holy geez. Great interview.

[=Janz=]

Those hands! And a size 12 shoe at 5-6".

It seems obvious why having bigger hands would help with grip, etc. But I'm curious how having bigger feet helps a powerlifter. Is it better to have more of a "base" underneath you when lifting? Or does the mention of his proportionally big feet just point to a stronger/bigger bone structure?

[Mark Rippetoe]

He has a big skeleton.

[Carlos Daniel]

An 8 inch wrist is fairly big. I'm about the same height, actually a little taller and my wrist is a tad under 7 inches.

[Akoni]

700lb [full] squat with a hip replacement? Thank you for assassinating the last remaining excuse for not squatting.

[TedB]

Not trying to offend anyone (I mean this), but am I the only one who found Marty Gallagher extremely annoying during Rip's interview with Ed Coan?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yes, you probably are.

[Corrie]

Not trying to offend anyone (I mean this), but am I the only one who found Marty Gallagher extremely annoying during Rip's interview with Ed Coan?

Coan seems like a pretty quiet, modest guy. No offense to Rip but without Gallagher there we may not have got half the information we did.
I'd love to see another interview with Marty any day.

[The Emancipated Freak]

Rip, what's your take on Coan's recent arrest?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't know anything about it, and more importantly, I don't see how it affects his contribution to the sport.

[Dave Longley]

700lb [full] squat with a hip replacement? Thank you for assassinating the last remaining excuse for not squatting.

Followed by a quick run down of his current lifts and then (in my opinion) the best part of the interview, where Rip just says: "Well, he's Ed Coan."

[Cadure]

Not trying to offend anyone (I mean this), but am I the only one who found Marty Gallagher extremely annoying during Rip's interview with Ed Coan?

I rarely care how someone sounds but am more interested in what they say. And what Gallagher says is pure gold.