I’m not really sure how you could have made it this far and not heard of Ed Coan, but I like how Joe Koenig introduces to you him:
When you go to the gym tomorrow, I want you to head to the squat rack and load it up with twenty 45 pound plates. That’s right, put ten on each side. Now just stand back and look at it and try not to pee your pants. Guess what? Ed Coan has squatted about 50 pounds more than that. Over the next week, see how much you can squat for a single rep. Then do the same with the bench press and deadlift. Add those numbers up. If you can squat 500, deadlift 450, and bench 300, well, you’re only at about the halfway point to equaling Ed Coan’s total. Scary, huh?
Coan has been touted as the “Michael Jordan of powerlifting” because he has set over 100 world records, has won 12 senior national championships, and 12 world championships. He is one of the strongest lifters in history with a PR total of 2,463 lbs while weighing 218. To put this in perspective, Bill Kazmaier’s best total was 2,425 (although it is very important to note that Kaz was in a different era and didn’t wear any gear whatsoever and moved away from powerlifting to have a long and successful career in other strength sports). Coan moved on with the times to compete in single ply gear, but always deadlifts without a suit. His best competition lifts (he doesn’t max out in the gym) are a 1,038 squat, a 578 bench (long arms), and a 901 deadlift — all while weighing under 240 (he’s 5’6″).
Coan describes himself as a “regular guy who lifts a lot of weight”. He started powerlifting as a teenager after seeing Bill Kazmaier on TV. He started lifting in the 75kg/165lb class and moved up to the 110kg/242lb class by the end of his career because he wasn’t interested in cutting weight and wanted a challenge. He set records in five weight classes in his career — a phenomenal feat because he was amazing regardless of what class he lifted in.
Coan’s huge numbers and total instantly put him in the 70’s Big Hall of Fame, but when you consider the fact that he consistently got bigger (as a result of his increasing strength) throughout his career…well, I don’t know another way to demonstrate a 70’s Big mindset. So he’s crazy strong, has had wild success in every single weight class, and also has had a career that lastedover 25 years (in a sport that eats people up with injuries), and you have an easy HoF pick. His mantra shows through his numerous interviews: keep it simple, and don’t overtrain since it will limit success and make you injury prone. Even though his career lasted so long, Coan no longer lifts due to an injury he suffered while squatting in competition (avoid watching this video at all costs, it is frightening). While his records will fall with with the prevalence of geared lifting, his legendary achievements will live forever.
Here is a compilation of some of Coan’s lifts. Some highlights include squatting 950 for a double, benching 550 for a double, and doing a behind the neck seated press with 400 lbs. Oh, and it has a pretty sweet song:
Coan’s best deadlift:
Here are some links to more information about Ed Coan:
http://www.rxmuscle.com/articles/latest-news/174-ode-to-the-power-king-ed-coan.html
Atlas Speaks
http://samson-power.com/ASL/coaninterview.html
he’s all right
Why do I have a sudden urge to watch the Karate Kid? Also, can Brent teach me to become strong through ordinary household chores such as car waxing?
The only thing Brent can teach you is to be a belligerent pain in the ass at critical moments.
–Justin
Amazing, and very inspiring. I knew of him and his achievements, but it’s nice to know he had a pretty down-to-earth personality.
Jeso, don’t you think Brent takes enough abuse from the people he already knows!
You know you’re doing something right when you have 5 guys spotting your squat….
“Coan no longer lifts…”
Doesn’t seem like so:
http://www.criticalbench.com/Ed-Coan.htm
I dunno, I read that article too, but it doesn’t say anything about him competing. It mentions the deadlift thing, and he says he can’t sumo because of an injury, but they never said anything about an upcoming competition. The RXMuscle article was from 2009 and it said he had retired after the injury.
–Justin
This message is addressed to Brent:
Fuck yeah you should do the meet in H-Town! Make me a Brent T-Shirt and Ill be your fan club.
The shirt could say:
Irregardlessly, my name is Brent
By the way, love the next quote:
“I don’t like to waist all my mental energy. I keep it inside and let it out on the weights” (Ed Coan on why he doesn’t choose to go crazy before he lifts huge)
I especially like the nose bleed.
I think we should note that the squat suits and bench shirts Coan used in his prime did not have the carryover they have now, even single ply.
He is the best. Period.
When i asked about powerlifting prints the other day, Coan was what i had in mind. Perfect 70’s big HoF pick.
He is impressive. He moves those doubles at 900+ on squat and 500+ on the bench the way that I move 200+. What a man, if only he had a mustache.
Coan is the fucking man. His name gives me chills. Really glad to see him in the HoF. It’s only right considering his accomplishments.
Ed Coan is a fucking legend, and an excellent addition to the HOF. However, fellow readers, please do not use this post as an excuse to google his infamous “DL routine” and try it. It will fuck you up. Stick with your linear progression and stacks of meat for a long time.
That being said, these vids make me want to increase my goal of a 600lb DL to 700.
kinda late to the party, i made that my goal when i was like 14
– brent
Brent how are you doing on your goal you set at age 14?
it’s just a dream now but without dreams we have nothing
– brent
Ill be in San Antonio this Thursday through Sunday. Dont know if Ill train but if I decide to, does anyone have any recommendations for a gym that wouldnt mind someone stopping by?
I feel privileged to share a birthday with that man.
Brent dreams are for dreamers, we are not that. We are DO-ERS. Knock that dream shit off; come to H-Town and DL 700 lbs because it’s your destiny!
Just to put some things in perspective about how great Ed Coan really was.
The only American to ever deadlift more than Ed Coan raw is Mark Henry.
His 901@220 is higher than the all time raw record at 242 and 275, its higher than the all time american raw record at 242,275, and 308.
To compare, the current USAPL raw deadlift record at 220 is 705 meaning that hes about 90kg over the current top deadlifter.
Coan is the man.
If any of you members, Brent, were fans of Dragonball Z when you were younger, do you consider Broly to be 70s big? Sure, he is cut up like a bodybuilder, but i see no reason why someone who looks like this cant be 70sbig:
http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/1/12537/443220-normal_broly16_1__super.jpg
Did you just assume Brent liked Dragonball Z because he was Asian?
–Justin
Oh and if we haven’t already, i think we should do KK next.
I should have listened to Justin and not go watch the video of Coan’s squat injury. Gave me the willies. But it does have a quote from him at the end. He says, “Move me out of the way so someone else can lift.” If that’s not Hall of Fame material, I dont know what is.
I didn’t wait that long to hear it.
–Justin
Ok if you are going to say that fictional characters are 70s Big then you would have to start with Zangief from Street fighter. He is huge, has a beard, and wrestles bears for fuck sake!
Brent, when I was 14, my only goal was to get laid. Now I’m 30, and in addition to that, a 700DL would be nice.
@Stonewallwells.
Id have to say ganondorf must be 70sbig as well
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z155/Rhoninthewizard/SSBB/Ganondorf.jpg
Zangief is a serious HoFer
Holy shit. He made those lifts look UNGODLY easy. That shit was peanuts.
Justin and fellow 70sbiggers –
Do any of you guys have recommendations on knee wraps? Where to purchase, your brand of choice, ect? I would love your input.
FUCK BEING WEAK. I love when my girlfriend calls me beefy.
I was trying to place this all day after reading about Coan this morning.
http://articles.elitefts.com/t-mag-articles/tag-team-with-tate-and-wendler/
The quote:
Dave Tate: So, Jim (Wendler) and I were getting ready to fly to the SWIS Symposium in Canada and I was talking to him on the phone before we met up for our connecting flight. I told him that the coolest thing about flying is being the strongest motherfucker on the plane. Your odds are nearly 100 percent.
When we met for our connecting flight, Jim walks off the plane shaking his head. He’s like, “Remember when you talked about being the strongest guy on the plane? Well, I just had fucking Ed Coan on my plane.”
I have heard this story. I didn’t know where to reference it. Now I do. Solid.
–Justin
Hahaha, that Tate/Wendler bit is priceless! You’d have to be pretty unlucky, I mean – what are the odds?
Id consider Hercule and his epic mustache and fashion sense 70s big HOF worthy before Broly. Broly was born with a power level of 10,000 therefore was predisposed to being big due to being a saiyan and clearly increased test levels. Plus he also returned as a robot at one point… nothing says weak like being a cyborg.
Zangief for the win. Ive never wrestled a bear nor do I have a mustache but he was always fun to use in streetfighter II turbo as a child.
I’ve had the good fortune to meet Ed Coan and speak with him a number of times. He was at the Pan Ams/US Nats weighlifting comp. in Chicago last year and we talked and he let me get a picture with him, and then a few months later he was at a PL meet I was competing in helping some buddies. He remembered me right away and said hello and we talked some more. Very down-to-earth and humble. He gave me some good advice, too. I’m glad he made the 70’s Big HOF. He deserves it.