Only the Mighty

Joseph Greenstein AKA The Mighty Atom - Nail Driving

2013-03-10T22:10:00.000-04:00

The Mighty Atom is a legend among strongman circles, and this video shows why. A few of his otherworldly skills are on display here; driving a 20 penny nail through a thick wooden board with his bare hands and then proceeding to bite the head off of one. He also offers a rare glimpse of insight into some of the beliefs and principles he followed during his long life; a life that reads like a fictional superhero. After being born three months premature, fighting nazis and even surviving being shot in the head, it's not surprising to learn that he actually inspired one.

The 10 Hottest CrossFit Girls 2013

2013-03-06T23:44:00.000-05:00

In an effort to encourage more women to pick up the weights by abolishing the myths surrounding lifting, Only the Mighty presents the 2013 edition of the 10 Hottest CrossFit Girls. These women continue to prove that being fit and strong is, and always will be beautiful.

10. Heather Welsh

9. Denae Brown

8. Crystal McReynolds

7. Tarasa Barnett

6. Jackie Perez

5. Andrea Ager

4. Rita Benavidez

3. Julie Foucher

2. Christmas Abbott

1. Camille Leblanc-Bazinet

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SlimKicker

2012-05-11T13:55:00.001-04:00

There's a brand new fitness app out there that does it in a way you've never seen before. SlimKicker turns tracking your nutrition, logging your workouts and monitoring good eating habits into a game, complete with an addictive points and rewards system. It also gives you a virtual coach tailored to your personal goals, and offers a plethora of fitness challenges to keep you entertained while making progress. The best part about it is that it's free. Get it right here on iTunes. You'll thank me later.

Only the Mighty...

Three Man Hand-to-Hand Balancing

2012-03-05T19:50:00.000-05:00

This is an old photo of three acrobats doing insane hand-to-hand balancing on the edge of a building. While each of the movements on there own are not particularly difficult, all of them put together with the added pressure of falling from that height make this unbelievable.

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Climbing Stairs on Head

2012-01-20T15:51:00.001-05:00

I would assume these gentlemen are Buddhist monks but the sweet handshake at the beginning through me for a loop. Then again, only a monk with years of constant practice and unfathomable balance would be able to perform an act like this one. Apparently this is also a world record, although I can't imagine anyone ever having set it before seeing this. Unbelievable.

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Briohny Smyth - Equinox - Yoga

2012-01-19T01:18:00.002-05:00

Due to the mainstream popularization of yoga in western culture over the last few decades in fitness centers and celebrity magazines, many people have overlooked what it looks like to be an expert at it. Here, Equinox's Briohny Smyth offers us a sample of her skill and the aesthetic beauty of yoga in general.

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Jerome Simpson - Flip Over Defender

2011-12-25T03:36:00.001-05:00

Some things are so impressive, they defy explanation... and sometimes physics. This front flip over Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington is one of those instances. Jerome Simpson is not new to athleticism, but I doubt anyone has ever seen anything like this before in a game, nor will they again for some time. Amazing.

Only the Mighty...

Damien Walters 2011 Showreel

2011-11-11T12:45:00.001-05:00

Damien Walters is a stuntman/gymnastics coach/freerunner who's showreels somehow get consistently more impressive year after year. Most of the moves he shows off this year seem to defy gravity and physics in general. His athleticism, balance and timing are unbelievable as you'd assume they'd have to be in order to perform even half of these maneuvers.

Only the Mighty...

How Bad Do You Want It?

2011-09-13T00:24:00.000-04:00

How bad do you want it? Sometimes we may all find it hard to be motivated for one reason or another but I think it's important to keep this in mind the next time you feel like slacking. I have little doubt this video should quell our laziness. This is definitely some advice I can take.

Only the Mighty...

Timbahwolf - 20 Clapping Pull-ups

2011-09-01T02:37:00.001-04:00

Any normal human being who is able to do 20 consecutive pull-ups is more than impressive. Here, Timbahwolf takes it many steps further by performing 20 clapping pull-ups from what appears to be a high school football goal post. If you're unfamiliar with Timbahwolf, he's a bit of a fitness celebrity. It's easy to see why.

Only the Mighty...

The Fittest Man and Woman in the World 2011

2011-08-08T00:35:00.000-04:00

The new fittest people in the world have been crowned. Rich Froning and Annie Thorisdottir. Ironically, last year, these two CrossFit competitors each came in second place to the previous champions Graham Holmberg and Kristan Clever. The Reebok CrossFit Games were bigger than ever this year, beginning with the first ever worldwide Open, and ending with a million dollars in prize money. This year only solidifies the fact that the CrossFit Games are the true test of the fittest on Earth. Be sure to check out the entire CrossFit Games for free on ESPN3.

Only the Mighty...

Number 1 and Number 2: A Day of Training

2011-07-29T13:44:00.000-04:00

Graham Holmberg and Rich Froning were the two fittest men in the world over the course of the last year, but this weekend, their titles will be tested at the 2011 CrossFit Games. This video shows a day in the lives of these two athletes and gives an in depth look into their intense pre-Games training. See the entire CrossFit Games live, for free right here.

Only the Mighty...

Phillip Askew and Lydia Walker - Variations on Surya Namaskara

2011-05-19T18:47:00.001-04:00

Phillip Askew is an impressive Vinyasa Yoga instructor for New York City Vinyasa. Lydia Walker is a former student of the School of American Ballet. Together they perform "Variations on Surya Namaskara" as part of Columbia Ballet Collaborative's Fall Show with piano accompaniment by Jonah Rank. This wonderful work of art was submitted by Sajda Abdur-Rahim.

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Jim Bathurst - No-Handed One-Armed Chin-up

2011-04-25T17:11:00.000-04:00

Jim Bathurst, who I've interviewed before for Only the Mighty shows off what I believe to be two of the most impressive bodyweight skills imaginable. This video showcases him performing both a one-armed chin-up as well as a rarely seen, if ever, no-handed one-armed chin-up. Just reading that sounds impossible. See more on his website BeastSkills.com.

Only the Mighty...

CrossFit Games Open - Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet

2011-04-12T04:00:00.000-04:00

Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet was a Canadian newcomer to the CrossFit Games last year who astonished everyone by coming out of nowhere to finish in the top 10. She plans on finishing number one this year against the likes of Kristan Clever and Iceland Annie Thorisdottir and has a good chance of doing so. If that's not enough, she also holds the top spot on the list of the 10 Hottest CrossFit Girls. It's obvious why.

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U.K. Wildcats Cheerleaders - Partner Stunts

2011-04-05T19:33:00.000-04:00

I know what you're probably thinking, how is cheerleading on Only the Migthy? I should tell you that the stunts in the video above without question require unbelievable strength on the part of the men, and incredible athleticism and balance on the part of the women. You still might not attend the Cheerleading World Championships this year, but this may very well make you see cheerleading in a different light. Submitted by bgunsolu.

Only the Mighty...

Nurcan Taylan - World Record Clean and Jerk

2011-04-01T21:17:00.000-04:00

Last year on September 17th, Nurcan Taylan of Antalya, Turkey set the world record for the clean and jerk in the 48kg (106 lb) weight class. Her winning lift at the World Championships was for an astonishing 121 kg (267 lbs). At only five feet tall, Nurcan is also Turkey's first ever female Olympic gold medalist.

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Rob Orlando - WOD 110317

2011-03-18T18:44:00.000-04:00

Rob Orlando is easily one of my favorite CrossFitters and this video shows why. Here he demonstrates a brutal workout which is as follows:

Overhead Squat, 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Front Squat, 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Back Squat, 1-1-1-1-1 reps

His best lifts of the workout were 255 on the overhead squat, 385 on the front squat and 485 on back squat. Enough said.

Only the Mighty...

Only the Inspiration - Park Soo Hee

2011-03-11T08:49:00.000-05:00

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Sport Science - Drew Brees

2011-03-11T07:54:00.000-05:00

This clip from Sport Science on ESPN investigates whether or not New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is more accurate than an Olympic archer. Now I don't know about their "best quarterback in the league" moniker (cough; Manning), but this is ridiculously impressive.

Only the Mighty...

Strongman

2011-03-09T20:46:00.000-05:00

This is the trailer for Strongman, an intriguing look into the life of Stanless Steel. Stanless is a renowned strongman capable of performing incredible feats, most notably, bending pennies with his bare hands. Strongman chronicles his exploits as he reaches middle age and deals with the struggles of life.

Only the Mighty...

Catherine Destivelle - Solo Climb in Mali

2011-02-28T12:16:00.000-05:00

This amazing video is about a world class climber named Catherine Destivelle and her freestyle solo climb on the steepest cliff in Mali. Freestyle climbing means that the climber will use no ropes, tools or other equipment. She just has the clothes she's wearing and a small bag of chalk which she rubs on her hands to get every drop of moisture out and help her grip. It's unbelievable that she passes an ancient Pigmy burial ground during her ascent. It's easy to see why they call her Catherine the Great.

Only the Mighty...

Stephen Paea - Combine Bench Press Record

2011-02-28T11:56:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, February 27th at the NFL Scouting Combine, Stephen Paea of Oregon State broke the Combine record by bench pressing 225 lbs for 49 reps. He effortlessly blows through rep after rep with the tenacity of a machine, stopping shortly at 43. What would mean the end for most people, only means a slight delay for Paea as he routinely presses out another 6 reps. For some perspective, when people Paea's size press out 30 reps, they are considered generally strong. The previous record was 45.

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Joan Rhodes - Cabaret Act

2011-02-26T15:07:00.001-05:00

Joan Rhodes is one-of-a-kind. Her unique cabaret acts meshed sensual and strong for fantastic performances that are all but impossible to find nowadays. The fact that she was doing these feats while singing is just amazing. She really is an iron girl in a velvet glove.

Only the Mighty...

The Planche - Part 3

2011-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Here is Part 3 of Youtube user TheAgileDorian's planche compilation showcasing gymnasts' planches on rings. Rings add yet another degree of difficulty to the already incredibly formidable planche. One must also fight to balance on unsteady surfaces as well as keeping your arms in to your side. The complex moves that usually lead into planches on rings just makes these sequences unbelievably difficult.

See Part 1 here.
See Part 2 here.

Only the Mighty...