Shane Hamman Is One

SHANE HAMMAN IS ONE of the most dominant weight lifters in U.S. history. He proved that at the 2003 National Championships by winning the super heavyweight division for the seventh straight time.

When it comes to pumping iron, nobody can match this 5-foot-8-inch, 350-pound athlete with a 62-inch chest, 35-inch thighs, and 22-inch biceps. And he’s been proving his power in weight-lifting competitions since 1990.

First, as a power lifter competing in bench press, dead lift, and squat, Hamman broke 14 world records. His record-setting squat of 1,008 pounds is almost unbelievable. And his personal bests of 738 in the dead lift and 551 in the bench aren’t too bad either.

Then in 1996, Shane decided to switch to Olympic weight lifting—where athletes compete in the snatch and in the clean and jerk—to pursue his dream of becoming an Olympian.

“These lifts are way more technical than the power lifts,” Hamman says.

In the snatch, the weight goes from the ground to above the head in one motion. Then the lifter stands up. The clean and jerk requires the athlete to first clean the bar from the ground to his chest and then jerk it over his head.

Hamman quickly picked up the techniques, setting numerous American records. At the 2003 U.S. championships in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Shane outmuscled the competition by lifting 407 pounds in the snatch and added 484 in the clean and jerk to win the Best Male Lifter award.

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POINT Shane Hamman is obviously one powerful dude. And if you asked him why he’s so strong, he’d have just one answer—and it’s not because he has big muscles.

“I realized early on my strength was a gift from God,” Hamman says. “I totally dedicated my weight lifting to him to be used for his glory. And he’s really blessed me for putting him first in my life.”

God wants all his children to put him first in their lives—whether they’re 98-pound weaklings or 350-pound Olympic weight lifters. By putting God first, everything else falls into place.

GOAL! Commit to beginning a weight-lifting regimen. Make a chart of where you begin and see how fast you progress. Find a weight-lifting partner and get some good advice from a trainer or a gym teacher. And as you get stronger, don’t forget where your strength truly comes from.