Modern Strand-Pulling, Part Two - David Webster

 

Courtesy of Jan Dellinger.

Thank You, Sir! 

A new star was beginning a glittering career; this was Tom Diamond, the stocky Yorkshire miner, who also had designs on the beautiful medal presented by "Health and Strength" to the championship winner. 

It was to be a hotly contested prize, with two Perth exponents, Boxer Bob Duff and Jim Dow, also in the running. As it turned out they both weighed in a little over the limit, and competed together later in the program registering poundages just a little less than those of Tom and myself. 

The stage was set for the big match and I went into action knowing I had trained harder than ever before. As was expected, Tom took the lead on the chest pull, but unperturbed, I established a new Scottish record on the Overhead Down and sat back to watch my tough opponent. 

He certainly shook my confidence; not only did he equal me, but he gained a further lead by breaking the British record. I was really worried by this time and went all out on the Dislocation Anyhow and exceeded the British record to put myself in the lead. I had not intended doing this, although I knew I was capable of such a poundage. 

My plan was to reserve my energy for an attempt at the World Right Arm Upward push record. By this time the crowd was very enthusiastic and, infected by its spirit I made my attempt and succeeded with 275 lb. for a new World Record at 10 stone. This gave me a comfortable victory and the coveted title. 

A few weeks later I was "square-bashing" in the Gordon Highlanders, and had very little time for strand-pulling although we all had a generous share of endurance training! 

I was not allowed to rest for long, being called upon to break records at an I.S.S.A. show in Glasgow and had a match arranged with Johnny Marr, of Dundee. Both these events took place in January, 1947, while I was still undergoing strenuous military training. 

I was informed that the match was to be on a handicap basis, and as I was only a few pounds over the 10 stone I could not see the point in this. Perhaps it was expected that my weight would greatly increase, as it often does during the first few months of service training. I decided to use this clause as a safety catch and reduced over a stone, weighing in at 8 st. 13.5 lb., looking like a starved rabbit.   

My pulls suffered, but Johnnie, one of the most muscular 10-stone men I have ever seen, failed in all his Back Press attempts, and so I beat this powerful weight-lifting champion, whose extremely well developed arms could press a 200-lb. barbell overhead while weighing 9 stone odd! 

I had several more contests and broke a few more records while in the Army, even traveling to Dublin for an International against Ireland. I recall this as one of my most enjoyable trips; Tom Diamond was my team mate this time and an exceedingly close match resulted in a five pound win for us over Charlie Cleary and Bernard Bowes.

It was on this trip that I first succeeded with a 300 lb. Right Arm Upward Push, a feat which earned me a handsome gold watch. I have since pulled as much as 350 lb. under official conditions. 

In 1949 I beat Bob Fawcett, English Open Champion, and George Parker, Mr. West Scotland, for the British 11 st. Championship. This match was actually won for me by two seconds! Alex Thomson, my training partner, whose selection of poundages proved admirable, although I was convinced at the time greater efforts would be necessary, and Bob Duff, whose gentle massage to a painful arm gave me temporary relief, this enabling me successfully to negotiate my attempts. 

I kept up this winning run for several years, through challenge and championship matches. Records steadily increased and in March, 1952, the first World Championships were held in Aberdeen Music Hall, before close on 1,500 spectators. Invitations had been sent to many countries and the contenders pulling on that night along with me were . . . 

 

. . . Monohar Aich, of India, and Bob Fawcett. It was a thrilling match, packed with incident, and I was beaten into second place by Monohar. This was in spite of breaking two British records, a Left Arm Military Press of 215 lb. and Back Press 295 lb. I felt the dusky Indian, with the happy smile, deserved his victory, even though he inflicted my first defeat in five years. 

Opposition was scarce and without incentive record-breaking became harder, so it was a welcome break in 1953 when I was asked to take part in a novel repetition pulling contest in the London Palladium against J. Vermeirsch, the little Belgian with a beg reputation. 

This was with rubber strands an I am proud to say I managed to do enough reps to win. Minor events filled the my calendar as I traveled to many parts of Scotland and England, on several occasions breaking records which to unrecognized because qualified referees have not been present. 

My greatest strandpulling ambition was achieved on the 30th October, 1954. In the palatial Savoy Ballroom in Aberdeen I won the World Steel Strand Championship. 

 

Invitations had been sent to many parts of the world and good publicity had been given in the physical culture press. Several well-known strength athletes competed including record holders from the world of weights and the amazingly well built Indian Bernie Lewis, a former Mr. Bombay. 

Pulling was of a high standard and many records were broken. If it had not been for the fact that I exceeded Monahar Aich's world record in the Left Arm Military Press I would have fared pretty badly as a deltoid injury some weeks before the contest prevented me from training on the Back Press and my finishing poundage on this pull was well below my British record. 

The 650 lb. total was less than I had hoped for and was equaled by Bob Gordon, the exceedingly powerful London expert. I was so impressed with Bob's enthusiasm and ability that I asked for the Champion of Champion's trophy, presented to the puller with the highest poundage, to be given to Bob for safekeeping. I considered myself lucky to win the trophy and the title too on lighter bodyweight! 

A special word of credit should go to Bob Fawcett whose steady efforts gave a personal best total with pulls which a few years before would have created British records. 

This brings the strandpulling story up to date, but I think it will be of interest to readers to know that during this time I also worked extremely hard in other spheres. I went to college and qualified as a teacher of physical education, winning medals and diplomas for swimming in addition to referee's and instructor's certificates and attaining a decent standard of performance in most sports. 

In physical culture I participated in nearly all branches with quite a degree of success. In weightlifting I won the Northern District Lightweight title on the Olympic lifts, broke several district and Scottish records and won a B.A.W.L.A. medal for all-round lifting. More medals were won at handbalancing, when I have taken both top man's and bearer's place in the Spartan Trio, who have given scores of displays in the North. I have taken place in many odd contests, being second in the Scottish floor dip competition in Glasgow and beating all comers at chinning the bar to represent Scotland in the Health and Strength League show in London. 

In bodybuilding I was third in the Mr. Aberdeen contest and won odd prizes in minor contests. The theoretical and administrative side of physical culture has taken much of my time and since founding the famous Aberdeen Spartan Club, I have qualified as a weight lifting staff instructor, and international physique judge having officiated at the Mr. Universe as well as the Mr. and Miss Britain contests. 

That, fellows, is all I dare tell you about the author or else you will think I like me a lot. I have pinpointed the highlights while blushing modestly (!) at the  degree of success I seem to have obtained. 

The valuable experience as strandpulling consultant for the very popular "Bodybuilder" magazine has proved extremely useful. It has helped me understand the greatest needs of strandpulling enthusiasts, and into this short book I shall try to cram information dealing with their major bodybuilding requirements. 

I have no illusions that this publication will be hailed as an epoch-making, earth-shaking work of art. Probably the reader of 1960 will have found my brain-child in a musty pile labeled, "This lot - sixpence." An ignoble end which, I hope, will not be reached before it is responsible for making a few muscles mightier! 

Wishing you, reader, great success in your own strandpulling endeavors, I bid you read on, hoping you will profit from the experience and achieve any ambitions you many cherish.  

Continued in Part Three: "Presenting Arms."

Enjoy Your Lifting!