Strongman, known under the stage name of The Amazing Samson. He is well remembered for developing isometrics and "maximum tension" training system, still used by athletes. He was born in Vilna, then part of the Russian Empire, one of a family of five, three brothers and two sisters. He lifted a 500 pound girder with his teeth, carried a horse, caught a woman fired from a cannon and allowed professional boxers to hit him in the stomach, but his greatest talents were in bending steel bars and breaking chains which were the center piece of his music hall exhibitions. Like many other strongmen of his era Zass was initially motivated to develop his strength when he attended a circus and saw the feats done by the circus strongman. Just 5 ft 5 tall and weighting 75 kg, he developed himself by climbing trees, running and with home made dumbbells and barbells. Later he trained under some of the great Russian professional strongmen in person and through correspondence. Zass was very innovative and started bending green branches and twigs to develop his grip strength. He believed such an approach superior to the use of weights in developing strength. During the First World War he served as an officer in the Russian Cossack Cavalry. Whilst a prisoner of war he continued to develop his strength by pulling on the bars and chains. The legend says he escaped from the German capture no fewer than three times by bending the prison bars and walking out through the gap. He was brought to England by Sir Edward Stoll. From 1934 used the name "Zass, the Man of Muscle", rather than Samson, to avoid confusion with imitators. At one time he worked for military intelligence in Russia and later as cover for his manager, Captain Howard, who was a British secret agent. He toured Europe and the USA as a celebrated circus performer, his fame increased by the books written by and about him, including his autobiography, ‘Amazing Samson as Told by Himself'. In addition to being a strongman he was also an accomplished animal trainer, presenting two performing elephants, a troupe of jockey dogs and chimpanzees, resident at Chessington Zoo. He retired in 1952, and settled at the farm at Hockley, Essex, where he lived until his death.
Strongman, known under the stage name of The Amazing Samson. He is well remembered for developing isometrics and "maximum tension" training system, still used by athletes. He was born in Vilna, then part of the Russian Empire, one of a family of five, three brothers and two sisters. He lifted a 500 pound girder with his teeth, carried a horse, caught a woman fired from a cannon and allowed professional boxers to hit him in the stomach, but his greatest talents were in bending steel bars and breaking chains which were the center piece of his music hall exhibitions. Like many other strongmen of his era Zass was initially motivated to develop his strength when he attended a circus and saw the feats done by the circus strongman. Just 5 ft 5 tall and weighting 75 kg, he developed himself by climbing trees, running and with home made dumbbells and barbells. Later he trained under some of the great Russian professional strongmen in person and through correspondence. Zass was very innovative and started bending green branches and twigs to develop his grip strength. He believed such an approach superior to the use of weights in developing strength. During the First World War he served as an officer in the Russian Cossack Cavalry. Whilst a prisoner of war he continued to develop his strength by pulling on the bars and chains. The legend says he escaped from the German capture no fewer than three times by bending the prison bars and walking out through the gap. He was brought to England by Sir Edward Stoll. From 1934 used the name "Zass, the Man of Muscle", rather than Samson, to avoid confusion with imitators. At one time he worked for military intelligence in Russia and later as cover for his manager, Captain Howard, who was a British secret agent. He toured Europe and the USA as a celebrated circus performer, his fame increased by the books written by and about him, including his autobiography, ‘Amazing Samson as Told by Himself'. In addition to being a strongman he was also an accomplished animal trainer, presenting two performing elephants, a troupe of jockey dogs and chimpanzees, resident at Chessington Zoo. He retired in 1952, and settled at the farm at Hockley, Essex, where he lived until his death.
Bio by: julia&keld
