Olympic wrestling champion Balboshin describes legendary grip strength

Five-time world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist Nikolai Balboshin discussed his legendary grip strength in an interview. Balboshin described how he would assess opponents by their handshake before matches, predicting difficulty based on grip firmness. During competition, he would squeeze opponents' forearms so hard that blood flow would stop and their arms would swell. He recounts breaking a medical dynamometer when it maxed out at 120 kg during testing, far exceeding other wrestlers who measured 60-70 kg. In his autobiography, Balboshin also detailed making a coach's fingers appear flattened after a prolonged grip contest and causing the King of Sweden's hand to crack during an awards ceremony handshake at the 1977 World Championships. The wrestler noted his "friendly handshake" that caused "sparks from people's eyes" was one of his signature attributes.