IronMind - Little Big Horn - Rules & World Records

/ Certification / Little Big Horn / Little Big Horn - Rules & World Records

IronMind's Little Big Horn: Rules & World Records

Blacksmiths demonstrated their superior grip strength by lifting an anvil by its horn; in that tradition, now you can train progressively and test yourself on this classic feat of grip strength.

IronMind’s Little Big Horn Men's World Records*

Alexey Tyukalov	October 25, 2025	110.10 kg (242.73 lb.)
Dmytro Potapenko	December 15, 2018	108.30 kg (238 lb.)
Laine Snook	April 4, 2015;	107.29 kg (236.53 lb.)
Kody Burns	December 13, 2014	106.13 kg (233.97 lb.)
Adam Glass	July 14, 2012	100 kg (220.46 lb.)

IronMind’s Little Big Horn Women's World Records*

Lyudmila Gaiduchenko	December 22, 2019	76.60 kg (167.55 lb.)
Lyudmila Gaiduchenko	March 2, 2019	75.15 kg (165.67 lb.)
Rebecca Roberts	December 28, 2018	70.96 kg (156.44 lb.)
Lyudmila Gaiduchenko	December 15, 2018	65.90 kg (145 lb.)
Rebecca Roberts	October 13, 2018	63.70 kg (140 lb.)
Elizabeth Horne	April 4, 2015	61.45 kg (135.47 lb.)
Amy Wattles	June 30, 2013	57.15 kg (126 lb.)

*The minimum increment for breaking a world record is 1 kg, effective January 1, 2015.

RULES

The IronMind Little Big Horn must be an authentic current-model IronMind Enterprises Little Big Horn. It cannot have been modified or tampered with in any way. The Little Big Horn must be wiped clean before each attempt.
Ordinary chalk (magnesium carbonate) may be used on the lifting hand, but nothing else is permitted (liquid chalk, for example, is specifically disallowed).
Weight is hung from the Little Big Horn using an IronMind 15" Olympic loading pin and carabiner. The total weight for the world record attempt includes the equipment and the weights, that is, the Little Big Horn, loading pin, carabiner, and plates; weight for the Little Big Horn + pin + carabiner = 11 lb. / 5 kg. The plates must either be calibrated or can be weighed on a proven scale.
The lifter starts the lift with the lifting hand wrapped around the Little Big Horn using a standard overhand/underhand grip (hooking is prohibited). The lift must be performed with the Little Big Horn remaining approximately vertical and there may be no contact with the underside of the base of the Little Big Horn.
The lifter must fully straighten up (back erect, legs and hips locked out); once standing straight, the lifter must maintain control of the lift for 1 second before getting a down signal from the referee, and must then return the weight to the ground. Contact must be maintained between the lifter's hand and the Little Big Horn until the weight is resting on the floor. The referee then indicates whether the lift was passed or not. Other than incidental contact, the hand or Little Big Horn must not touch the body before the lift is completed—dragging the hand or Little Big Horn up the leg is cause for an immediate "No lift."
In contest situations, the lifter is given 1 minute to complete the lift after his/her name is called; during that minute, there is no limit to how many times the lifter may try to complete the lift.

Print a copy of the rules and referee form here.

See also IronMind's grip contest rules for extra attempts.