Austrian Police Officer Rainer Katzenbeisser (a proud Member of the "Team Metroflex" a Hardcore Gym in Arlington Texas USA), managed a number of unassisted lifts of the stones on the 3rd and 4th of April 2012.
After a big injury a few years ago, Katzenbeisser was searching for an ultimate goal. Many people including Doctors told him that after a full tear of his bicep tendon from the bone, which was fixed with bolts, he would never lift heavy again. After many training sessions Rainer built up his bicep and started back to heavy lifting. As a test of his torn bicep he worked up to an 882 lbs (400 kg) hexbar deadlift from a little platform. Against all advice, he knew his bicep was ready to lift heavy again.
He also did a lot of grip strength training so that he could hold the stones on the small diameter rings. The "Stone lift" was organized by David P. Webster OBE who is the leading authority on the stones and also a head judge at many Highland Games all over the world. Katzenbeisser received an official certificate from David in recognition of his successful lift.
On the 30th of June 2013 Katzenbeisser lifted the stones again only for show. He also lifted the stones with his son on his shoulders. His son weighed 57 lbs (26 kg) increasing the overall weight to 791 lbs (359 kg). All without straps and in front of an audience.
There is a full article on Rainer Katzenbeisser´s training for the stonelift in the MILO Magazine from Ironmind, Vol-21 Nr3.
Katzenbeisser says that he is pretty thankful for the injury with his bicep. People telling him that he would never be able to lift heavy again was the greatest motivation for him to prove them wrong and he continues to get stronger than ever in the years following his injury.
"If you set a goal, and this is always in focus, you can achieve anything".
Click here for video of Rainer lifting the Dinnie Stones
