30 greatest one-time sports in Summer Olympics history

7. All-Around Dumbbell
1904 St. Louis Olympics

Weightlifting is one of the more impressive sports on the Olympic list, with men and women raising astronomical weights in singular lifts. Now, imagine if this was done tenfold. That is the “all-around” weightlifting contest that took place in 1904. 

The contest consisted of 10 different barbell events, trying to be the ultimate test of strength. The events would take place over two days. Day one included curling, tossing dumbbells from overhead to the ground, holding weights out at arm’s length, jerking dumbells over one’s head, and what sounds like a shoulder press. On day two, competitors curled two dumbbells simultaneously, performed a jerk with two dumbbells, a dual shoulder press, and another version of a jerk with one hand.

Then, there was the final event. Contestants could just do whatever they wanted. No, seriously. The last event was basically a creativity exercise, asking contestants to make up their own lift. It had to be an original feat, but it was entirely up to the contestant to figure out what that lift would be.

On top of the wildness of the concept to ask contestants to make up their own rules, judges were also allowed to make up the points system for the last lift. The first nine lifts were straightforward. Five points go to the winner, three to second place, and one point to third. On the 10th lift, they could give as many points as they wanted as long as no contestant when over a total of 25 points. We can see why this event went away.