Just How Big Were Andre The Giant's Hands? (2024)

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  • Andre The Giant Was An Attraction Even Before Joining WWE

  • The Massive Hands Of Andre The Giant

Andre the Giant is considered among the all-time greats in professional wrestling. A name that's generally associated with the Rock 'n' Wrestling generation, Andre the Giant became one of the best representations of WWE's larger-than-life presentation, helping the company succeed in the sports entertainment genre for many years. Andre the Giant's massive physique helped him become a major attraction long before the 1980s wrestling boom period, as he stood over seven feet tall and weighed 520 pounds. He was one of the heaviest men in professional wrestling, and his massive hand size showcased just how larger-than-life he really was.

Related: Andre The Giant's Last 10 Losses In WWE

Andre The Giant Was An Attraction Even Before Joining WWE

A cast of larger-than-life figures helped launch WWE into mainstream success during the 1980s. As professional wrestling became a huge part of Western pop culture during that decade, superstars like Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant became household names in the business. Because these men were cartoon-like figures, which explains the "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling" cartoon that aired that same decade, professional wrestling, for the longest time, became known for enlisting larger-than-life looking wrestlers as its main attraction.

Just How Big Were Andre The Giant's Hands? (1)

Andre the Giant is someone who fit that criteria, standing out among a generation of wrestlers who were already physically imposing in their own right. Someone like Andre the Giant took the "larger-than-life" aspect of professional wrestling to another level.

Being a former WWE Champion, it's no surprise that Andre the Giant succeeded at the level he did. Starting his wrestling career in the 1960s, Andre the Giant quickly became an attraction in wrestling long before joining WWE in 1984. Upon his arrival in WWE, Andre the Giant had many classic moments throughout his tenure with the company. For instance, who could forget the classic main event bout of WrestleMania 3 which saw Andre the Giant challenging Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship, where Hulk Hogan slammed him in front of the entire world at the Silverdome?

Just How Big Were Andre The Giant's Hands? (2)

Considering Andre the Giant's physique, someone like Hulk Hogan lifting him for a bodyslam was an effective way to get over as a credible champion to be taken seriously. Something as simple as that moment represented Andre the Giant's importance to the business, especially with heavyweight performers being beneficial of putting over other superstars when they decided to pull off impressive feats of strength.

Related: Why Some Fans Think Big Show Is Andre The Giant's Son

The Massive Hands Of Andre The Giant

Wrestling fans and even non-wrestling fans already know Andre the Giant's reputation for his massive size. However, some may be surprised by other facts regarding his size. For instance, though some may not be familiar with it, Andre's also known for having massive hands.

With the relevance of the internet, modern fans have come across fascinating pictures of Andre the Giant's hands, like his whole hand covering a person's entire face or the visual of his massive hand holding a single beer can. Andre the Giant's hands measured sixteen inches, which many were astounded by upon finding out, especially in comparison to other big men like Brock Lesnar. For instance, a photo of Brock Lesnar comparing his hand to Andre the Giant's hand print circulated on the web, as many couldn't believe that Brock Lesnar's hand was nowhere near the size of Andre the Giant's.

Just How Big Were Andre The Giant's Hands? (4)

One must also remember that Andre the Giant grew up with gigantism, a condition that causes excessive body growth. Because of Andre the Giant's success, despite the health conditions he suffered over the years, his overwhelming stardom is inspirational to many that might be dealing with the same conditions. To this day, Andre the Giant is unanimously beloved in the wrestling world, even as the industry has long evolved from the larger-than-life characters of the 1980s. That adoration even crosses over to Hollywood, where Andre the Giant became even more popular with his role in the massively popular film The Princess Bride. Decades after his death, he has not been forgotten by anyone who knew him or witnessed his awe-inspiring presence.

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Just How Big Were Andre The Giant's Hands? (2024)

FAQs

Just How Big Were Andre The Giant's Hands? ›

Andre the Giant's hands measured sixteen inches, which many were astounded by upon finding out, especially in comparison to other big men like Brock Lesnar.

How big was Andre the Giant's hand? ›

Andre the Giant could do it like he was holding a softball. His hands measured an unbelievable 16 inches!

What were Andre the Giant's measurements? ›

André the Giant
Billed height7 ft 4 in (224 cm)
Billed weight520 lb (236 kg)
Billed from"Grenoble in the French Alps"
Trained byMichel Saulnier
8 more rows

How much weight can Andre the Giant hold? ›

Andre the Giant was incredibly strong, but specific details about how much he could lift with his arms only are not well-documented. Estimates suggest he could lift around 700 pounds, but these figures can vary, and there's no precise record of his maximum arm strength.

What was Andre the Giant so big? ›

One of the primary reasons behind Andre the Giant's extraordinary size was a medical condition known as acromegaly. Acromegaly is a rare hormonal disorder that occurs when the pituitary gland produces excessive amounts of growth hormone after the growth plates have closed during puberty.

How many beers did Andre drink? ›

In a 1984 appearance on "Late Night with David Letterman," Andre confirmed, when asked by Letterman, that he drank 117 beers in one sitting, noting that he couldn't remember if he was drunk as he thinks he "passed out." Another story involved Andre drinking more than 125 beers in New Orleans with Harley Race, as told ...

How tall was Andre the Giant when he was 12? ›

Born with acromegaly, a disorder that causes bones to grow at an accelerated rate, Andre stood 6-foot-3 and weighed 200 pounds by the time he was 12 years old.

How heavy was Andre the Giant when he died? ›

Andre was often said to weigh 520 lbs., but this may be another wrestling exaggeration. Descriptions of his weight have varied from 380 lbs. to as much as 555 lbs. when he died.

What caused Andre the Giant's death? ›

His best known acting role was as Fezzik in the 1987 movie The Princess Bride. On January 27, 1993, he died of congestive heart failure while he was sleeping in his Paris hotel room. He was in Paris to go to his father's funeral.

Did Andre the Giant ever stop growing? ›

Andre still suffered the effects of acromegaly as his bones had stopped growing longer but the rest of his body did not stop growing. In one of his final matches in Mexico was a six-man tag match (3 on 3).

What could Andre the Giant eat? ›

André could eat 12 steaks and 15 lobsters in one sitting.

Though it's tough to prove these types of claims, over the years many friends and colleagues told similar tales, so it seems plausible. “He could drink an airplane dry before it got to takeoff,” White explained.

How big was Andre the Giant shoe size? ›

Conversation. André the Giant was called like this for a reason. He was 224 cm (7 ft 4 in) tall, weighted 285 kg (520 lbs), wore 24 in his shoe size and there were custom-made chairs and a few other modifications in his home to accommodate his size.

How big was Hulk Hogan? ›

Likewise, Hulk Hogan is a big guy. His official billed height is six feet and seven inches. Although he has lost about three inches in height due to surgeries. With his 24 inches pythons and impressive physique, he also weighed over 300 pounds in his prime.

How heavy was Andre the Giant's ashes? ›

André continued to tour the world until his early death at age 46 in 1993. Afterward, friends and fellow wrestlers came to his ranch to scatter his ashes (which weighed 17 pounds, three times the weight of a normal man's).

How much pain was Andre the Giant in? ›

He struggled with chronic pain

Whether due to his size or to the bumps he took over 20+ years as a wrestler, by the time Andre was reaching the end of his career he was in so much pain he was barely able to move.

What was Andre the Giant dying of? ›

Who is the richest wrestler of all time? ›

McMahon's financial success mirrors his longstanding influence and contribution to the wrestling industry. NEW DELHI: In the world of professional wrestling, Vincent McMahon stands tall, not just as the head of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) but as the richest wrestler globally, according to Forbes.

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