Fresh off his second consecutive win at the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic, 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Mitchell Hooper dove into the intricacies of body composition in strongman competitions. Drawing from experience, scientific research, and practical insights, Hooper, alongside bodybuilder and YouTuber Greg Doucette, analyzed how body composition impacts strongman athletes.
Body Composition
Hooper has a lower body fat percentage than the most elite strongmen, which he views as a potential drawback. He argues that additional body fat can provide a protective cushion and lubrication to the joints.
However, increased fat mass can complicate lifting efforts. Fluid retention, associated with being overweight alongside fat and muscle, can restrict the range of motion in exercises like the overhead press.
Watch the video published to Hooper’s YouTube on March 10, 2024, below:
[Related: Victoria Long Retires From Competitive Strongwoman]
Greg Doucette Measures Hooper’s Body Fat
Hooper discussed his consultation with Doucette, who posits that a strongman athlete’s ideal body fat percentage hovers around 30 percent. Doucette utilized calipers to determine Hooper’s upper body fat at approximately 29.5 percent. This figure would likely decrease if Hooper’s leaner lower body were accounted for in the overall percentage calculation.
Hooper’s Fitness Journey
During his college football days, Hooper maintained his body fat at 15 percent, weighing 245 pounds. However, after a period of neglect, his weight escalated to 302 pounds, and his body fat percentage rose to 40 percent.
Determined to turn his life around, Hooper embarked on a rigorous 14-month transformation, successfully slimming to 195 pounds and a body fat percentage between four and five percent while preparing for a physique competition.
Upon entering strength sports, Hooper’s weight climbed to 264 pounds, with a body fat percentage hovering between 17 and 20 percent. Transitioning to strongman competitions, Hooper currently weighs approximately 364 pounds.
Though Hooper’s body fat percentage hovered around 32 percent early on, he competes today with a body fat percentage under 30 percent. Ultimately, Hooper aims to strike the optimal balance between peak performance and health.
“I think I’ve started to find the sweet spot. I’m not sure I want to get much leaner than I am right now because we need that cushion and protection for the joints,” said Hooper. “But I also don’t want to be unhealthy to an extent that it’s going to impact my long-term prognosis, my long-term risk of dying.”
Hooper’s concerns are warranted as higher body fat mass correlates with an increased mortality risk. (1)
Checking Body Fat Percentage
Hooper reveals methods for assessing body composition:
- Caliper Measurements
- Dexa Scan
- Underwater Weighing
- Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA)
These methods can offer greater accuracy when tracked by individual testers consistently over time.
How Body Composition Effects Strength
Hooper discussed a study indicating that muscle mass plays a significant role in determining strength. (2) He highlighted research involving powerlifting relevant to strongman competitions which identifies factors like bone mineral content, lean muscle mass, and proficiency in resistance training as critical indicators of strength. (3)
Hooper suggested strongman training can be a beneficial path for individuals who are overweight. “I love strongman for people who might be overweight to begin with,” said Hooper. “If you know someone or you have someone in your life who is overweight, naturally having higher total mass, even if they’re not in very good shape, they will have a higher muscle mass because they have to carry around that body.”
Hooper implied that overweight individuals engaging in strength sports could have greater initial strength than their peers who are not overweight, resulting in relatively early success.
Hooper suggested that strongman training, encompassing fundamental movement patterns — push, pull, hinge, squat, and overhead — would be excellent for long-term health. Hooper believes the ideal body fat percentage for peak strength varies and is highly dependent on the sport’s specific demands, whether running, powerlifting, or strongman, but should not exceed 30 percent.
References
- Jayedi, A., Khan, T.A., Aune, D. et al. Body fat and risk of all-cause mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Int J Obes 46, 1573–1581 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01165-5
- Ferland, P. M., Charron, J., Brisebois-Boies, M., Miron, F. S., & Comtois, A. S. (2023). Body Composition and Maximal Strength of Powerlifters: A Descriptive Quantitative and Longitudinal Study. International journal of exercise science, 16(4), 828–845.
- Ferland, P. M., St-Jean Miron, F., Laurier, A., & Comtois, A. S. (2020). The relationship between body composition measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and maximal strength in classic powerlifting. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 60(3), 407–416. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0022-4707.19.09996-1
Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram
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