Tag: Oleksii Novikov

Oleksii Novikov Discusses Elbow Injury’s Impact on 2023 WSM Performance: “My Signature Event Became an Achilles Heel”

Oleksii Novikov Discusses Elbow Injury’s Impact on 2023 WSM Performance: “My Signature Event Became an Achilles Heel”

The 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition took place almost a month ago. So, we already saw the winner, Mitchell Hooper, and the second-place finisher, Tom Stoltman, post their recaps of the competition. The only one remaining was the bronze medal winner, Oleksii Novikov. However, he has also given his thoughts about the 2023 WSM competition on May 8th. Oleksii sat down for a 40-minute YouTube video in order to paint the full picture of his 2023 WSM campaign.
Oleksii Novikov covered every topic in his video, from the initial travel to the USA to his mental state after the competition. However, one thing stood out the most, and that was his elbow injury. This injury was one of the reasons why Oleksii could not secure his second WSM title, as his overhead strength plummeted because of it.

Related: 15 Incredible Stats & Facts About The 2023 World’s Strongest Man by Laurence Shahlaei
Oleksii Novikov’s 2023 WSM Recap
Oleksii Novikov’s journey at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition got off to a rocky start even before the event kicked off. Upon starting his journey from Ukraine to the USA, he had no idea that it would end up taking three days to get there.
“The road (trip) was the longest and hardest in all of my competing history. It took three days. It is hard to get out of Ukraine currently… When we got to New York, all the fun things started… We were told that the next flight would be in 20 hours.”
Even after arriving in Myrtle Beach, Oleksii Novikov had to sit down for multiple interviews and media shoots which caused his energy levels to deplete.
“We came there (Myrtle Beach) at night. Woke up in the morning and all the interviews, photoshoots, and media stuff started… So, lots of organizational activities before the start of the competition. Usually, all the athletes come three days before this… I just had to accept it.”
Oleksii Novikov was absolutely impeccable during the qualifying stage, winning three out of the five events. Consequently, he qualified for the finals with ease. His greatest performance in the qualifying stage came in the Conan’s Wheel event, which he won confidently. He believes that his rivals did not warm-up for the event properly. So, his attention to detail helped him get the best score across all five groups.
“It was interesting that all the athletes did not warm up the way I think is needed… The point is simple, they put too much pressure on their diaphragm and just switched off… I started off carefully, picked it up, felt the weight and my goal was to catch the needed speed and pace so the weight wouldn’t be wobbling.”
Oleksii Novikov didn’t have a great time at the Finals of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition. Unlike the qualifying stage, things didn’t go as planned for him. On the second day of the finals, there was a Max Dumbbell Press event that Oleksii was looking forward to. After all, the Dumbbell Overhead Press is his favorite event, but sadly, he didn’t do as well as he had hoped.
Oleksii Novikov revealed that while preparing for the 2023 WSM, he injured his elbow and was not able to extend his elbow without pain. Consequently, he was not able to lift more than 132 kilograms (291 pounds) in the Dumbbell Overhead Press event.
“This event is one of my best, but I will tell you what happened before and during the competition… In the last training session I lifted 144 kilograms (317 pounds), and during these processes I got an injury which I didn’t pay much attention to, just some elbow pain. I kept training and only then noticed this issue with my elbow.
The elbow lost the function of full extension and activating. There were problems with the lock out, and that is why locking out heavy weights became a problem for me… Don’t know if I need surgery or not, but I’ll certainly take care of my elbow… So, my signature event became an Achilles heel.”
In the end, Oleksii Novikov was happy with his performance at the 2023 WSM, but revealed how the mental pressure of having to win the competition took a toll on his performance. According to him, it is easier to perform well when you don’t have high expectations as opposed to aiming to become the World’s Strongest Man.
Watch the video here:

Related: Oleksii Novikov Wins The 2022 Rogue Strongman Invitational Contest
Oleksii Novikov’s Full Performnce
Qualifying

Loading Race: First-Place
Deadlift Machine: First-Place
Log Ladder: Third-Place
Conan’s Wheel: First-Place
Kettlebell Toss: Sixth-Place

Finals

Reign Shield Carry: Third-Place
Knaack Deadlift: Tied-Second
Fingal’s Fingers: Second-Place
Max Dumbbell: Tied-Second
Bus Pull: Eight-Place
Atlas Stones: Fourth-Place

Oleksii Novikov has now competed in 36 International contests and came out with 11 victories. In addition, he has appeared in three WSM finals, winning one (2020) and placing third twice (2022, 2023).
Oleksii Novikov is already moving on to other competitions, having previously announced that he will take part in the 2023 Shaw Classic, Rogue Invitational, and Strongman Classic. So, with at least three more appearances this year, Oleksii has the chance to improve his resume even further.
Published: 9 May, 2023 | 10:48 AM EDT

2022 World’s Strongest Man: Oleksii Novikov Breaks Flintstone Barbell World Record With 246kg (542.3lb) Lift

2022 World’s Strongest Man: Oleksii Novikov Breaks Flintstone Barbell World Record With 246kg (542.3lb) Lift

Image courtesy of Instagram @theworldsstrongestman
Oleksii Novikov lifts 246kg Flintstone Barbell – setting new world record at the 2022 World’s Strongest Man
Oleksii Novikov breaks the Flintstone Barbell world record at the 2022 World’s Strongest Man with a 246kg (542.3lb) lift. This world record came during the WSM finals along with a truly dominating performance as day one came to a close on Saturday. Oleksii is also a former WSM champion with a win in 2020. The 2022 World’s Strongest Man finals run May 28-29th, 2022.

Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.

Oleksii Novikov World’s Strongest Man Diet & Workout Program

Oleksii Novikov World’s Strongest Man Diet & Workout Program

Become the strongest version of yourself with Novikov’s diet and workout program. 
Oleksii Novikov is fast becoming one of the most popular strongmen. Novikov won the 2020 World’s Strongest Man title at the age of 24 to become the youngest competitor to win the contest (a tie with Jón Páll Sigmarsson, who won the competition in 1984). 
The Ukrainian strongman has competed in 24 international strongman competitions until Mar. 2022 and won first place in eight shows. He most recently competed at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, where he took second place. 
Oleksii has been actively raising funds through social media for Ukrainian Soldiers fighting against the Russian invasion that began on Feb. 24, 2022. Novikov was awarded $25,000 for winning second place at the 2022 ASC held on Mar. 4-5. However, since the strongman had pledged to donate all his winnings to Ukraine’s war efforts, Arnold Schwarzenegger increased Novikov’s prize purse to equal first place ($80,000) during the award ceremony. 
Interestingly, Novikov is one of the smaller WSM competitors. He is 6’1″ and weighs around 300 pounds. Don’t get us wrong. The 2020 WSM winner is not a small man by any stretch of the imagination. 
However, other WSM winners are comparatively bigger. Eddie Hall is 6’3″ and weighed around 400 pounds at the 2017 WSM, Hafþór Björnsson is 6’9″ and weighed around 450 pounds during his world record 501-kilogram deadlift, and four-time WSM winner Brian Shaw is 6’8″ and weighs around 430 pounds. 
Becoming the World’s Strongest Man is no joke. Training with extremely heavy loads routinely, eating a truckload of food to build strength and optimal recovery requires dedication, discipline, and determination. 
Related: 2022 World’s Strongest Man Competition To Debut Fan Festival

Oleksii Novikov Stats
Name: Oleksii Novikov
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 298 pounds
Birthdate: Feb. 11, 1996
Birthplace: Kyiv, Ukraine
Accolades: 2020 World’s Strongest Man, Winner
Oleksii Novikov PRs

Max. Deadlift: 453.5-kilogram (1,000-pound)
Max. 18-inch Deadlift: 537.5-kilogram (1,185-pound)
Max. Hummer Tire Deadlift: 472-kilogram (1,041-pound)
Max. Log Lift: 191-kilogram (421-pound)
Max. Axle Press: 190-kilogram (419-pound)
Max. Squat: 411-kilogram (906-pound)

Check Out: Oleksii Novikov Breaks 18-Inch Deadlift World Record At World’s Strongest Man 2020
Oleksii Novikov Diet Program
Strength sports athletes need to train religiously, diet faithfully, and sleep peacefully to build a solid physique and function at optimal levels. That is what 2020 WSM champion Oleksii Novikov does every single day. 
Novikov eats a monster 5,000 calories every day to maintain his strength and physique. According to the Ukrainian strongman, neither training nor recovery but eating is the most difficult part of competition prep. 
The craziest part? Novikov won the 2020 World’s Strongest Man competition while dealing with an upset stomach. 
“At the competition, that was a problem for me, because in America I felt the meals weren’t good for me. The water is also different and I had some problems with my stomach.” — Oleksii Novikov after winning the 2020 WSM

Novikov Dieting Principles 
The Ukrainian strongman abides by the following diet principles:
1. Always Eat Healthy 
Unlike most other strongman athletes who follow an IIFYM-inspired diet — eating whatever they can get their hands on, Novikov restricts himself to eating clean and healthy. 
Notably, Novikov’s approach differs from that of the four-time WSM champion, Brian Shaw. Shaw ate a monster 12,000 to 15,000 calories in his younger years and relied on pasta and cheesecake to meet his daily caloric goal. 
2. Eat Bigger as You Get Closer to a Contest  
Novikov ramps up his caloric intake to 7,000 kcal per day as he gets closer to a contest. However, the strongman revealed that he finds eating 5,000 kcal a day challenging. 
At the peak of his prep, the Ukrainian eats almost every 40 minutes. The last time Novikov ate so much food during prep, he reportedly found it difficult to stand up from the table. And if this wasn’t enough, he even wore out his gums from eating a ton of broiled turkey. 
3. The Occasional Beer and Cheat Meal 
The Ukrainian strongman is known for going on a cheat meal eating spree after a contest. Novikov’s cheat meal days can last up to seven days. He celebrated his 2020 WSM win by gulping down cakes and high-sugar foods for a week. 
“On the first day after the competition [2020 WSM], I drank beer. Only one bottle,” says Novikov. “It was enough for me because I was so tired. One bottle made me feel good. I felt drunk. I haven’t had one since the competition. Beer is only for celebrating.”
4. Focus on Your Recovery 
If you are a strongman aspirant, you need to balance your training, nutrition, and recovery. Novikov is a proponent of getting at least eight hours of sleep every night. 
“I do this to be able to eat more during the day.” — Novikov on the importance of sleep and its role in the recovery process.
5. Put Down a Roadmap
Novikov has a written nutrition plan for reference as he finds it difficult to eat as much as he needs without a guide. If you’re planning to compete in strongman contests or simply trying to put on muscle mass, you should follow the Ukranian’s lead. 
6. Know Thy Goal
You must define and stick to your goal before starting a diet plan. It is not uncommon to see people trying to lose weight eat a calorie-surplus diet. 
The 2020 WSM winner eats a high-calorie diet that can help improve his training and contest performance. Although Novikov is one of the most “in-shape” strongmen, he says that he doesn’t worry about aesthetics while planning his diet program.
“We are not bodybuilders. Body appearance is not the most important…it is important to lift a lot, have elastic ligaments, and a functional body.” — Oleksii Novikov on being asked about his physique aesthetics. 
Diet Plan
Oleksii Novikov eats six meals to meet his 5,000 kcal a day target. His meals are evenly spaced to ensure his muscles receive ample nutrients for recovery, and his metabolism is working at full capacity. 
1. First Breakfast — 6 a.m.

Oatmeal
Avocado
Protein shake

The most interesting part about Novikov’s first breakfast, you ask? After downing his breakfast, the strongman goes right back to sleep for another 3-4 hours for recovery. 
2. Second Breakfast — 10 a.m. 

Seven eggs (three egg whites, four whole eggs)
150 grams of buckwheat 
Fried pepper

The fact that the Ukrainian strongman eats two breakfasts a day shouldn’t be surprising. Novikov is nothing short of a tank and needs all those calories to maintain weight and strength. 
3. Pre-Lunch

A dish of lettuce, tomatoes, grilled peppers
Salmon filters
Yeast-free bread

It would be naive to think that the strongman only eats once in the noon. If you have eaten anything north of 3,000 calories a day, you would know that gulping down so much food can be a full-time proposition. 
4. Lunch

Chicken/turkey shashlik (kebabs)
Grilled veggie skewers

Oleksii Novikov consumes a healthy dose of carbs, protein, and fats through every meal. While following a diet program, you should ensure that you aren’t overly reliant on one macronutrient. 
5. Dinner — 8 p.m.

Burgers
Yeast-free bread
Cheese slices

Novikov’s dinner consists of chopped onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and a salt-free, sugar-free, oil-free sauce. Although eating 5,000 calories a day can be overwhelming, you shouldn’t overlook the importance of micronutrients. A micronutrient-deficient diet can hamper your performance and recovery. 
6. Post-Dinner — 11 p.m.

Protein shake

Oleksii Novikov wraps up his eating day by downing a casein protein shake. The slow-digesting protein ensures that his muscles receive the required amount of protein for optimal recovery. Eating a slow-releasing protein source also saves the big man from waking up in the middle of the night for a kitchen trip. 
Must Read: Tied as Youngest World’s Strongest Man, Oleksii Novikov Could Dominate the Future

Oleksii Novikov Workout Program
The 2020 WSM winner discovered his passion for strongman contests in his early years due to his family.  
“I was raised in a sports atmosphere. As a child, I had an opportunity to watch the training of our Ukrainian athletes in my yard, because my grandfather made equipment for them. My sports passion started when I was 14, and I just really love strongmen.” — Oleksii Novikov on his strongman roots.
Workout Gear
Strongmen rarely train without appropriate lifting gear. Training accessories can help improve performance while reducing the chances of an injury. Here are the accessories Novikov recommends using in every exercise:
1. Lifting Chalk
Novikov is a proponent of chalking both hands with magnesium carbonate to ensure the skin is dry and won’t tear during a rep. If an athlete’s hands are sweaty during a set, a heavy dumbbell can pull or tear the skin and even potentially the muscles. 
2. Knee Sleeves and Bands
The 2020 WSM champ trains while wearing knee sleeves. He then adds a layer of knee bands over the sleeves for more protection and support. 
Most strongman lifts involve lifting heavy weights off the floor or require jerking the weight overhead, which can put a lot of stress on a competitor’s knees. Wearing knee sleeves and bands can elevate some of the stress from your joints. 
Related: Best Knee Sleeves For Powerlifting & Compression
3. Weightlifting Belt
A weightlifting belt is a staple in strongman training as it can increase spinal stability and minimize lumbar extension, given the lifter is using proper bracing and breathing techniques. 
Related: Best Weightlifting Belts For Gains & Back Support (Updated 2021)
Workout Plan
Novikov performed the following workout leading up to the 2021 World’s Ultimate Strongman (WUS) “Strength Island” competition:
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1. Dumbbell Training
Novikov is arguably the best in business in the heavy dumbbell for reps contest and currently holds the world record in the event, completing 11 repetitions in 75 seconds with a 100-kilogram (220-pound) dumbbell at the WUS “Feats of Strength” series. 
Since the 2021 “Strength Island” heavy dumbbell event utilized the Cyr dumbbell, Oleksii begins his workouts with dumbbell training. The Cyr dumbbell is named after the French-Canadian strongman, Louis Cyr, and has two spheres at each end of the handle. Due to its appearance, the Cyr dumbbell is sometimes referred to as the circus dumbbell.
Novikov uses a rotation technique to drop the dumbbell. The heavy dumbbell event is usually scored based on the highest reps within a specific time limit rather than the maximum weight. 
The Ukrainian strongman rotates his arm outwards when dropping the dumbbell so that the dumbbell doesn’t roll away from him after hitting the ground or mat. Chasing a rolling dumbbell can cost a competitor precious seconds during their set, which can be the difference between winning and losing an event.
Related: Oleksii Novikov Completes 140-kg Dumbbell Lift In Training Session
2. Loading Medley 
Since the loading medley is one of the most common events at elite strongman contests, the Ukrainian strongman makes it a point to incorporate the lift in his training regimen.
The medley event could involve lifting and carrying different awkwardly-shaped heavy objects for a given distance before loading them onto a platform. 
The loading medley event tests a competitor’s strength, agility, endurance, and stamina. It is one of Oleksii Novikov’s strong suits. He finished second behind Adam Bishop at the 2020 WSM final. 
The strongman’s medley training includes carrying the following objects down a track and tossing them over a high bar:

Sandbag: 120 kilograms (264 pounds)
Heavy shield: 110 kilograms (242 pounds)
Atlas stone: 120 kilograms (264 pounds)

Check Out: Prepping for World’s Ultimate Strongman, Oleksii Novikov Lifts All the Plates in His Gym

Supplements 
Strongman contests are arguably the most physically demanding competitions. Not only do athletes put in months of preparations before going into a contest, but they also need to perform at their best in the show. 
Oleksii uses the following supplements to ensure that he is recovering optimally from his training: 

Wrapping Up
The Ukrainian strongman follows an unconventional dieting approach — he sometimes eats close to nothing on an event day. “My stomach cannot take too much food” during particularly intense events,” explains Novikov.
While Oleksii Novikov is not the biggest WSM competitor and does not follow a textbook diet or training regimen, he has figured out what works best for him and throws his weight behind it. There is no reason why you shouldn’t follow the same approach. Best of luck!

Who is your favorite strongman athlete? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

Oleksii Novikov Shares Military Training Footage While Defending Ukraine

Oleksii Novikov Shares Military Training Footage While Defending Ukraine

Oleksii Novikov is training to help defend his home country against Russian attack.
Oleksii Novikov dedicated his recent victory during the 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man competition to his home country of Ukraine. The event took place on Saturday and it did not take long fo the strongman to share a video on his YouTube page to tie it all together. Novikov has been training as a soldier to defend Ukraine against the Russian attack and shared some footage.
In the video, Novikov is seen participating in drills along with other soldiers. In the midst of this war, Novikov has been able to stay at the top of strongman and that is what is most impressive. Following his victory in England, Novikov made sure to dedicate it to Ukraine.

“I dedicate this win to Ukraine. We’ll win, we’re the strongest, remember it. And we’ll be the most prosperous country in the world. We’ll live a very good life, I promise. I travel a lot and know that Ukraine is truly the best country and I don’t want to live in any country apart from Ukraine.”
In March, Oleksii Novikov finished second at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic behind Martins Licis. This competition came after Novikov began raising money for supplies for soldiers in Ukraine. Despite finishing as the runner-up, Novikov was gifted a larger prize to bring home for the cause.
What makes his feats even more impressive is that he is unable to train like a true strongman during this time.
“Unfortunately, I can’t train very well like strongman…[for] months, I train like soldier. Glory to Ukraine.”

Oleksii Novikov returned home after wining his most recent event and began training with soldiers. He was geared up fully and was able to handle the weight because of his training as a strongman. In the video, Novikov was seen going through the courses and shooting at targets, including once that had pictures of Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko.
Novikov is set to appear in competition in May during the 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition. This will be a week-long event in Sacramento where the world’s best strongmen will compete for the title. Novikov won the event back in 2020 and he has some extra motivation this time around.
Even while training as a soldier, Oleksii Novikov has remained at the top of strongman.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Oleksii Novikov Received Prize Of $80,000 During Arnold Strongman Classic To Help Ukraine

Oleksii Novikov Received Prize Of $80,000 During Arnold Strongman Classic To Help Ukraine

Arnold Schwarzenegger raised the prize money for Oleksii Novikov to help his cause.
Oleksii Novikov entered the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic as one of the favorites to win the event. In the end, a close finish crowned Martins Licis champion with Novikov finishing as the runner-up. Despite his second-place finish, the Ukrainian strongman was awarded the same prize money as the winner to help his country during this time.
Novikov has been raising money to help Ukrainian soldiers in their current fight against Russia. He will be returning to his home country to help in the battle and because of this, Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to give him an extra boost.

For his finish, Novikov was set to make $25,000 but Schwarzenegger raised it to $80,000 so he would have more to take back to Ukraine. Schwarzenegger made the announcement during the award ceremony.
“We always see how sports bring everyone together. We’ve seen here not only the strongest men in the world competing but we also have seen a Ukrainian athlete and a Russian athlete competing in the same competition.”
Oleksii Novikov has been one of the biggest strongman names for quite some time now. He won the 2020 World’s Strongest Man competition. This came after a second-place finish in 2019 when he lost to four-time winner Brian Shaw. In 2021, Novikov did not qualify for the event. That will likely change this year as he looks to bring that championship back to Ukraine.

Prior to the Arnold Strongman Classic, Novikov announced that he was raising money to go toward food, water, medical supplies, and equipment for soldiers during this time. He took to his Instagram page to make the announcement and call for help.
“SENDING CRYPTOCURRENCY IS AS EASY AS CHOOSING THE AMOUNT TO SEND AND DECIDING WHERE IT GOES. ONE WAY TO SEND BITCOIN, THEN, IS TO SIMPLY COPY THE RECIPIENT’S ADDRESS TO YOUR CLIPBOARD, THEN PASTE IT IN THE SEND FIELD.”

Oleksii Novikov knows that this is bigger than strongman. He continues to compete and does it for his country while raising awareness and money for what is happening. The gesture at the Arnold Strongman Classic shows that all athletes, no matter what sport, must stick together during difficult times like these.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Oleksii Novikov Is Raising Money To Help Ukrainian Soldiers Fighting Against Russia

Oleksii Novikov Is Raising Money To Help Ukrainian Soldiers Fighting Against Russia

Oleksii Novikov is using the money to go toward food, medical supplies, and equipment.
Oleksii Novikov is making sure to provide help to his country of Ukraine as it continues to fight against Russian attacks. The former World’s Strongest Man winner used his social media as a platform to request help from others in the form of financial donations. 
Novikov currently has 133k followers Instagram. This is where he posted a video asking for help to provide Ukrainian soldiers with food, water, medical supplies, and equipment during this time. He added a screenshot of a bank account with instructions on how to send money and explaining where it would be going.

“Sending cryptocurrency is as easy as choosing the amount to send and deciding where it goes. One way to send bitcoin, then, is to simply copy the recipient’s address to your clipboard, then paste it in the send field.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the invasion of Ukraine last week. That same day, Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelensky declared the area in a state of emergency. Putin claimed the next day that the decision was a preventive measure against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s expansion into Eastern Europe. However, Ukraine is not part of the NATO.
This is being considered the most significant attack against a sovereign nation in Europe since World War II. Now, many are beginning to help soldiers and this includes Novikov, who is preparing to get back on stage and compete.

Oleksii Novikov is scheduled to appear at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic on March 4-5 in Columbus, OH. This event will feature some of the top strongmen in the world and Novikov will be one of the big names present. He is one of three World’s Strongest Man winners that will compete, along with Tom Stoltman and Martins Licis. Mateusz Kieliszkowski will also be present in Columbus as a two-time WSM runner-up. Licis began his training for the event back in December and will look to put on quite a show.
Oleksii Novikov continues to be an elite strongman and he is using his platform to help his country of Ukraine. This is good work from the strongman as the battle against Russia continues. Ukrainian soldiers will hopefully have the necessary assets needed moving forward.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

VIDEO: Oleksii Novikov Begins Training For 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic

VIDEO: Oleksii Novikov Begins Training For 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic

Oleksii Novikov is training for the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic in a big way.
Oleksii Novikov is one of the top strongman competitions in the world so it was not surprising to see him receive an invitation to the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. Now that the holidays are over, the 2020 World’s Strongest Man is back in the gym training for his next event. 
Novikov shared a video on his YouTube channel detailing his first day back in preparation. The Ukrainian strongman podiumed in each event he participated in following the 2021 World’s Strongest Man competition. He is one of 10 strongmen who received invitation to the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic and this means he will have to train harder than ever.

Oleksii Novikov took to his garage-style gym to get in a huge workout. It began on the squat rack where Novikov began with 440-pound lifts and wanted to increase to 551 pounds. No official list has been released on which events will be at the Arnold Strongman Classic but Novikov believes that squats will be there. Novikov’s personal record squat is 771.6 pounds.
Again, the official list has not been revealed but Novikov spoke further on which events he expects to see there. He listed max squat, timber carry (400kg, 881.9lb), heavy dumbbell for reps (124kg, 273.4lb), max log lift, and stone to shoulder (186kg, 410.1lb).

After his squats, Oleksii Novikov began log lifts. He pulled out gym mats and began with his lifts. He began with 176.4-pound lifts with the intention of bumping it up to 286.6 pounds. Novikov expressed that this was one of his weaknesses and that he has never locked out 440.1 pounds. This is his goal heading into 2022. Novikov took some time off for the holiday and it seemed to pay off. He showed great form and fluidity when performing log lifts. He was able to lock out three reps of 319.7 pounds on his second-to-last set followed by five reps on his last set.
The roster for the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic is elite. Novikov is one of three World’s Strongest Man winners, along with Tom Stoltman and Martins Licis. The 2021 Europe World’s Strongest Man Luke Stoltman will be present along with two-time WSM runner-up Mateusz Kieliszkowski. 
Oleksii Novikov will enter the competition as one of the favorites to win as his strength seems to be on par. . There is still plenty of time to bump some numbers up and that is what Novikov plans to do in the upcoming weeks.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Oleksii Novikov Completes 140-kg Dumbbell Lift In Training Session

Oleksii Novikov Completes 140-kg Dumbbell Lift In Training Session

Oleksii Novikov could have his eye on the heavy dumbbell world record.
Oleksii Novikov has done plenty to cement himself as one of the best strongmen in the world. He is only continuing to improve and he shows it during training sessions. Most recently, Novikov tackled an impressive lift with a dumbbell.
The heavy dumbbell has been dominated by two athletes. Novikov and Mateusz Kieliszkowski have been at the top of the game over the years. Both competitors have their own records when it comes to heavy dumbbell. Novikov currently holds the world record with 11 reps of a 100kg (220.5lb) weight in 75 seconds. Kieliszkowski holds the world record in Cyr Dumbbell with a 145.2kg (320lb) lift. This was completed at the 2020 Arnold Strongman Classic.

In a recent training session, Novikov completed a lift that was close to that of Kieliszkowski’s record. The 2020 World’s Strongest Man winner took to Instagram to show off a 140kg (308.6lb) lift.

Oleksii Novikov referenced the 2021 Rogue Invitational in his caption. This event will take place from Oct. 29-31 in Austin, TX. This will be the first time a strongman competition will be featured at this event and it will be headlined by two of the best. Kieliszkowski is a two-time runner-up in the World’s Strongest Man competition.

There will be plenty of talent present at the event along with Novikov and Kieliszkowski. Tom Stoltman, along with his brother Luke Stoltman, are scheduled to compete. Brian Shaw will also be present at the competition looking to take home the inaugural championship.

This is the second time that these two athletes will be competing against each other since Kieliszkowski returned from a triceps injury. The first time was during the 2021 World’s Ultimate Strongman competition, where Novikov won the prize and Kieliszkowski came in second place.
The 2021 Rogue Invitational will feature five events — rogue elephant bar max deadlift, cyr dumbbell ladder, the wheel of pain, yoke carry & overhead log lift medley, and stone over hitching post. The fact that there is just five events means that competitors will have to be their best right from the start. There is not much time to take an event off.
Novikov will not have a chance to break the world record here because of the event that is scheduled. It is a speed ladder and not an event where lifters will have a chance to max out. This has not stopped Novikov from training appropriately — and making it look easy. In the video, Novikov seems to pull off the lift and have plenty left in the tank.
Oleksii Novikov has put together a winning streak against in head-to-head battles and it will be interesting to see if he can put another win together. He will certainly be one of the favorites entering the weekend looking to make an impact.
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2021 World’s Ultimate Strongman Results: Oleksii Novikov, Annabelle Chapman Finish On Top

2021 World’s Ultimate Strongman Results: Oleksii Novikov, Annabelle Chapman Finish On Top

Here are the full results from the 2021 World’s Ultimate Strongman.
The best strongmen and strongwomen in the world flocked to Dubai, UAE on Friday to take part in the 2021 World’s Ultimate Strongman contest. There were a total of five events that both men and women took part in. These five events were the log press, yoke walk, farmer’s walk, chain railway carriage, and Atlas stones.
This was the inaugural event for the strongwoman category and it was Annabelle Chapman who took home the prize. Chapman edged out three-time World’s Strongest Woman Donna Moore, who finished in second. Melissa Peacock finished with the bronze in the women’s division.

For the men, it was 2020 World’s Strongest Man champion Oleksii Novikov who finished on top. This was the third victory of the year as he also finished with a title at the WUS “Strength Island” Contest and the 2021 Strongman Classic. Novikov beat out Mateusz Kieliskowski and Aivars Smaukstelis for the championship.
The full results from the competition have been announced and can be found below.

2021 World’s Ultimate Strongman: Full Results
Men’s Division

Oleksii Novikov, Ukraine — 45.5 points
Mateusz Kieliskowski, Poland — 44.5 points
Aivars Smaukstelis, Latvia — 34.5 points
JF Caron, Canada — 32 points
Konstantine Janashia, Georgia — 27 points
Bobby Thompson, USA — 26.5 points
Mohamad Ezatpor, Iran — 18 points
Ervin Toots, Estonia — 17 points
Rauno Heinla, Estonia — 15 points
Ramin Farajnejad, Iran — 12 points

Women’s Division

Annabelle Chapman, UK — 32 points
Donna Moore, UK — 30 points
Melissa Peacock, Canada — 29 points
Andrea Thompson, UK — 25 points
Cori Butler, USA — 21 points
Sandra Bradley, Germany — 17 points
Jessica Fithen, USA — 14 points
Nadia Stowers, USA — 12 points

Log Press
The competition opened when competitors competed in the log lift to see how many reps they could total. The men lifted a 180kg (396.8lb) log and the women lifted a 100kg (220.5lb) log. Andrea Thompson totaled eight reps for the women. She currently holds the log press world record of 135kg (237.7lb). For the men, it was Bobby Thompson, who holds the American record in log press with a lift of 217.5kg (478.5lb).
Men’s

Bobby Thompson — Four reps (T-first)
Oleksii Novikov — Four reps (T-first)
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — Three reps (T-second)
Aivars Smaukstelis — Three reps (T-second)
JF Caron — Two Reps

Women’s

Andrea Thompson — Eight reps
Annabelle Chapman — Seven reps
Melissa Peacock — Five reps (T-third)
Jessica Fithen — Five reps (T-third)
Nadia Stowers — Five reps (T-third)

Yoke Walk
The yoke walk measured how far competitors could travel in one minute. The men traveled with a 450kg (992.1lb) yoke and the women moved a 300kg (661.4lb) yoke.
Men’s

Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 71.1 meters
Oleksii Novikov — 69.2 meters
Konstantine Janashia — 60 meters

Women’s

Donna Moore — 62.5 meters
Melissa Peacock — 60.6 meters
Andrea Thompson — 57.8 meters

Farmer’s Walk
In the farmer’s walk, competitors had to complete a 30-meter walk to see who would finish with the quickest time. The men totaled 180kg (396.8lb) with 90kg (198.4lb) in each hand while the women carried 110kg (242.5lb) with 55kg (121.3lb) in each hand. Times were not listed for Kieliszkowski and Novikov but it was clear who finished first in the head-to-head heat.
Men’s

Mateusz Kieliszkowski
Oleksii Novikov
Konstantine Janashia — 52.92 seconds

Women’s

Annabelle Chapman — 17.01 seconds
Donna Moore — 17.05 seconds
Cori Butler — 17.66 seconds

Chain Railway Carriage
This event was not released until right before it began. Competitors had to push a weighted sled with chains attached to it down a track. Once that was finished, they had to return to the starting position, grab a rope, and pull the sled back to the starting position.
Men’s

Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 25.34 seconds
Oleksii Novikov — 29.11 seconds
Mohamad Ezatpor — 29.15 seconds

Women’s

Melissa Peacock — 30.60 seconds
Annabelle Chapman — 31.83 seconds
Sandra Bradley — 32.91 seconds

Atlas Stone
This event consisted of 10 stones for time. The mens’ stones ranged from 110kg (242.5lb) to 200kg (440.1lb). The womens’ stones ranged from 60 kilograms (132.3lb) to 150kg (330.7lb).
Men’s

Aivars Smaukstelis — 10 stones in 55.65 seconds
Oleksii Novikov — 10 stones in 57.04 seconds
JF Caron — 10 stones in 75 seconds

Women’s

Donna Moore — Nine stones
Melissa Peacock — Nine stones
Cori Butler — Nine stones

Generation Iron wishes to congratulate to Oleksii Novikov and Annabelle Chapman for winning the 2021 World’s Ultimate Strongman. Generation Iron will have full coverage of the 2021 Arnold Classic. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Robert Oberst and Oleksii Novikov Withdraw From 2021 Shaw Classic Due To Injuries

Robert Oberst and Oleksii Novikov Withdraw From 2021 Shaw Classic Due To Injuries

The 2021 Shaw Classic will be without two elite competitors this year as Robert Oberst and Oleksii Novikov withdraw.
The 2021 Shaw Classic will take place from on Aug. 27-28 in Estes Park, CO. On Monday, Brian Shaw announced that the field would look a bit different moving forward. Both Robert Oberst and Oleksii Novikov have withdraw from the competition with injuries.
Shaw made the announcement on the Shaw Classic Instagram account. Gabriel Pena and Gabriel Rheaume will be used as replacements. There will still be 16 participants, highlighted by four-time World’s Strongest Man champion Zydrunas Savickas.
“Athlete Update
Wishing the best to the injured athletes and excited to welcome the new athletes. Thank you all for the continued support of the Shaw Classic.”

According to Shaw, Oberst will miss the competition with a shoulder injury while Novikov is still recovering from a concussion suffered as the 2021 Strongman Classic. Neither competition has made an official statement themselves just yet.
This is not the first time that the lineup for the Shaw Classic had to be revised. Luke Richardson had to withdraw due to a bicep injury. Tom Stoltman and Luke Stoltman also pulled their names out. Even with five competitors being forced to withdraw, the competition still has some elite names and will be as exciting as ever.
Rheaume is an up-and-coming powerlifter. The 24-year-old made some noise when he won the Canada’s Strongest Man competition this year. This was his biggest win since he began competing in 2018. As for Pena, he is a name that is more well-known. He took place in the 2020 World’s Strongest Man and 2021 World Open. He was forced to leave the 2020 WSM with a heart issue but has been training hard and it ready to compete.
The 2021 Shaw Classic will be the second annual event run by Brian Shaw himself. He won the first ever competition in 2020 and will be defending his title this year. Shaw will have to battle the likes of Savickas, Evan Singleton, Bobby Thompson, and Adam Bishop. There will be some names missing but this should not take away from the intensity of the event.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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