Tag: Strongman
2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man Results — Konstantine Janashia Wins
Just a few weeks ago, the world witnessed the biggest Strongman competition, the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM). However, Konstantine Janashia, also known as the ‘Georgian Bull,’ didn’t stop there. Just days after WSM, he competed in another Strongman event. The 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man competition took place on May 5-6, in Tbilisi, gathering six of the country’s greatest Strongman athletes. However, only one was able to emerge victorious after five events, and Konstantine Janashia was dominant once again.
Konstantine Janashia won three out of the five events and finished up with a three point lead ahead of the second-place finisher Nikoloz Lekaidze. Another few points behind Nikoloz was Chabuka Chigladze who also set one new National record.
2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man Results
Konstantine Janashia — 27 points
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 24 points
Chabuka Chigladze — 20 points
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 14 points
Shota Gogoberishvili — 7 points
Jason Kamashidze — 3 points
Related: Oleksii Novikov Discusses Elbow Injury’s Impact on 2023 WSM Performance: “My Signature Event Became an Achilles Heel”
Max Axle Press
During the Max Axle Press event, the athletes tested their one-rep max in the hopes of getting as many points as possible.
Chabuka Chigladze started off strong, winning the event with a 10-kilogram (22-pound) heavier lift than anyone else. Chabuka lifted 190 kilograms and set a new Axle Press Georgia National Record. Konstantine Janashia was the second place finisher with 180 kilograms, while Nikoloz Lekaidze settled for third with 160 kilograms.
Chabuka Chigladze — 190 kilograms
Konstantine Janashia — 180 kilograms
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 160 kilograms
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 150 kilograms
Shota Gogoberishvili — 140 kilograms
Jason Kamashidze — 90 kilograms
Log Lift
Moving on to the second event of the 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man competition, the athletes were tasked with performing as many reps on a Log of undeclared weight.
Obviously, as the current Georgia National Record holder in the Log Lift, Konstantine Janashia dominated his rivals and completed eight reps.
With two reps less than him, three men tied for second place. Those were Nikoloz Lekaidze, Chabuka Chigladze, and Avtandil Karmazanashvili.
Konstantine Janashia — 8 reps
Chabuka Chigladze — 6 reps (Tied-Second)
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 6 reps (Tied-Second)
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 6 reps (Tied-Second)
Shota Gogoberishvili — 0 reps
Jason Kamashidze — 0 reps
Super Yoke
For the third event of the competition, the athletes had to carry a 400-kilogram Super Yoke for a distance of 15 meters as quickly as possible.
Konstantine Janashia is one of the quickest Strongmen in the world, let alone Georgia. So, this event was once again great for him. He clocked a time of 9.91 seconds and took max points.
The battle for the runner up was within a fraction of a second. However, Nikoloz Lekaidze’s time of 11.59 turned out to be 0.69 seconds faster than Chabuka Chigladze’s time.
Konstantine Janashia — 9.91 seconds
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 11.59 seconds
Chabuka Chigladze — 12.28 seconds
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 19.53 seconds
Shota Gogoberishvili — 3.8 meters
Jason Kamashidze — 0 meters
Arm Over Arm Pull
Arm Over Arm Pull was the penultimate event of the 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man competition. The task was to pull an SUV attached with a rope for a distance of 20 meters.
Konstantine Janashia has once again won this event, completing the task in just 25.66 seconds. His closest rival, Nikoloz Lekaidze, finished a massive 10 seconds behind him.
Konstantine Janashia — 24.66 seconds
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 34.12 seconds
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 36.41 seconds
Shota Gogoberishvili — 39.79 seconds
Chabuka Chigladze — 46 seconds
Jason Kamashidze — 46.81 seconds
Squat Lift
To wrap up the 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man, the athletes took on a machine which resembled the motion of a squat. It weighed 280 kilograms and the task was to perform as many reps as possible.
Konstantine Janashia had already secured his overall victory by the time of this event. So, he only walked out and performed one repetition. On the other hand, Nikoloz Lekaidze still gave his all and won the event with 12 reps.
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 12 reps
Chabuka Chigladze — 11 reps
Konstantine Janashia — 1 rep
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 0 reps
Shota Gogoberishvili — 0 reps
Jason Kamashidze — 0 reps
Related: Strongman Brian Shaw Shows Off Superhuman Strength By Rolling Up Frying Pan
The 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man proved that Konstantine Janashia is still one of the strongest men in the world, despite the fact that he wasn’t able to secure a place for himself in the 2023 WSM. Konstantine certainly gained a significant amount of confidence by winning this competition, and will endeavor to win more competitions in the future.
Published: 13 May, 2023 | 1:06 PM EDT
Strongman Brian Shaw Shows Off Superhuman Strength By Rolling Up Frying Pan
Legendary Strongman veteran Brian Shaw is nearing the end of his professional career after making his final appearance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man last month. During his career which has lasted over a decade, Brian has displayed some incredible feats of strength. However, he just decided to play around with some cooking utensils and amaze everyone with his strength once again. So, in a recent post made on Instagram, Shaw showed off his incredible power by banding and folding a frying pan with his bare hands.
Brian Shaw is one of the most successful athletes in the history of Strongman competition. However, it all started on the regional circuit in late 2005. Following this, Brian continued to work his way up, finally qualifying for the World’s Strongest Man show in 2008. His debut was not particularly successful, but Brian turned in a strong performance at his second WSM in 2009 having taken the bronze medal. Just two years later in 2011, Shaw cemented his place in the record books as the first man to win both the Arnold Strongman Classic and the WSM contest in the same year. He repeated the feat by winning both trophies once again in 2015. To this day, only Hafthor Bjornsson and Mitchell Hooper have managed to replicate this feat.
Brian Shaw (Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man)
In July 2022, Shaw unveiled the humongous gym he designed to train for Strongman events. The facility consisted of custom-made equipment to allow for the larger athletes to fit into the machines. Another purpose of the custom machinery was to be able to add more weight as well. While he made space for cardio equipment, he favored spending more time working on the weights. Then, after some practice, he left the fans in awe of his crazy strength by pushing a 2,000 pound (907.18-kg) car on the leg press in preparation for the 2022 Shaw Classic.
Shaw switched gears to test out a vegan diet last September. He managed to devour over 9,000 calories solely from vegan food items in a single day. Since he had been consuming a red meat-based diet, he reported trouble digesting the different plant-based items.
Earlier this year, Brian Shaw announced that the 2023 World’s Strongest Man would mark his final WSM appearance. He was confident going into the show and targeted adding another title under his belt to equal the record for the winningest athlete in the history of the competition. Then, he declared he would step away from professional competition after competing at the 2023 Shaw Classic.
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Unfortunately, Shaw revealed he suffered a harsh leg injury while gearing up for the 2023 World’s Strongest Man last month. He had picked up a severe infection that risked him losing his leg. Fortunately, the infection got operated on in time before it spread too much.
Eventually, Shaw finished seventh at the WSM, which concluded with the win of Mitchell Hooper. Shaw, however, set a new record on the stone-offs and appeared content with the performance.
Brian Shaw rolled up a frying pan with his bare hands
In a recent Instagram post, Brian Shaw destroyed a frying pan using only his bare hands. Brian performed this feat of strength in front of a bunch of school kids, hoping to inspire them to chase their goals. In addition, judging by the caption of his post, Brian folded multiple frying pans and gave them to the kids as a souvenir.
Brian Shaw opened up on completing his last WSM showing last week. He gave his experience of going through each event and urged the organizers to change the standards for refereeing.
Published: 12 May, 2023 | 6:25 PM EDT
Flex Lewis and Strongman Eddie Hall Destroy Brutal Arm Workout & Share Physique Updates
Known for some of the biggest biceps and triceps the 212 division has seen, Flex Lewis joined strongman Eddie Hall for a vicious arm workout. During the YouTube collaboration, Lewis guided Hall through a four-exercise routine that focused on technique and proper form.
Having led a career lasting over a decade in the IFBB Pro League, Flex Lewis separated himself from his peers with shocking muscle volume and granite conditioning. Employing grit and sheer determination, Lewis would capture a total of seven 212 Olympia titles consecutively. He proved himself against some of the division’s top names, such as Derek Lunsford, Shaun Clarida, and Jose Raymond.
Even though Lewis has redirected his focus away from bodybuilding, he still loves the sport and what it stands for. He routinely shares unique and thought-provoking training tips and sessions online. Given the footprint he left on the 212 division, fans listen when Lewis has something to say regarding exercise.
Eddie Hall, on the other hand, is a famous strongman competitor who built his career having attained a number of accolades and records. Hall was the 2017 World’s Strongest Man winner and temporarily held the all-time world deadlifting record of 500 kilograms until his nemesis Hafthor Bjornsson broke it with 501 kilograms in 2020.
In their latest undertaking, Lewis and Hall joined hands for a demanding arm workout, where the former seven-time 212 Olympia offered the strongman legend pointers on growing the biceps/triceps.
Flex Lewis & Eddie Hall Arm Workout List
“I think we’re going to smash arms — biceps and triceps — I’ve actually not done an arms session in a bodybuilding format yet, so this will be a good one,” said Eddie Hall.
After pushing through multiple sets of cable triceps pushdowns, Lewis gave his thoughts on training with Hall.
“Whatever you go from there, you already got 3 or 400 reps and this is – fu** I don’t care who it is, I’ve trained with Brian Shaw, a lot of strongmen, it’s just a different style of training,” said Lewis.
Next, the duo moved on to incline dumbbell skull crushers.
“Try and get your neutral grip, and fire in a really good stretch, I come off my shoulders, but start off with the front delts but then gradually take it as far back as you can,” explained Lewis.
Flex and Eddie followed up the session with machine triceps extensions.
For their final movement, Lewis and Hall performed a few sets of dumbbell biceps curls, a common staple in most arm workouts.
“Well, what you’re trying to do is just neutral to the side, pinky up, pinky up as much as you can and squeeze and just think of cupping like you’ve got nothing there right now, you’re just trying to squeeze like a nut in between, squeeze that gap. You’re trying to squeeze that bicep as much as you can.”
“Power, hit the neutral button, come up, and squeeze and slow down on the descent,” added Lewis. “Turn that wrist [to maximize the contraction].”
“He’s put more size on me in 30 minutes than I would have in two hours, to be honest,” said Hall.
“He’s the only guy probably in 10 years plus to see my top off, am I right?” said Flex Lewis.
After the two pushed each other throughout the session, the pump covers came off, and Lewis still appears to be in fantastic shape despite retiring one year ago. In a special one-on-one sit down with Steve Kuclo, Lewis said he would only follow through with a competitive return for a seven-figure deal.
Meanwhile, Eddie Hall continues to train while creating YouTube content. The last time fans heard from ‘The Beast,’ he took part in a fun reaction video where he offered his two cents on a handful of crazy gym fails.
Given the latest collaboration, it’s safe to say Flex Lewis hasn’t completely shut the door on a possible return. As for Hall, he’s appreciative of the techniques Lewis shared because they differ from the methods he would often use in strongman.
RELATED: Flex Lewis Gives Inside Look of his Stem Cell Treatment and ‘Path of Recovery’
Watch the full YouTube video from Flex Lewis’ channel below:
Published: 10 May, 2023 | 5:31 PM EDT
Jay Cutler Draws Similarity to Brian Shaw, Talks 2023 Pittsburgh Pro: ‘Derek’s Going to Wow People Again’
Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler moved on from professional competition years ago but always has his finger on the pulse of the sport. He’s not lost his passion for fitness and is currently working towards a body transformation challenge. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Cutler talked about his similarities to Strongman icon Brian Shaw and shared his thoughts on the upcoming 2023 Pittsburgh Pro and lowering his carb intake to get leaner for the ‘Fit for 50’ challenge.
Jay Cutler first made headlines for his insane muscle mass, size, and overall proportion as a Men’s Open competitor in the IFBB Pro League in 1999. He racked up three Arnold Classic titles and graced the covers of several magazines in the early 2000s. His fierce rivalry with legendary bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman elevated his star power.
Cutler fell short of the eight-time Mr. Olympia on four occasions before finally securing his maiden Sandow trophy in 2006. He added a successful title defense the following year and reclaimed the title in 2009 by dethroning Dexter Jackson. With four Olympia wins under his belt, Cutler hung up his posing trunks after a final appearance in 2013.
Jay Cutler And Brian Shaw
Earlier this year, Cutler gave his take on using steroids and cycling on and off gear to achieve the results he wanted. However, he stressed the importance of being consistent with training and nutrition to sculpt the ideal physique regardless.
The 49-year-old offered some of his best workout tips on developing a gigantic chest two months ago. He recommended feeling the contraction in each movement and laid out the exercises he liked to utilize for the training session. He’s currently gearing up for the ‘Fit for 50’ body transformation challenge he set for himself. He shared an impressive physique update where he showed off his monstrous package as part of the challenge.
Jay Cutler draws a likeness to legendary Strongman Brian Shaw
In a recent YouTube video, Jay Cutler found similarities between Strongman legend Brian Shaw and himself after the 2023 WSM.
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Legendary strongman Brian Shaw is one of the most successful strength competitors of all time. He won four World’s Strongest Man contests (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016) and competed in the finals of the competition for a historic 16 times. He stands as the fourth most decorated strongman in history with 26 titles.
Shaw was last seen in action at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man a month ago. He revealed he contracted an infection that resulted in him nearly losing his leg while getting ready for the event. He detailed how he overcame the setback and identified the infection as a severe case of leg cellulitis. Fortunately, he recovered in time and made his way to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the show.
The 41-year-old completed his final WSM showing with a record-breaking performance on the Stone-Off to get his entry into the finals. In the end, he finished the event in seventh place. Following the result, Shaw admitted age may have factored into his performance and called for a change in the format of the show last week.
“It sounds like he’s got a lot of great things going on that his transition will be similar to mine,” said Cutler. “It’s kind of funny because we have a lot of similarities in our career, four times champ, and I finished six my last. So when you were saying he finished seventh I was like I got six the last one.”
Matt: “We always joke about that. There’s Brian Shaw and Jay Cutler, both got three Arnolds. You guys are so alike. Me being around both of you I see the similarities, it’s almost eerie. It’s like he’s the Strongman version of you.”
Coleman was left stunned after watching some of Shaw’s most insane lifts in Strongman contests earlier this month.
Cutler shares his expectations for the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro
Many of the top Men’s Open contenders will take their talents to the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro for guest posing appearances, including Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford, fellow standout Nick Walker, former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, and freshly minted Arnold Classic champ Samson Dauda.
Jay Cutler believes Ramy has the most pressure on his shoulders given his dethroning at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and expects Lunsford to make a statement another time after his previous Pittsburgh Pro showing last year.
“I think Derek’s going to wow people again. I think Nick’s on a mission. I saw he’s starting prep. Will Ramy show up and what will he look like? I think that’s the big question. I think Ramy will be big as hell and Samson will be big. We’ve seen some pictures of him. He’s going to scare some people. So, I think Ramy will be huge, Samson will be huge, Nick will be huge, Derek will be crazy and better condition than last year because he’s going to have more muscle.”
“I expect the house to come down man. I wish I was going to be there.”
Derek Lunsford Posing At The 2022 Pittsburgh Pro
Cutler reveals goal for ‘Fit for 50’ challenge
Jay Cutler opened up on his ambitions for the ‘Fit for 50’ challenge. While he has no intentions of coming back to competition, his aim is to get leaner.
“I’m making a priority to get my workouts in so I eat one meal. I haven’t done cardio fasted I stopped doing that. I did a little bit after training today so I try to get the training in to get in front of everything else so it’s done.
“That’s what I kinda dealt with when I downsized. That’s the difference like I look good in certain but in my back the muscle’s not filling out the skin so I feel like sometimes when I stand I have little folds and stuff. I’m hoping that what’s going to do over this time of dieting, it’s going to shrink that a little bit but also give me a little more fullness to the muscle where I don’t really want to get a lot bigger but I really think the nutrition is going to play the key in this and having enough protein and obviously carbohydrates mixed in there but I’m trying to scale back. I would like to do a little lower carbs even though I was a huge carb advocate just because I got bigger on that where I’m not trying to be bigger. I’m just trying to be leaner so that’s kinda the goal by the time I finish this thing.”
Jay Cutler is confident he could significantly improve his physique with proper nutrition, training, and only using TRT (testosterone replacement therapy). Last month, he compared his training style to that of six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates. In stark contrast to Cutler’s volume-heavy approach, Yates would push himself to near failure each time he worked out.
Last week, Cutler identified a need to add volume in certain areas of his physique. He’s been consuming a high-protein diet along with regular workouts to achieve the goal.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 10 May, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT
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
Brian Shaw Breaks Silence After His Final Appearance at 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Legendary Strongman Brian Shaw is widely considered to be one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. The four-time World’s Strongest Man recorded some insane lifts over the year, breaking multiple records and becoming an inspiration for many people. He was last seen in action at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, which took place on April 19-23, in South Carolina. It did not go as well as he hoped, but in a recent video posted on YouTube, Shaw shared his thoughts on his final appearance at the competition.
Brian Shaw grew up playing basketball in his younger years and found a passion for lifting heavy weights while training to succeed in one of the most famous ball sports in the World. He kicked off his professional career as a Strongman at the Denver Strongest Man show in 2005. His WSM debut, however, came in 2008, while he also managed to land the third place on the podium the next year. In 2011, Shaw won the coveted WSM title and created history by becoming the first athlete to win both the WSM and the Arnold Strongman Classic in the same year. He repeated the feat by winning both titles in 2015 as well.
Brian Shaw (Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man)
Shaw launched the inaugural Shaw Classic competition and scored gold in December 2020. He then started working on improving his training facilities and gave the fans a look into his massive new gym in July of last year. The equipment was modified to hold more weight and allow him and other contenders to fit in them. Then, he showed off his crazy strength by leg-pressing a 2,000-lb car in preparation for the 2022 Shaw Classic.
Brian Shaw also experimented with his eating process and switched out his usual diet to try a vegan one last September. Shaw wolfed down 9,000 calories from vegan food for a single day. He admitted he could never replace red meat from his diet and reported feeling uneasy due to the sudden change. A few weeks later, Shaw opened up about his reasons for not attempting a 500-kg (1,102.3-lb) deadlift at the height of his powers.
Speaking of Brian Shaw’s diet, the Trifecta CEO Greg Connolly spilled the beans on what it takes to feed the giant athlete. Connolly revealed it cost his firm over $60,000 per year to fuel Shaw.
Shaw teamed up with fellow icon Eddie Hall for a brutal shoulder workout last November. They collaborated again for a comical lower-body training session days later. However, as the start of a new season took place, Brian Shaw announced his plans to move on from elite competitions. He revealed the 2023 WSM would mark his last appearance at the competition. As for his final showing, Shaw will step away after participating in the upcoming 2023 Shaw Classic.
During the build-up to the contest, Shaw laid out how he nearly lost his leg after picking up an injury a few months ago. Fortunately, he was able to recover and get on track for the event. He detailed his battle with leg cellulitis that affected his ability to do basic tasks.
He completed his final appearance at the 2023 WSM, where he turned in a sensational performance at the stone-off and finished seventh overall.
Brian Shaw breaks silence on last appearance at 2023 World’s Strongest Man
In a recent YouTube video, Brian Shaw shared his thoughts on his final appearance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man. He started by praising the other contenders before breaking down his performance.
“First and foremost I want to congratulate the guys that were at the top. Mitchell Hooper on winning, Tom Stoltman on second, and Oleksii Novikov on third,” said Shaw. “They performed very well and deserve to be up there on that podium. I know there were some questions about my leg, we put out some videos. I want to say my leg was not a factor as far as the competition goes on and really played no role. I did have to overcome that but it was in the rear view mirror by the time we competed so it did not play a role.
“I was ready to go I was dialed in, felt good, got my group definitely a tough group and I feel like all of these groups this year were tough in the qualifiers. I felt like I performed very well. I won two events, tied for first in the deadlift which I was happy about. The loading medley, third place really not that bad. I could’ve improved a couple different things maybe kinda got a couple seconds faster which may have changed one point there. In the end that might have been a big point but I really feel like the event I was disappointed with. The qualifiers was Conan’s Wheel, ended up in fifth place, I was going out last so I knew exactly what I had to do. I was so focused on getting my grip right and getting my feet in the right position and getting my pickup right. I just forgot to take that big breath that you need to take on a Conan’s wheel before you take off and start. I realized that about a quarter of the way into the first turn I just didn’t have much air. I opened myself up to not winning the group with that performance.”
Shaw talks about his historic stone-off & calls for a change in the format
He shared his mindset going into the stone-off battles for landing a spot in the finals. He argued against the current format as it puts those athletes at a disadvantage.
“I wish I could’ve found that extra half a point to win the group because I had to go into a stone off with Ronald. I knew he was one of the guys who you don’t want to get in a stone off situation. He can lift a lot so going into that stone off I had to really tap into a spot mentally and then get into a spot physically that I wanted to save for the final I did not want to tap into that in the qualifiers.”
“It was easy for me but the after effects of being in that stone off were probably more of a death sentence in this World’s Strongest Man competition. Then, I realized at the moment and I have to remember this is the first time that I’ve really been involved in a stone off. I obviously always disagreed with it. I always felt like it put the athletes that had to compete in the stone off at a massive disadvantage, especially if they had to do a big number of reps because your recovery before the final is challenging enough. Even with every effort I tried to put into recovering and being ready to go for the final. I just wasn’t able to recover. In hindsight, that’s really and truly what it kind of came down to for me. My training, the numbers I put up here were very good. I was very confident about walking into WSM and putting on a great show. I felt I was fully capable of winning WSM, especially with the events we had in the final.”
Brian Shaw believes his age may have factored in; analyzes day two
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Brian Shaw believes the age gap with other athletes may have played into his recovery. He also gave his take on the second day of the contest.
“My game plan was to set the tone in the fingers be able to know how many reps I needed to pull in the deadlift and then be able to kind of dictate my distance. Instead of going in that order because of the rain they put the shield carry out first and then we did deadlift and then Fingal fingers so I had to deal with but so did the others.”
“I’m not sure if it was a fatigue factor or just coming out of the gate a little bit quick but I feel I burned up pretty quick and was only able to make it to about 40 meters which I knew was not going to be good enough for a good result in that event. So, I definitely got frustrated with that and tried my best to kind of put that behind me.”
“So finished with four fingers and I knew at that moment that was a big blow to my chances of being toward the top of WSM finishing toward the top. So I just had to kind of take a moment, go out, and sit by myself a little bit, and know the frustration was high. The disappointment was high.”
“Looking back my sleep not as good as it should have been. That was definitely a thing. I was not sleeping well and don’t know if that was the bed, my brain not turning off me not calming down.”
“When I had to do that stone off obviously it hurt me from a recovery standpoint work output standpoint and the simple fact is I am for a lot of these guys that are in the final I’m more than 10 years older than them, some of them closer to 15 years older than them. As much as I hate to say and admit it, it’s probably going to be harder for me to recover in that condensed period.”
“Day two of the finals, I kinda had to regroup. My training results were good in the warm-up. I could definitely tell the dumbbells felt heavier and that’s never something you want to feel. For it to feel heavier than it should, it definitely was an indicator I was tired again you strap it on. You go out, do what you can do, result was not what I wanted.
“Going into the bus pull, I love any type of heavy pull so I was hoping it would be hard heavy and it was definitely was anything but that. There was seven competitors that were separated by less than a second so that’s a massive indicator that it was too light and especially for WSM, it’s not good, it has to be a lot heavier. That was a massive letdown.”
“Going into stones, with this being my last WSM, I wanted to go out and put on a great show, give it everything I had and I did do that. I could tell from the first stone it was just way harder than it should have been far as carrying the stones in getting them loaded. The glutes and hamstrings just were not there.”
Shaw urged for changing refereeing standards
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Brian Shaw called for a stricter standard for the head judge while criticizing the conduct in specific events.
“I truly hope they do in the future make it more of a pure competition. Another thing I wanted to talk about is the refereeing. It has not been at a standard that it should be at. A lot of people have pointed at the max dumbbell. It’s never the athlete’s fault. I think there needs to be a level in strongman and I’m certainly not the one that’s making the choices about who the head referee is. But if I was I’d be taking a hard look at the head referee.”
“I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t disappointed with my performance overall. I didn’t perform up to my capabilities but with everything that came with the competition what I had to fight through. I can honestly say that I gave it everything I had its was not for a lack of effort or trying. I think that at the end of the day I can only look at myself. If I say stone off took a lot out of me, I should’ve figured out a way in the qualifier to get another half point so I stayed out of that. I didn’t have to do that so again falls back completely on me. But it’s disappointing to go to WSM with that after the prep I had. I wasn’t able to fully put that on display and show everybody.”
He wasn’t satisfied with his performance and will be gearing up for the Shaw Classic.
“It’s tough to end my career at WSM with that performance but again it’s something that was special in so many different ways.”
“I am moving on. My next and final competition will be the Shaw Classic in Colorado in August. I’m excited about it.”
Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman reacted to some of Brian Shaw’s craziest lifts in Strongman competitions earlier this week. He was left stunned by Shaw’s unreal strength.
Brian Shaw stands as the fourth-winningest strongman with 26 international competition wins under his belt. He will look to add another accolade when he competes at the Shaw Classic later this year.
You can watch the full video below.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 5 May, 2023 | 5:21 PM EDT
Eddie Hall Reacts to Hilarious Gym Fails: ‘Nearly Crushed Her Head & Died’
Strongman legend Eddie Hall carved his own space in strength sports and fitness-related activities. While he no longer competes professionally, he stays connected with the community as a revered figure. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Hall shared his reaction to some crazy gym fails.
Eddie Hall started out participating in regional and national Strongman shows in 2010. After coming out on top of his debut contest (England’s Strongest Man), Hall became confident about his chances in the sport. He dominated the British circuit, winning six UK’s Strongest Man titles and five Britain’s Strongest Man honors. He earned his maiden qualification to the World’s Strongest Man contest in 2012.
Hall set several World Records, including the 462-kg (1,019-lb) deadlift in Mar. 2015, the 465-kg (1,025-lb) Elephant Bar deadlift in Mar. 2016, and the epic 500-kg (1,102-lb) conventional deadlift in Strongman rules in Jul. 2016. He finally secured the World’s Strongest Man title by edging out fellow icon Hafthor Bjornsson in 2017. Following the win, Hall indicated his plans to move on from competition.
’The Beast’ switched to boxing for a single bout after getting challenged by Bjornsson, who broke his deadlift World Record. The rivals clashed inside the boxing ring with Bjornsson getting the nod on the judges’ scorecards. In Aug. 2022, Hall laid out his full day of eating ahead of a planned return for the 2022 Giants Live World’s Strongest Nation.
Earlier this year, Eddie Hall announced his ambitions to compete in bodybuilding in 2024 after taking inspiration from former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay and reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympia champ Chris Bumstead. He’s confident he could perform well if he cut down his body fat. He joined forces with Jamie Christian-Johal for an intense back training session weeks later. The duo struck a strong partnership and regrouped for another grueling chest workout three months ago. Then, he continued to improve his physique for bodybuilding with a fierce back workout.
Hall reflected on his glittering career a few weeks ago. He revealed consuming 20,000 calories in a single day while maintaining a diet of 12,500 to 15,000 calories every day at the height of his powers. He credited his recovery process for leading him to become the World’s Strongest Man.
Eddie Hall reacts to hilarious gym fails
In a recent YouTube video, Eddie Hall shared his reaction to some crazy gym fails, including accidents, mishaps, and dangerously improper reps.
“What’s going to happen here?” said Hall. “Oh my god! Literally her trainer came off the foot and she nearly crushed her head onto her knee, nearly died. That is horrendous.”
“Oh! Did you see that? Her whole knee broke. Her whole one came out the socket for a split second. I don’t know what went on there.”
“The most sketchy rep I’ve ever seen. Oh my god! Ewww, oh dear! Put it down. Put it down. Just put it down. No, let go!”
Eddie Hall partnered with bodybuilding legend and four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler for a brutal upper-body training session two months ago. Cutler lauded Hall for his work ethic while mentoring him through the back workout. Then, Hall collaborated with powerlifting sensation Larry Wheels for a taxing shoulder workout two months ago. Both strength sports veterans are gearing up to make a splash in bodybuilding.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 4 May, 2023 | 10:47 PM EDT
2023 WSM Mitchell Hooper Shares ‘Non-Negotiable’ Supplements, Alcohol & Sugar for Recovery
Canadian strongman star Mitchell Hooper is one of the fastest-growing athletes in the game. He’s coming off a sensational performance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, where he won the coveted title two weeks ago. He managed to do that by optimizing his recovery and training process. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Hooper shared his thoughts on which supplements to consume and the effect of alcohol and sugar on recovery.
Mitchell Hooper first made headlines for his insane feats of strength in 2022. He got the opportunity to participate in that year’s World’s Strongest Man competition after veteran strongman Rauno Heinla pulled out. Hooper made the most of the chance as he defeated legend Brian Shaw in the qualifying stages of the event. Although he did not finish on the podium, his debut was a sign of things to come.
Hooper was working hard in the training room for other competitions following his maiden WSM appearance. He also got the chance to compete in other prestigious Strongman competitions due to this in insane debut performance. So, he also showed off his crazy strength by smoking a 695-pound squat for a 5-rep PR in preparation for the 2022 Rogue Invitational last September. He made a statement in his next showing at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK, where he defeated the likes of former champion Oleksii Novikov. Then, he scored gold at the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals a few weeks later.
In November 2022, Hooper set his eyes on the Rogue Invitational title. He turned in a dominant performance, setting the new Dinnie Stones Hold World Record on his way to victory. His first year of competition established him as one of the most promising contenders in the sport.
Mitchell Hooper (Credit: Todd Burandt / World’s Strongest Man)
Mitchell Hooper continued to improve in the gym and set a new two-rep PR of 350-kg (771.6-lb) on the raw squat earlier this year. He then kicked the season off with a commanding victory at the 2023 Australia’s Strongest International show weeks later. However, Hooper did not stop there, having recorded a raw deadlift PR of 420-kg (925.9-lb) in training a few days after the win.
The 27-year-old educated his audience on the technique of performing a loading medley and front carry exercises, thus becoming even more likeable among the fans. Then, Hooper gave fans a look into a lower body training session in preparation for the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic. His workouts were clearly very effective, seeing how Hooper extended his winning streak by securing the prestigious title in Colombus, Ohio.
Hooper was last seen in action at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, which took place Apr. 19-23 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He got the lead early on the first day and managed to retain his spot in a close-fought battle on day two. In the end, Hooper emerged victorious and won the title in only his second WSM appearance.
Mitchell Hooper offers tips on supplements & recovery
In a recent YouTube video, Mitchell Hooper shared his thoughts on the necessary supplements to take.
“Creatine, non-negotiable, protein powder, non-negotiable, if you can’t get it through food which most of us can’t, and pre workout if you’d like it, if it makes you feel energized go for it,” said Hooper. “But in terms of the multivitamins, I need or I’m minority deficient in this and macro doses of Vitamin C, it’s just not supported when it comes to performance all that much so focus on a varied diet.”
“After workout is best but we get to the point where it’s statistical significance versus practical significance. Meaning that they’ll have enough people in a study and study it long enough that they’ll report a difference but the difference is statistically significant but makes no difference to the actual reality of things. For me, I take it the first thing in the morning just because that’s when I remember to take it.”
He stressed the importance of optimizing recovery after intense training.
“It’s tough. Treat it as an individual and learn how to monitor yourself. For me, number one is I’ll get irritable and so if I notice I’m getting irritable, I know I need to sleep. I know if I don’t sleep I do really poorly. Sleep needs to be number one for me. Nutrition isn’t something that has to come and go. That’s not really a negotiation. Life stress, how much control do you have over that? It just becomes like how much sleep you can get and maximize it. If you’re not recovering well, think about taking a deload week, taking a couple of easy sessions.”
Hooper advocates moderate use of sugar & alcohol
Mitchell Hooper believes sugar and alcohol could fit into the athletes’ diet without any adverse effects if consumed in moderation. In fact, after one of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition days concluded, Hooper was seen with a bear in his hand since it helped him sleep better.
“I don’t think sugar is a particular vice per se because it’s some of the most useful fuel we can have. I think putting it always in the context of fuel is important because sugar during a workout can be highly useful if you can tolerate that. In terms of alcohol, from a health perspective, it’s more healthy to have up to 8 drinks a week than to not so long as those eight drinks are spread over the week. So how much of a vice is it really? It comes down to general responsibility. When it comes to the evidence, it’s not the end of the world. I drink probably more now than I ever have, not that much but still. Before carbs, I’ll have a couple of beers because that helps me get to sleep better.”
“If you drink alcohol and that stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system because you’re having a quiet night at home, having a glass of wine and that’s what you enjoy, it could actually benefit your recovery even though the alcohol itself is poor, which is a completely different conversation than you’re at the club having a piss up. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with moderation for either of those.”
Mitchell Hooper utilized a bodybuilding style training routine for his first workout after winning the 2023 WSM a week ago. While he did not feel terribly sore, he enjoyed the lower-intensity training that helped boost his endurance and pump.
He opened up about his experience competing at the show a few days ago. He identified a need to develop a proper ruleset while detailing his analysis of the competition.
Hooper made history by becoming the first Canadian to win the WSM title. Based on his track record, it certainly appears he has a bright future ahead in competition.
You can watch the full video below.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 4 May, 2023 | 5:15 PM EDT
Strongwoman Rhianon Lovelace Hits 320-kg (705-lb) 15-inch Axle Deadlift; 5x Her Bodyweight
Rhianon Lovelace is having the greatest year of her career so far, breaking records month after month. Thus, she is now motivated to continue her streak and focuses on improving her deadlift. After setting numerous world records in this event, Lovelace now hopes to make history. Thus, she recently locked out a massive 320-kilogram (705-pound) 15-inch Axle Deadlift in training. Rhianon shared the lift to Instagram and revealed some massive plans about her future.
Rhianon Lovelace performed the 320-kilogram (705-pound) 15-inch Axle deadlift with a pair of lifting straps, a deadlift suit, and a lifting belt. While this massive weight would be impressive for everyone, it is particularly impressive for Rhianon since she weighs 64 kilograms (141.1 pounds). Based on this, Rhianon’s recent deadlift was 5x her bodyweight.
“5x Bodyweight starting to feel not horrendous.”
Watch the lift here:
Related: Strongwoman Rhianon Lovelace Pulls Off Atlas Stone “One-Motion” Nearly 2x Her Bodyweight
Rhianon Lovelace completed the 320-kilogram (705-pound) 15-inch Axle deadlift in preparation for the 2023 Static Monsters World Championships. This competition is set to take place on July 29-30, in London, England. So, Rhianon will further improve by the time it comes.
In addition, Rhianon Lovelace has revealed what she hopes to accomplish this year. Seeing how she locked out 700 pounds (317.5 kilograms) on an 18-inch deadlift last year, she now hopes to further improve it. So, this year, Rhianon hopes to achieve an 800-pound (362.9-pound) 18-inch deadlift. In light of her low bodyweight, this would be mind-blowing.
“I set the Record for Biggest Deadlift in Statics (18″ Axle) in October at alittle over 700lb.This year Im chasing 800lb???LETS DO THIS?”
Rhianon Lovelace has set the Axle Press, Atlas Stone, and Strict Curl World Records this year already. However, this is just a snippet of what she has accomplished during the previous years. Rhianon broke deadlift records in every variation possible and won the greatest competitions in the world. That is why she earned the title of 2018 & 2022 U64KG World’s Strongest Woman.
In addition, Rhianon Lovelace was also crowned as the Pound-For-Pound World’s Strongest Woman before. She did so by taking part and coming out victorious in Eddie Hall’s Log Press and Deadlift challenge.
Rhianon Lovelace is also an experienced powerlifter, which is probably why her deadlift abilities are so great. During her 8-year-long powerlifting career, Rhianon Lovelace took part in 20 sanctioned competitions and won all of them.
Related: Rhianon Lovelace Wins the First-Ever Arnold Strongwoman Log Lift and Deadlift Championship UK
As she begins the new season, Rhianon Lovelace has an extremely busy schedule ahead of her. However, if everything goes according to plan, she will be able to build on her reputation and leave a lasting legacy. She is giving her all to achieve this difficult task, which is clear by the way that she is training. So, her 320-kilogram (705-pound) 15-inch Axle deadlift is not only proof of her strength, but also her determination.
Published: 3 May, 2023 | 12:03 PM EDT
Strongman Nicolas Cambi Locks Out Massive 427-lb Push Press By Using Tsunami Bar
As everyone knows by now, the sport of Strongman is highly unconventional in the majority of its core exercises. So, the best way to prepare for the unpredictable challenges which might appear in competitions is to also train unconventionally. Nicolas Cambi was doing just that recently, having performed a humongous Push Press of 427 pounds (193.6 kilograms), but by using a tsunami barbell instead of a standard one.
Nicolas Cambi organized his own seminar in Sacramento, California where he asked the attendees if they wanted to see him lift some heavy weights on a specific exercise. Thus, wanting to see something spectacular, the people decided that Cambi should perform a push press with a tsunami barbell.
Tsunami barbell is a quite specific addition to the assortment of interesting barbells in strength sports. It is made in a way which allows it to bend, or more specifically flexibly oscillate during the movement. So, it makes every movement with it much more difficult, as it requires an extra stabilizing effort.
Equipped with just some elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, and a lifting belt, Nicolas Cambi easily lifted the massive weight of 427 pounds (193.6 kilograms), impressing everyone at the seminar as well as those who watched the lift on Instagram.
Watch Nicolas Cambi’s lift here:
Related: Josh Silvas And Nicolas Cambi Win America’s Strongest Man And America’s Strongest 105kg Man
Nicolas Cambi’s Tsunami Bar Push Press is impressive for multiple reasons.
One of the most obvious features of his performance is his display of shoulder strength, however, it is also important to note how much core strength he required to stabilize the lift after lockout.
Seeing how Nicolas Cambi’s Tsunami Bar Push Press looked very interesting, some people in the comments expressed their desire to see it in Strongman competitions. One of those is the 2019 World’s Strongest Man, Martins Licis, who left a comment under Cambi’s post.
“That needs to be an event” wrote Licis.
Nicolas Cambi is not too active as a Strongman competitor, but he does not take his foot off the gas in regard to his training. He is known as one of the greatest U105KG Strongman athletes in the world. He established this in 2021 when he won the U105KG WSM.
Overall, Nicolas Cambi has competed in six International competitions and won two of them. He also previously set the U105KG Heavy Dumbbell World Record of 285 pounds, the Block Press World Record of 311.9 pounds, and the Log Lift World Record of 412.3 pounds.
Related: Ronnie Coleman Reacts to Brian Shaw’s Most Insane Strongman Lifts: ‘Holy Sh*t’
Nicolas Cambi has spent his recent time organizing seminars and teaching other people how to become greater Strongman athletes. It is not clear if he plans on continuing this way or shifting his focus to professional competitions. Either way, he is still one of the strongest men in the world, which is evident by his 427-pound Tsunami Bar Push Press.
Published: 3 May, 2023 | 9:25 AM EDT