Tag: Strongman
CrossFit vs Bodybuilding vs Powerlifting – Which One Should You Be Doing?
Choose Between The Three Heavyweights: Crossfit vs Bodybuilding vs Powerlifting
A person has many options to choose from when they decide they need to work on their health and fitness. Bodybuilding and powerlifting are relatively old sports as compared to CrossFit which has earned a loyal following and is spreading like wildfire.
While you could be the jack of all trades and can do CrossFit, bodybuilding, and powerlifting, you won’t see much progression in any of them. Choosing one sport and sticking with it will get you better results and mastery over it.
If you’re about to start your fitness journey or are thinking of making a switch between the sports, this article will help you learn more about the three sports. All the three sports have fundamentally different purposes and you need to choose the one which matches your goals.
CrossFit
If you’re someone who is into functional movements, CrossFit is the right fit for you. CrossFit is a high-intensity training program which helps people of all sizes and shapes build strength and conditioning.
According to CrossFit’s official website, “CrossFit contends that a person is as fit as they are proficient in each of ten general physical skills: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy.”
CrossFit is different from bodybuilding and powerlifting as it is more accepting and encouraging. In CrossFit people usually workout in groups and follow a WOD (workout of the day). CrossFit gyms are radically different from commercial gyms as they don’t have any ellipticals, treadmills or weight training machines.
Bodybuilding
The main purpose of bodybuilding is to build muscle mass. Bodybuilders undergo high-intensity resistance training to build muscle and conditioning. If you’re a fan of the muscle aesthetics, bodybuilding is for you.
Bodybuilding first came into the limelight when Arnold Schwarzenegger, a 7X Mr. Olympia, made his Hollywood debut. Bodybuilding is the art of sculpting your body. You can work on your body and bring up your lagging muscle groups.
Bodybuilding primarily deals with building muscle mass and strength. As compared to CrossFit and powerlifting, bodybuilding is the most popular sport and you have a gym with weight lifting and cardio equipment on almost every block.
Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a test of strength and deals with lifting heavy weights on the three compound movements the bench press, deadlifts, and squats. Many people confuse powerlifting with strongman and Olympic lifting.
While powerlifting consists of the three compound movements, strongman is a wide-ranging sport. Strongman competitions challenge your strength and endurance and include events like log presses, truck pulling, keg lifts, etc.
Olympic lifting or weightlifting, on the other hand, consists of two lifts, snatch and clean and jerks. Snatch and clean and jerk are exercises you might have seen athletes perform during the Olympic games.
The main focus of powerlifting is to get stronger and lift heavier weights. A competitive powerlifter is always training to beat his own PR. If you have a knack for lifting heavy weights and enjoy doing it, powerlifting is the sport for you.
While all the three sports have different purposes, all of them require discipline in the form of training, nutrition and recovery.
Which of these three sports do you follow? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
A Strongman Guide To Diet & Proper Food Intake For Max Gains
Continue seeing Strongman gains with this diet guide.
You as a strongman clearly have a lot going on. Not only do you have to lift big weight, but you also have to consider the fact that your sport is also quite cardio-based. That means your training must be tailored to a multi-faceted style of sport. What this also means is so too does your diet. Unlike a bodybuilder, you aren’t trying to nail down a shredded aesthetic. You’re aiming to pack on that muscle and get as big as possible while also moving as functionally as possible. And that can be tricky.
With the right diet, however, you start to give yourself the energy to power through absolutely any workout. Along with the wear and tear of daily life, those worries about finding the right diet and maintaining a healthy overall lifestyle can be a thing of the past. And as you start to compete more and more, you’ll start to find your groove and routines, including those of your diet. Plus, you will find those others foods you love to incorporate into your plan even more.
Let’s take a look at a Strongman guide to diet and what it takes to get enough food for proper intake. The right amount of macros and other micronutrients can work wonders for all your gains and give you the best nutrients possible to see those Strongman gains and results you need to most.
Size & Performance
The challenge for strongmen is that their sport requires them to focus on both size and strength, as well as functional performance. You can be massive beyond belief, but if you can’t move well, those medley events aren’t going to go so well for you. On the flip side, you can be as agile as possible and still lack strength, losing all momentum on those Atlas stones. The fine line happens when you have to train for both strength, size, and athletic performance. So, while your training is obviously imperative, so too is your diet and your ability to balance all of this into one effective Strongman routine.
Let’s Talk Strongman Macros
When it comes to the amount of macronutrients you consume, you want to make sure you are obviously getting enough of all three. While protein and carbs seem like a no brainer, and of course you aren’t watching your physique like a bodybuilder, fats are huge for giving you cognitive function and energy, especially with those events that include both heavy lifting and cardio-based work.
Let’s take a look at why each of these macros are so important and we’ll give you insight into some key foods from those categories so you can plan a great Strongman diet.
Protein
Protein will absolutely be essential as this is a source of muscle. Protein is the building block of muscle so you would be neglecting your gains if you decided to neglect protein (1). You want to recover also, and the right amount of protein will help repair those worn down muscles.
Great sources of protein include:
Steak
Chicken
Salmon
Whey Protein
Eggs
Carbs
Carbs are a great source of energy and without them, you start to feel quite lethargic and low on that vital energy. As an athlete you need carbs and making sure these carbs are the right carbs can make all the different for your training and performance (2).
Great sources of carbs include:
Sweet Potato
Oatmeal
Pasta
Granola & Cereal
Fats
Fats used to have that negative connotation with it, but good fats will promote heart and brain health while aiding in energy and cognitive functioning for the best gains. As an athlete needing to remember so many details about certain events, it is no wonder why fats are essential for boosting cognition in a Strongman diet (3).
Great sources of fats include:
Avocado
Peanut Butter
Various Nuts
How About The Rest Of Those Nutrients
While macronutrients are imperative for any person, not just athletes and let alone a strongman, there are some key nutrients and other foods to heavily consider as you look to optimize this diet as best you can.
Leafy green vegetables along with other vegetables, including but not limited to spinach, broccoli, carrots, and red peppers, are full of vitamins and minerals and will greatly help with your digestive process. In terms of fruits, you want a food rich in vitamins and antioxidants (4), while also having a food with that natural sugar to give you a sweet taste. We’ll get into supplements and the benefits of a great multivitamin, but at least when it comes to fruits, this is a sure-fire way to get all those nutrients taken care of in a whole foods way.
What About Supplementation?
Training and a good diet plan will take you far, but when it comes down to it, a good supplementation plan is exactly what you need. As a Strongman, looking to those supplements that are more geared towards increasing strength, size, and a real bulk can be absolute game changers. These would include anything like creatine, mass gainers, and protein powders.
Creatine supplements are great for increasing strength and size by increasing blood flow through your muscles (5). As a result, you will pack on that lean muscle mass and change your body composition. A mass gainer will be a protein and carb packed supplement for you to take literally to gain mass. As a Strongman, this is exactly what you need and mass gainers will help get you there. Of course, we all know what a great protein powder can do for your gains in terms of muscle growth and recovery (6). For more of a bulking powder, potentially consider a whey concentrate as this will contain carbs and fat as opposed to its filtered counter part in whey isolate.
Wrap Up
You as a Strongman have a full plate. Cardio, strength work, a proper diet, and the right supplements. But at the end of the day, when all of this falls into place, it will start to work wonders for you. Definitely put a priority on your Strongman diet because this can make or break those gains which lead to those desired results.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Pasiakos, S.; et al. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Jequier, E. (1994). “Carbohydrates as a source of energy”. (source)
Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School (2019). “The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between”. (source)
Blasa, M.; et al. (2010). “Fruit and Vegetable Antioxidants in Health”. (source)
Kreider, R. (2003). “Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations”. (source)
Pasiakos, S.; et al. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Jay Cutler Believes He Could Eat Brian Shaw’s Diet, Discusses Strongman and Bodybuilding
Jay Cutler and Brian Shaw recently got together for an interview to discuss their crafts.
Jay Cutler and Brian Shaw are two wildly popular names that have been successful in different areas. Cutler is one of the best bodybuilders of all time while Shaw earned many victories in strongman. It goes without saying that if the two get together for an interview, it would be a must-watch event.
This happened recently as the two shared the microphone for a Q&A. The full video can be found on Shaw’s YouTube page. Shaw and Cutler discussed many topics from each of their crafts to diet plans.
As a strongman, Brian Shaw is used to taking in a large amount of calories to build strength. As a bodybuilder, Jay Cutler is used to eating frequently and said he would have no problem eating Shaw’s diet.
“One hundred percent. I heard what you eat. I thought it was a lot more than what I expected. I think we have a lot of similarities, like buying cows and eating how many eggs we eat, and whatnot. Listen, you definitely had a little more higher of a fat diet than I did, but I think our carbohydrates, your protein was a little more, but the body weight, if I weighed as much as you, being over 400, me, I was barely pushing over 300, I think that I would have the metabolism to eat that much,” Cutler said.
Cutler continues to say that he ate more than probably 90% of bodybuilders. While the amount of food was massive for each athlete, there were not many other similarities. Bodybuilding and strongman have clear distinctions so it is always interesting to think about if athletes could transition from one to the other.
This is something that Cutler also touched on. The four-time Olympia champion was asked who would do better during their primes — Cutler as a strongman or Shaw performing as a bodybuilder.
“Man, that’s a tough question. See, the thing that’s going to be hard, I think it goes both ways, I’m short right, and you’re really tall for bodybuilding. Lou Ferrigno was 6’5, and he had a hard time even competing at 300lb, to really compare. So I think it would be really tough for you to stand on stage. Of course, you carry a ton of size, but to lean down, I mean, you still need to be 350lb or more. With strongman, I mean I think I’d be limited with as short as I am,” Jay Cutler said.
Cutler admits that there are some serious differences and aspects that would have to change. Shaw would have to slim down while Cutler has a disadvantage being as short as he is. Shaw agreed with this take.
“That’d probably be the challenge. It’s interesting, the comparison, because it’s like you would have limiting factors and I would have limiting factors, if we were to switch,” Brian Shaw said.
Whenever two athletes like Jay Cutler and Brian Shaw get together, it is an interview that is a must-watch. Below, you can find the full interview featuring the two legendary competitors.
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Jujimufu: Eddie Hall & Thor Bjornsson Boxing Is The “Best Thing For Their Personal Lives”
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Jujimufu believes Eddie Hall and Thor Bjornsson were smart to transform their physiques for boxing.
What started out as beef turned into a boxing match. That boxing match transformed the physiques and lives of two legendary Strongmen. Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson, after trading some heated words related to Strongman, were set to face each other in a boxing match for a special event. Hall ended up suffering a bicep injury putting off the event (for now) but both athletes remained focused on their boxing training. Thor even set up different matches to get some competition experience under his belt.
Now both athletes have become incredibly lean and shredded – a far cry from their original Strongman size and shape. Both have been astounding fitness transformations – and Jujimufu believes it was the smartest thing they could have done for their health and longevity. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Jujimufu explains why now was the right time for both Eddie Hall and Thor Bjornsson to transition into boxing.
The idea of two Strongmen becoming boxers sounds a bit absurd on the surface. While these athletes are heavy lifters – that does not require nearly any of the required training and skill needed for the boxing ring. What could have been a stunt turned into an impressive life change for both Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson. Now over a year later, this seems like no stunt and rather a possible new future for both athletes.
Jujimufu is an athlete who is more than familiar with transitioning into a new fitness endeavor. Jujimufu started out with a life in calisthenics, stunts, and gymnastics and this past year transition into competitive bodybuilding to see where that leads. He just recently made his debut at the Olympia Amateur 2021. That’s why we asked him for his thoughts on Eddie Hall and Thor Bjornsson’s transition into boxing.
Jujimufu had nothing but positive things to say about the transition. In fact, he thinks that now was the perfect time for these two strongmen to make a change. They had already solidified their names as legends in Strongman. Moving to something new not only can lead to new opportunities but can also be a smart move for their personal health and future.
While strength is important in boxing, it’s also a very aerobic sport. Requiring endurance and bursts of speed. By not only focusing on strength and size, both Eddie Hall and Thor Bjornsson have made some incredible transformations to their physique. Thor in particular has dropped over 100 pounds.
“I think it was the best thing that both of them could have done for their personal lives,” Jujimufu stated in his interview. He continued:
“Because Thor just broke the deadlift record. Eddie Hall had the deadlift record for a while. They are both legendary strongmen in their own rights. But staying 450 pounds is not the smartest thing for their health in the long term… It’s genius. Let’s do a boxing match so it gives him a reason to lean down and get his health in a different state where he has more longevity. Thor looks amazing. He’s shredded.”
On top of the health benefit, their decision to do a boxing match has garnered a lot of attention. Will these two Strongmen become pro boxers? That might not be the case – but the matches Thor has done brought in numbers and certainly when he faces Hall it will be a blockbuster. This was a good business move and inspired them both to change their lifestyles possibly for the better.
You can watch Jujimufu’s full reaction to Eddie Hall and Thor Bjornsson’s boxing transformations in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Alexis Maher Sets New IPF World Record In 74kg Division With 329kg Deadlift
Alexis Maher set a new world record by less than a kilogram.
The 2021 International Powerlifting Federation World Open Championships have just one day left of competition. An event that began on Nov. 8 will wrap up on Saturday after what was a week of exciting events and big-time performances. Alexis Maher was one of the highlights of the show by setting a new IPF equipped world record with a 329kg (729.3lb) deadlift.
Maher stepped up to the barbell wearing a single-ply suit and a lifting belt. He locked in his grip and slowly lifted the weight in the air until he was able to clinch the record. Maher performed the lift with perfect form. The full video can be seen on the IPF Powerlifting Instagram page.
“World Record Deadlift with 329 kg by Alexis Maher ISV in 74 kg class
#ipf #world #deadlift #record#ipfopenworlds@ipfopenworlds2021“
Alexis Maher was able to top a world record that stood for three years. Kjell Egil Bakkelund set the previous mark of 328.5kg (724.2lb) during the 2018 IPF World Open Championships. Maher was able to set a new record by half a kilogram. Maher might have set a new record in IPF but this was not his heaviest deadlift to date.
During the 2021 USA Powerlifting Equipped Nationals, Maher completed a 331kg (729.1lb) deadlift, which was the third-heaviest lift in the division. Maher finished with a gold medal during the event and is continuing to improve from here.
In the 74kg division, Darimin Sahroni holds the all-time world record of 333.5kg (735.2lb). Sergei Gaishinetc is second at 332.5kg (733lb).
Alexis Maher also holds the second heaviest raw deadlift of 347.5kg (766.1lb). This was accomplished during the 2021 United States Powerlifting Association Top of Texas Trifecta. This lift was completed in January and it began quite a year for Maher. It is not over yet as there is still some time left at the World Open Championships.
Maher has become a force in powerlifting and it is because of his big numbers seen performing deadlifts. Heading into 2022, Maher could have a chance to set some new world records and continue to improve his skills. This year has been a breakout for Maher and it will be exciting to see where he goes from here.
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Nick Best Crushes A 500-Pound Deadlift For 50 Total Reps At 53 Years Old
Strongman Nick Best completed five sets of 10 reps and made it look easy.
Age, injuries, heavy deadlifts — nothing matters for Nick Best and he showed that in a recent social media post.
The 53-year-old strongman shared a video on Monday to Instagram to display five different videos. In each one, Best stands over 500 pounds and completes a deadlift set of 10 reps. In total, Best completed 50 reps while barefoot and wearing a lifting belt and straps. Not only did Best complete the reps all together, but he made it look easy each time.
“500lb Deadlifts for 50 reps! 5 set of 10 reps at 53! Age is just a number!”
Nick Best is coming off an injury he suffered during the 2021 Kern Open. Best attempted what would have been a world record deadlift of 370kg (815.7lb) and suffered a torn tendon in his left lat. Best was competing in the Masters Over 50 division at the event and ended up placing third. It is not surprising to see Best recover as quickly as he did and get back to lifting heavy weight.
Since making his debut in 1991, Best has been a big name in powerlifting. He earned a gold medal during his first competition at the 1991 United States Powerlifting Federation. He has appeared in a total of 27 sanctioned meets and has 17 victories. This includes a win at the 1996 World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation World Championships. In over three decades, Best has only missed the podium five times.
Best has competed at the World’s Strongest Man competition 10 times. His highest finish came in 2010 when he placed sixth overall. He also has two second-place finishes at the Giants Live Australia and a bronze medal at the 2007 America’ Strongest Man competition.
This incredible set of deadlifts is not the first time Best has used social media to update on his strength.
“425lb Bench Press and 25 Dips were 2 of the highlights from today’s Chest and Triceps workout! The triceps are really starting to fire again. Next goal is 450lbs by the end of December! Keep working back methodically! Patients is the key!”
Nick Best has been determined through his rehab process from injury and now is on to moving some big weight again. It is only a matter of time before he takes home another victory in competition.
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Best Strongman Training For The Tactical Athlete
Strongman Training for the Tactical Athlete
In tennis, if you screw up, it’s 15-love; as a tactical athlete it’s six feet deep!
The greatest tactical athletes have the speed, conditioning and agility of somebody 50 pounds lighter, with the strength of someone 50 pounds heavier.
The term “tactical athlete” is becoming increasingly popular in strength and conditioning circles. Tactical athletes are folks in occupations necessitating unique physical training strategies with the objective of improving occupational performance.
A tactical athlete is unique because she must possess the tactical skills, physical ability, speed, conditioning and strength to thrive on a long-range mission or standoff, that unpredictably includes explosive bursts of speed.
Like football players, tactical athletes need to mobile, agile, strong, explosive and be able to repeatedly express these abilities under penetrating stress and fatigue.
Most people want to be able to perform like a tactical athlete; regardless of their current form of employment, this can be accomplished with the right training strategies.
Training Needs
No matter what a soldier’s conditioning level is, if he is not strong enough to sprint up a hill or climb over an obstacle with 120 pounds over his bodyweight, he will be compromised; and no matter how strong and explosive a police officer is, if she does not have the endurance to sprint beyond 40 yards, a suspect may flee without apprehension.
For far too long the training regimens of tactical athletes, designed by so-called experts, look like 5K training programs out of Runner’s World, this does not reflect reality. In a survey I personally conducted of 256 Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs), a vast majority have never had a foot pursuit even 300 yards once in their entire career; this echoes other research that shows LEOs rarely run even 95 yards in a pursuit.
Famed Sports Scientist, William J. Kraemer, has classified modern-day warfare as the “anaerobic battlefield”. The modern-day battlefield is anaerobic because advances in technology and troop movements. Some of the anaerobic tasks faced by modern-day warfighters are heavy lifting, repetitive lifting, heavy load carriage, sprinting (under heavy load), casualty evacuation, and many other tasks that must be done fast and under extreme load, almost sounds like a higher stake strongman contest. Strength, power, and a high amount of muscle mass with a low percentage of bodyfat are great predictors of how well a modern-day soldier can carry out these tasks.
Functional Training
A cursory Google search of “functional training” will show exercises that look straight out of a three-ring circus sideshow; at best, these bizarre exercises do not benefit the tactical athlete, at worst, they cause injuries.
So, what the hell does functional training really mean?
It means transfer of training or how well training transfers to an intended performance goal; in the case of the tactical athlete, it is the job and the stakes are a hell of a lot higher than wins and losses!
STRONGMAN TRAINING
Mike Golden, legendary strength and conditioning coach, says the following about strongman training, “It’s irregular lifting, which makes it closer to football movements than ordinary weight training. It makes the body perform when it’s not in a perfect line, so tendons and joints get stronger. And just like in football, a player is forced to use his whole body.”
Now, let’s replace the word football with the statement occupational demands of tactical athletes, and it holds true. Take home point is this, strongman training is functional training!
The top five competitors averaged a bodyweight of 386 pounds at the 2018 World’s Strongest Man competition. Yet, these athletes are aggressive, fast, explosive, athletic, flexible and have a high level of conditioning.
Strongman, as a competitive sport, requires limit strength, dynamic strength, lactate threshold, flexibility, core strength, powerful hip extensors and a strong posterior chain.
Powerlifting is generalized as purely limit strength. The objective of powerlifting is to move the most weight possible, regardless of time or any other factor.
Olympic lifting is classified as speed strength, meaning the speed of muscle contraction or strength exhibited with speed.
Bodybuilding is all about maximizing muscle hypertrophy and minimizing bodyfat.
Strongman training is the synergistic blend of powerlifting, Olympic lifting and bodybuilding that can safely and effectively increase limit strength, speed strength, conditioning, grip strength and muscle hypertrophy, despite having a small learning curve and has direct applications and benefits to firefighting, military and law enforcement.
If properly implemented, the use of strongman events in a tactical athlete’s strength and conditioning protocol is a superior method for a below-average or an elite athlete to develop explosive power using triple extension (extension of the ankles, knees and hips) to produce maximal power, think jumping, sprinting or a powerful throwing movement.
Not only does strongman training build explosive strength, but it offers very functional movements that benefit the tactical athlete.
According to Bob Jodoin, strength coach and ISSA master trainer, “With stone lifting, you start with your knuckles on the ground and finish at triple extension. The loads and leverages are different, however, and this plays well into the concept of dynamic, real world training.” The movement Jodoin describes has functional carryover to the actions involved in a double-leg takedown, of benefit to any tactical athlete in an unarmed combat altercation.
Other examples of the biomechanical superiority of strongman training could be given, but Joe DeFranco says it best, “The beauty of strongman training is that there’s no one way to perform the exercises. Athletes usually end up improvising to complete the event. The tire doesn’t always flip over the same way. The sled doesn’t always glide easily over the surface. The awkwardness of these events builds true ‘functional’ strength from head to toe. This enables the athlete to strengthen muscles that are nearly impossible to strengthen with traditional training.”
Strongman training can effectively enhance grip, power, speed, static strength, dynamic strength/flexibility and strength endurance in a multi-planar environment. Moreover, just like the circumstances a tactical athlete faces in the field, the strongman events force adaptation to the peculiar circumstances of the awkward movement to complete the “lift”.
Here are examples of some, but not all, events that are beneficial to tactical athletes:
Farmers Walks
Tire Flips
Stones or any Loading Event
Any Weighted Carry
Keg Rolls
Log Press or Viking Press
Crucifix Holds
Deadlift Holds
Truck Pulls
Medleys (for conditioning; e.g., are Tire Flip, Farmers Walk, Sled Drag)
Sled Drags or any Dragging Events
Final Thoughts
Remember, the reason a tactical athletes trains inside the gym is to perform outside of it. While there is nothing wrong with triple-drop set leg extensions, or solely chasing powerlifting numbers, the tactical athlete needs durability and performance in an unpredictable field.
The tactical athlete does not have the time to learn overly complex Olympic lifts that a majority of unemployed division one athletes are unable to properly execute, so the learning curve can be kept simple with strongman exercises.
All strength training must transfer; strongman training is not a substitute for traditional training but a supplement that bridges the gap between the weight room and occupational demands of tactical athletes.
Become a certified Tactical Conditioning Specialist with ISSA through the course Josh authored here issa.sjv.io/QB2Xo
Rob Kearney Appeared On “The Joe Rogan Experience” To Discuss Injury And Strongman
Rob Kearney provided his thoughts and some recent updates on one of the top podcasts.
The latest strongman to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience was Rob Kearney. The former Arnold Strongman Australia champion appeared on the top podcast to discuss a triceps injury he suffered during the World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength” series. During the event, Kearney was attempting to break the American log lift record.
Kearney did some serious damage to his triceps and it was not fully revealed until it was time for him to have surgery to repair the injury. This led to the surgeons having to reconsider the steps they were going to take. The full interview can be found on the PowerfulJRE YouTube page.
“The MRI showed it was torn, but not to what extent. The doctor said it looked like a firecracker had gone off in my tendon,” Kearney explained.
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It was not an easy fix for Rob Kearney. It took 14 sutures to reassemble the tendon to be attached by four anchors that were drilled into the elbow. There are few things that can keep a strength athlete out of the gym. For Kearney, he took two weeks off but quickly returned to train his lower body. During this time, he had to endure serious rehab to gain full range of motion. During the taping of the podcast, Kearney was still unable to extend his arm fully.
Rob Kearney was able to successfully make his return to competition last weekend during the 2021 Rogue Invitational. He still did not have full range of motion but was able to finish sixth out of 10 competitors in Round Rock, TX. This performance showed that Kearney will return to full strength soon. Even without full range of motion, he was able to make an impact against some of the other top strongmen in the world.
Joe Rogan has sustained one of the top podcasts in the Internet for quite some time. During his tenure, Rogan has featured some elite competitors in both strongman and bodybuilding. Kearney joined the likes of Ronnie Coleman, Robert Oberst, and Mat Fraser as athletes who have appeared on the show.
It was good to see Rob Kearney back in competition and it will only get more exciting as he continues to get healthy. The next time he steps on stage could produce some better results than in Texas.
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Martins Licis Sets New World Record With 300-Pound Hammer Lift
Martins Licis had quite a weekend during the 2021 Rogue Invitational.
Martins Licis made his return to competition over the weekend during the 2021 Rogue Invitational. He ended the event with a championship and even broke a world record in the process. After winning the competition, Licis returned to Dell Diamond in Round Rock, TX to win yet another award.
Licis was one of five competitors to return and attempt to break the world record in Thor’s Hammer Lift. In the end, it was Licis who was able to complete the heaviest lift by getting a new world record of 136kg (300lb) off the ground.
For his victory at the strongman competition, Licis earned the largest winning in the history of the sport at $133,351. After setting the world record in the hammer lift, Licis added another $5,000 to his overall pot.
The Thor’s hammer Lift is a grip challenge. The competitor must hold the handle of the gammer and lift it off the ground to a full standing position. The judge then gives the down command and this is when the weight can be returned to the ground. The competitor could use either hand and even change hands on each attempt. This was a timed competition where athletes had one minute to complete the lift.
Hafthor Bjornsson held the previous world record at 118kg (260lb). Over the weekend, the opening weight was 90.kg (200lb) and all six competitors were successful. It was the raised to 102kg (225lb) and all but Trey Mitchell were successful. It eventually moved up to 125kg (275lb), which was more than Bjornsson’s record. Mikhail Shivlyakov set the initial mark followed by Mateusz Kieliszkowski. Laurence Shahlaei did not control the big lift after initially getting it off the ground.
Josh Thigpen was also eliminated and the weight was moved up to 300lb. Shivlyakov attempted the lift with both hands but miss and Kieliszkowski failed as well. This left Licis to make an attempt and was able to complete it with his left hand. Licis then attempted to lift a 147.3 (325lb) hammer but failed. It did not matter as his 300-pound feat was enough to set a new world record.
Martins Licis has been one of the best strongmen in the world for years now. He won the 2019 World’s Strongest Man title. He has been out of competition for awhile now with different injuries but made his return in Texas and put on a memorable performance.
Licis will certainly be present at upcoming strongman events to continue to put up big numbers. When healthy, there is no doubt that he is one of the top competitors in the sport.
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2021 Rogue Invitational Strongman Contest: Martins Licis Finishes As Champion
Martins Licis was able to take home the title at the 2021 Rogue Invitational Strongman Contest.
Martin Licis proved superior over the weekend during the 2021 Rogue Invitational. Some of the top strongmen in the world gathered in Round Rock, TX and competed in five events to see who would be crowned champion. In the end, it was one of the former World’s Strongest Man competition winners who took home the prize.
Licis was not the only former WSM winner in the competition. The 2019 winner was able to outlast the two previous champions. Tom Stoltman, who was the WSM champion in 2021, finished second while 2020 WSM Oleksii Novikov finished with the bronze medal. Novikov was on a roll with three victories already this year and one second-place finish. Now, he can add another top-three finish to his resume.
For Licis, this was his first competition since the 2020 Arnold Strongman Classic as he was recovering from injuries. A force in the sport, Licis proved that he is still a force and is fully back from any injuries that have been suffered. There is no better return than a first-place finish against some of the other top competitors in the world.
All competitors competed in five different events and were fighting for placement to split a total pool of $1,436,638. By finishing in first place, Licis took home $133,351, which is the largest winning in the history of the sport. Stoleman claimed $66,601 while Novikov earned $39,3991 for his third-place finish.
The full results have been released and you can checkout how the entire competition played out below!
2021 Rogue Invitational Results
Overall
Martins Licis — 45 points
Tom Stoltman — 42 point
Oleksii Novikov — 34 points
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 29.5 points
JF Caron — 28 points
Rob Kearney — 26 points
Brian Shaw — 23 points
Luke Stoltman — 22 points
Mikhail Shivlyakov — 13.5 points
Jerry Pritchett — 12 points
Elephant Bar Deadlift
This event kicked off the competition where athletes were to complete the heaviest lift they could. The order of lifts went based on the weights that were chosen by the men. JF Caron took first place in the first event. Brian Shaw finished fourth but was forced to skip him third and final lift after a hamstring injury.
JF Caron — 420 kilograms (926 pounds)
Tom Stoltman — 413 kilograms (911 pounds)
Martins Licis — 410 kilograms (906 pounds)
Brain Shaw — 400 kilograms (881 pounds)
Rob Kearney — 397.5 kilograms (876 pounds)
Oleksii Novikov — 390 kilograms (861 pounds)
Jerry Pritchett — 388 kilograms (856 pounds)
Luke Stoltman — 383.5 kilograms (846 pounds)
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — no successful lift (T-ninth)
Mikhail Shivlyakov — no successful lift (T-ninth)
Cyr Dumbbell Ladder
Mateusz Kieliszkowski holds the world record for the heaviest dumbbell lift at 150kg (3330.7lb) but this was an event based on speed. Athletes had to lift five dumbbells overhead in the fastest time possible. The dumbbells weighed 253, 274, 280, 290, and 300 pounds. Novikov was the only competitor to complete all five lifts and did so in just over a minute.
Oleksii Novikov — five dumbbells in one minute, five seconds
Martins Licis — three dumbbells in 37 seconds
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — three dumbbells in one minute
Brian Shaw — two dumbbells in 21 seconds
Tom Stoltman — two dumbbells in 28 seconds
Rob Kearney — two dumbbells in 29 seconds
Luke Stoltman — one dumbbell in eight seconds
Mikhail Shivlyakov — one dumbbell in seven seconds
JF Caron — one dumbbell in nine seconds
Jerry Pritchett — no successful lift
Wheel of Pain
The Wheel of Pain is a behemoth that weights 20,000 pounds. Made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger, athletes are required to turn the wheel as far as possible in one minute. Each competitor was given 60 seconds and in the end, Stoltman moved it furthest at just over 89 feet.
Tom Stoltman — 89 feet, three inches
Martins Licis — 85 feet, six inches
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 83 feet, six inches
Oleksii Novikov — 76 feet, 3 inches
Luke Stoltman — 73 feet, nine inches
Rob Kearney — 63 feet, three inches
Mikhail Shivlyakov — 55 feet, nine inches
Brian Shaw — 54 feet, nine inches
Jerry Pritchett — 50 feet, nine inches
JF Caron — 29 feet, six inches
Timber Yoke Carry/Overhead Log Press Medley
The athletes had a two and a half minute time limit to complete this event. They were required to carry a 455kg (1,000lb) yoke a distance of 50 feet before pressing a 163kg (360lb) log overhead three times. The fastest time determined the winner and it was Kieliszkowski, who defeated Licis by three seconds.
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 0:41.74
Martins Licis — 0:44.70
Tom Stoltman — 0:52.06
JF Caron — 0:56.03
Oleksii Novikov — 1:05.51
Brian Shaw — 1:37.83
Luke Stoltman — two reps on the log in 37 seconds
Rob Kearney — one rep on the log in 27 seconds
Mikhail Shivlyakov — yoke carry in 50 seconds
Jerry Pritchett — no distance credited
Inver Stone Over Hitching Post
This is another event with a time limit — this time two minutes. Athletes had to lift the oddly-shaped stones over a 50-inch high log. The stones weighed 275, 300, 365, 400, and 420 pounds. Heading into this event, Licis needed to place at least second to win the competition and he ended it with a win. Licis completed the five stones nearly six seconds faster than Stoltman, who is known as “King of Stones.” The inver stones are a bit different than Atlas because of their shape.
Martins Licis — five stones in 24.45 seconds
Tom Stoltman — five stones in 30.08 seconds
JF Caron — five stones in 43.51 seconds
Oleksii Novikov — four stones in 1:04.5 seconds
Rob Kearney — four stones in 33.4 seconds
Luke Stoltman — three stones in 17.6 seconds
Jerry Pritchett — two stones in 13.3 seconds
Mikhail Shivlyakov — two stones in 12.1 seconds
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — one stone in 9.4 seconds
Brian Shaw — no lifts
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