The Complete Guide to Strongman. Who is the strongest person? The most powerful people on the planet

If you're a sports junkie and love watching YouTube videos from various strength sports competitions, then you must have noticed how different the athletes who compete in the Reebok CrossFit Games and World's Strongest Man are. You can simply compare the main indicators of the two champions in these sports:

• Rich Froning - four-time winner of the CrossFit Games, height 175 height, weight 90 kg weight.
• Brian Shaw - winner of the title of the strongest man in 2011 and 2013, height 203 cm, weight over 180 kg.

It's almost like comparing an American football quarterback to a street kid, or a grown man to his teenage son, only the difference in weight between Froning and Shaw will be even greater.

But in fact, you cannot compare CrossFit athletes and strongmen, as is done with their external physical parameters. Yes, both types of athletes are constantly striving to develop functional strength: CrossFitters must be ready to lift their body up the rope or flip some oddly shaped piece of metal around the field, and strongmen, in turn, must be ready to lift and carry others over certain distances. objects of a strange shape, for example - stone balls of Atlas or huge suitcases. In order to cope with such tasks, it is not enough just to have the strength of the lower back and the entire lower body, shoulders and arms, you must also have a very developed.

functional exercises

“There is nothing more functional than lifting various (sometimes quite strange) objects,” says Craig Hysell, owner of the Hilton Head CrossFit gym in South Carolina, where he often uses strongman programs in the training of athletes who want to take part in CrossFit tournaments. . — That's what you do 95% of the time in real life. Most of the time we are not dealing with a perfectly balanced barbell sitting on a comfortable platform in front of you. Imagine how much grip you need to lift a heavy rock. Want to work on your grip? Pick up rocks or do one of the farmer's walks.

And while bizarre objects are often used in strongman training, that doesn't mean they have to be asymmetrical or downright uncomfortable for athletes to constantly drop. Deadlift and dumbbell press with one hand, after all, are quite familiar exercises for strongmen.

The main requirement for such training is a lot of weight. If you lift a bizarre stone weighing, say, 7 kilograms, and you can easily do the exercises for 1.3-2 minutes, then this is not strongman training. “Strongman training is about really heavy weights and short durations,” Hysell says. - This is a small number of repetitions or short-term approaches
with a weight equal to 80 - 85% of your maximum at one time.

The main thing for Crossfitters to understand is that they are in the position of followers here. A competitive strongman is unlikely to gain a lot of useful skills from CrossFit training, especially in areas where our sports overlap, but a CrossFitter, on the contrary, will benefit a lot from strongman training. Pull-ups, toe raises, cleans, and deadlifts are just a few exercises Hysell names that are perfect for developing grip strength.

What can you learn from strongmen?

But grip strength is not all that CrossFit can adopt. Not everyone. Proper planning of a general physical development program includes regular strength training. For example, such WODs as "CrossFit Total" and similar ones, consisting of sets of 1-3 and 5 repetitions - all this is very similar in its logic to the training of strongmen. The main difference is the use of various real life things as trainers for these exercises - this allows you to get more pleasure from the workout. Agree, it’s much more interesting to lift a beer keg over your head than to do a clean and jerk each time. At the very least, it will diversify your training routine.

“CrossFit is built on the idea that we have to move heavy objects quickly over long distances,” says Rob Orlando, an athlete who once made it into the final 20 at the Games and is now developing an interesting symbiosis of CrossFit and strongman training in his by Hybrid Athletics, and the flagship site StrongmanWOD.com. - Strongmen fit perfectly with these principles. The sport of strongmen consists entirely of simple, easily scalable exercises that allow a person to perform high-impact exercises quickly."

In cases where endurance development is important, strongman training can also be extremely beneficial. First of all, when it comes to the development of the first two stages of metabolism: phosphagenic, which takes the first 30 seconds of exercise, and glycolytic, which reaches its maximum at intervals of about 1-2 minutes after the start of intense exercise.

If you want to train in the direction of the development of the oxidative phase of metabolism (anything that takes more than 2 minutes of load), you will need to use less weight. Although the strongman approach will help here, just not directly.

“From a physiological standpoint, lifting heavy objects makes it much easier for you to handle lighter objects in other workouts,” Hyssell says. The stronger and more powerful you become, the easier it will be for you to lift lighter weights quickly and the longer you will be able to do it.

There is a direct link between being able to lift a heavy object of an unusual shape and realizing that everything is much easier with a barbell, which helps a lot when you stand in front of it before doing a deadlift or clean. Will this affect more aerobic-oriented CrossFit workouts? For the first 2-3 minutes, the skills learned during the Strongman program will definitely have a positive impact.”

Lifting and carrying the Atlas stone

The stone is on the floor. You sit down next to him to do the lift. You tightly hug the stone ball with your hands so that your arms are under it, and tension is felt in the elbows, the pelvis should be low enough, but so that the back can remain straight. Hold the stone, pressing it to the body. Climb up with him and go the given distance.

When carrying this much weight, take small quick steps and use an elastic knee bandage to secure your joints. Also, do not allow full extension in the knee joints. If you can't hold the ball, then throw it on the ground straight in front of you, making sure it doesn't hit your legs.

farmer's walk

This is an old exercise, the essence of which is to cover a given distance while holding a very large weight on both sides. The arms should be straight, the steps should be short and fast. In no case do not straighten your legs at the knees - they should be slightly bent!

Special equipment is great for doing the farmer's walk, but not all gyms have it. In such cases, very heavy dumbbells are used, the weight of which will be much more than what you could lift above your head. Kettlebells are also suitable, but they may not be heavy enough for strong lifters. Even a pair of 32kg kettlebells may not be enough for an experienced CrossFitter doing the Farmer's Walk.

A variation of the farmer's walk on one arm means that one arm is occupied with a large weight, and the other is free, which allows you to effectively overload one side, forcing the core muscles to constantly be in tension to maintain a level body position. To maintain balance, walk the distance in one direction, loading one arm, and going back, change hands.

Wearing a rocker

This exercise is similar to the "farmer's walk", except that the neck is on your upper trapezius muscles. The steps should be short, as if mincing, and you should not allow full extension of the knees, the legs should be slightly bent at all times.

It’s good if you have this same “rocker”, but if you don’t have it, then you can perform this exercise with a heavy barbell on your shoulders. This will change the exercise somewhat, as the main weight pancakes will be high above the ground, and not low above the surface, as intended in the original exercise.

Another option for performing this exercise with a barbell, which allows you to lower the location of the carried weight, is the wearing of a "yoke" according to the Zercher method, during which the barbell is located in the crook of the elbows with arms crossed in front of you. An advanced version of the exercise is holding the "yoke" over your head while walking, when all the weight is above you by the length of your arms.

Keg Chest Clean and Overhead Press

While in a squat position, grab the barrel by the edges. Your starting position should be the same as when performing weightlifting exercises - the back is straight, the pelvis is raised. Holding the barrel by its edges, stand up abruptly, taking it “on your chest” so that it turns around and your hands are under it. Now squeeze the barrel over your head, helping yourself with your legs, just as you do it when performing.

The barrel can be filled with water or sand. If there is water inside, it will begin to slosh from side to side, creating a completely different kind of load than a barrel of sand. Keep this in mind, especially if you are a beginner or work with beginners.

Another exercise with the keg is keg throws. To complete it, you will need an already empty keg. Hold it in front of you a little lower than if you were just standing straight with your arms extended down. Throw the keg as high as you can in a swing-like motion. Just make sure it doesn't fall on your head. To do this, throw it a little back, for yourself, and if necessary, then take a step forward after the throw.

Carrying a keg is another exercise for which you will need a heavy keg filled with water or sand. Hold it at the level of your hips and move forward with small, quick steps. Due to the size, shape and weight of the keg, you will also have to lean back slightly.

Press with one hand

Take a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell with one hand, perform a clean on the chest, and then fix it near the shoulder. Then lift up, over your head (taking on the chest should be performed only in the first repetition in the approach). Keep a little tension in the knees, and the free arm can be extended to the side to maintain balance.

Due to the heavy load, it is better to perform a small number of repetitions. Craig Hysell recommends doing single sets of 2-3-5 reps with plenty of rest between sets.

tire turning

Stand 30 centimeters from the tire with your feet wider than your hips. Keep your arms and elbows close together as you grab the tire in the squat. Rob Orlando advises before starting to lean on her with your whole body and start pushing her forward. Pushing it forward, straighten your knees and hips to lift it up. As soon as she rises, push her with one knee so that she continues to move in the right direction and takes up an upright position. Now just push it with your hands so that it rolls over to the other side.

You will be interested

Strongman competitions are becoming more and more popular all over the world. And for good reason! Here's everything you need to know about it and how to get in.

When I was a 21-year-old 79-kilogram boy, new to the world of weights, my friends introduced me to the underground sport - strogmen.

I was intrigued, but I never imagined that I could flip tractor tires or lift cars. I just looked at my friends and enjoyed the spectacle.
Despite my initial apprehension, I slowly but surely started attending their weekend workouts. After a short period of time, I became the smallest person to be able to turn over a 318 kg tractor tire.

So here are some frequently asked questions about the strongmen and how you can get involved in the movement.

What is a strongman?

In short, strongman is a sport that involves taking heavy objects and moving them around. Essentially, you are moving objects of near maximum weight and doing so for time, reps, or maximum weight lifted. It really is. Trust me, it's fun!

A strongman must not only be strong, but also have great athleticism, skills, and mental toughness.

Are there strongwomen?

Yes! Strongwoman is definitely growing in popularity. The trend of women with weights doesn't stop at CrossFit or bodybuilding; if power is the new sex symbol, then there is nothing sexier than this!

Any woman who wants to test her strength, which she builds in the gym, should consider local competitions. It's fun, great community and there's no better challenge to pure strength and athleticism.

Should I gain huge muscle mass?

I never thought that a little guy like me could excel as a strongman.

However, once I had built strength with the bar, I was ready to take on new challenges.

There are different levels and weight classes in the strongman world, which makes the sport open to anyone with some strength gained in the gym.
For this reason, it doesn't matter if it's male or female, 70kg or 160kg, experienced powerlifter or just a gym buff. There are competitions for everyone.

How are strongman competitions going?

Each competition is different, but most consist of 4-5 competitions over several hours. There are many options, because everyone has a different strength.

Most competitions are limited to 10 or 12 participants, but larger tournaments sometimes last two days and attract dozens of athletes.

Strongwoman tournaments are usually held in conjunction with men's competitions. The rules are the same, but the weights are slightly lighter and the objects are sometimes slightly modified.

No matter what gender or weight you are, you must be strong and prepared for all kinds of competition.

What competitions are there in strobe?

As mentioned earlier, each competition is different. There are dozens of competitions that can be included in any tournament.

However, there are basic exercises that make up a strongman.

1. Classic competitions.

These events set strongman apart from other strength sports. If you've seen strongman competition on television, chances are you know some of these classic competitions.

Atlas Stones

It's a simple contest: take giant concrete balls and lift them onto a platform or throw them over a bar. In some cases, you will lift one stone for reps, in others, you will lift up to five stones, which gradually increase in weight.

tire turning

Tires are becoming more and more common in gyms and CrossFit gyms. They are generally used for conditioning workouts. The Strongman uses giant tractor tires that can sometimes weigh over 450kg. The idea behind this event is to flip the tire over and over again until you reach the finish line.

Deadlift with machine

Who doesn't want to say they can lift a car? Probably the most logical competition is the machine deadlift because it happens exactly the way it sounds. You will be pulling the structure attached to the machine with a neutral grip.

2. Press competitions

In the strongman, the press is a far cry from the dumbbells and barbells you're used to seeing in your gym. The essence of these events is to squeeze heavy, uncomfortable objects overhead. Often, you have to get these objects off the ground before squeezing them overhead.

Log

The log is so named because it looks like a tree trunk. Your task is to pick it up from the ground and squeeze it over your head. This move is more complex and more technical than the snatch and jerk because the log is so large in diameter that the projectile is in front of your body, creating a unique kind of stance for a neutral grip and press.

Also known as a fat bar, the axle is like a barbell, but the diameter of the bar is so large that you can't fully wrap around it. This makes the bench uncomfortable. Even more uncomfortable to take it and lift it on your shoulders!

Circus dumbbell

This event has gained popularity in recent years. The challenge is to pick up very large dumbbells - usually about three times the size of any dumbbell you find in the gym - and squeeze it out. You can lift the projectile with both hands, but once it is on your shoulder, you must squeeze it out with one hand.

3. Competition with movement

These elements are more dynamic than those covered above because you have to cover some distance while carrying heavy objects. These races draw huge crowds because it's fun to watch the big guys run!

rocker

Rocker – A short squat stance with a bar at shoulder height. A weight is attached to the bottom of each rack. To start, you sit under the bar like you're preparing for a squat, but instead of just lifting the barbell, you'll be lifting the entire stance off the ground and walking with it. The rocker loads the body more than all the other exercises in the strongman.

farmer's walk

This is my favorite competition and the backbone of the strongman. It's also quite simple: take a weight in each handle - usually two long, large, dumbbell-like shells - and go with them to the finish line as quickly as possible. You must be strong and fast!

Carrying sandbags/kegs/rocks

Depending on the competition, you take one of these objects and go as far as possible with maximum speed. These objects are difficult to carry due to their awkward shape and size, and each must be carried differently. This is another extremely difficult test because most often the goal is maximum distance.

What if I want to train but not compete?

Just like in CrossFit and powerlifting, you don't have to compete to enjoy the training process! Strongman workouts will make you stronger and can help you reach your goals. It will also bring a lot of fun.

Who is the President of Moscow Strongman and Strongman Amateur League Maxim Dvoretsky? And now also the blogger of the Portal "Sport from the inside" Alexei Zubakov. Let's get to know him better.

Since 2016, Maxim has been training in the Crossfit Medieval gym in the areas of strongman, strongfit, power crossfit (crossfit football). Together with the Moscow Strongman team, he organizes and conducts strongman and strongfit competitions. Member of regional strongman tournaments. Vice-champion of the tournament "The Strongest Man of Zheleznodorozhny" in 2015, bronze medalist of the annual tournament "Bigfoot" in 2016.

1. How long have you been playing sports? How did you get into power extreme?
He most closely began to play sports in front of the army in 2010: Thai boxing, knife fighting. In the army, he also continued training already with iron, after a year he went to the rocking chair. At the end of 2013, he began to train strong under the guidance of Ivan Shatovkin, the best strongman in the category up to 105 kg from the organization StrongmanRus. After the start of training, I felt for myself what a power extreme is, and lured me. That's how I got involved in this sport, and now I've been doing it for the third year.

2. How many years have you been coaching athletes and how did you become a coach?
I have been a coach since 2016. We organized our strongman training base and, naturally, it became necessary to train personnel for our team.

3. What do you think is the job of a strength coach?
First of all, the task of any coach is to be able to organize a training process suitable for a particular athlete, so that training leads to progress, I consider it wrong to train everyone according to one template. A coach is not only a person who teaches you the technique of performing an exercise and helps you avoid injuries, he is also a psychologist, because an athlete always needs motivation - when performing at competitions, lifting new weights, setting a new record, etc., and sometimes himself it can be hard to find.

4. Why do you love strongman?
In strongman, you have to be multifaceted: fast, hardy, strong. All exercises are not boring, these are not two or three exercises, as in many other sports, but a huge number and variety of them. Many shells and even exercises are taken from everyday life, which can help in everyday situations.

5. What are the common mistakes beginner coaches make?
The problem of many coaches is that they give training to their wards in the same way as they train themselves, without taking into account the individual data of the athlete.

6. How do you see the difference between the strongman training system and weightlifting and crossfit, what advantages would you single out for these sports?
In weightlifting, the entire training process is set up to lift the maximum weight at one time. There are no cross-country relay races, they do not work for multiple timed lifts, there is no great load on the grip. In strong, they work with non-standard shells. Weightlifting and strongman are similar in that athletes have to work with a lot of weight. I note that weightlifting is well applicable to our sport, in this case, a symbiosis of weightlifting and strong technique is obtained.
CrossFit is similar to Strong. The main difference is that there are no long complexes in the strongman, a maximum of 2 minutes is given for the exercise and you must either complete the exercise faster than anyone else, or lift something more times than the others. And again, the difference is in the presence of non-standard shells, although recently non-standard shells have also begun to be used in crossfit, but their weight is less than that used in strong. This suggests that strongman training is applicable to CrossFit, but with less weight. Now a similar direction in crossfit is called power crossfit or Crossfit Football.

7. How do you feel about women in power extreme sports? Is it a purely male sport or is it also suitable for women?
We prefer to call this direction strongfit. I have a positive attitude towards this sport. If a woman likes to do it and it gives her pleasure, then I'm all for it! By the way, a very good example of two crossfit girls is Elena Lysova and Tatyana Guseva, champion and silver medalist of the 2016 strongfit tournament in honor of Russia Day. Perhaps Elena will soon no longer combine, but will switch exclusively to strong.

8. How does the transition in training from heavy weights to extremely heavy?
This transition depends more on psychological readiness. If you think that the weight will not submit to you or there will be some doubts, then it is better not to even try. And everyone's progress is different. Take, for example, Mark Felix, the heyday of his strongman career came at the moment when he turned 50.

9. Should you combine strongman training with other sports (CrossFit / swimming / dancing / martial arts)? What sports are easier to switch from to strong?
When combined, it is unlikely that success will be achieved. But there is one “but”: in crossfit there is just the need for combination. Here's an example: crossfit athletes go to a gymnastics coach to do better gymnastics, so judge for yourself.
Moving from weightlifting, it will be easier to perform exercises for lifting up. Those who come from martial arts are better at relay races, as they have good endurance and their breathing is set correctly.

10. How do your relatives feel about your power extreme activities?
They are positive, although they are afraid because of various myths about power sports. Of course, they support me in every possible way and help me.

11. Is there a special nutrition system for strongmen?
Most do not adhere to a special diet. I think nutrition is also important. A strongman's diet should contain a lot of carbohydrates, since all exercises are very energy-intensive and require a lot of fuel. I eat well, about every three hours, and the entire amount of food is digested properly. I limit myself in fatty foods, sweet, salty, starchy foods. Be sure to include vegetables in your diet.

12. Have you had serious injuries and how traumatic is the sport of strongman?
So far, there have been no serious injuries, everything is trifles. Strong is no more traumatic than any other sport. If the athlete trains correctly and does not neglect the instructions of the coach, then injury is minimized.

13. What do you do besides coaching?
Negotiations with sponsors, meetings regarding the strongman, in general, the main activity is aimed at the development of our organization Moscow Strongman and the development of the strongman in Moscow and Russia. In my free time I spend with my family and meet with friends.

14. Give advice to novice athletes who want to achieve results in strength sports.
Everything is possible, what matters is the training process, regimen, recovery and a responsible approach to training. Your limit is only in your head.

Used Interview for the editors of the Paladin Group,
September 2016

1. Dvoretsky Maxim, 25 years old, s.v. 90 kg

Today, Strongman is a sports show that develops in two directions: to be a sport and to remain the brightest sports show of power. The first and second have both positive and negative sides, but this is a separate topic for analysis. The main thing is that Strongman is developing rapidly, every day involving an increasing number of athletes, attracting the attention of a growing number of spectators. "Who is the strongest?" – that is the eternal question.

Sports for real men

Since ancient times, the cult of power has been unusually revered by any people of the world. Fairy tales and legends, songs and sagas were composed about the deeds of the heroes. Achilles and Hercules, Ilya Muromets, Cuchulainn and Ferdian have been role models for centuries, the embodiment of a real man. And if in the epic years the strongmen became folk heroes, then in the Middle Ages the whole high society gathered to look at their performances. There are many followers of the ancient heroes even today, the pages of glossy magazines are full of their photographs. Now they no longer practice tearing the lion's mouth or exterminating the infidel hordes. Their main opponent is soulless heavy objects, and the field of activity is called “strong extreme”.

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The Greek Milton is considered to be the first famous strongman. Contemporaries considered him the strongest man on Earth. He had really phenomenal strength: he practiced lifting blocks of stone, and at a young age he wore a calf on his shoulders.
Russia did not lag behind: Alexander Zass - Russian Samson, easily tore iron chains and bent nickels with his fingers. No less popular was another Russian hero Ivan Zaikin. He hammered huge nails, bent horseshoes with his hands.

Today they demand shows and beautiful competitions. The Pro League of Power Extreme has achieved recognition at the international level. In fact, power extreme is both a sport and a show. Due to their spectacle, such competitions are becoming increasingly popular all over the world. The full house at the trebants is a confirmation of this. Those who come to see the miraculous heroes, I think, are satisfied.

Mariusz Pudzianowski

Mariusz Pudzianowski (official site) - Polish weightlifter, who received the title of "the strongest man on the planet."

Since 1999, he has been competing in the Strongman competition as part of the World Strongman Championship (for the title of the strongest man).
In 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006 he became the world champion, in 2004 he was the third.
In 2002, 2003 and 2004 he became the European champion.
In 2003, 2004 and 2005 he became the world champion in the team. He is the world record holder in several Strongman competitions.

And also a weightlifter (4-time champion of Poland), a Kyokushin karate fighter, has 4 kyu. In addition, he is a rugby player - he plays in the Budovlyany Lodz team.

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Mariusz Pudzianowski

Rating of the strongest

The most powerful people on the planet

Ukrainians are the most powerful nation on the planet

At the seventh world team championship among strongmen, the Ukrainian team for the fourth time received the title of the strongest nation on the planet.

The 2007 championship final took place on August 6 at the Bukovel ski resort. Four teams reached the final - USA, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine.

The Strongmen competed in seven all-around events. Ukraine won by the sum of points scored. The second place was taken by the US team, the third - by Russia, the fourth - by Lithuania.

At the start of the competition, eight of the strongest teams in the world took part - Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Finland, Great Britain, the USA and Ukraine.

Each team included four athletes. Among the strongmen, the most famous is the Ukrainian Vasily Virastyuk. In addition, Lithuanian Zhadrunas Savickas, Russian Mikhail Koklyaev took part in the championship. It is these athletes who are in the top three of the last World Cup.

The Ukrainian team includes: Vasily Virastyuk (captain), Kirill Chuprinin, Viktor Yurchenko, Alexander Pekanov and Vladimir Muravlev.

Strongmen came to Russia

Strongmen came to Russia. And not any there, but the most real, that is, the elite. Some names are worth something - Sven Karlsson, Hugo Girard, Zydrunas Savickas, Vasily Virastyuk, Raymond Bergmanis, Magnus Samuelson and, of course, Mariusz Pudzyanovsky. All those who until now could only be seen on rare TV shows.

SEKOL Gathered all the strongmen

The international CEKOL tournament, which took place on July 2-3 in Siauliai, brought together strongmen from all over Europe. Athletes from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Finland, Hungary, Denmark and Lithuania took part in the tournament. Powerlifter Aleksey Serebrekov and Dmitry Kononov, both from Chelyabinsk, competed for Russia. Ukraine was represented by its strongest athlete Vasily Virastyuk. Europe represented

two teams - "old" and "new" Europe. René Minkwitz from Denmark, Jukka Peka Aitala from Finn and Edwin Hakvoort from Holland spoke from "old Europe". "New Europe" was represented by Pole Tomasz Novatnyak, Latvian Agris Kazielnieks and Hungarian Adam Darash.

1998 - Zydrunas won the Strongest Men series championship for the first time.

2000 - at the World Triathlon Championships in Japan, he won a silver medal, gaining a total of 1020 kg and losing only two and a half kilograms to the champion.

Speaking in 2001 in the Faroe Islands at the Strongest Men tournament, Zydrunas suffered a severe injury to both knees. Few believed that he would be able to return to the sport. But only 9 months passed, and he won the Lithuanian Championship in triathlon, and after some time - the Lithuanian Championship of the Strongest Men series. After the injury, Zydrunas had to train even harder to successfully compete with the strongest men on the planet. And he succeeded quite quickly: the next year he became the vice-champion of the planet in this sport.

2003 was even more successful: Zydrunas became the best at the most prestigious Arnold Classic tournament of the Strongest Man series, the winner of which is considered the strongest man on the planet. In 2004, he repeated his success by winning this tournament again. To date, Zydrunas is the first person to win the Arnold Classic Strongest Men tournament two years in a row. The main prize of this tournament - a Hummer SUV and $16,000 - is presented to the winner by Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.