With the IWF elections drawing near, most of the discussion is about a change in leadership—whether citing lengthy reports, accounts in the press or personal anecdotes, plenty of serious questions have been raised about unreported funds, massive cash transactions and curious patterns in the sport’s doping control procedures.  




A lifter like Ilya Ilyin can’t help but inspire with his performances—he is fully capable of generating excitement far beyond the inner circle of the sport.  It is time for weightlifting to cast off its blinders, quit doing business as usual and enter the 21st century.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Certainly, there is good reason to consider a substantial overhaul in terms of how the sport of weightlifting conducts business because if it were a business, it most likely already would have declared bankruptcy and some of its leaders been deposed, if not brought to trial.

Serious stuff, but let’s leave those matters to others and dwell on something that while lacking the tabloid element is an even more serious indication that things have gone seriously wrong in the sport and whoever captains the ship in the future needs to have a much different sense of where he is headed.

In short, the sport of weightlifting is dying, a relic of the last century, mired in an approach spawned in the Cold War era and one that takes its operating cues from a socialist approach to sport, rather than one based on the open market reality of the 21st century. 

So, power is consolidated in the hands of a few, who rule imperially, and rather than building a sustainable enterprise that can thrive without limit in the market, we have an approach that limps along via government grants, payments for drug fines, and marking up the hotel rooms that the competitors and officials participating in major championships are required to stay in—all the while turning those contests into bloated week-long affairs aimed more at building quantity (think hotel revenue and entry fees) than quality. 

Been to a major weightlifting championships lately?  See any real spectators?  How about the sponsors?  Or the kids clamoring to get into the sport?

Instead, you’re in a large hall with the bottom third dominated by the stage and the many handfuls of officials who oversee lifting that takes place in what is virtually an empty arena—the only people in the stands are coaches, athletes and significant others.

Of course, there are exceptions, as we have seen with Pyrros Dimas in Greece or Naim Suleymanoglu in Turkey or, more broadly, for the 2011 World Championships in Paris, but generally speaking, the sport exists in a social vacuum.  Why?

Is it that strength is not recognized or appreciated?  Or that the snatch and clean and jerk are too obscure?

This is hardly the case because TWI was smart enough to launch a TV show, created by Barry Frank, called the World’s Strongest Man in 1977.  It has a huge global viewership and continues through all these years—a fabulous success by any television standard.  The world’s strongest man?  Sounds like the birthright of weightlifting to me, so who was in command when a TV show waltzed away with this title?  Would the CEO turn a blind eye and escape pointed questions from his board and his shareholders if the formula for Coca-Cola were stolen on his watch?

And as for the lifts themselves, consider that CrossFit, which began in a garage about a decade ago, is now a business worth in the range of US$50,000,000 and it’s projected to possibly grow tenfold.  Guess what’s among its core movements?  The snatch and the clean and jerk.  In fact, ask people who are doing these lifts what they are doing and they’re likely to say, “CrossFit.”

Speaking with my Eurosport colleague David Goldstrom, who heads a company called Televison in Europe and first came to weightlifting in 1995, he mentioned that Eurosport alone had approximately 31,000,000 viewers during this year’s Senior European Weightlifting Championships in Tirana, Albania, which he called “very good viewing” and said “there might be another 10,000,000 from the other countries.”

Goldstrom sees this as a clear indication of the sport’s untapped potential: “There is so much more we could be doing.  The sport is fast moving, it has a strong climax . . . everyone understands strength,” he said.

Cutting to the chase, I asked Goldstrom to grade the sport (giving it anything from an A to an F) in terms of making the public aware of and appreciative of it. 

“C is as far as I could go,” he said.  And in terms of capitalizing on its assets, Goldstrom gave the sport “a definite F.”

Goldstrom, incidentally, was quick to praise the organizers of the 2011 European Weightlifting Championships in Kazan, Russia for having done an unusually good job in terms of things like staging and facility management, and the 2011 World Weightlifting Championships in Paris, France for presenting a theater-like stage and for attracting a  bigger audience than could be accommodated within the hall, day after day. 

I would second those and add that what Antonio Urso and David Goldstrom brought to the 2008 Senior European Weightlifting Championships (Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy) deserves special mention for what I called “Best Staging, Best Lighting . . . The New Look of Weightlifting” (MILO, September 2008, Vol. 16, No. 2, p. 25).

Incidentally, while it’s easy to cast the marketing failures of the sport in ideological terms, there is no requirement that success must come in the form of a Harvard MBA or a shirtsleeves California entrepreneur:  My first serious discussion about how weightlifting needed to do a better job of promoting itself was with the Chinese coach Xiong Han Yang, and it was president of the Chinese Weightlifting Association, Ma Wenguang, who kindly agreed to send his 2004 Olympic gold medalists Shi Zhiyong and Zhang Guozheng and coach Chen Wen Bin to the USA for an exhibition IronMind had organized at the 2005 Arnold Sports Festival, in what was the first time weightlifting was featured on the main exposition hall stage.

Whether it’s finances or drugs, the rules of the the business must be followed or sanctions should be expected.  It’s also the case that businesses that do not adapt to meet the demands of the marketplace will go the way of the dinosaur and the buggy whip. 

It’s time for weightlifting to clean up its act and get with the times: out with the old and in with the new.

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The 2013 season of the Strongman Canada League opened at Sherbrooke, Quebec—featuring the biggest names in Canadian strongman in a show that was filmed for TV by Canal D.


Jean-Francois Caron on his way to victory at the inaugural competition in Strongman Canada League’s 2013 season.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Jean-Francois Caron.


Featuring a match up between Jean-Francois Caron, Christian Savoie and Louis-Philippe Jean, this was an 8-event contest held over two days.

Contest highlights included a new Canadian record  of 340 lb. for 16 reps on the Viking Press by Jacki Ouellet.

Official Results

Strongman Canada League continues in Warwick, Quebec on July 7-8th, although Jean-Francois Caron told IronMind, “I will be not here because  SCL China is on the same date.”

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“We are preparing for the MHP Strongman Champions League Serbia which will happen coming weekend in Novi Sad, the second biggest city in Serbia,” Marcel Mostert told IronMind today.


Powered by MHP, the 2013 Strongman Champions League season continues in Serbia this weekend:  “The weather will be hot, 30 degrees (86 F), the arena beautiful, and the athletes fired up for the title and the prize money," Marcel Mostert told IronMind.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of SCL.



“This is the 3rd stage of the MHP/SCL series out of 16.  Next week the SCL Latvia will be done, followed by SCL Czech and SCL Holland.

“It will be busy weeks and all top athletes around the world will appear in one or more shows in this period: Misha Koklyaev, Vytautas Lalas, Terry Hollands, Laurence Shahlaei, Krzystof Radzikowski and maybe even Zydrunas Savickas,” said Mostert.
 
Start List
Ervin Katona (Serbia)
Johannes Arsjo (Sweden)
Paul Pirjol (Romania)           
Sebastian Kurek (Poland)              
Tomi Lotta (Finland)                                                        
Jan Wagenaar (Holland)                          
Martin Wildauer (Germany)          
Lauri Nami (Estonia)             
Dainis Zageris (Latvia)                
Akos Nagy (Hungary)           
TBD* (Serbia)
TBD* Serbia (Serbia)

*to be determined
 
Events
Atlas Stones
Truck Pull
Power Team Forward Hold
MHP Viking Press
Farmer's Walk
Weight for Height.
 
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24-year old Yusuke Nakamura has just been certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper, the best known benchmark for world class grip strength, but not content to stop there, he said “I will try No. 4 certification in future and succeed [with] it.”


The Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper was no match for 177 cm (about 5’ 9-1/2”) and 85 kg (about 187 lb.), Yusuke Nakamura, who has been training grip strength since he was 10 years old.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Yusuke Nakamura.


“I began to train my grip strength when I was 10 years old and have been training for 14 years,” Nakamura said.  “When I was 16 years old, I closed No. 3 CoC Gripper for the first time.  I have done 100 pushups with only thumbs.

Presumably measured on a hand dynamometer, Nakaumura said, “When I was 18 years old, my grip strength exceeded 100 kg (220 lb.) and now [is] over 120 kg (264 lb.).  My personal best [on the] Rolling Thunder is 100 kg (220 lb.).  I’m also doing block weight training.”

Longterm dedications pays off: Congratulations to Yusuke Nakamura—your name has been added to the official Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper certification list—and many thanks to Mitchell Troop for serving as the referee on Yusuke Nakamura’s official attempt to close the CoC No. 3.

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http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Main/captainsofcrush2.html

http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Main/rednail_roster.html
 

“We had a very busy contest day [Saturday]; 22 competitors for the British Grip Champs, and 8 armwrestling supermatches too – so we had to keep things moving!,” David Horne reported to IronMind.


Poor weather was no challenge for the group gathered at David Horne’s British Grip Championships and arm wrestling supermatch in Stafford, England.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of David Horne.


“This is the second biggest British Grip Champs since its start in 1991.  We had an armwrestling supermatch after each grip event, and this worked very well. The grip guys loved watching the professional armwrestling, and many armwrestlers got stuck into the grip contest, did very well, and can’t wait for the next comp!
 
“Some of these even carried on after a tough supermatch. Also both hands were tested in the grip contest, so there was no hiding for a tired arm!
 
“Anyway a great day was had by all, and even after a long day of competing the guys still did another hour plus of armwrestling training and grip stuff!
Only downer was the rain, cold temperature and the wind, but the marquee did the business,” Horne said.
 
Here are the top ten:



Please visit David Horne’s website for full details.

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In 2008, IronMind received a photo and video clips of Peter Mortensen doing one-arm pullups on a Rolling Thunder—needless to say, Peter had our attention!


Peter Mortensen, a rock climber from Denmark, does a one-arm pull-up on a Rolling Thunder® Revolving Deadlift Handle:  “There seems to be a strong correlation between strength on revolving handles or dumbbells (especially thick handles) and climbing hand strength . . .,” Peter told us.  Reprinted from the 2009 IronMind® catalog - Volume Eighteen, with permission.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Peter Mortensen.
 

As indicated by that performance, Peter Mortensen is capable of some remarkable feats of strength but what’s also evident is that as fierce as he is in his workouts, you can also feel a tremendous sense of joy and even though you are watching the limits of human exertion, you feel as if Peter is playing.  This man has the passion.

Just heard about Peter’s website homebuiltstrength.com and if you’re feeling sluggish, are thinking that you’d rather sit on the couch than get moving or are thinking it’s fine to look and feel like a beached whale, do yourself a huge favor and take a look at a couple of Peter’s videos: If you don’t get inspired, maybe you should have someone check your pulse and call 911 before it’s too late

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Francis Brebner has reported on the on the 2013 HSMA Hungary’s Strongest Man contest for IronMind.

2013 Hungary’s Strongest Man
by Francis Brebner


This past weekend in Sobri Adventure Park in Hungary, ten of the Hungary's strongest men battled it out for the 2013  HSMA Hungarian Strongest Man title which was promoted by Adam Daruzs.
 
This biggest favorite going into this competition was Zsolt Szabó the current defending Champion and a winner of the title three times.  Ákos Nagy, the winner of the Giants Live Budapest and World Strongest man competitor, and the "dark horse" of the competition was the twenty two year old athlete Tamás Hajnal, who has won the Hungarian Team Championship for the past three years..

A total of six very heavy events were to be contested for the title which was all done in this one day championship.  The weather was perfect which was nice for the filming of the event, which was shot in  six different locations for  Sport 1 TV.

First event got under way with the log for max weight: Zsolt Szabó and Ákos Nagy tied with 165kg  Ákos come very close to the 170kg.

Next event with the farmer’s walk which was a total weight of a 140kg in each hand.  This was done over a course of 40m in the fastest time with Zsolt winning with a time of  30.8 seconds; Tamás Hajnal was second with 44.53 and Lóránt Csikós third with 73.17.

In the 56-lb. weight over the bar, both Szabó and Nagy made a new Hungarian strongman record with a height of 16' andTamás Hajnal was the third with 14'5".

Moving onto the deadlift hold with a VW Transporter, it was Szabó that notched up his second win with a time of 50.05.

The Atlas stones (which was series of Stones weighing from 128 kg, 144 kg, 128 kg, 144 kg, 177 kg) was won by Tamás Hajnal with a time of 17.74 for four stones and unfortunately for Szabó, he placed a disappointing last place due to a bicep injury sustained during the event.

Going into the last event of the competition with the deadlift,  Hajnal Tamas was the leader with a one and a half point advantage over Szabó and five points over Nagy.

The car deadlift (320 kg) was done for reps and  only four athletes succeeded in lifting the car: Szabó won with a total of seven reps, Nagy was second with four reps and Hajnal was in third place with two reps.

Adam Daruzs concluded in saying he was very pleased with the whole event and with the athletes who gave 110% in every event which made for a climactic finish between the top three athletes going into the last event.

Overall results:

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“Genesis Gym in West London hosted Giant's Live's London's Strongest Man at the weekend,” Colin Bryce reported to IronMind.


Lloyd Renals does an easy 10 reps with 270 kg on his way to winning the Giants Live Strongest Man in London contest.  Giants Live organizes the official qualifying tour for the World’s Strongest Man contest.  IronMind® | Courtesy of Giants Live.


“The event was in aid of the charity Help For Heroes. Three weight categories involved - Open, U105kg and U90kg. Up for grabs in the Open's was a place at a Giants Live.  In the lighter bodyweight classes the winners go to Europe's Strongest Man 2013 in their respective categories. The contest was an open event and athletes from a number of countries made the journey.

“The strongest Londoner of all time, Terry Hollands, came along and refereed the Open category. Lloyd Renals repped out an easy 10 reps at 275kg in the deadlift to take the victory on the final event over the former discus thrower Ben Kelsey. Renals, who cuts a striking figure at 170kg and 6 foot 5inches, will be making his international Giants Live debut at one of the grand prix later in the year. Kelsey, in second, weighs in less than 115kg yet did 12 reps at 250kg in the 'raw' squat event.
 
 
Open Results:
 
1st       Lloyd Renals - ENG
2nd      Ben Kelsey - ENG
3rd       Luke Fullbrook - ENG
4th       Lance Lavelle - CAN
 
 
In the 105's the class act was Rob McGee who styled out the win on the final event, deadlift, when he refused to wear straps. Ten reps at 235kg at high speed sealed the victory.
 
U105 Results:
 
1st      Rob McGee - ENG
2nd     Shane Burns - ENG
3rd      Lee Johnson - ENG
4th      Chris Astle - ENG
 
In the 90s the outstanding performer was Germany's Markus Krümmer who belted out 8 reps in the 200kg 'raw' squat and 13 reps at 220kg in the deadlift.
 
U90 Results:
 
1st         Markus Krümmer - GER
2nd        Tom Hibbert - ENG
3rd        Tosin Mobee - ENG
4th         Dave Baxter - ENG


Left to right: Colin Bryce, Lloyd Renals,  Rob Mcgee,Markus Krummer,  Terry Hollands, and Dave Beatty.  IronMind® | Courtesy of Giants Live.


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Washington, DC police officer and Andrews AFB Air Force Reservist Tom Scibelli has just proven that the IronMind Red Nail is no match for him as he has been certified on this benchmark short steel bend.


6’ 1” tall, 215-lb. Tom Scibelli has just been certified on the IronMind Red Nail: “I became interested in grip and bending when I started my job as a police officer and realized that having a good grip was essential,” the Washington, DC police officer and Andrews AFB Air Force Reservist told IronMind.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Tom Scibelli.


“I became interested in grip and bending when I started my job as a police officer and realized that having a good grip was essential,” Scibelli told IronMind.  

“I searched the internet for grip strength, which lead me to the Captains of Crush grippers.  After 5 solid months of overall grip training, I discovered bending.  When I first started I could barely bend a yellow nail, but with pointers from Nathaniel Brous (Red Nail Roster ’13) and encouragement from Chris Dezendorf, I was headed on the right track for the Red.

“My goals are to continue bending bigger steel and developing overall grip strength.

“I’d like to thank my three children, Jacob, Andrew and Lydia for being my workout partners in my home gym as I trained for the Red Nail, my girlfriend Martina, and my referee Ryan Trudell for taking time out of his day to drive all the way to my house, Scibelli said.

Congratulations, Tom, your name has been added to the Red Nail Roster, and many thanks to Ryan Trudell for serving as the referee on Tom’s official attempt to bend an IronMind Red Nail.

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Alexey Tyukalov and Rich Williams might have some of the very strongest hands in the world, but they won’t be able to coast at the upcoming IronMind Record Breakers— because Mike Burke has just tossed his hat into the ring, too.

Wondering if you’ll ever close a Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper? 


Wondering if you’ll ever close a Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper?  Mike Burke held the CoC Silver Bullet for a whopping 53.97 seconds, for a new world record.  Burke produced a sensational performance in the Visegrip Viking contest at the 2013 LA FitExp and he’ll be at IronMind Record Breakers at the NorCal FitExpo, facing the two men whose world records he broke in Los Angeles earlier this year—Alexey Tykulov and Rich Williams.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.




Odd Haugen, known for putting on the world’s top tier grip contests, set a high water mark at the LA FitExpo in January and few would have thought that contest could ever be outdone, but Haugen’s lineup for the NorCal FitExpo is poised to make LA look like a warmup.

Mike Burke was so dominant as he crushed his competition along with world records that his middle name might have been Mayhem, but he didn’t have to deal with Tyukalov or Williams, the men whose world records he broke in the CoC Silver Bullet Hold and the Apollon’s Axle Double Overhand Deadlift, respectively.

Now, for the first time in the world, Haugen will be presenting all three champions on one stage, going head to head on the best known and most widely established tests of grip strength.


After demolishing the world record on the IronMind Apollon’s Axle Deadlift not once, but twice, Mike Burke pulled 240 kg to knee height, signaling where he’s planning to go with this lift.  In June, Burke will square off with the man whose world record he broke on this lift, the mighty Rich Williams.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


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He’s a legend in the grip strength world, the man who certified on a Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper with very little training and for years held the world record on the Apollon’s Axle Double Overhand Deadlift at a mighty 501 lb.


At 6' 3" tall and about 410 lb., Christian Evangelist Rich Williams is a formidable force, something that he can easily demonstrate with the raw power of his hands.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Rich Williams.


Rich Williams has stood alone in thick handled feats of grip strength and was the first man in the world to certify on both the Captains of Crush No. 3 and No. 3.5 grippers on the same day.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Bert Sorin.

That was a number nobody could approach until Mike Burke exceeded it at Odd Haugen’s grip contest at the LA FitExpo earlier this year, but just as Burke has more in the tank, Williams told IronMind that he has done well over 500 lb. on multiple occasions, so if you want to see a new world record in the Apollon’s Axle, come to the NorCal FitExpo, where Odd Haugen’s latest strength extravaganza will include the IronMind Record Breakers.

Williams is stoked, telling IronMind that unlike the rumors that he had retired from grip contests, he is eager to compete and for the grip strength world this means that Haugen is likely to exceed the high water mark he established at the LA FitExpo in January, where Mike Burke delivered a sensational performance—the stage is set for that to become the opening act for the IronMind Record Breakers, with a field that now includes the one and only Rich Williams.



Rich Williams was the first man in the world to certify on both the Captains of Crush No. 3 and No. 3.5 grippers on the same day.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Jeff Goergen.

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Jim Schmitz explains the Miyake High Pull, named after two-time Olympic gold medalist Yoshinobu Miyake.


Yoshinobu Miyake keeps a close eye on Nicu Vlad at The Sports Palace, where the Olympic gold medalists were visiting Jim Schmitz and wowing their fellow weightlifters.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Whether you are a lifter, coach or Olympic weightlifting fan, this is a must-read article by Jim Schmitz, whose many credits in the sport include being the coach of the last American man to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting, Mario Martinez.

Click on the Article button on the IronMind homepage and select the Schmitz on the Lifts from the menu or click on this link to go directly to Miyake High Pull.


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IronMind is doing some spring cleaning in its warehouse—and that means many more items have been added the Specials pages in the IronMind e-store.


We’re cleaning up our warehouse, so save money on some of your favorite IronMind products.  



Sale items might be 1) cosmetically blemished but fully functional products; 2) prior models of current products; and 3) items on the discontinued list that are in brand-new condition but are on close-out status.  Any way you slice it, you get IronMind’s signature “Tools of the Trade for Serious Strength Athletes™” at a reduced price.
 
Jump onto the Specials page of the IronMind e-store and dig through the bargains:  have fun looking at what’s  there, get some top quality IronMind products, and save money at the same time.

Limited quantities: first come, first served. 
 

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Russian Grip Strength Star Alexey Tyukalov Will Compete in IronMind Record Breakers

Russian grip strength star Alexsey Tyukalov has confirmed with IronMind that he will be competing the IronMind Record Breakers grip contest that is part of Odd Haugen’s strength fest at the Nor Cal FitExpo in June.


Alexey “Tank” Tyukalov destroyed the men’s world record in the CoC Silver Bullet Hold on September 29, 2012 with a huge time of 52.49 seconds.  For men, the challenge is to use a No. 3 Captains of Crush gripper to hold a CoC Silver Bullet with 2.5 kg hanging from it for as long a possible.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Juha Harju/Grip Monsters.

 

Tyukalov is certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper (CoC3 ’12), has unofficially succeeded with world record weights on the Rolling Thunder and he held the official CoC Silver Bullet world record until it was broken by Michael Burke at Haugen’s grip contest at the Los Angeles FitExpo last January. 

IronMind is thrilled to be able to welcome Alexey Tyukalov to California and this sets the stage for a matchup between Tyukalov, the former world record holder on the CoC Silver Bullet Hold, and Mike Burke, the current world record holder in that event.  Tyukalov might also be planning an assault on the Rolling Thunder world record, the exclusive domain of Mark Felix since 2008, so if you want to see grip strength at its highest, mark your calendar for the 2013 Nor Cal FitExpo, June 29–30 in Santa Clara, California.

Follow this link for full details on the IronMind Record Breakers.


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Finland’s Kati Luoto produced an “awesome win for the title of United Strongmen Queen of the  Castle,” Jyrki Rantanen reported to IronMind.


Shown on the Tire Flip, Kati Luoto was overpowering at the United Strongmen Queen of the Castle (sponsored by Fitnesstukku).  IronMind | Photo ©United Strongmen®/Piia Aaltokoski.



Luoto, who is the United Strongmen Strongwoman Scandinavian champion, “dominated the whole competition, winning all events except the stones, where Sweden´s Anki Öberg did great a attempt with 137-kg world stone.


“The previous champion, Annina Saine from Finland, took bronze and was followed by countysister Alina Leisiö, and Lise Ganstad from Norway,” Rantanen said.

Final Scores

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“I recently decided to make the move over to Olympic weightlifting from strongman and I have quickly become obsessed with it,” Josh Thigpen told me, and then he asked about some of Hossein Rezazaeh’s lifts.


Professional strongman Josh Thigpen has switched his focus to Olympic-style weightlifting: “I will always love strongman but at least for the time being I am putting it aside to focus on Olympic lifting . . . We’ll see what happens!," he told IronMind.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Josh Thigpen.


I relayed some information about Rezazdeh’s huge power cleans and asked Josh some more about his own lifting.

“For now at least, I am stepping away from strongman and I have fallen in love with Olympic lifting,” he said. 

“The technique is frustrating to learn, but I am enjoying the challenge.  I plan on hitting my first meet sometime this summer.  I like that there is drug testing, and although guys get around it at least there is testing in place.”

Josh Thigpen has competed in the World’s Strongest Man contest three times (and qualified last year, but ended up not being able to compete due to an injury).

“As far as Olympic lifting goes this is kind of an experiment.  I think I will be the first pro strongman to try and make the switch.  There has been some guys switch over from Olympic lifting to strongman (Misha, Jason Krystal) with great success, but not the other way around.

“My ultimate goal is to make the Olympic team in 2016.   Some people think I am crazy, but they don't understand my work ethic and how obsessive I am.  I am not delusional enough to think that I will walk into the sport and dominate right away.

“I understand the work I have ahead of me, but I will train all day everyday if I have to. I also have a lot of faith in Christ, and if It is the Lord’s will it will happen,” Josh told IronMind.


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Francis Brebner called the action at the Las Vegas Highland Games for IronMind and talking about action, there was plenty of it: Andy Vincent, Jake Sullivan and Jon O’Neil distinguished themselves in the pros and Robert “OB” Oberst made an impressive debut in the novice class.




Andy Vincent won the 56-lb. weight for height with an 18-ft. throw and from there he took some shots at breaking the world record.  Very impressive.  IronMind® | Francis Brebner photo.



2013 Las Vegas Highland Games
by Francis Brebner



The Las Vegas Highland Games this past weekend had almost a hundred athletes battling it out over several athletic group categories. Three new additions to the pro class—Andy Vincent, Jon O’Neil and Jake Sullivan— along with  Kearney Smith, Mike Dikens, Ryan Stewart, Doug Steiger and John Odden, made up the group which saw some very big numbers been thrown for the beginning of the season. 

On Friday night, on the world-famous Fremont Street in Las Vegas, the SAAA organized a demonstration of sheaf pitching which fascinated the masses of spectators along with the splendid playing of the LA Scots  pipe band which finished off the playing of Celtic rock band 1916, which created a great atmosphere.

On the first day of competition in the Pro ranks with the 22-lb. Braemar stone, Andy Vincent took the first win but had to pull out everything he had on his last putt to win over his closest rival, O’Neil, with a world class put of 45’ 11”; in second place was O’Neil with 45’1” and in third place, Sullivan with 40’ 9”.

In the 16-lb. Open stone O’Neil pulled off the win with a impressive putt of 55’ 5-½” with Vincent this time having to settle for second place with 54’ and Sullivan in third with an 52’ 10”.

The 56-lb. weight-for-distance was a very close tussle between Vincent and Sullivan, with Vincent claiming his second win with a distance of 45’ 1”; in second place was Sullivan with 44’ 4-½” and in third place was Ryan Stewart with 40’.

Moving into the 28-lb weight for distance again it was head-to-head between Vincent and Sullivan with Andy Vincent notching up another win with a superb distance of 86 ’8”; in second place was Sullivan with 85’ 2” and in third Jon O’Neil with 78’1”.



In the 16-lb hammer Jake Sullivan dominated with a excellent uphill throw of 133’ 7”, in second with place was Andy Vincent 121’ 4”, with Ryan Stewart in third place with 117’9” ½. 

The following event with the 22-lb hammer was Sullivan’s second straight win, with a distance of 105’ 9”, followed by Andy Vincent at 103’ 3-½” with Mike Dickens pulling out a throw of 91’ 6” for third.



The seventh event of the competition, the 56-lb. weight-over-bar, this indeed was a real climax event for the vast crowd that was watching with Andy Vincent showing his overall strength and explosive power clearing the bar at 18’ for the win and taking extra attempts which were so close to breaking the world record.  Second place was Jon O’Neil with 17’ and in third place Ryan Stewart with 16’.

The 20-lb. sheaf toss both Jake Sullivan and Mike Dickens cleared the height of 32’ with Sullivan claiming the victory with fewer misses on count back, Mike Dickens in second place, and in third place Jon O’Neil clearing the height of 28’.



The caber toss was the final event, and the caber at 18’ and a 130-lb. proved a very hard stick to maneuver, with only two athletes successfully getting a turn.  Andy Vincent was on form nailing a perfect 12 o’clock toss for the win; in second place was Dickens with 11:00 and in third place was Stewart with a 80% attempt.


Overall scores

Asking Andy Vincent who was on fire throughout the whole competition about his performance overall and chiefly his record attempt on the weight over the bar, he said, “I am very pleased with everything at such an early stage in the season.  I came very close to clearing 18’ 11” and think if I work hard at it there could be a chance of clearing this height in the near future.”

Special mention must also be given to Jake Sullivan who only in his second competition as a Pro pulled out a very impressive performance all round, and also to a few others such as John Waugh, who in the Masters 60-plus category set a new World Record in the 16-lb Sheaf with a height of 25’2”,  and also Fresno Strongman Robert “OB” Oberst, who only a day before won the Giants Live qualifier, so he will be invited to a Giants Live contest—giving him the opportunity to qualify for the 2013 World’s Strongest Man contest.


Robert “OB” Oberst is becoming something of a one-man wrecking crew in strength sports: he won the Giants Live qualifier the day before making a strong debut in the Highland Games.  And anyone who saw OB’s mas wrestling matches with James Rude at the LA FitExpo knows that OB has to be a favorite to take the national title at the NorCal FitExpo in June.  How big a day did OB have in Vegas when he made his Highland Games debut?  His performances included three (perfect) 12:00 caber tosses in a day that Francis Brebner summed up thusly: “Very impressive for a first timer that has never touched a implement before.”  IronMind® | Francis Brebner photo.


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Pair a Zenith gripper with Expand-Your-Hand Bands and you’ll have all the vital tools for building strong and healthy hands—save money, too, with IronMind’s new Two-Way Grip Sets.





A Zenith Gripper and a set of Expand-Your-Hand Bands are the basic training tools for building strong and healthy hands—they’ll make your hands perform and feel better . . .  coming and going.  Image ©IronMind Enterprises, Inc.





Developed by IronMind in 2012, Zenith grippers complement IronMind’s benchmark Captains of Crush grippers: whereas Captains of Crush grippers are geared toward maximum grip strength, Zenith grippers put a premium on conditioning as well as strength, while also sparing the soft tissue in your hand. 

That’s only half the story, though, because as IronMind began explaining more than a decade ago, there is more to hand strength and health than what you can crush.



In all likelihood, nearly all your daily activities involve the flexors in your hands—whether you are shaking hands, holding a tennis racquet or squeezing your favorite Captains of Crush or Zenith gripper. 

The other side of the coin is your extensors—the muscles that make your hand open up—and without some work on them, pain and possibly injury are likely to follow:  think tennis elbow if you want an example of how things can go awry when you have muscle imbalance coupled with overuse.



In 2005, IronMind developed Expand-Your-Hand Bands as a fun, convenient way to train the extensors in a progressive manner, so if you pair a Zenith gripper with a set of Expand-Your-Hand Bands, you’ll have your hand-training needs covered, coming and going.



Do your hands (and yourself) a favor and remember that your hands open as well as close, and if want to receive the benefits of balanced hand training and save money at the same time, IronMind has two new two-way grip packages, one built around the Zenith Trainer gripper and the other built around the Zenith 1 gripper.

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“Last weekend, in a fully-packed arena, the vice world champion Vytautas Lalas won the FIBO/MHP Strongman Champions League in Germany,” Marcel Mostert reported to IronMind.


Vytautus Lalas on the deadlift for reps at the SCL/FIBO strongman contest.  Lalas, who has been on a roll in the strongman world, won this competition.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of SCL.


“It was not easy for him, as after 5 events, the big Icelander ‘Thor’ was leading by half a point on Vytautas.

“Lalas impressed already at the ‘Giant Dumbbell Lift’ with a new record of 13 reps (90 Kg) , but he made a mistake on the Crucifix.  Therefore it was the whole day an interesting fight for winning the FIBO title.

“Until the last event, the deadlift for reps with 350 kg, Lalas showed his absolute power and did 9 reps, equal with Martin Wildauer ‘The Deadlift Kid.’  Thor couldn’t do more than 6 reps and finished therefore 2nd overall in the competition.  Krzysztof, the leader in the MHP Strongman Champions League, finished 3rd overall.  With Laurence Shahlaei on 4th, Ervin Katona on 5th and Misha Koklyaev on 6th place, we had an extremely strong top 6 finish with 14 competitors in total.
 
"The FIBO this year was on a new place in Cologne, as the former expo site became too small!  On Saturday, when the Strongman show was running, there were so much people that they stopped sell tickets at 3 pm.  It was totally overcrowded!  So, again a great success and we look forward to be back next year!  Many thanks to Heinz Ollesch and Jens Thieme for their efforts and help in our Strongman Champions League," said Mostert.


Krzysztof Radzikowski is the season leader so far in the 2013 MHP SCL strongman series.  IronMind® |  Photo courtesy of SCL.
 

Final results, top six:

Mostert also told IronMind, “This coming Friday, 19 April, the first SCL competition from 2013, the SCL LAPLAND, will be broadcast on Eurosport 23.00 hours CET time.”
 
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He got off to a poor start, missing his first two snatches, but his clean and jerk allowed Ruslan Albegov (Russia) to win the super heavyweight category at the 2013 Senior European Weightlifting Championships tonight in Tirana, Albania.

Albegov stumbled in the snatch, missing 195 kg twice before making it easily on his third attempt, and this opened the door for Artem Udachyn (Ukraine), who made 195 kg and 200 kg, before missing 203 kg.

Albegov opened with 230 kg in the clean and jerk, for a good lift, and Udachyn responded with a good 231 kg opener.  Albegov made 236 kg, Udachyn replied with 242 kg and Albegov hit 247 kg on his third attempt—putting him in first place on body weight.  

Looking to overtake Albegov, Udachyn took the same weight, cleaned it and drove it to arms’ length overhead, but could not fix it.  Jiri Orsag (Czech) won the bronze medal in the total with 422 kg.


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Defending 105-kg senior European weightlifting champion David Bedzhanian (Russia) improved his total  by six kilos over last year and once again relegated his teammate Maksim Sheiko to the silver medal overall.


His power jerk is off the charts: David Bedzhanian blasted this 230-kg overhead on his way to defending his senior European 105-kg weightlifting title.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo


Also as last year, Sheiko won the gold medal in the snatch—hitting 184 kg.  Davit Gogia (Georgia) won the silver medal in the snatch with 183 and David Bedzhanian took home the bronze medal with 181 kg.

The clean and jerk was all David Bedzhanian, as one would expect of the world record holder in the lift: his 220-kg opener looked like an empty bar and he barely had to bend his knees to fix the weight overhead when he power jerked it.  His 224-kg second attempt was almost as easy and his good lift with 230-kg on his third attempt looked to be well within his ability last night, so watch for more from him in Poland later this year.

The silver medal in the clean and jerk went to Arturs Plesnieks (Latvia), who made 222-kg, and the Sheiko got the bronze medal with his 220-kg lift.

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One kilo off his London Olympics pace was good enough for Intigam Zairov (Azerbaijan) to handily win the gold medal in the total in the 94-kg category at the European Weightlifting Championships tonight in Tirana, Albania.


With this 180-kg snatch, Intigam Zairov (Azerbaijan) pocketed the first of his three gold medals in the 94-kg category at the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships in Tirana, Albania.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo


Intigam came out of the starting blocks with three successful snatches, ending with 180 kg, which put him a big seven kilos ahead of silver medalist Rinat Kireev (Russia) and eight in front of bronze medalist Zygimantas Stanulis (Lithuania).

Zairov edged Kireev on body weight for the gold medal in the clean and jerk as both men made three good lifts and finished with 216 kg.  Aliaksandr Makaranka (Belarus) nudged Stanulis out of bronze medal position in the clean and jerk—both lifters ended with 200 kg.

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He’s the defending Olympic silver medalist, big stuff in itself, but besides just adding the 2013 European Championships title to his collection, Apti Aukhadov (Russia) put on a show that marks him as the man to beat in weightlifting’s 85-kg class.




Apti Aukhadov destroyed this 215-kg clean and jerk as he swept the gold medals in the 85-kg category at the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Aukhadov started his six-for-six night with 166 kg, 171 kg and 173-kg snatches—always looking in command as he crisply executed his lifts.  Bulgaria’s Ivan Markov, seen as a podium favorite in this category, got the silver medal in the snatch with 170 kg, and Gabriel Sincraian (Romania) was in for the bronze medal with 166 kg.

Aukhadov’s dominance was clear in the clean and jerk, where he once again made three good lifts: 205 kg, 210 kg and 215 kg, and also once again, the lifts were never in doubt.  He has switched from a split jerk to a squat jerk, and each was executed with apparent power to spare.  Markov was the silver medalist in the clean and jerk with 205 kg, edging Rauli Tsirekidze (Georgia) on body weight.

Watch for Aukhadov to challenge, and most likely break, the clean and jerk world record in the near future.


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Two lifters had a chance to knock him from his throne, but Dmitri Khomiakov (Russia) held on for the victory in a hotly-contended 77-kg category at the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships in Tirana, Albania.


There were two attempts left and either one could dethrone Dmitri Khomiakov, but when he made this 190-kg clean and jerk, he went into gold medal position and it turned out that's where he stayed.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Khomiakov snatched 155 kg, 159 kg and 161 kg to go into the clean and jerks with a one-kg lead over Andranik Karapetyan (Armenia) and a bit more of an edge over the two lifters seen as his primary challengers: Alexandr Spac (Moldavia) made three good lifts to end with 157 kg, and Razvan Martin (Roumania) made 153 kg, followed by 156 kg, before missing 158 kg.

The clean and jerk showed how closely matched the lifters in this category were and it was clear that the overall victory could well come down to the final clean and jerk.

Khomiakov once again showed his consistency as he racked up three more good lifts: 180 kg, 185 kg and 190 kg, the last attempt putting him in gold medal position in the total, but Martin, who made 190 kg on his second attempt, and Spac, who made 189 kg on his second attempt, had one more shot at the title.

Spac called for the 194 kg he needed to bump Khomiakov on bodyweight, and after cleaning the weight, drove it up, but could not quite fix it.  Martin followed with the 195 kg he needed to move into first place on bodyweight, but he could not rack the bar, and had to settle for the bronze medal in the total, losing the silver medal to Spac on body weight.

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A missed snatch by Daniel Godelli opened the door for Oleg Chen, who seized the opportunity and went on to victory in the 69-kg class at the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships in Tirana, Albania.


Oleg Chen (Russia) on the way up with his 155-kg snatch, a lift that would give him his go-head margin for the gold medal in the total as well.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


The Albanian fans were out in full force to support their two lifters in the Briken Calja and Daniel Godelli, but things went off the rails in hurry for Calja when he missed 142 kg in the snatch once, twice and then a third time as well. 

Godelli tested local nerves further when he came out and missed his opener in the snatch, 145 kg.  He repeated for a success and then missed 153 kg on his third attempt in what would prove very costly.  Sardar Hasanov (Azerbaijan) also missed 145 on his opener, came back to make it on his second, but he didn’t stop there—he made 150 kg on his third attempt.

If Calja and Godelli struggled with 145 kg, Oleg Chen added insult to injury when he ripped 146 on his opener as if he had a couple of warmups to go.  Chen then demolished 152 kg and 155 kg, appearing to be brimming with confidence.

Hasanov and Chen both finished the clean and jerk with 176 kg, leaving Godelli with two attempts, and while the gold medal in the total was out of range, the gold in the clean and jerk was within his grasp—all he needed to bump Chen was to clean and jerk 177 kg. 

Godelli was almost disdainful of the weight as he ripped it up and quick jerked it, only to lose control as he was recovering.   No matter, because showing how really little he thought of the 177 kg, he moved up to 180 kg on his third attempt and punched it overhead for a gold medal that was manna from heaven for the Albanians fans packing the competition hall.  Pity that he’d missed his third snatch or he’d have had the gold medal in the total as well.

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“For the seventh time is on FIBO POWER - Saturday 13 April 2013, the Champions League competition with the StrongmanClassX,” Marcel Mostert told IronMind today.


SCL FIBO is this coming weekend.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of SCL.


“The clash between the strongest athletes of this moment will happen this year in Cologne, the new place for the FIBO.
“Because the original place in Essen got too small for the FIBO , they have staged a new place in Cologne.
“The MHP Strongman Champions League will co-operate with the FIBO and GFSA, which means that a high quality level of the contest is guaranteed. Also thanks to the many efforts of the former strongman  ‘The Tractor’ Heinz Ollesch,” said Mostert.

Here is the program:
 
SATURDAY: Strongman Area, Hall 2.1 / Stand A20
Start: 12:00 clock
 
1. Giant Log Lift
2. Front Hold
3. Yoke Race
4. Barrel Loading
 
Bodybuilding.com Stage, Hall 1, 16:05 (4:05 pm)
5. Monster Dumbbell Lift
 
Evening stage, 19:00 (7:00 pm)
6. Deadlift  for reps (350 Kg)
 
Here is the start list:
 
LAURENCE SHALHAEI (Iran)
MIKHAIL KOKLYAEV (Russia)
KRZYSZTOF RADZIKOWSKI  (Poland)
HAFBOR JULIUS BJÖRNSSON  (Iceland)
PATRIK BABOUMIAN  (Germany)
MATEUSZ SKRENTNY (Germany)
TIMO RÜDIGER (Germany)
VYTAUTAS LALAS (Lithuania)
JIMMY LAUREYS (Belgium)
MARTIN WILDAUER (Austria)
JARNO HAMS (Netherlands)
ERVIN KATONA (Serbia)
KONSTANTIN ILIN (Ukraine)
AKOS NAGY (Hungary) 


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Valentin Hristov (Azerbaijan) looked more than good as he controlled the 62-kg category at the European Weightlifting Championships, finishing the night with all three gold medals.


Valentin Hristov pulls himself under 175 kg on his way to sweeping the gold medals in the 62-kg category at the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Wasting no time showing that he’s been on the rise since his bronze medal performance at the 2012 Olympics, Hristov, now a 62-kg competitor, started higher in the snatch than where he had ended in London: a success with 133 kg was followed by another with 137 kg, before he missed 140 kg. 

Romania’s Florin Croitoru and Moldavia’s Igor Bour weren’t planning to roll over and play dead in the face of Hristov’s big performance, though, as Croitoru made three good snatches to finish with 135 on the board, and Bour made 130 kg and then 134 kg, before missing 137 in a bid to wrest the snatch gold medal from Hristov.

Continuing to show his improvement since last year, Hristov cleaned and jerked 170 kg on his opener, for a new Junior European record and upped the ante with another success, 175 kg, on his second attempt.  With a successful 170-kg second attempt, Bour went for the gold medal in the clean and jerk, calling for 178 kg on his third attempt, but he missed the jerk.  Hristov passed on his third attempt, having already more than proving that he’s a lifter on the rise.
 

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One of the highlights of the past weekend’s Bundanoon Highland Games in New South Wales, Australia was the Australian Stone Lifting Championships, which was won by Jordan Steffans.


Here's the classic event layout for the Australian Stone Lifting Championships.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Moe Westmoreland.


The contest consider of loading a series of five stones (100 kg, 115 kg, 125kg, 140kgs and 165 kg.) on barrels.


“This event was organized by David Huxley, himself a former Highland Games and strongman competitor, and the president of the Tartan Warriors, which was the organizer of the Australian Stone Lifting Championships,” Francis Brebner reported to IronMind. 

“These championships were celebrating their twentieth year of continual participation at Bundanoon Highland Games and this year sees the changing of the guard regarding appearances of past champions with Craig Reid and Derek Boyer both in retirement having won an impressive ten Australian Stone Lifting championships between them,” Brebner said.

Overall Results
1. Jordan Steffens 
2. Luke Reynolds
3. Moe Westmoreland
4. Aaron Monks

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Mark Felix won three of the six events in the qualifier that will earn him an invitation to the Giants Live Europe’s Strongest Man contest, Denny Felix reported to IronMind.

Jack McIntosh was second, Ed Hall was third and Graham Hicks was fourth.

Giants Live is the official qualifying tour for the World's Strongest Man contest, so earning an invitation to Giants Live is the first step toward qualifying to compete in the 2013 World's Strongest Man contest.

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Without defending Senior European champion Valentin Hristov (Azerbaijan) in the field, Oleg Sirghi (Moldavia) was able to turn last year’s silver into gold via a 116-kg snatch and a 145 kg clean and jerk. 



Oleg Sirghi capped off a string of three good snatches with this 116-kg lift, on his way to winning the 56-kg class at last night’s Senior European Weightlifting Championships in Tirana, Albania.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Sirghi opened with 109 kg, for a good lift and followed that with two more successful attempts: 113 kg and 116 kg, with the last putting him in gold medal position with just one attempt left.  That attempt belonged to Asen Muradov (Bulgaria), who had finished in fourth place in the total at last year’s European Championships.  Muradov had missed 115 kg on his opener, came back to make it and then he built on that success with another good lift to win the gold medal in the snatch with 118 kg.

Muradov needed every bit of his lead coming into the clean and jerk because he opened with 133 kg (good lift), compared to Sirghi’s 140 kg (also a good lift).  Muradov, playing things conservatively, made two more good lifts, 136 kg and 140 kg, and then had to watch as Sirghi sailed by him with a successful 145 kg second attempt.  Gold medals in the jerk and total secure, Sirghi jumped 10 kg to 155 kg on his third attempt, but he missed the jerk—going into a deep split but unable to fix the bar overhead.  The bronze medal in the total went to veteran competitor Tom Goegebuer (Belgium), with a 248-kg total.
 
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“Superb to see old and new faces as usual, and each person brings something special to the party!,” David Horne said of the 4th British Grip Championships, which he won at his Grip Factory in Stafford, England yesterday.


Here’s the field (minus Elizabeth Horne) from David Horne’s 2013 British Grip Championships.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of David Horne.


“Plenty of great lifts, and some world records to boot,” Horne reported to IronMind, and here are the overall results.
 
Overall results – Open class

1. David Horne – 6pt
2. Chris Lowe – 19.5pt
3. Mike Mackenzie – 19.5pt

4. Carl Coffey – 19.5pt
5. Richie Bevan – 25.5pt
6. Elizabeth Horne – 28.5pt – Female

7. Rob Blair – 31pt
8. Alex Morris – 37.5pt
9. Anthony Biggs – 43.5pt
10. Ricky Jones – 44.5pt
11. Mayyah Shalchi – 54.5pt – Female

Please visit David Horne’s World of Grip website for full results.
 
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Strength and conditioning specialist, and a MILO author to boot, Karsten Jensen recently created a program called Old School Muscle Building with The Olympic Lifts – High and Low Repetition Cluster Training.


Old school, including some high-rep work on snatches and clean and jerks, for building muscle—that’s what’s in Karsten Jensen’s latest training program.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of Karsten Jensen.


 “The high rep day is based on Peary Rader’s original program, which is why I thought you might be interested,” Jensen said.  “I feel that the notion, often mentioned, that high rep Olympic weightlifting is dangerous, is misguided.  It’s about how it’s done.”

For full details on this program, please visit Jensen’s website, Yes to Strength. 
 
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The New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) is calling “both hard-nosed pros and first-time beginners,” men and women, to step up to the table and see what kind of arm wrestlers they are: the best of them will leave as the New York City King and Queen of Arms.


Got a strong arm?  Put it to good use at the 36th Annual Big Apple Grapple on April 27 at Cheap Shots Sports Bar in Flushing, New York.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of NYAWA.


NYAWA founder and president Gene Camp expects “100 athletes will participate in this event, including competition from far away as Turkey, Brazil, Russia and Hungary.  Among those expected to take part are the defending 2012 Empire State and NYC Big Apple Grapple International Champions.”

The contest is set for April 27, 2903 at Cheap Shots Sports Bar (Flushing, NY), with the action starting at 1:00 p.m.

For full details, please visit the official NYAWA website.

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Nick and Callie Best are holding Sin City IV and the top two men will be invited to a Giants Live strongman competition.


A sure thing in Las Vegas: Sin City IV gives the right guys a way to get invited to Giants Live, the official qualifying tour for the World’s Strongest Man contest.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of Callie Best.


As part of that prize package, the top two from Sin City get airfare and hotel accommodations for Giants Live, the official qualifying tour for the World's Strongest Man contest.

How big a deal is this?  The top three at the Giants Live are guaranteed an invitation to World’s Strongest Man 2013, so if you’re strongman who’s ready to knock head with the big boys of the strongman world, Sin City IV is your Best Bet.

P.S. Callie says, “If you can‘t make it there in person it will be streamed live on Nick’s website.”

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“I live in Moscow, graduated from college as an accountant,” Alexey Pritula told IronMind, but don’t mistake him for a limp wristed office worker: Alexey has just been certified on the Captains of Crush (CoC) No. 3 gripper.




Welcome, Alexey Pritula, the latest man to certify on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper.  “Alexey succeeded in closing Captain of Crush #3 gripper under official cert conditions with BOTH hands.  After closing it with left hand (his off-hand) he squeezed it also with right hand, which was operated in 2011 (got sewed back the pinky tendon after  avulsion),” official referee Ivan Beritashvili reported to IronMind.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Alexey Pritula.


“The newest member of the elite group works as “as a cutting tool sharpening foreman” and said, “Since college I was fond of training grippers; it always was rubber rings and they always were not hard enough for me. In beginning of 2010, I learned of CoC grippers, my first was CoC#2. I was already able to close it right out from the package.

“Several months after I found out ‘Iron Grip’ on-line community [in Russia], where I met many talented athletes, who had same interests with me.

“In the end of 2010 I was able to close CoC#3 from credit card set, but accidentally tore off pinky tendon on right hand. I got operated and till mid 2012 I severely trained my left hand. So after rehabilitation my right and left hand strength is almost equal.

“My future goal is to collect all IM certs!!,” Alexey told IronMind.

Congratulations, Alexey—your name has been added to the official Captains of Crush No. 3 Gripper certification list and we’re looking forward to adding it to more.

IronMind would like to thank Ivan Beritashvili (CoC3 ’11) for refereeing Alexey’s official attempt.

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Spring ahead–save money and get stronger, healthier hands at the same time with IronMind’s new Two-Way CoC Grip sets.


Pair a Captains of Crush (CoC) Gripper with a set of Expand-Your-Hand Bands and you’ve got the basics for building strong and healthy hands.  Image ©IronMind Enterprises, Inc.


Captains of Crush (CoC) grippers are the world’s top grip strength tool, but as IronMind began explaining more than a decade ago, there is more to hand strength and health than what you can crush.
 

In all likelihood, nearly all your daily activities involve the flexors in your hands—whether you are shaking hands, holding a tennis racquet or squeezing your favorite Captains of Crush gripper.  The other side of the coin is your extensors, and without some work on them, pain and possibly injury are likely to follow—think tennis elbow if you want an example of how things can go awry.

In 2005, IronMind developed Expand-Your-Hand Bands as a fun, convenient way to train the extensors in a progressive manner, so if you pair up a Captains of Crush gripper with a set of Expand-Your-Hand Bands, that has your hands covered . . . in both directions.

Do your hands (and yourself) a favor and remember that your hands open as well as close, and if you want to give this a try for yourself, here are a couple of new packages that will deliver all the benefits of balanced hand training while saving you money at the same time, one built around the Captains of Crush Trainer gripper and Captains of Crush No. 1 gripper.

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The Odd Haugen Strength Classic, part of the NorCal FitExpo, is getting an added dimension Haugen told IronMind yesterday: there will be women’s classes in both the grip strength and mas wrestling competitions.


When Adriane (nee Blewitt) Wilson became the first women to certify on the Captains of Crush No. 2 gripper, she proved that she was much more than just one of the boys when it comes to grip strength.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Adriane Wilson.


Haugen, long a leader in organizing world class grip competitions, is holding an IronMind Record Breakers on the following events:

• Double Overhand Deadlift on IronMind Apollon’s Axle

• IronMind Rolling Thunder

• IronMind Hub

• Captains of Crush Silver Bullet Hold
• IronMind Little Big Horn Anvil Lift

Some of these events have established women’s world records and some do not—the expectation is that several new world records will be established, and to put these performances in context Haugen said, “The top women would beat most men on these events—they are really strong.” 

Haugen didn’t mention names, but such Americans as Amy Wattles and Adriane Wilson spring to mind, as well as England’s Elizabeth Horne.

Mas wrestling was a huge hit when Haugen included it as part of his Strongman Combat contest at the LA FitExpo, and it was noticeable that when spectators were offered a chance to try their hand at it, women, along with men, jumped at the chance.  So, for Haugen, it was a natural to open the event to women, too, at the his next contest.

Here are full details on the NorCal FitExpo and entry forms for these events..

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Strongwoman Kristin Danielson-Rhodes will be on the BBC TV show Super Human Challenge this weekend.


“The program will contain a few clips from United Strongmen® Women´s World Championships 2012 with Kristin´s performances in yoke and deadlift,” Jyrki Rantanen told IronMind.

Here is a link to the program details.

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With the release of the final entry list for the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships, there could be big surprise in the superheavyweight class—with the entry of Russia’s Ruslan Albegov, the leader after the snatches at the 2012 London Olympics.


Ruslan Albegov ripped this 208-kg snatch for his third good lift at the London Olympics and this put him in first place going into the clean and jerk.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Albegov had been tipped as a dark horse in London and while he got off to a strong start in the snatch, things unravelled for him in the clean and jerk and he settled for the Olympic bronze medal.  On the other hand, here’s a lifter with the potential to become king of the hill, so remember his name and let’s see how he does in Albania next month—competing in the Senior Men’s and Women’s European Weightlifting Championships.


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“California's Strongest Man of 2013, which was contested this past weekend at Huntington Beach, was nothing short of fantastic, from the lightweight to heavyweight class,” Francis Brebner reported to IronMind.


Third place in the heavyweight class, Martins Licis has been tagged as a guy with a great future in strongman.  IronMind® | Francis Brebner photo.


“The heavyweight class came to the last event between Sean Demarinis and Casey Garrison on the Atlas stones.  Both men claimed four successful lifts over a bar height of four feet plus with the 400-lb. stone, with the title win going to Sean Demarinis. 

“Both Sean Demarinis and Casey Garrison are on the verge of moving up to the next level in sport of strongman that is for certain.  Look out also for Martins Licis, a protege of Odd Haugen, who was very impressive and has a great future in the sport of strongman.

“This event was promoted by Pro Strongmen Scott Brengel, Cameron Gardner and Erik Peterson and powered by East Coast/West Coast Strength Speed & Conditioning with the help of California's legendary strongman team, The Freak Factory. This is the 11 year anniversary of the longest running strongman show on the West Coast and the 5th year hosting the contest next to the ocean in Huntington Beach, in front of hundreds of spectators with competitors from five states and two countries,” said Brebner.

Lightweight: Top Three
1. Chris Burke (ECWC Strongman Team)
2. Aaron Heid
3. Ty Roberts
 
Heavyweight: Top Three
1. Sean Demarinis (ECWC Strongman Team)
2. Casey Garrison (ECWC Strongman Team)
3. Martins Licis

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Adriane Wilson proved once again that she’s the woman to beat in the Highland Games as she won the 2013 Women’s World Championships this past weekend.

“I wanted to share with you that we had an amazing Women’s Highland Games World Championships event that came down to the last two events between three-time world champion Adriane Wilson and last year’s third-place Kristy Scott, who recently had to undergo surgery on her shoulder,” AZCS Athletic Director Ryan Seckman reported to IronMind.

“Adriane took the lead early, winning the first four events, and then Kirsty would storm back taking the next two events. It came down to Weight Over Bar and Caber (just like the crowd wanted) and Adriane showed a champion’s heart and won Weight Over Bar against the same person who held the world record for this event and this seemed to give Adriane the boost she needed as she would also go on to win the caber and ultimately the title.

“Kristy is a force to be reckoned with and is getting better and better each year.  Amazing people and talented athletes in this group of world class female Highland Games athletes.  We are working hard to gain additional sponsors to grow this event and next year is our 50th Anniversary we plan to make the women's worlds to be a prime time event," said Seckman.

Here are the final scores:

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Matthias Steiner, 2008 Olympic gold medalist in weightlifting, has announced his retirement.


In a devastating hit, Matthias Steiner was clocked in the back of the neck when he missed this 196-kg snatch at the London Olympics.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Steiner won the superheavyweight class in sensational style with a story that catapulted him to celebrity status.  Unfortunately, things went as poorly for Steiner at the 2012 Olympics as they had gone well in 2008, as he was crushed in London when he missed his second attempt in the snatch and 196 kg crashed down on his head and neck—it was a horrific sight.

Steiner recently became a father for the second time and said that his top priority now is his family.


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“Christal Films Productions and Seville distribution have just announced that the Louis Cyr movie’s premiere will be in Montreal on Monday, July 8, 2013,” Paul Ohl reported to IronMind.


The Louis Cyr film starring Antoine Bertrand as Louis Cyr is opening this summer.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of Christal Films Productions.


“The opening in all theaters will be on Friday, July 12, 2013,” continued Ohl, who is the author of the definitive biography of the legendary Quebec strongman.


“Most observers have already made their predictions: the movie is expected to turn out as the blockbuster of the year in Canada.

“In Saint-Jean-de-Matha, the dwelling place of Louis Cyr for 22 years, a group named  ‘Les Compagnons de Louis Cyr’ are working hard to restore Louis Cyr’s magnificent residence to become the future Louis Cyr Museum, a project evaluated to nearly $ 750,000 dollars.

“As Antoine Bertrand, the actor playing Louis Cyr, said :  ‘With the movie and the museum, Louis Cyr’s memory will now live forever.’”


The Louis Cyr residence (shown circa 1903) will be restored and become the Louis Cyr Museum.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of the Louis Cyr Museum.


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I was talking to 1997 and 1999 World’s Strongest Man winner Jouko Ahola yesterday, catching up since the last time I’d seen him.


Even if you are a two-time World’s Strongest Man winner, acting can be a tough gig: after showing Jyrki Rantanen and me some film clips in his home theater a couple of years ago, Jouko Ahola explained his brush with death on the set.  The words and the x-ray were one thing, but seeing the slug and where it hit Ahola put things in a different light.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Jouko said he’s been doing some more acting—in a HBO-History challenge series on Viking.  Ahola said that he is “always available” for roles, but he is fortunate to have his carpentry business that keeps him afloat financially regardless of whether he is getting acting roles.

Up to about about three months ago, Ahola said he had been training regularly, along the lines of general bodybuilding, but he’d taken a rest after a tough bout with the flu and would be starting back up soon.

“All of my roles are physical,” he said, so he has to look the part of the strong, fit guy that he is.  Currently weighing 108–110 kg, Ahola said he still does 200 kg x 20 reps in the deadlift and might be working back up to a heavy single this summer, depending on how things go.

We were talking while Ahola was watching his 10-year old son’s hockey practice—hockey, Ahola said, was the best way to make a good living as a professional athlete in Finland and his son wanted to be a professional hockey player.

In such a fiercely competitive athletic environment, I asked Ahola if his son was already involved in strength training, for example, and he said, no, that this was strictly regulated, with an eye to the young athletes’s long term development, but that his son did do some things like pushups and situps, along with his direct hockey training, plus the two of them ride motocross bikes together, which Ahola said is great training for ice hockey.

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Kicking off the 2013 MHP Strongman Champions League season, SCL Lapland, “better known as the ‘Iceman’ was won last weekend by the new Polish strong kid Krzysztof Radzikowski,” said Marcel Mostert.


Krzysztof Radzikowski fought the winter weather as well as the events themselves to claim the Iceman IV title.  IronMind® | Courtesy of SCL.


“In a snow white arena with a temperature of -18 degrees (at night -34) the strong Pole defeated the complete field, including local hero Tomi Lotta and Laurence Shahlaei from Iran, 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

“Especially on the MHP Viking Press with 165 kg, Krzysztof made a great impression.  He did 11 reps and could have broken the  world record by Ervin Katona (13 reps) easily. However, for the win it was not necessary and he saved his energy.

“The 3 times Iceman champion Zydrunas Savickas, was also present as a guest of honor, and now Krzysztof is a worthy strong new champion at the Iceman.

“In total, 8 events were needed to crown the new champion in this ice cold weather.  Heavy, cold, difficult and new events were a challenge to the athletes in this weather, especially loading big, slippery ice cubes of 100 kg was a very special and ‘ice cold’ event.

“J-F Caron from Canada and the new champion of Latvia, Dainis Zageris, missed the podium by just a few points. Exciting it was for sure, especially as the number 5 in the final event still could easily could achieve a 2nd place.

“The MHP Fan Favorite Strongman title went to Tomi Lotta. He was 2nd in the contest but  also put down a perfect show and the audience loved him so they chose him as the best performer of the competition. Tomi Lotta is back!

"Overall,again a great event and we look forward to be back next year, despite the coldness,” Mostert said.

Here are the official overall points for the top six:

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“StrongFit staged its 2013 World Championships at the Australian Formula One Grand Prix® with four days of tough competition over the four days of the motorsport festival,” Bill Lyndon reported to IronMind.




Warrick Brant on the Car Walk, an appropriate event especially since the StrongFit competition was run alongside the Australian Formula One Grand Prix®.  Four divisions of Bill Lyndon’s StrongFit Championships “were contested over this period with a StrongFit Champion crowned each day,” Bill Lyndon told IronMind.  IronMind | Photo courtesy of Bill Lyndon.




"Sunday had 9 tough heavyweights fight it out for the first StrongFit Championships with some outstanding performances from all the athletes, notably Gerhard Van Staden of South Africa with the 410 kg Car Walk in which he raced it up the 20 meter track in 11.16 seconds to earn him the brute strength award and possibly a speeding ticket," Lyndon said.

"It turned into a battle royal right up to the last event between Warrick Brant and Gerhard Van Staden in the Eureka Stones with Warrick needing to lift all five stones including the final 191 kg monster to match Gerhard's points.  Once the dust had settled and the points tallied up both athletes where drawn on points but employing the same rules as WSM [World's Strongest Man] Warrick took the win with the most first places.

"The event was an outstanding success with great support from the massive crowds over the four-day motorsport extravaganza which had more than 300,000 spectators through the gates.  StrongFit is already planning its return next year which will include fitness divisions in a made for TV event," said Lyndon.

Here are the official results for the top five, by class:

Open
1. Warrick Brant
2. Gerhard Van Staden
3. Ben Simpson
4. Jordan Steffens
5. Mike Jones

U105
1. Karlo Briski
2. Elias Arcondoulis
3. Jacob Rasmussen
4. Liam Orkinski
5. Aaron Scarborough

U90
1. Aaram Eghoran
2. Shane Jerman
3. Antony Cosentino
4. Darren Lang
5. Troy Munro

Open Women
1. Rachel Ogorman (tie)
1. Elena Rasmussen (tie)
3. Alii G Force
4. Cristy Hazelman
5. Denai Derecki

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A lot of strongman competitors are at the top of the charts in grip strength and the latest to make his mark in a big way is Brad Ardey, who has just been certified on the Captains of Crush (CoC) No. 3.5 gripper.


“I hit grip pretty hard when training strongman,” Brad Ardrey told IronMind, and proving that it works, the 6’ 2” 270 lb. strongman competitor has just been certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Brad Ardrey.


Ardrey has been training strongman for about 10 years he told IronMind, “I heard about the CoC grippers from Steve Slater with Slater’s Hardware.  I was immediately attracted to them.I believe I was able to close a #2 the first time I tried it.

“Grip work has become a huge part of my training over the past 6 months and it has shown.   I used to only train grip here and there as needed for strongman, now I specifically set aside events twice a week to work on my grip.

“I train grip twice a week. One medium intensity day in the gym, and a more intense training during strongman training. I usually hit grippers once a week.

“I remember closing the [CoC] #3 for the first time late 2008, so I trained it hard and certified on it during the Arnold Classic in 2009.  I hit grip pretty hard when training strongman, I have been training strongman for about 10 years now.

Brad’s official attempt took place at TEAM BOSS (Brothers of Stone & Steel), where he has been training strongman for 10 years.  Andrew Durniat (himself certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper) told IronMind, “Success. 3rd attempt and then 3 more solid closes to follow.  Great energy at Team BOSS.”

And what might the near future hold for Brad?   Talking about his goals, he said, “What else but to get stronger and certify on the COC #4! & win The 2013 North American Strongman National Championships.”

Many thanks to Andrew lending his expert eye to Brad’s official attempt, and congratulations, Brad - it’s official and your name has been added to the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper certification list.

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According to its press release, “United Strongmen® [US] in co-operation with American Strongman Corporation (ASC) is announcing World Records certification for strongwoman, 105-kg strongman and Strongman Fitness® classes.”


US is retroactively recognizing world records from its 2012 Women’s World Championships, with Anna Rosen being the first recipient.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of US.


Although “the full rules and events (some 20 to start with)” will be published next month, the release noted that “We will count the WR´s since Nov. 2012 (Women´s World Championships) and we hereby can already announce the first official WR - Anna Rosen in last woman standing deadlift like the picture tells you. All other current records will be published in our pages and also in Power News magazine. Each WR holder will earn their certification also.”

US founder Jyrki Rantanen said the rules and records in his organization are based on a modification of those developed by Dione Wessels and used by ASC.


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You know what happened at the LA FitExpo, so get ready for the next chapter as strongman, grip strength and Mas wrestling are all on the card again when the MET-Rx Odd Haugen Strength Classic heads to Northern California FitExpo this summer.


Strongman, grip strength and Mas wrestling are on the card when the Odd Haugen Strength Classic comes to Northern California this summer.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of Odd Haugen.


For strongman, Haugen’s got a new twist: he has events divided into five categories ("buckets"):

• Overhead
• Carry/Grip
• Static Lift
• Classic
• Stones

Within each of these categories, he has five events, so, 

for example, the Overhead bucket has these events:

• 308-lb. Log Lift, reps
• 308-lb. Viking Press, reps
• 308-lb. Axle, reps
• 181-lb. Giant Dumbbell, reps
• Overhead Medley

Each competitor choses one event per bucket when he enters and each of these selections becomes a ballot and goes into a hat.  On the day of the contest, one ballot will drawn for each bucket—determining the event for that category.

This contest is on Saturday, June 29, 2013 and the winner of this contest gets his ASC pro card, so if you’re ready to run with the big dogs in strongman, here’s how you can prove it.

Got a grip?  Then the IronMind Record Breaker, on Sunday June 30, 2013, is for you.  Here are the five events and you can enter any or all of them:

Double Overhand Deadlift on IronMind Apollon’s Axle
IronMind Rolling Thunder
IronMind Hub
Captains of Crush Silver Bullet Hold
IronMind Little Big Horn Anvil Lift

You know what Mike Burke did at Odd Haugen’s last grip contest—are those records about to become history?

Quick: What’s Mas wrestling?  You know, the sport from Northern Russia where two athletes sit facing each other, with their feet braced against a board; they hold a stick and each tries to pull the other out of position.  Competitors and fans alike loved it at the LA FitExpo and Haugen is holding the US Open Mas Wrestling Championships, also on Sunday, so get ready to plant your feet, lock your hands and pull.

Here's a link to the entry forms.

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It springs from one of the most classic of all feats of grip strength—lifting up a barbell plate by pinch gripping its hub—and this past weekend Zach Jacobs hauled up 80.2 lb. on the IronMind Hub in a lift that was reviewed and approved by IronMind as the standing world record.


World Record: Zach Jacobs lifts 80.2 lb. on the IronMind Hub for a new world record in one of the most classic of all feats of grip strength.  IronMind® | Yori Skutt photo.



Gripster Eric Milfeld first told IronMind about Zach’s big performance over the weekend when he got my attention in a big way with an email that had the subject line: World Hub Record?

Since then, we have been asking questions, getting answers and reviewing the lift’s documentation.

Happily, this call was easy to make because at each turn, we got the answers and saw the evidence required for a good lift.

Congratulations Zach Jacobs and many thanks to Eric Milfeld, as well as Yori Skutt, for providing the conditions needed for IronMind to recognize Zach’s success.

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Keeping the Red Nail Roster red hot, the latest is Mike Sharkey, who says of himself, “originally a symphonic percussionist, then a vegan chef, I now work in Hotel Biz, where the only extraordinary strength you need is helping people with their luggage.”


“I'm 5'9" and 185# and live in the lovely city of Brooklyn.  Until I was 32, I had never touched a weight or really even set foot in a gym, however, after arriving in NYC I realized you needed to be strong to survive the Jungle,” Mike Sharkey told IronMind.


“I was originally inspired to bend by Adam Glass, and have had a great amount of help along the way, including E.J. Livesey, David Wigren, J.T. Straussner and many others.  Steel benders are a small community and I have found everyone really willing to share their experience and information openly.  From the first time I read through Adam's articles I had the goal of being able to bend the Red Nail.  

“Though he said the Blue Nail was a good mark for a part time bender, I knew I wanted to take it farther.  The first steel I ever bent was an IronMind White Nail in Iron Mind Pads .  Reverse.  I still use the same pads to this day.  This is a journey that took me at least 4 years.  Being a vegetarian (for 20 years), I thought steel bending was the perfect pursuit to prove to myself and others that you could  be incredibly strong without eating meat,” Sharkey said. 

Incidentally, besides having some more bending and basic lifting goals, Sharkey also mentioned wanting to hoist the Dinnie Stones (“though probably I will use IronMind Eagle Loops to do it!”).

IronMind would like to join in thanking J.T. Straussner for refereeing Mike’s official attempt and Jedd Johnson for providing the perfect setting, and to Mike, congratulations—your name has been added to the Red Nail Roster.

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The Southern Hemisphere’s top strongman promoter, Bill Lyndon, reported that his Southern Hemisphere’s Strongest Man (SHSM) contest was a great success, with Frankie Sheun successfully defending his title in a tight race that came down to a head-to-head battle with Warrick Brant.


Frankie Scheun (South Africa) shouldering the 312-lb. stone for reps.  Photo courtesy of Bill Lyndon.



Final Scores
1. Frankie Scheun  - South Africa

2. Warrick Brant - Australia

3. Gerhardt Van Staden - South Africa
4.  Eben Le Roux - Australia

5. Tristen Obrien - South Africa

6. Marc Wells - Australia

7. Jordan Biggie Steffens - Australia
8. Robert Kilpatrick - Australia.

“The under 105 SHSM was no different in excitement to the heavy weights, with some outstanding battles between all the athletes, but Karlo Briski of Australia prevailed with a very solid workman like performance to come out a clear winner at the end,” Lyndon said.

Final Scores
1. Karlo Briski - Australia
2. Frikkie Page - South Africa
3. Joel McLeod - Australia
4. Willie White - South Africa
5. Andrew Roberts - Australia
6. Nick Maloni - Australia
7. Liam Orkinski - Australia
8. Geihardt Taljurst - South Africa
9. Jacob Rassmussen - Australia
10. Aaron Scarborough - Australia

“In the Team Challenge, South Africa (Vikerboks) just beat Australia (Vikeroos) by the smallest of margins,” Lyndon said.


Karlo Briski (left) and Joel McLeod (right) in the Keg Race for SHSM under 105 kg.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Bill Lyndon.

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You could call it our World’s Strongest Man issue of MILO, but along with WSM 2013, we’ve got stories on Warren Tetting, Adam Nelson . . . more on the Dinnie Stones . . . new Captains of Crush gripper certifications . . . Dr. Ken . . .


Cover caption (MILO 20.4, March 2013): After getting off to a poor start on the first event of the finals (the Yoke Race), Zydrunas Savickas needed to bounce back with the sort of strong performance that would signal his readiness to walk away with his third World’s Strongest Man contest.  Usually placid and Buddha-like in appearance, Savickas showed some teeth on the Log Lift, where he capped off his first-place finish with a world record 220-kg log.  Randall J. Strossen photo.


And how about Doc Rock on the core, Jim Schmitz talking about Olympic style weightlifting and CrossFit?  Think deep sets are the way to go for training on grippers?  Ponder what Brian Jones reports on the relationship between deep squats and the development of power.

All this and much more in the MILO package: world class coverage of the strength world, available by single issue or subscription.

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He might be a cop in his day job, but some might call strongman Derek Poundstone the One-Armed Bandit after the won the Giants Live–Melbourne despite having torn his biceps at another contest shortly before.


Derek Poundstone (center) is headed to World’s Strongest Man 2013, after winning Giants Live–Melbourne . . . and he did with one arm.  That’s Paulo Freitag (Alkaline Nutrition) on the right and Tony Doherty (FitX promoter) on the left.  Photo courtesy of Giants Live.


“Derek was in phenomenal form this weekend at FitX in Melbourne,” said Colin Bryce, the managing director of Giants Live, the official qualifying tour for the World’s Strongest Man contest.

“FitX in its third year has now grown to 3 days and 25,000 fans through the doors. There was some world-class bodybuilding won by Dexter Jackson, also IFBB fitness, bikini models, powerlifting, arm wrestling and all the other usual sports at this cool fitness expo. Right in the middle of all of it was the Giants Live: Worlds Strongest Man qualifying Tour event.

“It was Derek Poundstone who took first, Nick Best second and Frankie Scheun third. Those three men will qualify for the World's Strongest Man in 2013.

“Derek was in considerable pain with his right bicep being torn from the Arnold classic event one week before. Nick Best managed to tear one of his rear deltoids during the first event. However these two Americans battled through considerable pain to show some exceptional quality of lifting.. Franky Scheun of South Africa came in third to take the Southern Hemisphere's Strongest Man title. Winning the battle of the Australians was Warwick Brant who finished in fourth place.

“Notably Lars Ritbakken of Norway took on John Brzenk in an am wrestle which lasted 1 minute 20 seconds! Sadly for Lars he lost and tweaked his pec but it was a shock for John who was putting up $1000 to all comers. Lars—now a strongman—did come 2nd in European Arm wrestling Championships a few years ago. Lars had to drop out f the final two strongman events due to the injury,” Bryce said.

For full details, please visit the Giants Live website.

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In an impressive double, Sun-gil Gwon and Dae Woong Lee have just been certified on the IronMind Red Nail, continuing the recent trend of Korean short steel benders proving their mastery of this feat, which goes back to grip master John Brookfield doing it in a very conservative style in 1995.


“Look at what my dad can do?”  Sun-gil Gwon’s daughter holds up the IronMind Red nail that her father officially bent.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Sun-gil Gwon.



Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, dental implant surgery and short steel bending—Dae Woong Lee, just certified on the IronMind Red Nail, is comfortable, and competent, in all three spheres.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Dae Woong Lee.


40-year old Sun-gil Gwon (who stands 180 cm tall and weighs 106 kg) started bending nails in 2008: “My friend sent me [IronMind] Yellow, Green and White nails, and I was able to bend the White and Green Nails the first time I attempted [them].”

Presently, Sun-gil Gwon said he trains “bending twice a week.  I usually bend a few weak nails for warming up, and then I bend the Red Nails.”

Bending is a hobby for Sun-gil Gwon who modestly describes himself as an office worker.  “My interestes are the Bible, family, and physical training.  I like training with kettlebells, bending and my goal is to be part of the Red Nail Roster.”

Also succeeding with his official attempt to bend an IronMind Red Nail was 32-year old Dae Woong Lee, a 182 cm, 102-kg dentist who specializes in implant surgery and also practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

“I bend about 2 times a week.  I first warm up for about 5 minutes doing push-ups and squats to raise my body temperature and I stretch my shoulders, neck, back, elbows, wrists before bending my warm-up nail” and a typical recent bending workout would progress to bending “2 or 3 Red Nails according to the official rules,” Dae Woong Lee told IronMind.

How does this strength transfer to work and play for the latest man to officially bend an IronMind Red Nail? 

“I’m a dentist so sometimes lower arm/wrist strength helps out al little bit when I extract teeth.  My hobby is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and lower arm/wrist strength is very important for gi and wrist control.”

Many thanks to Peter Kim for doing such a meticulous job refereeing this double attempt at officially bending the IronMind Red Nail, and congratulations to Sunj-gil Gwon and Dae Woong Lee—your names have been added to the Red Nail Roster.

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Tommy Jennings, Jr. has already proven himself to be a major talent at short steel bending and he’s just added to his world class credits in the realm of lower arm and grip strength: he has just been certified on the benchmark Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper.


This picture shows  6-ft. tall, 209-lb. Tommy Jennings, Jr. “closing a [CoC] #3 and pinch gripping 2 truck rotors together with greasy hands.”  Why do we think Joe Kinney would like this guy?  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Tommy Jennings, Jr.


“I work as an auto tech so I find that training the grip really does help around the shop when wrestling with stubborn hardware on autos, or hanging onto tools with greasy hands,” Tommy Jennings, Jr. told IronMind. 

“I have no real training program for the grippers at this time.  When the hands feel strong, I'll do a few sets.  Every couple of months I’ll get a wild hair and want to train grippers on a solid routine, but it usually just turns into a few sets once a week for about a month-long period. 

“I’m sure there is a better program that could bring gains much quicker, but my training at this time is mostly dedicated to steel bending, so hopefully you guys will be seeing me back for another cert in the future. ;)

“I’d like to take this time to thank my wife for putting up with my training, and all the plates, barbells, chalk, and bent steel I leave laying around, so thank you, honey!

“I don’t always smash world class grippers like they owe me money, but when I do, I prefer Captains of Crush,” Tommy said.  


IronMind would like to thank Eric Milfield for serving as Tommy’s official referee—once again helping us give credit to a deserving gripster—and to Tommy, here’s a big congratulations: your name as been added to the official Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper certification list.

Incidentally, since he’s Certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper and on the IronMind Red Nail, 27-year old Tommy Jennings, Jr. has the kind of lower arm and grip strength that might be redefining “hand tools” on the job.  And with what Tommy said about being back for another certification, we think there’s a Gold Nail in his future.

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“27th April we are finding out, who will be the strongwoman champion in Scandinavia 2013 in our Queen of the Castle™ - Sponsored by Fitnesstukku competition,” Jyrki Rantanten reported to IronMind.


Set in a theater, the 2013 Queen of the Castle will crown the Scandinavian strongwoman champion.  IronMind® |  Image courtesy of United Strongman®.


Here´s the official starting list:

• Kikki Berli-Johnsen, Norway
• Lise Gangstad, Norway
• Anki Öberg, Sweden
• þóra þorsteinsdóttir, Iceland
• Rósa Birgisdóttir, Iceland
• Kati Luoto, Finland
• Alina Leisiö, Finland
• Annina Saine, Finland
• Jaana Tanner, Finland

"The competition will be something, what is never seen in strongman/women yet so far.  A full competition inside of a theatre.  The ladies will battle in 6 events including last woman standing log max, (special) deadlift for reps, atlas stones, medley, sack carry and farmers hold.

"The tickets are already on sale via Ticketmaster® Finland and more info about the event can be found from the Facebook events page.

“Overall the biggest wait is to see how 6-time Finland´s Strongest Woman Kati Luoto has recovered from her knee injury (2011) as this is the first time she in competition field since then.

“Also we will see some new faces from Norway and Iceland on our international field of competitors. We will also keep 1 spot open due a few top ladies have been injured and we leave the backdoor open incase some of them recovers in time for this competition,” said Rantanen.


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Giants Live, the official qualifying tour for the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest, kicks off its 2013 season today in Melbourne, Australia, where making the podium earns the most-coveted invitation in strongman.


Derek Poundstone set a world record in the Giant Dumbbell Press at the 2012 World’s Strongest Man contest.  Will he be able to qualify for WSM 2013 this weekend, flying on one wing?  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.




After injuring his arm at the Arnold, not many expected Derek Poundstone to show up in Melbourne, but then, the doubters might never have seen Poundstone in action.

“Believe it or not. Derek is here and competing,” Giants Live director Colin Bryce told IronMind last night.

“His arm is hurt.  He missed his flight out of the US Tuesday because his back was in spasm but when DP says he is coming he isn't kidding.  He sat on a plane for over 24 hours to get here and has decided he will try to compete!! I'm amazed to be honest.  He is going to try and start and his arm is clearly damaged. But he said he would come to the FitX no matter what and he stood by his word,” Bryce said.

Along with Poundstone, watch for “Nick Best, Jack McIntosh, Warrick Brant and Frankie Shuen, amongst others,” in the fight for the podium, said Bryce, with the top three guaranteed an invitation to the 2013 World’s Strongest Man contest.


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“The IHGF Professional World Highland Games Championships are set to take place in Dana Point, California on August 24–25:  Twelve of the world’s top-ranking athletes will be invited to compete over two days of competition in one of the best beach communities in Southern California,” IHGF president Francis Brebner told IronMind today.


The IHGF is bringing a major Highland Games event to Dana Point, California this summer in the form of the IHGF Professional World Highland Games Championships.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of IHGF.



Brebner, a Scot who besides his stature as a former Highland Games professional, is one of the original three men to have lifted the Inver Stone overhead, said that “since first moving to Dana Point, California [he] had a vision and a strong desire to stage a major Highland Games Championship which has now finally come to fruition with the assistance of the City of Dana Point and in teaming up with event specialists Rich Godwin and Forest Melton, [his] partners in staging the California Celtic Classic.”     
 
Brebner told IronMind that he “foresees the Dana Point, California Celtic Classic growing into one of the best games on the international circuit within the next few years because of the fantastic location of Dana Point’s surroundings, offering amenities for those traveling from all over to attend the games and for a vacation in one of the best sunny beach communities in Southern California.”
 
Brebner also said, “The IHGF have set in place a series of championship events which enables amateur athletes to work their way up through the ranks from being amateur to professional.
 
“Other major championship events that will be included in California Celtic Classic will be the IHGF–All American Amateur Highland games Championships that will include a lineup of ten of America’s top amateur athletes who will compete for that vital number one spot and special prize of a paid flight ticket to compete in the 2014 IHGF World Amateur Highland Games Championship to be staged in Europe where the overall winner of that championship event will have earned his professional status and secured himself a place in the 2015 IHGF World Professional Highland games Championships to be held in majestic setting of Bressuire, France.
 
“Also to be contested will be the IHGF California Celtic Classic–Strength Challenge, where ten strongman will be invited compete over the two days of competition where the overall winner will also receive a prize of a flight ticket to compete in one of the IHGF’s strength events to be staged in Europe for 2014,” said Brebner.
 
For all American amateur athletes wishing to be considered for the IHGF All-American Highland games Championships, please contact Francis Brebner by email or Facebook.
 
Watch here for the professional athlete’s lineup for the IHGF World Highland Games Championships.
 
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Performing strongman Pat Povilaitis does a range of dramatic things in his shows and sticking his hand in a mountain lion trap will be featured on Stan Lee’s Superhumans tonight on H2 (History Channel 2).


Pat Povilaitis shakes hands with a mountain lion trap at the 2008 AOBS dinner.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


The show is scheduled for 10:00 pm EST tonight and here’s a link for more details.


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“With the Giants Live at the Melbourne FitX taking place this weekend as the first qualifying event for World Strongest Man 2013, we are running on the Giants Live scoresheet a second scorecard being The Southern Hemispheres Strongest Man and on day two of the FitX Southern Hemisphere’s Strongest Man Under 105, which will have the main pool of Athletes coming from South Africa and Australia,” Bill Lyndon explained to IronMind.


Who will prevail, the Vikerboks or the Vikeroos, and who will get the golden invitations in the first qualifier for World’s Strongest Man 2013?  Warrick Brant (shown competing in SCL China) will be representing Australia and is expected to be big factor in the final outcome.   IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Bill Lyndon.


“Both Australia and South Africa have a fierce rivalry in many sports including rugby and cricket being the main staples, but with this strongman challenge a new test arena has been established between the newly named teams’ mascots the Vikerboks (South Africa) V’s the Vikeroos  (Australia), which is sure to start a fierce rivalry in strength sports across our very big pond.

“The Southern Hemisphere athletes in the Giants Live [World's Strongest Man qualifier] are:

Gerhard Van Staden—South Africa.
Frankie Schuen—South Africa.
Tristen O’Brien—South Africa.
Eben Le Roux—Australia.
Marc Wells—Australia.
Jordan Steffens—Australia.
Warrick Brant—Australia.
Robert Kilpatrick—Australia.

Events for the Giants Live @FitX / Southern Hemisphere’s Strongest Man:

Super Yoke & Keg Carry: 25 meters.
Overhead Medley: Axle, Giant Bell, Log, Large Keg
Farmer's Walk: 175 kg
Deadlift: reps
Shouldering Stone: reps.
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“As a second part to the International Challenge we will have a top field of athletes in the <105 Southern Hemispheres Strongest Man (the first) with a fast paced 5-event 2.5-hour show.

"These are the competitors for Southern Hemisphere’s Strongest Man under 105:

Gerhard Taljart—Sout Africa.
Frikkie Page—South Africa.
Willie White—South Arica.
Nick Maloni—Australia.
Karlo Briski—Australia.
Aaron Scarbourgh—Australia
Andrew Roberts—Australia.
Jacob Rasmussen—Australia.
Joel McLeod—Australia.
Liam Orkinski—Australia

<105-kg Events:

Yoke
Deadlift Reps
Viking Press
Farmer's Walk
Keg Carry

“We will add all scores for the top three Australians and the top three South Africans in each division to establish the winning nation to hold the title above the two individual titles: Southern Hemispheres Strongest Man Open and Southern Hemispheres Strongest Man U105  for the Team Cup named S.H.S.U. (Southern Hemisphere's Strongman Union)  

“Team Champions, on top of this great new international initiative for these two sporting rivals the Southerners are preparing to show the Northerners that they will need to perform at their absolute best to wrestle the three spots on offer for World's Strongest Man 2013 from the main Event Giants Live @FitX Melbourne, Australia," said Lyndon.

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“We present two new shirts for the coming SCL season,” SCL cofounder Marcel Mostert reported to IronMind today.


Strongman Champions League had already introduced the idea of a leader’s shirt to their strongman series.  This year, they are complementing that with a fan favorite shirt.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of SCL.


“One shirt is the former orange  ‘leader’ shirt.  In 2013  the MHP Strongman Champions League (SCL) leader shirt  will be yellow and it stands for the highest-ranked strongman in the league for 2013.

“After each competition there can be a new leader, but he will always wear the same shirt.

“A complete new introduction will be the navy blue ‘Fan Favorite Strongman’ shirt,” Mostert said.

“The best performer, greatest entertainer, [most] loved by the public will get this shirt, by votes of the public.

“Therefore, this athlete doesn’t need to be the absolute strongest; he can be 3rd or 5th , but still he can win the  award as the ‘Fan Favorite Strongman.’  We introduce this because we want to see more show, action and entertaining from the athletes besides their extraordinary strength performances.

“Each competition, the public will judge this and an extra cash prize will be given for this.
 
“In two weeks we will know who is the new SCL leader and the Fan Favorite Strongman after our first show at 16 March, The Iceman IV in Lapland," said Mostert.

SCL is the largest series in strongman and the top five competitors, overall, are expected to go on to compete in the 2013 World's Strongest Man contest.
 
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“The IHGF are pleased to announce that the official IHGF World Highland Games Team Championships will be returning to Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada along with the IHGF World Caber Tossing Championships,” IHGF president  Francis Brebner told IronMind.

“The IHGF are very happy to be working once again with Donnie Machren ,the chair for the heavy events, along with head Judges Leo MacDonald and Marty Gilfoy,” said Brebner.

“The Antigonish Highland Games which are the longest continuing games, will be celebrating its 150th anniversary: it will be a momentous occasion celebrating and showcasing Scottish culture.

“The Antigonish Highland Games has built a worldwide reputation based on authenticity, attention to detail, and hospitality and the 150th Games will be no exception: The week long schedule will be jam packed with new and enhanced competitions featuring athletes, pipers, drummers, and Highland dancers from across the country and around the world. There will also be the blend of Scottish flavored ceilidhs, clan activities and concerts," said Brebner.

For more information on the Antigonish Highland Games, please visit their official website.
 
Athletes competing in the IHGF World Team Championships to be announced soon, so watch here for updates.  

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“This will be an amazing competition with the world's best [female] Highland Games athletes to be competed at the 49th Arizona Celtic Gathering,” Seckman told IronMind.

Here is the official start list: 


• Adriane Wilson - USA
• Brittney Boswell - USA
• Kristy Scott - USA
• Alex Norman Ross - CA
• Beth Burton - USA
• Katie Steingraeber - USA
• Sara Hilgers - USA
• Lisa Gourlay - USA
• Heather Macdonald - USA



The competition is scheduled for March 24 at Steele Indian School Park in downtown Phoenix, Arizona and please follow this link for full details.
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“The show is over!,” ASC president Dione Wessels reported to IronMind, speaking of the amateur strongman contest at the Arnold.




Mikhail Shivlyakov (Russia) on the IronMind Apollon’s Axle, on his way to winning the Arnold Amateur Strongman competition.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of ASC.


“Mikhail Shivlyakov of Russia wins, Jacob Bodi of USA is second and Bartek Bąk is third.

“Mikhail had a stellar performance and stayed steady all day. Shivlyakov will compete in the Arnold Strongman pro class next year. The contest ended with great dramatic fashion and another great athlete will join the Arnold pro circuit next year,” said Wessels.

And speaking of the Arnold pro strongman contest, Vytautas Lalas won, Brian Shaw was second and Misha Koklyaev was third—three competitors suffered biceps injuries on the stone lift, including past winner Derek Poundstone.

In addition the amateur strongman contest, Wessels was running a Strongman/Strongwoman Fitness competition.
“For the Strongwoman Fitness, Alanna Casey of Texas won the show convincingly.  Maya Winters was 2nd, Kim Baum 3rd and Kirsi Jarvi of Finland was  third. It was great to see these gorgeous women compete in the House of Pain clothing as well as for them to be presented on the main stage.

“The Strongman Fitness winner was Travis Lucas of North Carolina and these guys showed as much guts and speed as the over 300-pound guys. 

“Overall a great show, great response, staff, etc. many thanks to all that have continued to support us!,” said Wessels.

     

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“Day one is over for the Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships and Strongman Fitness men and women!,” ASC president Dione Wessels reported to IronMind.


Supersize strongman: the ASC amateur strongman event at the 2013 Arnold "drew over competitors from around the world,” Dione Wessels reported to IronMind.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of ASC.


“It is definitely the largest international strongman event anywhere [with] over 75 athletes from around the world and only one injury.  The crowd was doubled from last year and all athletes performed wonderfully!



“The top ten in the open class that will move on to day two on the [Expo Hall] main stage Sunday at 1:30 are:

Mikhail Shivlyakov (Russia) 157.5
Lou Costa 141 (USA)
Mateusz Ostaszewski 128.5 (Poland)
Tommy Miller 128 (USA)
Brett Somerville 127.5 (USA)
Bartek Bąk 125 (Poland)
Jacob Bodi 122.5 (USA)
Dimitar Savatinov 122.5 (Hungary)
John Posen 116.5 (USA)
Tomasz Ladermann 114.5 (Poland).

"Only four in the Strongman Fitness division for men and women move on to day two. The top four guys in the Strongman Fitness class (under 175 pounds) that will move on are:

Travis Lucas 69.5 (USA)
Brandon McDonald 69 (USA)
Tim Kovach 66 (USA)
Jon Alderson 64.5 (USA).

"A slight screw up on the medley by Shane Jerman of Australia bumped him out of the top four.

“Top four women (Under 150 pounds) moving on to Sunday are:

Alanna Casey 51 (USA)
Maya Winters 46 (USA)
Kim Baum 45.5 (USA)
Kirsi Jarvi 41.5 (Finland)."

          
                                               
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Some of the top names in strongman will be competing in IceMan IV, an MHP Strongman Champion’s League (SCL) extravaganza set in the winter wonderland of Finland’s Ruka, the international ski jump area, on March 16.


IceMan IV, with a setting as rugged as strongman itself, returns to Finland’s Lapland on March 16.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of SCL

 
“12 contestants fight each other in eight different  events. The competition will take place outside in the snow, without any temperature limits,” declares the press release and if you’ve had the pleasure of seeing this competition in person, in a setting where even the bar is made from ice, you know this is no idle comment.

Events
• Truck Pull
• Deadlift
• Forward Hold

• MHP Viking Press
• Loading

• Yoke/Frame Carry Medley

• House Carry
• Giant Circle

“Reigning SCL world champion  Zydrunas Savickas, who  has won all the previous IceMan competitions,  will be there as well, but now in a TV commentator role, a special for SCL,” confirmed Timo Kangasluoma, who will be distributing the TV show of the contest.

Here is the official start list:

• Ervin Katona
• Laurence Shahlaei
• Tomi Lotta
• Krzysztof Radzikowski
• J-F Caron
•  Juha Matti Järvi  
• Antti Mourujärvi
• Matt Wanat
• Daniel Garcia

• Dainis Zageris
• Meelis Pailis

The one-hour TV show will be broadcast “in the spring of Finland on MTV3 and MTV3 Max,” said Kangasluoma, “and the program has an extensive international distribution platform, including Eurosport 1 and 2, through which the program will be shown throughout Europe, Asia and Oceania,” so if you can’t make it in person, you might be able to catch the IceMan IV on TV.

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Making his mark as a short steel bender, Larson Graff has just been certified on the benchmark IronMind Red Nail.


Larson Graff  puts his hands to good use both on the job and off, and proving his prowess as as steel bender, he has officially bent the IronMind Red Nail.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Larson Graff.


30-year old Larson Graff, who stands 5’ 8” tall and weighs 190 lb., told IronMind, “I work for a local Water Municipality, as a foreman on a construction crew.  I am often bending things and making connections in cramped spaces, where grip and wrist strength is very functional.
 
“I was also a competitive armwrestler for several years, and trained wrist strength exclusively in addition to giving my grip some attention as well.  I just didn’t know that I would ever take up short bending, and when I did, I made some quick progress.
 
“Outside gym training, I am interested in archery and bowhunting.
 
“I would also like to mention that it was not until I was about halfway through a Super Squats routine that I was bending red nails, so thanks for that also.  I noticed on the program that all different facets of strength increased, and bending was no exception.
 
 “One last thing, I would like to give a special thanks to Clay Edgin for taking the time to actually come to me at the gym for my certification bend, where the environment was first rate.  He was kind enough to stay afterwards and give us some grip tips, and of course motivate myself and the others as well.
 
“Of course thanks to IronMind for having a roster for short benders to get recognition and a sense of accomplishment.”
 
IronMind would like to add our thanks to Clay Edgin for serving as Larson Graff’s referee and give a big Congratulations! to Larson Graff—it’s official and your name has been added to the Red Nail Roster.


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“American Strongman Corporation (ASC) will host the 4th annual Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championship and the inaugural Strongman Fitness® World Championships this weekend in Columbus, Ohio at the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) during the 25th Anniversary Arnold Sports Festival,” announced an ASC press release sent to IronMind today.



“The action will kick off with the IronMind® axle clean & press for reps on Friday morning March 1st, at 8:00 AM in hall C of the GCCC. Over 80 athletes from over 20 countries will be on hand to compete. The top 10 in the open class will advance to day 2 on Sunday to compete for Strongman Pro Status and a spot at the 2014 Arnold Strongman Classic. The top four 175# men and 150# women will advance and vie for the inaugural Strongman Fitness® World Champion title. Sunday’s action will take place in the main exhibit hall of the GCCC and start at 1:30 PM.”


For more details on ASC, please visit their official website.

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David Horne’s 2013 GripTopz Championships was held at six locations worldwide yesterday, open to both men and women, with a total of 46 competitors.

Eric Roussin (Canada) won the men’s open class, with Ivan Beritashvili (Russia) coming in second and Sandro Eusebio (Portugal) coming in third.  The top three in the men’s 74-kg class were Taneli Levo (Finland), Dmitry Motorin (Russia) and Darrin Shallman (USA).

Elizabeth Horne (England) won the women’s class, followed by Susana Ferreira (Portugal) and Yvonne Hakkinen (Finland). 

Asked about the different bodyweight classes for men, David Horne explained, “For the lighter classes I rotate around a few of the classes available, giving the guys at different weights a chance. For example in this year's Britain's Strongest Hands contest we have the 93k class, and for the World's in August the lighter class is the 83k class.  

These are the men's classes available.  Men: 59k, 66k, 74k, 83k, 93k, 105k, 120k, 120k+.

"In all contests all competitors are weighed, and their respective lifts can count towards a record in that weight class. Here are the World Records page - enjoy!,” said Horne.

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“A major IHGF stone lifting competition is being scheduled to take place in Scotland between the 19th and 20th of June this year to see who can officially walk the farthest with both of the Dinnie Stones at the same time,” IHGF president Francis Brebner told IronMind today.


Callum Morrison, one of the few men in the world to walk with both Dinnie Stones at once.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.


“In 1997 Callum Morrison of Aboyne was the first person on record to officially walk with both stones at the same time a distance of 2’ which Callum then later increased this distance to 5‘ and 
the official record is currently held by Glenn Ross of Ireland with a distance of 5’ 5” set in 2001,” said Brebner.

“A memorial trophy in tribute of Callum Morison who passed away last year at the age of only forty eight will be awarded in this particular event for the athlete that can walk the farthest with both stones at the same time.

“Other stone events to be included also, athletes competing to be released on IronMind, a few more spots are still open for competitors   . . . this event will be filmed for European TV,” said Brebner.

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International Highland Games Federation (IHGF) president Francis Brebner reported to IronMind that “Slovakia and Georgia are to take up the challenge of traditional Scottish Highland Games events.”


The IHGF continues to expand, spreading the traditional Scottish Highland Games heavy events to more countries worldwide.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of IHGF.


“Andras Mark, president of the Slovakian Strongman Association and Zurab Tskepladze, president of the Georgian Strongman Federation, have recently affiliated with the IHGF and will soon begin promoting their athletes and the sport of traditional Highland games heavy events in their countries,” said Brebner.

“It is remarkable to see how the games are being embraced in Eastern Europe and his now brings a total of twenty three countries affiliated with the IHGF—with a dozen of those countries affiliating in the last four years alone.”

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Coming off five positive tests at the European Under-23 Weightlifting Championships, the entire Turkish Under-23 national team was tested and this resulted in 16 more positives.


Happier days for the Turkish Weightlifting Federation: Halil Mutlu had just won his third consecutive Olympic gold medal in Athens and then the 56-kg weightlifter managed to rack this 168.5 kg (although he was unable to stand up with it), in an effort to break his own world record in the clean and jerk.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


This latest setback has only added to the woes of the Turkish Weightlifting Federation and discussion of this pattern includes the idea of a conspiracy.

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Congratulations to Sang-Do Shim, who has just been certified on Captains of Crush (CoC) No. 3 gripper, proving his world-class grip strength.


Sang-Do Shim stands 193 cm (about 6’ 4”), weighs 107 kg (about 236 lb.), and talk about getting off to a strong start, he could close a Captains of Crush No. 2 gripper the first time he tried.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Sang-Do Shim.


The 27-year old South Korean metalworker, who uses his on the job and who is also an arm wrestler, said that he could close a Captains of Crush No. 2 gripper the first time he tried it—giving an indiction of what a strong grip he already had before he began his grip work. 

Following a training program based on heavy negatives and holds, as used by Joe Kinney (the first man certified on the Captains of Crush No. 4 gripper), Sang-Do Shim said that his training was on the weekends, so he might stand as a prime example of how limited training volume and frequency can pay big dividends when it comes to gripper training.

This is an impressive start, but hang on, because Sang-Do Shim has his sights set on certifying on the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 and the No. 4 next.

IronMind would like to thank Sumin Hong for doing the honors as Song-Do Shim’s referee, which allowed Song-Do Shim to prove his impressive grip strength—allowing IronMind to make it official now: Song-Do Shim’s name has been added to the official certification list of the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper.  Congratulations!

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“The Queen Mary Highland Games in Long Beach, California signals the beginning of the 2013 Highland Games season and attracted more than 10,000 spectators over its two-day heavy events competition this weekend,” Francis Brebner reported to IronMind.


Steve Ullom, shown on the 16-lb. hammer, was part of the spirited competition in the A-group competition at the Queen Mary Highland Games.  IronMind® | Francis Brebner photo.


“More than a hundred athletes signed up to compete, with more than a dozen novice athletes trying their hand at the sport for the first time.
 
“The competition in the A group category was most competitive within the whole group, the top three especially: Scott Hutchinson of Fullerton, California, Adam Breznia of Las Vegas and Steve Ullom of Orange County, California were all on fire.
 
“Even though Scott won seven of the nine events, he had to work hard for the wins, with Breznia breathing very hard behind him all the way and only four points separating the two after nine events.
 
“West Imboden, Athletic Director for the games was very happy with such a large turnout of entries to compete and how smoothly everything ran overall.  Dave Garmen, SAAA President, was delighted to see such a large turnout of novice athletes from Southern California and the high standard of the A-group athletes competing.
 
Brebner had a chance to ask top gun Scott Hutchinson about his overall performance: “With this being the first games of the season I am very happy with my overall throwing and am looking to upping my marks in preparation for the next games on the circuit, which is Las Vegas in April, and going head to head against Adam Breznia, which this time is on his home turf and should be interesting.”

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The 94-kg class at the USAW Junior National Championships yesterday was loaded with talent and had some big performances—most notably Ian Wilson’s 194-kg clean and jerk, for a new Junior American record.


Look at Ian Wilson’s left foot as he hits the bottom with this 194-kg clean.  With a little work, Wilson stood up and then punched the bar overhead for a good lift and a new American junior national record in the clean and jerk.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Wilson, who had set the stage for his clean and jerk record with an impressive 155 kg snatch, was part of the powerhouse Hassle Free Barbell Club; and another of its 94-kg lifters also made the podium: D’Angelo Osario continued to prove himself to be lifter on the rise as he pounded out a 147-kg snatch and a 180-kg clean and jerk for the silver medal in the total.  If that’s not enough talent in Hassle Free’s 94-kg stable, consider that another of their lifters, Ian Howerton, placed fourth overall, and yet another, Anfernee Williams, got sixth overall.

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Former CoC Silver Bullet world record holder Alexey Tyukalov told IronMind that the upcoming Russian Open Grip Championships will be “concentrating more on popularity of the sport than breaking new records,” but don’t think that doesn’t mean the big guns will sitting idly on the sidelines.


Look for both novice and world record level performances at the Russian Open Grip Championships next month.   IronMind® | Image courtesy of the World Armlifting Association.


“We want more participants in all our competitions,” said Tyukalov.  “In future games we will have more categories, by weight, by age and by men and women.  Next games are the yearly Russian Open Grip Championship in Moscow 5 March. 

“There will be Rolling Thunder, Apollon’s Axle, Wrist Roller, Silver Bullet, Hub and closing different grippers.  Some of the best strongmen of Russia will attend in Apollon Axle, motivated by the high results in Los Angeles,” Tyukalov said.

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The 2013 IHGF World Amateur Highland Games Championships have been scheduled for June 22 in Fuerstenwalde/Spree, Germany—hosted by the GHGF.


The world’s top amateur Highland Games competitors will test their skills this summer at the IHGF Amateur Highland Games World Championships.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of IHGF.


IHGF vice president Francis Brebner told IronMind, “The IHGF are very happy to be working with such a good sports promoters as Hans-Dieter Dorow, president of the GHGF, and Daniel Dorow, vice president of the GHGF; they have a real passion and drive to promote the sport of Highland Games within Germany.”  
 
“We are very pleased that Fuerstenwalde/Spree, Germany is selected as this year’s hosting country for the IHGF World Amateur Highland Games Championships and for us to be able to bring the best amateur athletes from around the world to compete in our [Highland] Games here in Germany and to have this championships also filmed for European TV is just fabulous,” said Hans-Dieter Dorow in an IHGF press release sent to IronMind.


“This is a good very good start to our plans within the GHGF.  “Our aim is to build the sport much bigger for our athletes and also essentially to encourage more young blood into the sport here in Germany.
 
“We are also very delighted to have the IHGF the world governing body for Highland Games here also to officially open the very first of five games in the German Highland Games series on Sunday, June 23.”
 
Brebner told IronMind that the list of competitor will be announced soon.

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“MHP (Maximum Human Performance) has now become the official title sponsor for the biggest series in strongman—the 2013 MHP Strongman Champions League,” SCL co-founder Marcel Mostert told IronMind today.


“All 15 of the Strongman Champions League (SCL) pro events to be held in 2013 will be powered by MHP, a world leader in performance nutrition and supplementation,” was the big news in the strongman world today.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of SCL.


“SCL and MHP , both made  a big step forward for the Strongman sport in general by signing this great deal,” said Mostert.
 
“MHP’s corporate mission has always been to develop premier science-based, research-driven sports supplements to help athletes achieve their greatest physical potential. Over the years, MHP has introduced many innovations and breakthroughs in sports nutrition. MHP has become the most trusted brand and industry leader among world-class athletes, strongmen, pro bodybuilders, powerlifters and fitness enthusiasts alike – making its partnership with the SCL a perfect blend of world class performance and performance nutrition,” continued the official press release.
 
“The SCL is the biggest strongman league worldwide, with over 15 stages (competitions) throughout the year in 15 different countries throughout Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. Every year, more than 60 strongman [athletes] compete in this professional league, which is also a qualifying road to the World’s Strongest Man. The SCL is a premiere televised league, with its events broadcast to more than 1 billion households worldwide. Through this new partnership, MHP provides SCL the ability to develop more quality with powerful events and top athletes,” Mostert said.
 
“Over the past few years, MHP has experienced significant growth in our international business,” said Steve Downs, MHP Marketing Director. 

“Our new partnership with the Strongman Champions League will showcase our brand in 15 countries on stage, in 89 countries on television, and solidify our role as the global leader in performance supplementation for world class athletes everywhere.”
 
For more information about MHP, visit MHPSTRONG.com. To find out more about the SCL and the 2013 calendar of pro strongman events, log on to their website at STRONGMANCL.com. 

“Watch for the world’s biggest strongman league coming to your city this year!,” said Mostert.

Zydrunas Savickas and the Super Yoke used when he appeared on the  Fausto Domingo show in Brazil last year.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of SCL.

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Pairing up at the Crimean Armwrestling Championships over the weekend, the Ukrainian Armlifting Federation featured a grip contest on the Rolling Thunder, along with the opportunity to certify on the Crushed-To-Dust! Challenge.


Vyacheslav Gorbunov, vice president of the Ukrainian Armlifting Federation, demonstrates his hand at the CoC Silver Bullet Hold.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of the Ukrainian Armlifting Federation.

The CoC Silver Bullet and the IronMind Hub were also part of the grip strength competition.  Saprin Stas hit 103 kg on the Rolling Thunder and Ivan Markov did 25 kg on the IronMind Hub and three certifications are pending on the Crush-To-Dust Challenge, as the Ukrainian Armlifting Federation continues to build on its successes in the world of grip strength contests—a natural for a country with such a rich history of achievements in the world of strength sports.

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March is a big month in strongman as Giants Live—the official qualifying tour for the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest—gives the world’s top competitors their first opportunity to qualify for this year’s edition of WSM.


In the world of strongman, World’s Strongest Man stands head and shoulders above all the others, and the way to get there is by qualifying in a Giants Live competition.  IronMind® | Arwork courtesy of Giants Live.


Presented as part of the Melbourne FitX, the Giants Live strongman competition is March 9–10, and here’s the official lineup, which includes four competitors with World’s Strongest Man experience, among their credits.

• Derek Poundstone
• Nick Best
• Jack McIntosh
• Frankie Scheun
• Gerhard Von Staden
• Tristan O”Brien
• Warrick Brant
• Jordan Steffens
• Marc Wells
• Eben Le Roux
• Robert Killpatrick

“The top three go to WSM 2013 and the top Southern Hemisphere athlete wins the title of 'Southern hemisphere's Strongest Man',” Bryce told IronMind.

“Head referee is former WSM competitor Bill Lyndon, who has created a brilliant line-up of tests for the athletes.

“The announcement on the final Norwegian competitor is coming soon. He is coming Down Under with the newly appointed Giants Live partner—Svend “Viking” Karlsen. The Viking, with his phenomenal work ethic and contacts, is now working with me to expand Giants Live in Scandinavia and worldwide.  Svend is coming to Australia as MC and host for a TV 2 show (Norwegian TV version).

“On the same note, Darren Sadler has joined the Giants Live board too. After an astonishingly successful Europe's Strongest man last year it was a no-brainer to invite Darren to help grow the sport at the highest level. With these two former athletes joining the Giants Live board I feel very positive for the future,” said Bryce.

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For years, it read like something from Jules Verne—a 500 lb. clean and jerk—but Vasily Alexeev turned dreamed into reality at the 1970 World Weightlifting Championship and since then the record crept up to the point that there was talk of the first 600-lb. clean and jerk.


Zydrunas Savickas has dominated the log lift world record, pushing the mark to 220 kg (485 lb.) with this success at the 2012 World’s Strongest Man contest.  Will he be the first to break the 500-lb. barrier?   IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


The log lift is to strongman what the clean and jerk is to weightlifting, and in a similar way, the log lift is now close enough to the 500-lb. barrier that there is serious talk about who, when and where of it will be broken.

For the who, the clear front runners are Zydrunas Savickas and Mike Jenkins, and while in some ways, Columbus would have seemed like the perfect setting for this breakout lift, both competitors are sitting out the Arnold strongman contest and focussing instead on the World’s Strongest Man, which will be held later this year.  

Besides the World’s Strongest Man contest, the other obvious candidates for when and where for the 500-lb. barrier to fall are the SCL Log Lift World Championship, or possibly at a Giants Live competition.

So, strongman fans, stay tuned and get ready to tell a 500-lb. log goodbye.

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After experimenting with a variety of contest formats in a range of strength sports—including strongman, grip, Highland Games, powerlifting and strongwoman—United Strongmen announced that it will focus on strongwoman and 105-kg strongman this year.


Kristin Rhodes (USA), who has been a major force in strongwoman competitions for over five years, and the most recent addition to her collection of titles was the 2012 US (as in United Strongmen) Women’s World Championships.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of United Strongmen.


Consistent with that goal, the 2012 Women’s World Championships put on by United Strongmen is featured is the current issue of its digital magazine, Power News.

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Dr. Christian Baumgartner, president of the German Weightlifting Federation (BVDG) and a leader in the fight for a clean sport, visited IronMind this past weekend to discuss a number of key topics with Randall Strossen.


Dr. Christian Baumgartner, a staunch advocate of strict anti-doping measures in weightlifting, visited IronMind to discuss this and related topics with Randall Strossen.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Dr. Baumgartner has championed stricter anti-doping measures at the international level and cited data showing that in violation of previous agreements, some weightlifting competitors who should have been tested prior to the London Olympics, in fact, were not, and this is part of a larger problem with doping control at the highest international levels.

Drs. Baumgartner and Strossen also discussed growth in the sport, touching on ideological and cultural factors that have limited it in the past, as well as those that could enable expansion in the future.

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Call this guy talented: Carlos F. Rivera Pagan has added another feather to his cap as he has just been certified on the Captains of Crush (CoC) No. 3.5 gripper, proving his status as having some of the strongest hands on the planet.


Tell it goodbye: Carlos F. Rivera Pagan has been certified as officially closing the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Carlos F. Rivera Pagan.


Carlos works in the accounting department  of the Karlan Group Corporation, but that’s only the beginning of what he can do.

“My current interests are powerlifting.  At my last competition—IPF World Championship-—I did 350-kg squat, 245-lkg bench press, and a 312.5-kg deadlift for a total of 907.5 kg and placed 9th overall in my category -120 kg out of 16.  


31 years old, 5’ 11” tall and 272 lb. Carlos F. Rivera Pagan is a strong guy—his IPF total proves it overall and his certification on the Captains of Crush (CoC) No. 3.5 gripper proves he’s got some of the world’s strongest hands.
  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Carlos F. Rivera Pagan.

“And I did this with only two years of competing.  Before that I was a professional Minor League Baseball player with the Philadelphia Phillies.  

“When training for the IPF Worlds I suffer a herniated disc (L4-L5) and had to compete with sharp pain, but still managed to put good numbers.  After that I give my back a break from powerlifting training and began to train again for grippers, and I noticed that I never lost grip strength so I decided to get certified for the [CoC] 3.5 because I had did it since 2010 but for some weird reason never got interested in getting certified back then.

“I have tried several training philosophies: I've done KTA program, Nathan Holle’s singles program, and Joe Kinney’s big-volume program.  All of them have worked for me.  But I attribute my strength to the Go-Really-Grip Machine.  With that machine you can PROGRESSIVELY keep putting more resistance and get stronger.  For fine tuning then I used the grippers.  For getting me back to where I was in 2010 I did singles with a filed (CoC) #3 gripper that I have and slow negatives with a (CoC) #3.5.

“My short term goals are reach a 2,100-lb. total in an international IPF meet representing Puerto Rico.  In my future, I hope to reach the 1,000-kg total, that will be a dream come true, just as if I reach the Major League, and of course close the (CoC) #4.  I know I have what it takes to close that gripper, but will concentrate first on PL,” said Pagan.

Want to know how referee Carlos Fernandez describes the results on Carlos F. Rivera Pagan’s official attempt to close the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper?

“Carlos was very impressive with the closing of the 3.5 gripper.  I wish you could be with us to se it.  Muy bueno!!!!!”

IronMind gives a huge thanks to Carlos Fernandez for serving as IronMind’s designated referee on this attempt, and to Carlos F. Rivera Pagan we say, “Congratulations—you’re a one-man talent show your name has been added to the official list of men certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper.”


Referee Carlos Fernandez (left) called Carlos F. Rivera Pagan’s (right) successful attempt to officially close the CoC No. 3.5 gripper, “Muy bueno!!!!!”  IronMind® | Image courtesy of Carlos F. Rivera Pagan.

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Wonder if you’re not pulling the bar high enough when you do pulls to help your snatch and clean?


Apti Aukhadov (Russia) finishes his pull on a successful 175-kg snatch in the 85-kg category at the London Olympics.  The training lift Jim Schmitz discusses—Tommy Kono High Pulls to a Stick—are designed to ensure that when you do pulls, you are hitting the necessary height.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Jim Schmitz has a solution for you and it’s what he calls Tommy Kono high pulls to a stick—in honor of the Olympic champion, world champion and world record holder whom he first saw teaching the movement.

You can access this latest article in the Schmitz on the Lifts series from Training Articles button at the top of the IronMind home page or go there directly by clicking on this link.



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United Strongmen founder Jyrki Rantanen has announced that he will “focus on developing the sport for women's and other classes as we feel that there´s a lot to be done and also it helps the whole strength community to avoid useless ‘politics.’

“Our first international competition for this year will be Queen of the Castle™, sponsored by Fitnesstukku.  Along with the ‘crown’ title, the competition will be Strongwoman Scandinavian Championships and the field of competitors will include the top names from last year’s Queen of the Castle, national champions and last, but definitely the least, we will see the comeback of Finnish strongwoman legend Kati Luoto, who will be competing for the first time in strongwoman since 2011 when she injured her knee. Kati is multi-time Finland´s Strongest Woman and a runner-up in WSW, so there will be a top battle witnessed in April 27th.”

Rantanen also said that he will be staging “the whole contest in [a] theater atmosphere as the venue will be Verkatehdas—a new generation of Arts and Congress center on the shore of Lake Vanajavesi in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

“The events will be done in Vanaja Hall, what is the venue for concerts and other acts and the competition will be filmed for our pay per view channel (as all of our international shows in the future).”

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Last November, this column announced an ambitious project launched by David Horne: he was writing a grip encyclopedia intended to “cover everything you can imagine related to grip,” and he had just released the first of what was envisioned to be about a 12-volume project.

Volume 2 came out in late December and Volume 3 came out earlier this month. 

Horne combines his perspective as a historian and a competitor who also designs equipment to give a multi-faceted presentation of the topics covered—including much practical advice, with photos illustrating how-to points and training routines showing you how to get from point a to point b.

Volume 1 covered topics beginning with the letter A; Volume 2 covers B; Volume 3 covers C and D.  Horne said that he expects Volume 4 (E, F, G) to be available in July.

“Eventually we intend to publish a hard copy of all the volumes in one very special book,” said Horne, and for those who can’t wait, David Horne’s grip encyclopedia is currently available as a PDF, Gripopaedia.


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In a stunning move, “The Turkish Weightlifting Federation has collectively resigned in the wake of a doping scandal, Chairman Hasan Akkuş announced Jan. 25,” according to a report by the Hurrieuyet Daily News.


Taner Sagir (Turkey) on his way to winning the gold medal in the 77-kg category of weightlifting at the 2004 Olympics.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


“Five Turkish athletes tested positive for doping during the European Under-23 Championships in Israel.

“This is hard to take for us,” Akkuş told Anatolia news agency. “If doping is here, then we are not. We decided on a collective resignation.”

The Turkish Weightlifting Federation came under scrutiny after Turkey finished the 2012 London Olympic Games without a medal in weightlifting, which is usually deemed one of Turkey’s strengths in the Olympics,” continued the story.

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Strength sports promoter Odd Haugen is coming off a red hot series of contests—strongman, grip strength and strongman combat—at last weekend’s Los Angeles FitExpo, but wasting no time, he’s already at the drawing board for the competitions he will stage at the San Jose FitExpo this summer.


Strongman combat is what Odd Haugen called the mano a mano events he introduced at last weekend’s Los Angeles FitExpo, all of which were crowd favorites.  Here’s James Rude (left) goes at it with Robert “OB” Oberst (right) in the Pole Push.  OB won the Strongman Combat competition (James Rude was the runner-up), as well as the Overall title (best combined score across Strongman, Grip Strength and Strongman Combat).  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


On the strongman side, Haugen will have a top level amateur contest, with the possibility that there will be two body weight classes and also that the winner will earn his ASC pro card.  Regardless of the details, though, the contest format will be unique as far as event selection goes.

Haugen said there will be five categories of events (such as overhead, stones, deadlift/squat, etc.) and that each category will have five events in it.

Each competitor will choose one event from each category when he enters.  Each of those votes goes into a hat, for each event, and then one is drawn from each hat, to determine which event will be used in each category.

For the grip strength contest, Haugen said that he is leaning toward running an IronMind Record Breakers again, as he did last year, which could also include the Crushed To Dust Challenge! again as well.

Stay tuned for more details.
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Vlad Redkin has sent IronMind the 2013 World Strongman Federation (WSF) World Cup schedule, along with the IMWF Mas Wrestling Schedule.


WSF World Cup has announced its 2013 schedule, which includes a World Cup Final and also a World Championships in December.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of WSF.

WSF World Cup
April – PROFORM WSF World Cup 1st stage – Tashkent, Uzbekistan
April – WSF World Cup 2nd stage – Aktau, Kazakhstan
May – WSF World Cup 3rd stage – Hungary
May – WSF World Cup 4th stage – Russia
June – WSF World Cup 5th stage – Holland
June – Europian Championship – WSF World Cup – 6th stage – Poland
July – WSF World Cup 7th stage – Portugal
July – Elite Strong 2013 – Moscow, Russia
August – WSF World Team Cup – Poland vs USA – Poland
August – WSF World Cup 8th stage – Ukraine
September – WSF World Cup 9th stage – Turkey
October – WSF World Cup 10th stage – Russia
December – WSF World Cup – Final – UAE – WSF World Championship 2013
December – WSF World Championship -95/-110 kg  Ukraine/UAE

IMWF mas-wrestling competitions 2013
8-9 of June – 1st stage – Moscow, Russia
1 of September – 2nd stage – Moscow, Russia
3rd stage – St. Petersburg, Russia  (in Sport Accord World Combat Games)
Final – UAE
+ 26 nationals championships around the world

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Strongman Champions League—the world’s most active professional strongman tour—opens its 2013 season with the coolest strongman contest of them all: the IceMan, which is set in Finland’s Lapland, just south of the Arctic Circle.


Forget the idea that strongman is only for the summer, with lots of sand and searing temperatures: when Ilkka Kinnunen developed the IceMan, he brought a whole new concept to strongman, featuring the power and beauty of a winter setting for the world's top professional strongman competitors.  The IceMan has no equal.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of SCL.


Here’s how Ilkka Kinnunen describes it:

“The IceMan:  Snow, wind, outside venue, Arctic Circle, eight hard and heavy events.  These are just few things about IceMan competition, which takes place again in Ruka-Kuusamo, Finland.

“A total of 12 athletes will battle through a rough one-day competition.  The date is set to 16th of March.  The schedule goes that athletes will compete starting at noon through 4 events and continuing in the evening at 6 p.m. with 4 more events.  8 events in total of four hours, is this possible?  Yes it is.  Most events are double events (two men competing same time).

“Zydrunas Savickas, who has won the IceMan all three times, won’t be competing this time, but he will be present as a TV commentator.  

“If you are looking for something totally different in 2013, extreme strongman action, you don’t want to miss the IceMan IV,” said Kinnunen.



More details about the athletes and events will be given soon so stay tuned.

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Dutch strongman Jarno Hams is continuing with the TV show Dancing With the Stars on Ice and Marcel Mostert told IronMind that Jarno “still does great . . . maybe a new sport for him?”


Instead of hanging out with other outsized strongman competitors, Dancing with the Stars on Ice gives Jarno Hams has a chance to rub elbows with Pamela Anderson, for example, instead.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of SCL.


How well is Jarno doing?  Here’s Marcel Mostert’s report.

“The 7 times Dutch Strongest Man is doing really well in the mega show Dancing with the Stars on Ice!

“Last weekend he reached the semi-finals, as there are just 2 shows to go.  In his performance, he lifted his dance partner 7 times up in the air in a 1.30 minute during act and that was probably also a new lifting  record in ice shows.

“Pamela Anderson was also on the show and was really impressed by Jarno.  She also did a skating act and she loved to be in Holland.

“Jarno keeps on going well, and doing next week maybe 8 lifts. In any case, we wish him luck to reach the finals!  After that he can finally focus again on the Strongman Champions League tour, as the SCL Calendar will be presented here on 1 February.

“Possibly Jarno goes for the World Championships in figure skating instead of strongman?  We will see,” said Mostert.

Here’s a link to Jarno’s last show.
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Daniel Reinard was crowd pleaser when he competed in the grip contest at last year’s LA FitExpo—often outweighed by 150 pounds or more, he still held his own on some events, and even though he came back to the LA FitExpo as a spectator this year, Daniel did not leave empty handed: he performed a rare double as he certified on both the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper and on the IronMind Red Nail.


6’ 2” Daniel Reinhard has bulked up to 210 lb., up about 20 lb. from a year ago, and today he’s joined the elite club of men who certified on both the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper and the Red Nail, and to make things even more exclusive, he’s done both on the same day—the second man in the world to accomplish that.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Incidentally, if that‘s not enough, Daniel came up just a little short on the Rolling Thunder portion of the Crushed-To-Dust Challenge, or he’d have picked yet another big stripe over the weekend.

“First was introduced to grip when web searching for ways to keep a strong grip between climbing opportunities,” Daniel Reinhard told IronMind. 

“I found CoC grippers online and first received them 8/2010. I  was able to close the #2 at the start.  Since then it has been a goal to certify on the #3.  So having completed this goal it feels good to finish my first grip goal, the one that has taken the longest.

“The Red Nail goal came right after the gripper goal when I did more online searching to strengthen my wrists.  Bending is extremely fun and I enjoy it just as much as all other grip training. I also wanted to complete the Crushed to Dust challenge but the Rolling Thunder proved a tough lift again this year. I was close to a full lift. I'll be back to try it again at the next expo.

“My current training has moved from climbing to powerlifting and strongman, with grip the priority. These are the new strength passions I focus heavily on.

“I'd like to thank Randall and IronMind again for such a smoothe and nice process. And I'd like to thank Clay Edgin, the judge, for his time and professionalism.”

IronMind would like join in thanking Clay Edgin (CoC3 ’03, Red Nail ’04) for serving as the referee on Daniel’s official attempts, and speaking of official, congratulations, Daniel: your name has been added to the Captains of Crush (CoC) No. 3 gripper certification list, and also to the Red Nail Roster.  Nice work!

     
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Chatting with Mike Burke on Saturday at the LA FitExpo, grippers came up, and he mentioned that he’d never tried a Captains of Crush No. 3.5, so I told Mike that I had one with me, if he wanted to try it, maybe, after the contest, and Mike said he would.


Among his performances in the grip contest at the LA FitExpo, Mike Burke broke the CoC Silver Bullet Hold world record—keeping a CoC No. 3 gripper clamped on the Silver Bullet for a world record 53.97 seconds before his hand opened up.  Imagine doing that and then succeeding on his official attempt to close the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper?  That’s exactly what Mike Burke did and now he's the latest guy to certify on the CoC No. 3.5.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.



After what Mike went through—ripping the place apart with his world records on the IronMind Apollon’s Axle Deadlift, the CoC Silver Bullet Hold and then Inch DB Deadlift for Reps—you’d have thought his hands would be toast and I surely was not going to force a CoC No. 3.5 on him, but when Mike asked me about the CoC 3.5 right after he’d sent the grip world into orbit with his performance, I ran over to Clay Edgin (CoC3 ’03 , Red Nail ’04), told him what was up and asked if he’d like to referee the attempt.  Clay, who’d been masterfully emceeing all weekend, said yes, and about two minutes later, Mike Burke had decisively put away the CoC No. 3.5 on his official attempt.

Mike Burke, 38, stands about 6’ 6” and weighs about 335 and he’s only been lifting weights for about three years, having played football and been a snowboarder before he jumped into strongman.  Although Mike’s been competing in strongman for only a few years, he competed in the qualifying round of the 2012 World’s Strongest Man contest and then went straight over to the America’s Strongest Man contest, where he won the title.
To say that Mike Burke is the biggest thing in the grip world at this moment is quite an understatement—after watching him destroy world records and level the field at the Visegrip Viking grip contest, why not expect him to end the day by destroying the CoC No. 3.5 as well?!

Many thanks to Clay Edgin for ably serving as the referee on Mike Burke’s official attempt, and congratulations, Mike, it’s official and your name has been added top the official Captains of Crush No. 3.5 gripper certification list.

     

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Mike Burke delivered the single most dominating performance ever seen in the grip strength world as he won the Visegrip Viking competition at the LA FitExpo yesterday in commanding style.


After demolishing the world record on the IronMind Apollon’s Axle Deadlift not once, but twice, Mike Burke pulled 240 kg to knee height, signalling where he’s planning to go with this lift.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.



Burke left everyone’s eyes wide open in the contest’s first event: the IronMind Apollon’s Axle Double Overhand Deadlift, where Rich Williams’ longstanding world record of 501 lb. (228 kg) has proven tough for anyone to overtake.

Burke jumped from 485 lb. (220 kg) to 507 lb. (230 kg), lifted it with ease, but he dropped the bar so he was turned down; nonchalantly, Burke repeated the lift and lowered it carefully, for a new world record.  Burke would later say that he knew he wasn’t thinking when he let go of it after completing the lift.  Since he had effectively done a double with a world record weight, how could one be surprised that Burke then called for 516 lb. (235 kg) and that he hauled it up for another good lift and another world record.  But wait, he wasn’t done yet:  Mike Burke showed what’s coming down the road because he then called for 528 lb. (240 kg) and pulled it to about knee height before losing his grip on the bar.

While there was no new world record in the Rolling Thunder, Mike Burke and Mark Felix battled it out for top honors and hit very respectable performance levels: both men made 259 lb. (117.5 kg), but missed 270 lb. (122.5 kg). 

The world record in the IronMind CoC Silver Bullet Hold has been attacked by top grip strength competitors worldwide in the last year, and coming into this competition the record of 52.49 seconds by Alexey Tukalov appeared lofty indeed, but then, with former world record holder Mark Felix in the field and rumors that Andrew Durniat and Chad Woodall were ready to rewrite the record book made one wonder. 

And talking about wondering, how would Mike Burke do—he’s never attempted certification on a Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper, and here he was in an event where he had to use a CoC No. 3 to hang on for time, but that’s exactly what he did—posting a time of 53.97 seconds for his second world record of the day.  Anyone who had seen Burke perform in the 2012 edition of this grip contest knew he was a force to be reckoned with, but now he was starting to look invincible.  Durniat was second, at 32.95 seconds, and Woodall was third, at 30.41 seconds.

Next up was the Iron Grip Pinch Medley and out of the 12 competitors, 8 were stopped by the fifth of the six blocks that had to be lifted onto low platforms using a pinch grip.  Odd Haugen and Chad Woodall made it through five, only to get brick walled by the sixth, which was starting to look impossible, until Mark Felix brought down the house when he succeeded in loading it.  But wait, who’s this coming out, the final competitor?  Mike Burke; and while Felix has loaded all six blocks in 32.24 seconds, Burke swept up all six in 15.02 seconds!

The Viking Fishing Pole Wrist Roller uses an IronMind Vulcan Rack/One Wicked Wrist Roller setup to wind up a large fishing pole with weight hanging off its tip—it’s a screamer to watch and not all competitors could fully raise the pole.  To put things in perspective, of those who succeeded, it took some guys about half a minute, or more, to complete the job.  Mark Felix got third, with a time of 10.53 seconds, Chad Woodall was second, with a time of 8.95 seconds, and, you should know his name by now, Mike Burke won the event with a time of 8.41 seconds.

Odd Haugen had introduced the idea of deadlifting a replica Thomas Inch dumbbell for reps with a 2-minute time limit and coming into the contest, Andrew Durniat’s 17-repetition performance from last year’s contest was considered to be the world record.  Kiss that one goodbye as Haugen knocked off 22 reps, Mark Felix did 23, Durniat did 30 and, yell it out loud, Burke did 37!  In the end, it looked like Burke’s back was fatiguing at least as much as his hands, so as big as that number was, 37 reps didn’t really seem to reflect the limit of his grip strength on this type of implement.

So there have it: the world’s top grip contest made it clear that if there’s a current king of the grip strength world, his name is Mike Burke.


Mike Burke held the CoC Silver Bullet for 53.97 seconds, for a new world record.  Burke produced a sensational performance in the Visegrip Viking contest at the 2013 LA FitExp.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.

 

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Los Angeles–Jerry Pritchett produced a commanding win over a formidable field of strongman competitors to take the title at the Los Angeles FitExpo today.


Jerry Pritchett produced a strong performance in the Tire Flip at the LA FitExpo today and kept his momentum through the last event, to win the strongman competition.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Pritchett was consistent as he finished in the top three in four of the day’s six events, and by the end of the day, he had finished with an eight point lead over runner up Mark Felix.  Robert Oberst claimed third place, edging out Dan Harrison by one-half point.

Typical of an Odd Haugen strongman contest, the events were heavy, but they don’t call this strongman for nothing.

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Times have been tough so how about you enjoy a beverage on us at the LA FitExpo or simply put the $5 in your pocket?


Clip, bring and save.  Use this coupon to save $5 on your admission to this weekend’s Los Angeles FitExpo.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of the LA FitExpo.


Here’s how it works: clip this coupon, bring and save $5 on your ticket to the LA FitExpo.  Talk about simple, huh?

And talking about money, here’s how the prize list breaks down for the strongman, grip strength and strongman combat contests being organized by Odd Haugen.

Strongman
$3,000

$2,000

$1,000

$800

$400

$250



Strongman Combat


$1,500
$1,000
$800

$300

Grip
$1,500
$1,000
$750

$450

$250




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This Saturday, top strongman competitors will be sending shockwaves through the Los Angeles FitExpo as they square off with six massive challenges, and as an audience participation special, the IronMind Crushed-To-Dust! Challenge will be run in between strongman events—draw a little inspiration from a field that includes World’s Strongman Man competitors and show that they’re not the only guys who have a grip to be reckoned with.


Who’s the baddest dude, overall, from the strongman, grip and strongman combat contests at the LA FitExpo this weekend?  This is the special trophy he’ll win, along with a pocketful of cash.  IronMind® | Image courtesy of Odd Haugen.


The first strongman event—Giant Tire Flips— begins at 10:30 and from noon on, a new strongman event starts on the hour, and anyone who would like to try the Crushed-To-Dust! Challenge will have a chance in between the strongman events, with certification going to all who are successful.  So get inspired by guys who have competed at the World's Strongest Man contest and make a mark of your own this Saturday.

Sunday, the world records in three of the grip strength world’s most prestigious events will face intense pressure as guys who can practically crack coconuts in their bare hands attack the Apollon’s Axle Double Overhand Deadlift, the Rolling Thunder and the CoC Silver Bullet Hold, along with a Iron Grip Pinch Grip Medley, Viking Fishing Pole Wrist Roller and Inch Dumbbell Duel.  Want to see guys who can close a Captains of Crush (CoC) No. 3 gripper with ease?  Be there.

And just to make sure that you’re on the edge of your seat on Sunday, Odd Haugen is introducing a new contest this year—strongman combat—so if you’ve never seen events like Mas wrestling or the Pole Push, here’s your chance.

                                                                     

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Wasting no time making himself the first man to certify on the IronMind Red Nail in 2013, Nathaniel Brous banged through not just one, but two of them within the one-minute time limit.


Nathaniel Brous started bending after he turned 40, but on his first try, the 6’ 4” 240 lb. Brous bent an IronMind Blue Nail.  Today, it’s official: Nathaniel Brous has been certified on the IronMind Red Nail, a benchmark short steel bend.  He is eyeing certification on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper next.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Brous.




“A couple of years ago, my daughter and I were watching American Ninja Warrior (ANW) and she loyally said, ‘You can do that Daddy!,‘  Brous told IronMind.

“A former competitive swimmer, sidelined by a heart condition, I had much less faith in myself than she did.  I did however, get off the couch and start training after a fairly stagnant 14 years or so.  In researching ANW, I learned the value of grip strength.  This led to my discovery of IronMind, its Captain's of Crush (CoC) Grippers and the entire niche sport of grip (strength),” said Brous.

“While I eventually realized that ANW's obstacle sport was a bit too taxing for me, I had already fallen in love with ‘Grip.’  Starting with the CoC#1, I have pursued it vigorously since April of 2011.  A finger injury has slowed my CoC #3 certification timetable a bit, but an introduction and later success with bending has kept me quite occupied,” Brous said, who credits John ‘Wojo’ Wojciechowski, Cesar ‘Chez’ Ricchezza, and Jedd ‘Napalm’ Johnson for their roles in his success, along with his wife, Maureen, and daughter, Abigail.

Congratulations, Nathaniel—your name has been added to the Red Nail Roster, the official certification list for the IronMind Red Nail Roster—and many thanks to Michael Sharkey for serving as the referee.

      
     
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