Top 5 Best Strongman Competitions
There are many strongman competitions in the sporting calendar, but which are the best? With the sport of strongman now more than officially recognized, there are more sports in circulation. Enjoyed by its spectators around the world, it is drawing bigger crowds and gaining more exposure each year.
Strongman is considered to be a relatively new and upcoming type of competition. It is gaining more popularity after legends of the gaming bringing in more audience from their Youtube channels. There is still a lot of work to get up the ranks with many different regional events. This is a big step for strongman considering it was considered as a circus act when tracing it back to its roots!
The World’s Strongest Man
Officially established in its current form in 1977, The World’s Strongest Man is the largest international annual competition. It usually takes place in summer time of the northern hemisphere and broadcasts at different times.
To enter the competition, competitors must qualify by placing in the top 3 of the regional Giants Live events each year. It began with eight men representing various sports and strength disciplines. They were invited to compete against each other in unique events designed to test each individual’s strength.
The earliest events were relatively simple, but new ideas have been introduced over the years. Events had influences from powerlifting and the Highland Games. Interestingly, some events were created based on mythological feats of strength. There are a number of events that make up each competition that differ each year. This is to keep the competitors guessing and to see who is the overall strongest in the world.
Arnold Strongman Classic
Established in 2002, and founded by nobody other than Mr Arnold Schwarzenegger himself. The Arnold Classic is a sector of the annual Arnold Sports Festival.
The Arnold Classic events are more traditional and consistent as opposed to World’s Strongest Man. The format is more predictable for competitors who compete in the Arnold Classic. It is an event that is considered to be friendly for new strongman viewers. You can catch the whole events on Youtube, or watch an extended documentary highlight on Netflix!
Some of the regular events that are well known to the Arnold Classic:
- Atlas Stones: a round of heavy stones, that can be over 500lbs, that need to be lifted over a bar
- Apollon’s Axle: a unique twist on an original barbell. A thicker barbell that can mechanically fasten to reproduce train wheels. The strongman need to lift the wheels from the floor to over their head for as many repetitions as possible in two minutes.
- Circus Dumbbell: an early 20th century inspired event that was reproduced by Richard Sorin. It was dubbed as the ‘circus act’ because of its original strongman roots. The dumbbell has a bigger handle than normal, measuring at over 3 inches in diameter, weighing in at 202lbs. The strongman needs to lift the dumbbell overhead as many times as possible with one hand in 90 seconds.
- Super Yoke: contestants had to carry across their shoulders a bar/yoke weighing 1,116 pounds for approximately 36 feet (11 m) in a timed event.
- Timber Carry: also known as the Frame Carry, the strongman have to lift up a contraption of timbers bolted together up a ramp. They have 30 seconds to get to the top or as far as possible.
- Tire Deadlift: originally designed and manufactured by Ivanko Barbell Company, strongman are required to deadlift a specially designed weighted long bar with tires. It can include up to eight Hummer tires and rims, weighing at 750lbs.
Giants Live
The Giants Live was created in 2009 as the official qualifiers for World’s Strongest Man. The competition tours the world where the competitors are usually winners of their regional strongest man competitions. It is one of the most popular events on the circuit, with the strongman regularly interacting with the group. The atmosphere itself is why the Giants Live is one of the most popular strongman events of the year.
The Giants Live is one of the most important events of the year for strongman. The top 3 of each contest receive invitations to compete for the World’s Strongest Man. So you can expect the competition to be fierce and competitive. It attracts many competitors from the world, so if you want to see different athletes, this is the one! Colin Bryce, one of the most famous strongman presenters is involved with the commentary, an added bonus! His drive and enthusiasm makes it one great event to watch.
The competition has unearthed many great talents. Some of the legends of the sport are multiple winners of the competition, such as:
- Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson with 9 Wins
- Žydrūnas Savickas with 6 Wins
- Eddie Hall with 5 Wins
World’s Ultimate Strongman
The World’s Ultimate Strongman began in 2018, located in United Arab Emirates. Originally, the location was meant to be in Las Vegas but because of the rising COVID-19 concerns in 2019, it was changed. The competition has 5 events and is a one day event. In the 2021, there were 13 strongmen and 8 strongwomen who competed. It had one of the largest purses of $350,000, one of the largest for any strongman competition!
Unfortunately the competition in its budding stages suffered a set back due to the outbreak of Covid-19 worldwide. This caused the 2020 events to be postponed until 2021. Interestingly they held the previous years competition in March and the 2021 Word’s Ultimate Strongman in September.
To name a few who have competed at the World’s Ultimate Strongman:
- the Stoltman brothers
- Brian Shaw
- Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
- Terry Hollands
- Oleksii Novikov
Interestingly, the World’s Ultimate Strongman event aims to challenge competitors with traditional events. A different approach than other competitions such as World’s Strongest Man, with more visual spectacles.
Strongman Champions League
The Strongman Champions League is an annual strongman Grand Prix. It was developed by Ilkka Kinnunen and Marcel Mostert in 2008, both major strongman promoters. It has attracted some of the top strongman athletes on the circuit. The competition was described by Kinnunen and Mostert as:
“A complete series of 10–12 competitions, that will take place all over the world, but most of the competitions will be held in Europe. The very best champions, referees and their organizers will be the guarantee of a great new, fresh excitement in Strongman sport. The competition venues are the best which each country can offer and it will include the country’s own traditional elements.”
The Strongman Champions League quickly asserted its independence and has acted as a unifying force in the world of strength athletics. It brings together athletes commonly seen in the World’s Strongest Man circuits.
