ChasingKaz

Interview with Ben Hanson

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:13:35 -0500

Early last year, I published the beginning of a multiple part piece entitled "It started with a picture" detailing the process my dad and I went through to get a strongman contest up and running at our county fair.

While the conclusion to the piece is still forthcoming, we have continued promoting the contest, making it into one of the centerpieces of the fair. Recently, a reporter from the local news paper called me to do an interview regarding the upcoming contest. It's a really good article and you can read the original here.

WASECA -- Ever try pulling a 23,000 pound semi truck?
Of course not.

Ask someone like Ben Hanson and he'll say 'of course'.

In fact, Hanson, a 32-year-old weight lifter from Waseca, will perform that unorthodox method of mass movement Saturday as a competitor of the North American Strong Man Contest, which will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Waseca County Free Fair.

"It's the contest I most look forward to each year," said Hanson, who competes in roughly half a dozen contests each year.

Windsor Colorado Contest Report

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:40:43 -0500

We were southbound on I-25, battling fierce winds and driving rain, trying to make the last 40 miles from Deadwood, SD to Cheyenne, WY when my cell phone rang. It was my dad.

"Where are you right now?" he said.
"About half hour north of Cheyenne. Why?"
"I just heard that Windsor, Colorado was hit hard by a tornado. Wasn't that where you were supposed to be competing this weekend?"

I thanked my dad and hung up to concentrate on driving As we approached the northern outskirts of Cheyenne, my girlfriend turned on the radio. The first clear station the seek button found informed us that a tornado had just touched down on the southern edge of Cheyenne. Cheyenne isn't a very large city and I took the next exit to seek refuge in a convenience store.

The next hour was spent staring out a plate glass window and listening to weather report after weather report while waiting for the storms to pass so we could finish the last five miles of our journey.

When we finally made it into Chyenne, my first call was to North American Strongman, Inc president, Willie Wessels. Not only hadn't he heard if the contest was still a go, he hadn't even heard there was a tornado! He thanked me for calling him and let me know that he'd try contacting the contest promoter and let me know what he found out. Around 8:00 pm, the power went out, so we went outside to enjoy the view from the wrap-around deck on our cabin and this is what we saw.

When we awoke the next morning, we turned on the news to find that another tornado had hit Cheyenne just about the time the power went out. Still unsure of whether or not the contest was going to be held, we checked out of our cabin and headed to Rocky Mountain National Park en route to our hotel near the contest site. I was worried about making weight and I was starving, so I called a few friends to see if they knew anything about the status of the contest. The bathroom scale I'd brought weighed me in at 230 lbs on the nuts, which is much too close for comfort. If the contest was going to be canceled, I wanted to partake in the bounty of ham sandwiches, summer sausage, and wine that we packed while viewing the majesty of the Rocky Mountains.

On the way from the mountains to our hotel, I got the message that I'd been waiting for: The contest was still on. Instead of being held at the original location in Windsor, however, it was being held in nearby Loveland. After checking into the hotel, we decided to drive by the address we were given to see if it was the right place. After all, the address we were given looked to be residential. When we arrived at 1702 W. 8th Street, all we saw was an older home with a gravel driveway and a pair of RVs in their rather small back yard. Double and triple checking the address (at least the one I'd written down) confirmed that we were at the right house.

Making the Cut

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:42:08 -0500

Many people have asked me to write more about why I cut nearly 50 lbs and how I did it. Deciding to change weights was a mental struggle for me for a number of reasons. I had invested a lot of money, time and training into becoming big and I liked it. To me, being big and powerful was something I admired since I was a kid. So cutting felt like I was moving backwards. Plus in this sport, smaller is almost always equated with weaker and my goal has always been to be the strongest I could be.

Much has changed though at how we look at training and nutrition and I hoped that if I did things correctly, my progress lost would be minimal. I also felt that the trade off of less bodyweight would also lead to increased health. Even though I was lean and my blood pressure, cholesterol and other health indicators seemed to be good being that heavy was talking a toll on my body.

I was eating about 6,000 calories a day to keep my weight up. I was constantly full and my stomach was regularly distended. The arthritis in had gotten worse since adding the weight. I'm on my feet 12-14 hours a day at the gym and the additional stress of 50lbs was adding up. Health wise, cutting seemed like a smart move.

As far as competing goes, I was holding my own as a heavy. I had won or placed second at a number of regional contests and regularly beat guys much larger than me. But after 2 years of local contests I went to nationals and had a poor showing. I didn't put in the effort necessary to be ready like I should have. Perhaps more important however, was for the first time I had a look into where my weaknesses lay and where I needed improvement. I felt that if I wanted to turn pro as a heavy, I would need another two years of serious strength, endurance and speed training. I'll be 36 this November and not getting my card until I was 38 was not appealing.

On Saturdays I train with two lightweight professionals; Glenn Kaifas and Kevin Nowak. At 280lbs my ability ran close to theirs. I was slower than them on some of the medleys and equal on stones and tire flipping. But on pressing events I had an advantage. I knew that I was holding 10-15lbs of bloat that would not affect my strength if I dropped it and I was also carrying some "extra muscle" that was not doing me much good either.

I knew some of my muscle was, in scientific terms, caused by sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. What this means is the muscle has gotten bigger by increasing the amount of fluild they hold without increasing my strength. This useless muscle could be shed and not impact my lifts. I estimated that between those two factors I could lose about 30lbs and maintain most of my current strength while getting faster. This would put me at 245-250lbs; 15-20lbs over the weight class limit. If necessary I could cut water the last few days of the contest and make weight.

A Tribute to Mike Lundburg

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:24:12 -0500

On Friday, June 20 2008, the world lost my friend and teammate, Mike Lundberg. While I'm fully aware that most people reading this never knew Mike, he's one of those men whose words and actions will inspire his friends far beyond the athletic arena and into the depths of real life. To not share his story would be selfish.

When the members of the St Paul Pigs rugby club first met Mike, he was a scrappy, 190 lb ball of fire fresh out of college. He didn't know shit about rugby, but he was a gamer, and we knew that by the time he finished his first practice. As long as I've been playing rugby, there have very few rookies I,ve felt comfortable playing aside. Mikey was one of the guys I never worried about. In his first match, we told him to go out there and bust some heads. Despite being behind by a sizeable margin, he'd busted more heads than the rest of us and he was the one who gave the halftime pep talk, and he was a rookie!

From that day on, we knew we had a Piggie for life. Through the good times and bad, and believe me, there were a lot more bad than good, Mikey was the one who kept it all together. As much as most athletes will deny it, it's really easy to play half-assed when you're down by 30 points in the second half, but Mike was the one who never let us give up. No matter how many points we trailed by, Mikey was the one always going balls-out, forcing us to keep up. No matter how much the coach yelled at us, Mikey led by example (and obnoxious words at half-time). We had no choice but to follow his example or look bad.

At the end of the 2003 fall season, we said our goodbyes and made our plans to come back as a better Pigs team in 2004, only there was one major hurdle: On Christmas Eve, 2003, Mike was diagnosed with Leukemia. While we all knew it was some sort of cancer, most of us didn't realize it's severity until the first time we went to visit him in the hospital.

The first night we all went to see him, we all knew he was going to recover and be back with us by the fall. He was too much of a badass not to. We all met at Hubert's Bar a few blocks from the hospital because we'd never had any friends with cancer before. When we worked up the courage to walk up to the hospital room to see him, he was just like he always was, except he was wearing a mask over his mouth and lying on a bed. He said he might miss the spring season because chemo is a bitch, but he promised us he'd be back out for the league season in the fall of 2004.

Turning Pro, Part II

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:58:25 -0500

After a big breakfast we arrived at the contest site in Mercer County park. The Masters division competitors were hitting it hard when we got there and I saw a few familiar faces on the floor. Mike Ambrose and Mike Westerling were kicking some ass. After I checked in I weighed myself again and was up to 240. That is a weight I had been feeling my best at during training and I was happy to be back there. I had some friends (Mark and Corinne) come out to support me and they arrived just before we got started. Corinne agreed to video tape us for the day and that would be a big help. I drew the seventh starting position out of twenty four competitors and Glenn and Josh would be competing as heavies.

First up was a six keg loading medley. We typically know the events in advance of the contest and I had been practicing all of them for the last 8 weeks. The kegs are placed in groups of two, twenty feet away from a five foot tall loading platform. The object is to get them all loaded in the shortest amount of time possible. Out of the six strongmen ahead of me only one had successfully loaded all of the kegs in the allotted time. I felt good going in to this event and I was going to do my best to make a statement.

Willie the head judge told me to place my hands on the keg and wait for his go. I took my position and when he blew his whistle my day was underway. The first keg of 180 lbs felt light as air. I ripped it off the ground with one arm, cradled it and ran to the platform. I loaded it with ease. The second keg at 200lbs felt just as light. I ripped though the series knowing I was setting a very good pace. I never slowed on any of the kegs. The final keg of 290 lbs went up just as quickly as the others with just a slight extra push needed for the final load. I finished in 53 seconds about twenty seconds faster than the other competitor who had loaded all six. Now I just had to sit back and wait. And waiting it out in first place is much easier than knowing I have points to make up.

Only one other athlete completed the keg load and I bested his time as well, putting me in first for the event. I felt great after and had plenty of time to hydrate and get a granola bar in me. By now it was after 1pm and 90 degrees outside. The humidity was unbearable and everyone was working hard to stay cool. I iced myself down and warmed up for the log press which was the second event.

Mike Gill and his Big Chain

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:07:22 -0500

Photo Credit: Michael Ambrose

Turning Pro, Part I

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:03:40 -0500

When I started training for strongman contests in March of 2006, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. This blog has detailed my ups and downs until mid last year when I simply ran out of time to get my thoughts on paper. After a mid-summer win in my weight class of Western New York's Strongest Man I put my sights on Nationals.

Nationals took place in November during the week of my 35th birthday in Las Vegas. I felt I was ready to challenge the best amateurs in the nation. I had put everything into my training up to this point and continued to train hard to get ready for this contest when something bigger presented itself. My friend and training partner approached me with an opportunity open a state of the art fitness center with him. I accepted and we began working to get the place open for the beginning of December.

Because of this, I let my training slide and when I got to nationals, it showed. I was slow, tired and average in my performance. It was the first real disappointment in a contest since I'd first decided that strongman is what I want to do with my life. Glenn worked tirelessly while I was gone and we got the gym opened on time and it has been a great success for us.

The beating I took in Vegas stayed with me and when I returned, I questioned my approach to becoming a professional strongman. I was pushing hard to be a heavyweight. In 2 years I had taken my weight from 240lbs to 280lbs. I was lean and strong at that weight but I was constantly eating and if I did too much conditioning training I lost weight very quickly. I was forcing myself to be big, and if you want to be good as a heavyweight you have to be naturally big. Almost bigger than life.

The only strongman the the public ever sees is what is presented to them on ESPN: The unlimited weight class of the Worlds Strongest Man. But there is another side to the sport made up of some the most agile, well conditioned athletes on the planet: The 231lbs class of strongmen. With the weights lifted in competition running nearly parallel to the super heavies, the lightweights must make weight the day before the contest to compete. Although this group of competitors is just as impressive as the heavies (if not more so) the public wants to see the most massive men lifting the biggest objects possible, so that is what TV presents. I took some time to consider my options: Get bigger and faster to be more competitive as a heavy or cut nearly 50lbs of hard earned muscle to make lightweights.

Several things played into my final decision. At 35 years old my body has been subjected to vigorous training for nearly 20 years. I've wrestled, trained Brazilian Jui Jitsu, done multiple triathlons and duathalons, mountain biked, and squatted thousands upon thousands of reps. Both knees have stage III arthritis and I have a heart murmur. The most I ever weighed before training for strongman was 245 lbs. It was a weight where I looked and felt good. So after much consideration the obvious choice was to make the big cut. There was a contest in New Jersey that was scheduled for mid June. The winner would become a pro light weight and recieve an invite to pro nationals all at once. I circled June 14th on my calender.

In Mid January I packed up the carbohydrates and began the Anabolic Diet. By eating large amounts of fats and proteins you can force your body to burn body fat at a very rapid pace. In just a few weeks I was down 20 lbs and by March I was 255. During this cut, I had maintained most of my strength but it was in irregular and unpredictable waves. Some days I was as strong as ever while other days I could barely hit my openers.

To say I was frustrated was an understatement. I began talking with Glenn about what I was doing wrong. I had not changed my training style (I was doing very little conditioning work) and I was getting frustrated. Glenn is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Now, I think I'm one hell of trainer but my problem was not my knowledge. It was with myself and a with recognizing where my weaknesses lie. I asked Glenn to take over my diet and training and he gladly accepted with one caveat; I would do exactly what he told me without question. I agreed and he began to get to work on me.

He added more carbohydrates into my diet to stabilize my energy levels and reduced the amounts of fat which caused me to begin to lose muscle. He stopped me from doing any exercise over 5 reps and swapped them out for Olympic lifts and strongman events. I dropped more muscle and fat. He ran my ass off. I got lean. We added flexibility, Yoga, and ART (Active Release Therapy) sessions in to my training and my balance and range of motion improved. By the beginning of May I was 245 pounds and began setting weekly Personal Records (PR's) in the gym which made me feel like I was on the right path again. I was barely touching a weight lifting bar during the week, but I was all over the tires, chains, kegs and logs. The implements began to feel like extensions of my body. I knew exactly what I was going to do with them from the very second I picked one up. It was never a surprise to me anymore when I hit a new number with one. My confidence level began to build and internally I felt like was stronger than ever. Stronger than I was at 280.

Besides revamping my entire approach, Glenn pushed me like race card driver pushes his vehicle. If he thought I was dogging it, he would get in my ear and scream at me. He would remind me why I was doing what I was doing and that everyone else wanted to win as badly as I did. If he didn't like what I put on my training plate he would make me eat something else. He not only began to transform my skills but my mindset as well.

Two weeks away from the contest I was just 238 pounds at 7% body fat. I hit 3 PR's in training and felt that I was ready to make my mark as a lightweight.

Glenn and I rented a car with our good friend and fellow competitor Josh Cybart and headed 400 miles east to Trenton, NJ. At weigh in I was 231.4; the max allowed weight. I wore a sauna suit for the last two hours of the drive just to lose that last couple of pounds and it worked perfectly. We ate, went food shopping and got to bed early to get ready to tame The North East Beast the following morning.

This Weekend in Stronman 6/7/08

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:05:37 -0500

Last week was a rough week and I apogize for not getting the weekly update or my contest report from Windsor, CO posted. Despite the tornado that ravaged Windsor, the contest was held, though in a different location, and I walked away with third place.

I'll be competing again this weekend in Des Moines, IA (not WA). It was a great contest last year, and with a pro card being awarded to the winner of the heavyweight division, a top notch competition is guaranteed.

Next weekend also see's chasingkaz co-author, Mike Gill chasing his pro card in New Jersey. Rumor has it that this is his first contest ever as a lightweight and he's got some killer abs. Welcome to the skinny kids club, Mike!

THIS WEEKEND

Iowa's Strongest Man
Where: 7 Flags Event Center, Des Moines, IA
When: Saturday, June 7 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Press Medley
2. 18inch Deadlift
3. Yoke
4. Farmers Walk
5. Atlas Stones

Georgia's Strongest Man
Where: Fitness Depot, Douglasville, GA
When: Saturday, June 7 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Log Press
2. Farmers Walk
3. Deadlift
4. Keg Carry/Yoke Medley
5. Atlas Stones

Maryland's Strongest Man
Where: Sport & Health Gym, Waldorf, MD
When: Saturday, June 7 at 11:00 am
Events:
1. Axle Press
2. Farmers Walk/Tire Flip Medley
3. Atlas Stones
4. Conan's Wheel
5. Yoke Walk/Fire Hydrant Carry Medley

Washington's Strongest Apple
Where: City of Des Moines Marina, Des Moines, WA
When: Saturday, June 7 at 10:00
Events:
1. Farmer's Walk
2. Apollon Axle Press
3. Tire Flip
4. Apollon Axle deadlift
5. Keg Loading

NEXT WEEKEND

Northeast Beast
Where: Mercer County Park, Mercer County, NJ
When: Saturday, June 14 at 10:30 am
Events:
1. Death Medley (farmers walk, tire flip, chain drag)
2. Log Press
3. Deadlift
4. Keg Load
5. Atlas Stones

Dino Days XV (Ohio State Strongman Championships)
Where: Wyman Woods, Grandview Hts, OH
When: Saturday, June 14 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Log Press Medley
2. Deadlift
3. Medley Rotation
4. Medicine Ball Throw
5. Keg Carry

Granite State Stength Challenge
Where: Boston Billiards Club, Nashua, NH
When: Saturday, June 14
Events:
1. Yoke Press
2. Crucifix Hold
3. Deadlift
4. Tire Flip

This Weekend In Strongman 5/24/08

Thu, 22 May 2008 22:00:59 -0500

This weekend marks the return to action of 1/2 of the chasingkaz authors. If you're anywhere near Windsor, CO, stop by Pelican Fest and see Ben Hanson in his triumphant return to competition after his 6 month trek to the South Pole. The events are going to be really cool, with a keg toss and barrel carry just like at last year's World's Strongest Man contest.

This weekend is also sees four Americans vie for the title of World's Strongest Woman. Not many particulars are known about this contest, but if you're anywhere near Tczew, Poland, stop by to cheer on Kristin Rhodes of California, Amy Wattles of Idaho, and Lacy Okey and Kristyn Vyltacil of Washington as they battle for the crown. Updates will be posted here as they become available.

THIS WEEKEND

Pelican Fest
Where: Waterfront South, Windsor, CO (Directions are at the bottom of the page)
When: Saturday, May 24 at 11:30
Events:
1. Keg Toss
2. Truck Pull
3. Tire Flip/Stones Medley
4. Farmers Walk
5. Barrel Carry and Load

Kumite Strongman Classic III
Where: Monroeville Expo Mart, Monroeville, PA
When: Saturday, May 24 at 1:00 pm
Events:
1. Log Press
2. Stone and Keg Carry
3. Axle Deadlift
4. Tire Flip/Sled Drag
5. Atlas stones

The Rage Strongman Championships
Where: Gold's Gym, New Bern, NC
When: Saturday, May 24 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Deadlift
2. Log Press
3. Truck Pull
4. Push & Load Medley
5. Atlas Stones

Body Goals' Proving Grounds
Where: Body Goals, Fairfield, NJ
When: Saturday, May 24 at 11:00 am
Events:
1. Axle Press
2. Max Deadlift
3. Fire Truck Pull
4. Yoke/Famers Walk/Tire Flip Medley
5. Atlas Stones

NEXT WEEKEND

Team Strongman Championships
Where: Eagle Gym, Overland, MO
When: Saturday, May 31 at noon
Events:
1. Truck Pull
2. Clean and Press
3. Deadlift
4. Hand over Hand Truck Pull
5. Carry and Load
6. Tire Flip

Illinois Ultimate Strength Series-May Challenge
Where: St. Anne, IL
When: Saturday, May 31 at 2:00 pm
Events:
1. Log Press Medley
2. Deadlift
3. Shot Put
4. Carry & Flip Medley
5. Keg Load

Rose Festival Strongman Contest
Where: Ella Sharp Park, Jackson, MI
When: Saturday, May 31 at 1:00 pm
Events:
1. Tractor Pull
2. Farmers Walk
3. Log Press for reps
4. Tire Flip
5. Stones

Redemption in the Desert
Where: L.A. Fitness, Phoenix, AZ
When: Saturday, May 31 at 10:00
Events:
1. Press Medley
2. Yoke Walk
3. Carry Medley
4. Deadlift
5. Stones
6. Tire Flip

Strongest Man & Woman on Grand
Where: Willwerscheid Funeral Home, St Paul, MN
When: Sunday, June 1 at 11:00 am
Events:
1. Wooden Frame Carry
2. Overhead Press Medley
3. Tire Flip/Fingal Finger/Chain Drag Medley
4. Axle Deadlift
5. Arm Over Arm Truck Pull
6. Atlas Stones

This Weekend in Strongman 5/17/08

Fri, 16 May 2008 09:20:34 -0500

THIS WEEKEND

Strongman Splash Bash Tribute the Troops *PRO CONTEST*
Where: Trailhead Park, Minneola, FL
When: Saturday, May 17 at noon
Events:
1. Axle Clean and Press
2. Last Man Standing Deadlift
3. Super Yoke
4. Block load and Chain Drag Medley
5. Farmers Walk/Rickshaw Medley
6. Stones

Beast of the Bluegrass
Where: Eagle Lake Convention Center, Lawrenceburg, KY
When: Saturday, May 17 at 11:00 am
Events:
1. Press Medley
2. Yoke/Farmers Walk Medley
3. Deadlift
4. Truck Pull
5. Stones
-Please note that this is an indoor contest and a $5 admission will be charged to all spectators over the age of 12.

Midwest Strongman Challenge (A benefit for Special Olympics)
Where: Meadowbrook Mall, Pittsburgh, KS
When: Saturday, May 17 at 10:00
Events:
1. Overhead Press Medley
2. Farmers Walk
3. 18" Deadlift
4. Truck Pull
5. Stones

NEXT WEEKEND
Next weekend is a big weekend in amateur strongman contests around the country and it also marks my return to competition after a 6 month ice fishing and rugby sabbatical. If you're anywhere near Windsor, CO, stop by Pelican Fest and check it out. The events are going to be really cool, with a keg toss and barrel carry just like at last year's World's Strongest Man contest.

The Rage Strongman Championships
Where: Gold's Gym, New Bern, NC
When: Saturday, May 24 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Deadlift
2. Log Press
3. Truck Pull
4. Push & Load Medley
5. Atlas Stones

This Weekend In Stronman 5/10/08

Fri, 09 May 2008 10:38:43 -0500

THIS WEEKEND

New Mexico's Strongman Challenge
Where: Defined Fitness, Albuquerque, NM
When: Saturday, May 10 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Keg clean and press
2. Conan's Wheel
3. Odd Object Carry
4. Deadlift for reps
5. Harnessed Sled Drag

Strongest Man in Pittsburgh
Where: RMU Island Sports Center-Neville Island, Pittsburgh, PA
When: Saturday, May 10 at noon
Events:
1. Log Press
2. Farmers Walk
3. Tire Flip
4. Keg Carry
5. Deadlift

Strongest Man in the Swamp
Where: Forest Park, Gainesville, FL
When: Saturday, May 10 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Log Press
2. Farmers Walk
3. Yoke Race
4. Tire Flip
5. Atlas Stones

NEXT WEEKEND
Next weekend is the Strongman Splash Bash Tribute the Troops in Minneola, FL. It is a pro contest with both lightweight and heavyweight pros competing for an invitation to America's Strongest Man later this year in San Diego. This is going to be an insanely heavy contest with the best of the best competing. If you're looking for a great way to spend a Saturday, check it out.

Strongman Splash Bash Tribute the Troops
Where: Trailhead Park, Minneola, FL
When: Saturday, May 17 at noon
Events:
1. Axle Clean and Press
2. Last Man Standing Deadlift
3. Super Yoke
4. Block load and Chain Drag Medley
5. Farmers Walk/Rickshaw Medley
6. Stones

This weekend in Strongman 5/3/08

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:41:02 -0500

Last week, I forgot to post about one of the contests with some real world class strongmen. This Saturday, two former World's Strongest Man winners and a host of other world class strongmen will converge on Sequim, WA for the Jesse Marunde Invitational Strongman Competition.

Come see brobdingnagian athletes such as Phil Pfister (2006 World's Strongest Man), Magnus Samuelsson (1998 World's Strongest Man), Dave Ostlund, Karl Gillingham, Odd Haugen, and other top professional strongmen as they pull, push, and lift in the memory of Jesse Marunde.

The action begins at 2:00 pm in Sequim Village Center on the north side of Tarcisio's Restaurant. Anyone in the area should check out this awesome display.

ELSEWHERE THIS WEEKEND

Battle of the Bad Ass V
Where: Lions Club Pavillion, Wallkill, NY
When: Saturday, May 3 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Log Press
2. 18" Dead Lift
3. Conan's Wheel
4. Tire Flip/Sled Drag
5. Atlas Stones

Xenia Outback Challenge V
Where: AHOP Church, Xenia, OH
When: Saturday, May 3 at noon
Events:
1. Odd Object Load
2. Deadlift Medley
3. Viking Press
4. Tire Flip
5. Push, Drag, and Power Stairs Medley

NEXT WEEKEND

Strongest Man in the Swamp
Where: Forest Park, Gainesville, FL
When: Saturday, May 10 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Log Press
2. Farmers Walk
3. Yoke Race
4. Tire Flip
5. Atlas Stones

This Weekend in Strongman 4/26/08

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:10:30 -0500

THIS WEEKEND

Fatbacks 2008 Team Heavy Events
Where: Sports Lanes, Martinsville, VA
When: Saturday 4/26 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Team Tire Flip
2. 1 Arm Dumbbell Clean and Press: 2 minutes for max reps. Competitors can switch arms or tag off at any time
3. Tandem Axle Deadlift : max weight
4. Yoke Walk Relay
5. Team Stone Lift: -2 min, bar will be set at 44". One competitor on each side of bar. Competitors must pass it back and forth over the bar for max reps.

1st Annual Louisiana Strongman Contest
Where: Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, LA
When: Saturday 4/26 at 10:00 am
Events:
Men LW, HW, and Masters
1. Press Medley
2. Car Wheel Barrow
3. Truck Pull
4. Chain Drag
5. Atlas Stones

Novice Men
1. Tire Flip
2. Farmers Walk
3. Overhead Clean Press
4. Truck Push
5. Keg Load

NEXT WEEKEND

Battle of the Bad Ass V
Where: Lions Club Pavillion, Wallkill, NY
When: Saturday, May 3 at 10:00 am
Events:
1. Log Press
2. 18" Dead Lift
3. Conan's Wheel
4. Tire Flip/Sled Drag
5. Atlas Stones

This Weekend In Strongman 4/19/08

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:29:46 -0500

There's plenty of amateur strongman action throughout the country this weekend. Be sure to check out a contest in your area.

THIS WEEKEND

Fox Cities Strongman III
Where: Little Chute HS, Little Chute, WI
When: Saturday 4/11, 10:00 am
Events:
Truck Pull
Incline Log Press
Tire Flip
Farmers Walk
Stones

Golden State Strongman
Where: Fresno State Campus, Fresno, CA
When: Saturday 4/11 10:30 am
Events:
Giant Wheelbarrow
Overhead Medley
Car Deadlift
Truck Pull
Stones

Chicago's Strongest Man
Where: St Turibius Church, Chicago, IL
When: Saturday 4/19 9:00 am
Events:
Truck Pull
Log
Deadlift
Farmers Hold
Carry & Drag

Ronnie Coleman Classic Strength Extravaganga
Where: Mesquite Convention Center, Mesquite, TX
When: Saturday 4/19 at 11:00 am
Events:
Stones
Log
Max Deadlift
Farmers Hold

West Virginia Regional Strongman Champoinships
Where: WV Pro Performance Sports Arena at Mylan Park, Morgantown, WV
When: Sunday 4/20 at noon
Events:
Log
Farmers Walk
Car Deadlift
Truck Pull
Stones

NEXT WEEKEND

Novice Men
1. Tire Flip
2. Farmers Walk
3. Overhead Clean Press
4. Truck Push
5. Keg Load

This Weekend In Strongman 4/12/08

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:27:39 -0500

THIS WEEKEND

Kansas Strongest Man '07/ Monsters at the Mall
Where: Salina Central Mall, Salina, KS
When: Saturday, April 12 11:00 am
Events:
Max log
Deadlift for reps
Yoke, Farmers walk, sled drag medley
Carry and load (sandbags and stones)
Keg loading

NEXT WEEKEND

Fox Cities Strongman III
Where: Little Chute HS, Little Chute, WI
When: Saturday 4/11, 10:00 am
Events:
Truck Pull
Incline Log Press
Tire Flip
Farmers Walk
Stones

Golden State Strongman
Where: Fresno State Campus, Fresno, CA
When: Saturday 4/11 10:30 am
Events:
Giant Wheelbarrow
Overhead Medley
Car Deadlift
Truck Pull
Stones

Chicago's Strongest Man
Where: St Turibius Church, Chicago, IL
When: Saturday 4/19 9:00 am
Events:
Truck Pull
Log
Deadlift
Farmers Hold
Carry & Drag

Ronnie Coleman Classic Strength Extravaganga
Where: Mesquite Convention Center, Mesquite, TX
When: Saturday 4/19 at 11:00 am
Events:
Stones
Log
Max Deadlift
Farmers Hold