World's Strongest Man

[remember]

I used to watch this TV competition every Christmas as a child, and I still watch it now as an adult with my children! It's great family fun and has lasted for 30 years, so it must be good. The 30 competitors are chosen based on their performances in national and international competitions, and this goes down to 10 men in the final. It's not to be confused with rival events, such as Strongman Super Series, as this is the only competition in which you can win the prestigious RV Trophy.The competition comprises a range of different tests to gauge the mens' strength by, including:Loading Race - loading five objects weighing between 200-360lb on a truck bed.Atlas Stones - five rounds are placed on top of platforms, each time increasing in weight. The course is usually 16-33ft long.Truck Pull - a vehicle is pulled across a 100ft course by hand.Overhead Press - the heaviest possible load is pressed overhead.Fingal Fingers - progressively heavier loads are lifted from a horizontal position and flipped over.Power Stairs - three implements ranging from 400-600lb are lifted step by step to the top of a flight of stairs.Squat - Squatting weights like 900lb bricks, or a car for example. The heaviest is the winner.Dead Lift - lifting weights off the ground until knees lock to standing position.Hercules Hold - athlete stands between two hinged pillars, gripping handles to prevent pillars falling.Caber Toss - a five-metre long log is thrown over a bar.Plus plenty more...Legends such as Magnus ver Magnusson, Bill Kazmaier and Jon Pall Sigmarsson have helped make The World's Strongest Man an annual event worth switching over for.

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[Richard1978]

Re: World's Strongest Man

I remember it back in the day, John Craven used to present it when it was on BBC1. Geoff Capes was a regular contender, along with Rick "Grizzly" Brown.

Channel 5 tried a female version called Glamorzons a few years ago.

[Derekflint]

Re: World's Strongest Man

Glamorzons?

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww.

It is quite a spectacle, but I do wish that they would actually try harder on the events and come up with items designed to be thrown, as opposed to telling them to fling around beer kegs - it just looks a bit 'back garden olympics' at times. One minute they're lifting the latest 4x4 in a deadlift, next they've strapped a twenty year old Fiat Panda over their shoulders like a demented Mork from Ork.

[Richard1978]

Re: World's Strongest Man

I remember the contest was sponsored by Citroen at one time, & 1 or 2 tasks involved lugging their cars about.

I'm Alan Patridge spoofed the "Back Garden Olympics" element of these when a friend videos over his recording of The Spy Who Loved Me with America's Stongest Man, which involved a Michael Bolton look-a-like throwing an old gas cooker over some straw bales.

[jason h]

Re: World's Strongest Man

Challenge are showing the Finals from 1983 and 1985 over Xmas and new year. I remember these used to be on over the Xmas holidays at the time and always looked forward to them and cheered on Geoff Capes of course, although I loved watching Jon Paul Sigmarsson (I am a Viking!). Good to see the old episodes again.