• Brian Shaw — Four-time WSM champion (2011, 2013, 2015-2016)
• Bobby Thompson — American log lift record holder (217.5 kilograms/478.5 pounds)
• Trey Mitchell — Reigning two-time Shaw Classic (SC) champion (2021-2022)
• Evan Singleton — First-ever Arnold Strongman Classic UK (ASCUK) champion (2021)
• Kevin Faires — Dinnie Stones Walk World Record holder (31 feet, seven inches)
• Spenser Remick — 2022 Official Strongman Games (OSG) champion
• Tom Evans — Winner of the 2022 Shaw Classic Open and 2022 Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships

Six of these American athletes recently came together for a powerful WSM training session about a week before the biggest contest in strongman. Evans was noticeably absent, likely due to his last-minute addition to the WSM roster as a replacement for the injured Pavlo Nakonechnyy. On Apr. 11, 2023, Shaw posted a video on his YouTube channel chronicling the group’s time together.

The six American athletes performed five movements that somewhat mirror events expected at the 2023 WSM.

They began the day by loading sandbags and a weighted keg onto a platform. The weights and distance weren’t revealed. While it was impossible to recreate its exact format in advance, this was in reference to the Loading Race from the Qualifying Stage of the competition.

“Definitely a good start with these guys. All of us are primed and ready for World’s Strongest Man. But this is the tune-up and, at the end of the day, iron really does sharpen iron,” Shaw said after completing the first training medley. “So it’s why I wanted to have these guys out and in the gym with me heading in. My goal is for them to push me, me to push them, and all of our levels to go up. Collectively, that’s what’s going to happen.”

They then shifted to a log ladder with five implements that featured gradually increasing weight. Only Singleton and Faires failed to lift all five logs. The Log Ladder will be the final event of the first day of the 2023 WSM.

Next, the group threw in some heavy overhead dumbbell work and a single Fingal’s Finger. Unlike the start of the session, no one amongst the American group of competitors is guaranteed to perform these events at the WSM, as they comprise different portions of the two-day Final.

To close their day together, the six took to the Conan’s Wheel, where the athlete’s task is to carry around a heavy implement in a circular, fixed motion as far as possible. The Conan’s Wheel will likely be a climactic moment for some WSM competitors as it starts the second day of Qualifying.

Here is an overview of the complete 2023 WSM event schedule:

Qualifying Stage Day One | Wednesday, Apr. 19, 2023

• Event One — Loading Race
• Event Two — Deadlift Machine 
• Event Three — Log Ladder

Qualifying Stage Day Two | Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023

• Event Four — Conan’s Wheel 
• Event Five — Kettlebell Toss
• Event Six — Stone Off

Final Day One | Saturady, Apr. 22, 2023

Ten athletes will advance from the Qualifying stage to the Final.

• Event One — Fingal’s Fingers
• Event Two — KNAACK Deadlift 
• Event Three — Reign Shield Carry 

Final Day Two | Sunday, Apr. 23, 2023

• Event Four — Max Dumbbell
• Event Five — Vehicle Pull 
• Event Six — Atlas Stones

Of the seven American competitors, it would stand to reason that Shaw and his championship pedigree may likely fare the best of the bunch at the 2023 WSM. Someone like Mitchell, with his two consecutive SC victories, could also be a dark horse. Mitchell’s best-ever WSM placing was in 10th at the 2021 iteration.

This isn’t to say that Singleton, Faires, Thompson, and Remick won’t thrive. Just because there are presumed favorites, doesn’t mean another American stud can’t come out of the blue to level a talented field.

Featured image: @shawstrength on Instagram

The post Brian Shaw Led 5 American Strongmen in World’s Strongest Man Training Session appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The 2023 RRB competition was the final part of the annual Arnold Sports Festival (ASF), which also featured the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) and the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC). Faires was also not the only strongperson competitor to achieve a record milestone during its proceedings.

Faires appeared to use the updated rulebook of the RRB competition to his advantage. The athlete’s previous Dinnie Stone record was achieved using one uninterrupted walk. By contrast, the 2023 RRB afforded competitors leeway in that they could drop the stones one time during the event before regathering themselves and continuing the attempt. Faires dropped the Stones once after taking a single step beyond his previous mark before extending his place in the record books, picking them up and carrying them even farther.

For his remarkable Dinnie Stone efforts, Faires was awarded a lucrative $5,000 prize. Though, just erasing and rewriting his name in the record books was probably worth the achievement alone.

Regarding recent accomplishments, Faires can add his new Dinnie Stone walk to an impressive ledger. During the 2022 Strongman Rogue Invitational, the athlete broke the Thor’s Hammer Deadlift World Record when he pulled the titular implement of 147.4 kilograms (325 pounds). Such a lift surpassed former 2019 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Martins Licis, who pulled 136.3 kilograms (300 pounds) during a 2021 Rogue Invitational victory.

On a grander scale, Faires’ most notable contest result might be his third-place finish during the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals. According to Strongman Archives, while it’s been a while since the athlete last recorded a victory (March 2017), Faires does have six top-five finishes in his last eight competitions dating back to June 2021.

A common saying some people might hear when they get flustered in life is to “get a grip.” While not outright confirmed, after his latest Dinnie Stone display of greatness, it’s apparent this hasn’t been an issue for Faires for a long time.

Featured image: @roguefitness on Instagram

The post Kevin Faires Sets Dinnie Stone Walk World Record with 31 Feet, 7 Inches at 2023 Rogue Record Breakers appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

One of the other significant feats belongs to Mitchell Hooper, who broke the Dinnie Stones Hold for Time World Record when he held up the titular stones with a combined weight of 325.3 kilograms (732 pounds) for 39.85 seconds on Oct. 30, 2022.

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Hooper’s record came as a product of utilizing replicas of the Dinnie Stones. The original granite iterations are a part of a famed strongman tradition, where athletes from all over the world travel to Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to lift the unevenly weighted implements using a modified deadlift technique.

Heading into the 2022 Rogue Invitational, Mark Felix held the Dinnie Stones Hold for Time World Record with a time of 31.4 seconds. Kevin Faires — who possesses the Dinnie Stones Carry World Record with a distance of 25 feet, eight inches from the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic — actually surpassed Felix first when he held up the stones for 37.58 seconds.

Fresh off a third-place podium result in the main strongman competition, Hooper followed Faires and exceeded his peer with the new record mark — earning $5,000 for his efforts. After winning the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals and 2022 Arnold Strongman UK — as well as an eighth-place finish in the 2022 WSM (his debut) — Hooper’s record might be a fitting cherry on top to a prolific competitive year.

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On the flip side, while his Dinnie Stones Hold attempt didn’t last, Faires didn’t leave the 2022 Rogue Invitational empty-handed without a record.

The American strongman broke the Thor’s Hammer Deadlift World Record when he successfully lifted the eponymous implement of 147.4 kilograms (325 pounds). The figure surpasses Martin Licis‘ past mark of 136.3 kilograms (300 pounds) after a 2021 Rogue Invitational victory performance.

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The task of Thor’s Hammer deadlift is simple in practice. The athlete must grip the hammer’s thick vertical handle in one hand and lift it clearly off the ground until they receive a down signal from an official. After working through some lighter implements, the final athletes left standing for an attempt to match the current record were Faires, Licis, and Pavlo Nakonechnyy.

Licis had to bow out first as he was unable to match his own previous record of 136 kilograms (300 pounds). An undisclosed injury suffered during the final event of the main Rogue strongman competition may have played a role. Faires and Pavlo Nakonechnyy would both successfully lift the hammer.

When the final record hammer weight of 147.4 kilograms (325 pounds) came around the bend, Faires finished a lockout after two attempts, while Nakonechnyy couldn’t muster up the requisite strength.

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With his Dinnie Stones Carry World Record in the account, it’s also been a banner year of sorts for Faires. After finishing 10th in the primary Rogue strongman contest, Faires can now claim the Thor’s Hammer and Dinnie Stones Carry World Record. When factored into a 2022 calendar year output that includes two podium finishes in four contests, the 32-year-old athlete seems to be hitting a groove.

Featured image: @rogueinvitational on Instagram

The post Mitchell Hooper Sets Dinnie Stones World Record, Kevin Faires Breaks Thor’s Hammer Deadlift World Record appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The two athletes who joined Hooper on the podium were Aivars Šmaukstelis of Latvia (second place) and the United States’ Kevin Faires (third). According to Strongman Archives, with his runner-up finish at the 2022 GLWTF, Šmaukstelis has now stood on a podium in his last four official competitive appearances. Meanwhile, Faires can now boast his first top-three placing since the 2019 Giants Live North American Open.

Here are the final standings from the 2022 GLWTF:

2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals Standings

1. Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — 52 points
2. Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia) — 47.5 points
3. Kevin Faires (United States) — 46 points
4. Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine) — 40 points
5. Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine) — 38 points
6. Rauno Heinla (Estonia) — 29 points
7. Paul Smith (United Kingdom) — 28.5 points
8. Pa O’Dwyer (Ireland) — 27 points
9. Eddie Williams (Australia) — 23 points
10. Mark Felix (United Kingdom) — 19 points
11. Andy Black (United Kingdom) — 19 points
12. Louis Jack (United Kingdom) — 18 points

 

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Event Breakdown

Here’s an event-by-event breakdown of the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals.

Nicol Stones

During the Nicol Stones segment, the athletes had to walk the two unevenly weighted stones of 114 kilograms (251.3 pounds) and 139 kilograms (306.4 pounds) for a max distance. Current Nicol Stones World Record holder Kevin Faires took the event victory with a distance of 24.61 meters.

1. Kevin Faires — 24.61 meters
2. Mitchell Hooper —  24.14 meters
3. Andy Black — 24.08 meters
4. Paul Smith — 23.1 meters
5. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 20 meters
6. Louis Jack — 19.75 meters
7. Eddie Williams — 16.58 meters
8. Mark Felix — 16.37 meters
9. Pavlo Nakonechnyy — 15.91 meters
10. Rauno Heinla — 12.75 meters
11. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 9.4 meters
12. Pa O’Dwyer — 8.58 meters

Carry & Drag

During the Carry & Drag, the competitors had the task of carrying a 125-kilogram anchor and dragging a 350-kilogram over a 40-meter course. They had a time limit of one minute. Using the athleticism that’s helped him blitz professional strongman lately, Hooper captured his first event win of the contest with a time of 22.16 seconds.

1. Mitchell Hooper — 22.16 seconds
2. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 22.96 seconds
3. Kevin Faires — 23.41 seconds
4. Pa O’Dwyer — 25.35 seconds
5. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 26.45 seconds
6. Paul Smith — 27.30 seconds
7. Pavlo Nakonechnyy — 27.78 seconds
8. Rauno Heinla — 28.57 seconds
9. Louis Jack — 28.84 seconds
10. Eddie Williams — 30.65 seconds
11. Andy Black — 37.37 seconds
12. Mark Felix — 40.40 seconds

Axle Deadlift

The 2022 GLWTF’s Axle Deadlift was about pulling 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds) for a max amount of reps with a one-minute time limit. Pavlo Nakonechnyy came out on top when he successfully finished 11 reps. Nakonechnyy was the only athlete to finish with double-digit reps.

1. Pavlo Nakonechnyy — 11 reps
2. Rauno Heinla — Nine reps
3. Mitchell Hooper — Seven reps
4. Kevin Faires — Six reps (Tied for fourth)
5. Aivars Šmaukstelis — Six reps (Tied for fourth)
6. Mark Felix — Six reps (Tied for fourth)
7. Pavlo Kordiyaka — Five reps (Tied for seventh)
8. Pa O’Dwyer — Five reps (Tied for seventh)
9. Paul Smith — Four reps (Tied for ninth)
10. Eddie Williams — Four reps (Tied for ninth)
11. Andy Black — Four reps (Tied for ninth)
12. Louis Jack — Two reps

 

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Dumbbell Press

This contest’s iteration of the Dumbbell Press featured a 100-kilogram (220.5-pound) dumbbell. Whoever could clean and press said dumbbell as many times as possible within a minute would win. After a few solid results on earlier events, Šmaukstelis and Pavlo Kordiyaka tied for first in the event with seven reps. 

1. Aivars Šmaukstelis — Seven reps (Tied for first)
2. Pavlo Kordiyaka — Seven reps (Tied for first)
3. Mitchell Hooper — Six reps
4. Pa O’Dwyer — Five reps (Tied for fourth)
5. Paul Smith — Five reps (Tied for fourth)
6. Pavlo Nakonechnyy — Four reps
7. Kevin Faires — Three reps
8. Rauno Heinla — Two reps (Tied for eighth)
9. Eddie Williams — Two reps (Tied for eighth)
10. Louis Jack — Two reps (Tied for eighth)
11. Mark Felix — No reps
12. Andy Black — No reps

Power Stairs

To close the contest, the athletes had to load five implements with weights ranging from 200 to 250 kilograms (440.9 to 551.1 pounds) up three respective stairs. Their final scores were determined by how many of the total 15 steps they climbed within a minute. While he didn’t win the overall competition, Šmaukstelis closed with another event victory (15 steps in 33.02 seconds).

1. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 15 in 33.02 seconds
2. Pavlo Nakonechnyy — 15 in 38.81 seconds
3. Kevin Faires — 15 in 39.50 seconds
4. Mitchell Hooper — 15 in 42.08 seconds
5. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 15 in 44.52 seconds
6. Eddie Williams — 15 in 46.90 seconds
7. Rauno Heinla — 15 in 51.28 seconds
8. Mark Felix — 13 in 57.78 seconds
9. Andy Black — 12 in 50.78 seconds
10. Pa O’Dwyer — 12 in 59.78 seconds
11. Louis Jack — Nine in 26.64 seconds
12. Paul Smith — Nine in 47.54 seconds

 

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For Hooper, his remarkable debut pro year continues with this victory at the 2022 GLWTF. In addition to his two straight victories and first Giants Live win, Hooper has now finished on the podium in five straight contests dating back to the 2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic in early July. The superstar kept his reaction short and sweet in a post on his Instagram.

“My first [Giants Live Strongman] win. Surreal. Let’s keep riding the wave.”

Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram

The post 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals Results — Mitchell Hooper Starts a Hot Streak appeared first on Breaking Muscle.