Post: #1

Do any of you guys watch this competition every year? It's basically a bunch of roided out monsters from Eastern Europe and Scandinavia lifting cars, barrels, and other heavy shit for hours on end.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Strongest_Man





The keg toss is the best.

Post: #2

I've seen some of these. Definitely fun to watch dudes deadlifting half a ton. Shit is crazy.

What's the long-term prognosis for these guys as far as bones and joints? I feel like my spine would snap under the weight these guys squat.

Post: #3

Vikings have to do something to occupy themselves nowadays.

Post: #4

(05-31-2014 04:01 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  What's the long-term prognosis for these guys as far as bones and joints? I feel like my spine would snap under the weight these guys squat.

Not good. Like weightlifters they put their body under tremendous strain and either they suffer from heart problems or premature death.

As amazing the feats of strength are the bodies of these guys are put under too much stress and they suffer for it.

Post: #5

The weight these guys lift has nothing to do with heart problems etc. It is their excessive diets, and such. It is spectacular to see what the human body is capable of, but yes, it obviously takes a toll.... just as any sport takes a toll on your joints and tendons.

As said above, Scandinavians dominate the sport, and probably always will.

Post: #6

405 lb. @ 6' 8"

Yikes

Post: #7

This is not directly related but somewhat relevant:

"Ex-NFL linemen discover that weighing 300 pounds or more is no asset in life after football"

http://m.washingtonpost.com/sports/ex-nf...story.html

At least with lifting/strongman/fitness, if strength is your "thing", you can continue on with it later in life, barring some debilitating injury. I would guess some football players stop lifting once their career ends since it was only for their job.

Post: #8

(05-31-2014 05:59 PM)TheFinalEpic Wrote:  The weight these guys lift has nothing to do with heart problems etc. It is their excessive diets, and such. It is spectacular to see what the human body is capable of, but yes, it obviously takes a toll.... just as any sport takes a toll on your joints and tendons.

As said above, Scandinavians dominate the sport, and probably always will.

Yes the diets are a problem, but you cannot eat like a normal person. I read up on a medical examiners paper where a cause of death from cardiac arrest was due in part to the digestion system drawing a lot of blood from the body and the person undergoing stressful exercising.

Lifting the weights does put pressure on the heart.

Post: #9

(05-31-2014 05:14 PM)Foolsgo1d Wrote:  

(05-31-2014 04:01 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  What's the long-term prognosis for these guys as far as bones and joints? I feel like my spine would snap under the weight these guys squat.

Not good. Like weightlifters they put their body under tremendous strain and either they suffer from heart problems or premature death.

As amazing the feats of strength are the bodies of these guys are put under too much stress and they suffer for it.

Do you have any papers to link to that discuss this link? I'm curious to read up more about it. I personally find it difficult to believe, but anything in excess can be harmful, I suppose.

Post: #10

(06-01-2014 02:13 AM)Thomas the Rhymer Wrote:  

(05-31-2014 05:14 PM)Foolsgo1d Wrote:  

(05-31-2014 04:01 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  What's the long-term prognosis for these guys as far as bones and joints? I feel like my spine would snap under the weight these guys squat.

Not good. Like weightlifters they put their body under tremendous strain and either they suffer from heart problems or premature death.

As amazing the feats of strength are the bodies of these guys are put under too much stress and they suffer for it.

Do you have any papers to link to that discuss this link? I'm curious to read up more about it. I personally find it difficult to believe, but anything in excess can be harmful, I suppose.

If I could remember where I found them I would link them but I am also going off personal experience.

I went into a weightlifting club with two GB coaches and asked them about this. It is something which is brushed under the carpet because it is an ugly truth.

You cannot keep putting 200kg above your head on a consistent basis without repercussions.

These guys are at the pinnacle of human capability, similar to athletes on track and field and on the pitch. It is well known these people suffer from long term problems once their career is over.

Post: #11

Moderation in all things is the key to life, any long term extreme activity is going to get you. The best bet is to pick a long term physical activity that gives the best benefit to the body without destroying it in the process.

Post: #12

There's a difference between fitness for competition purposes and fitness for life. People who compete in something usually push themselves hard enough to suffer injuries.

Post: #13

How do you get strong without developing that thick wrestler type of body? Funny how must these super strong guys don't have much muscular definition. They are like the opposite of skinny fat, they look muscle fat.

Post: #14

Those kegs...goddamn. I used to organize the kegs at a popular bar and I don't think I could throw those so effortlessly even if they were empty.

Post: #15

(06-01-2014 12:08 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  How do you get strong without developing that thick wrestler type of body? Funny how must these super strong guys don't have much muscular definition. They are like the opposite of skinny fat, they look muscle fat.

I think it's the same with a lot of powerlifters, who focus on strength for performance, not looks, and don't care so much about being lean. "Perma-bulking."

To be big with definition it seems like you have to get a bit "strong-fat" first and then diet down.

Post: #16

I found a pretty good documentary about the history of the event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5g1z5otbUY

Post: #17

I always find it interesting that the strongest guys in the world are white.

I always thought it would be black dudes - since they seem to dominate in other sports where strength is important.

Just a casual observation. Not wanting a race thread here!

Post: #18

(06-01-2014 01:03 PM)cardguy Wrote:  I always find it interesting that the strongest guys in the world are white.

I always thought it would be black dudes - since they seem to dominate in other sports where strength is important.

Just a casual observation. Not wanting a race thread here!

I don't know a lot about this subject but from what I heard, people of African descent have more fast-twitch muscles which give an advantage in bursts of speed and explosiveness, so blacks are more likely to win things like sprinting. And Caucasians have more slow-twitch muscles which are slower but have more strength.

Post: #19

(06-01-2014 01:03 PM)cardguy Wrote:  I always find it interesting that the strongest guys in the world are white.

I always thought it would be black dudes - since they seem to dominate in other sports where strength is important.

Just a casual observation. Not wanting a race thread here!

The races are different in muscular tone, aging (Asians and Blacks can easily age slower), and other factors. Though of course our PC-feminist culture will not accept any differences, which is a bummer, since many Asian guys would be delighted to know that they may very well achieve the top SMV-level of white guys in their 40s.

Post: #20

(06-01-2014 06:19 AM)Foolsgo1d Wrote:  

(06-01-2014 02:13 AM)Thomas the Rhymer Wrote:  

(05-31-2014 05:14 PM)Foolsgo1d Wrote:  

(05-31-2014 04:01 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  What's the long-term prognosis for these guys as far as bones and joints? I feel like my spine would snap under the weight these guys squat.

Not good. Like weightlifters they put their body under tremendous strain and either they suffer from heart problems or premature death.

As amazing the feats of strength are the bodies of these guys are put under too much stress and they suffer for it.

Do you have any papers to link to that discuss this link? I'm curious to read up more about it. I personally find it difficult to believe, but anything in excess can be harmful, I suppose.

If I could remember where I found them I would link them but I am also going off personal experience.

I went into a weightlifting club with two GB coaches and asked them about this. It is something which is brushed under the carpet because it is an ugly truth.

You cannot keep putting 200kg above your head on a consistent basis without repercussions.

These guys are at the pinnacle of human capability, similar to athletes on track and field and on the pitch. It is well known these people suffer from long term problems once their career is over.

I don't really believe that. Something like one in twenty people have weak areas in the brain where an aneurysm could develop and maybe two or three in a hundred have congenital heart defects. My guess is that some people die spectacular Valhalla-worthy deaths of aneurysms while lifting heavy shit when they were likely predisposed to dying while taking a shit had they never lifted weights.

Post: #21

(06-01-2014 01:03 PM)cardguy Wrote:  I always find it interesting that the strongest guys in the world are white.

I always thought it would be black dudes - since they seem to dominate in other sports where strength is important.

Just a casual observation. Not wanting a race thread here!

Not sure what sports you are referring to in terms of "other sports where strength is important," but the same physical attributes that lead to black proliferation in sports such as basketball, football, etc. are the same attributes that present more of an obstacle in strength sports.

Long limbs, thin waist, narrow hips -- black attributes that are great for running fast, jumping high, and reaching far--but perhaps not so great for strength sports where "squattiness" is likely more advantageous.

Post: #22

Yeah - I was thinking heavyweight boxing and the NFL.

Probably just me having a dumb moment.

Post: #23

(06-01-2014 12:08 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  How do you get strong without developing that thick wrestler type of body? Funny how must these super strong guys don't have much muscular definition. They are like the opposite of skinny fat, they look muscle fat.

I think much of this is genetic. I have similar genetics to a lot of these guys from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. When I was younger before I started working out and didn't care what I ate I had that "muscular fat" look. Someone with those genetics needs to do tons of cardio to get a lean or ripped look.

Post: #24

(06-01-2014 01:03 PM)cardguy Wrote:  I always find it interesting that the strongest guys in the world are white.

I always thought it would be black dudes - since they seem to dominate in other sports where strength is important.

Just a casual observation. Not wanting a race thread here!

I'm going to suggest the simplest explanation (Occam's razor): That up til now there has not been enough interest by black people in the sport to get into it.

I understand that basketball once upon a time was a sport played exclusively by white men, for example, until it became fashionable in black communities.

I don't think the black race has any particular advantage over the white race in terms of physical sports participation - both races are pretty diverse genetically and I think potential champions in any sport can be found in both races. But I think white people are less likely to be interested in athletics/sport as a career, hence black people are overrepresented in some sports.

Post: #25

Regardless if the strongest men are Black or White (although Whites do seem to have the advantage), it's obvious that Asians will be under-represented in the strength category.

Stereotypes which are probably true:

Blacks: Speed
Whites: Strength
Asians: Intelligence