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The 2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic will take place on July 9, 2022, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. On April 28, 2022, the Giants Live organization got ahead of the game and released the schedule of five events for the esteemed strongman competition. Here’s what this year’s one-day fixture will feature:
The 2020 World Strongest’s Man Champion (WSM) and 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) Champion, Oleksii Novikov, enters the 2022 Strongman Classic as the reigning winner. Evan Singleton, Chieck “Iron Biby” Sanou, and a host of other contenders will try to supplant Novikov in London.
Here’s the full list of expected athletes for the competition:
Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — Defending Champion
Evan Singleton (United States)
Paul Smith (United Kingdom)
Chieck Sanou (Burkina Faso)
Ken McClelland (United States)
Konstantine Janashia (Georgia)
Rob Kearney (United States)
Andy Black (United Kingdom)
Mark Felix (United Kingdom)
Spenser Remick (United States)
Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
Unannounced wild card
2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic Event Rundown
Below is a preview of each event for the competition and what the respective athletes can expect.
Dumbbell Medley
The Dumbbell Medley was not an event at the 2021 Strongman Classic. That said, as much as the other strongman will assuredly put their best foot forward, the event should favor Novikov. The Ukrainian athlete possesses the heavy dumbbell press for reps world record. With 100-kilogram (220-pound) dumbbells, he notched a staggering 11 reps in 75 seconds at the 2020 World Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength” series.
Novikov was also the only competitor to successfully lift all five dumbbells during the Cyr Dumbbell Ladder at the 2021 Rogue Invitational. While there could always be a surprise from some of the world’s top strength sports athletes, he’s the likely leading contender for the opening event.
The Pillars of Hercules
A classic strongman event, the Pillars of Hercules — or the Hercules Hold — asks the athletes to hold a massive pillar in each hand for as long as possible. Usually, the competing athlete does not know how long they have held the pillars until the final result. Though, later athletes do benefit from knowing the time they have to beat before they’re up.
Since it is an event with an upper-body strength and grip focus, Sanou could be the big winner here.
The current owner of the world log lift record with a 229-kilogram press (504.8-pound) from the 2021 Giants Live World Tour Finals, Sanou also won last year’s Hercules Hold when he held the pillars for over 75 seconds.
Mark Felix — who owns the Hercules Hold world record from the 2019 Giants Live World Tour Finals — might be the athlete to overtake Sanou.
Farmer’s Carry for Distance
The Farmer’s Carry centers around movement and speed in carrying staggering weight across the finish line. Notably, Novikov won the 2021 Frame Carry, which is a somewhat close model of the Farmer’s Carry.
Axle Deadlift
Last year’s fourth-place finisher, Adam Bishop, will likely be the favorite on the Axle Deadlift. The 2020 Britain’s Strongest Man (BSM) winner locked out seven reps at 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds) during the 2021 competition. Novikov was not far behind (six reps) and could notch the respective victory on this occasion.
Castle Stones
It wouldn’t be a strongman event if it didn’t feature some variation of the famed Atlas Stones. Last year’s Castle Stones winner, Tom “King of the Stones” Stoltman (five in 16.97 seconds), is not participating in this year’s competition.
Stoltman’s absence should leave the door open for the final event. Novikov, Bishop, and Singleton — who all finished five reps within a second of each other in 2021 — could find themselves on the podium thanks to a great Stones performance.
On to London
Given the rigors of the one-day competition, a repeat won’t be easy for Novikov. Come early July in London, with a roster of stellar strongman talents across the board, who the ultimate winner will be is anyone’s best guess.
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A simple barbell in a squat rack may not seem like a piece of modern-day technology, but it kinda is. Up until a few decades ago, lifters were either making their own racks by hand from scrap metal and wood, or they were figuring out how to get the bar lifted by any means necessary.
One popular method was created by Ed Zercher, a St. Louis-based weightlifter from the 1930s. Rather than get the bar onto his back, he developed a technique to get the bar from the floor into the crook of his arms so he could squat while clutching the weight to his torso.
This type of squat was dubbed “the Zercher squat.” Even if you’re a full-fledged 21st-century lifter, you can benefit from this old-school exercise.
While the Zercher squat was originally intended as a solution for lifters without a squat rack, this approach does require the bar to begin either in a rack or set on benches, blockers, or another elevated surface. A Zercher movement for the rack-less lifter will be explained later in the Variations section.
Step 1 — Unrack the Bar
Credit: BarBend / Youtube
Set a barbell between your belly button and your chest, either in a rack or supported on benches, steps, or blocks. Stand as close as possible, with your feet directly under the bar at shoulder-width. Keep your shoulders back. Squat down just low enough to get your elbows under the bar.
Cradle the bar in your elbows, between your forearms and biceps, and curl both hands as close to your shoulders as possible. The palms of your hands should be pointed towards your face and your elbows should be tight to your ribs. Lift the weight by standing up. Lock your legs and stabilize your entire body. Take one full step backwards. Step one foot sideways to set your stance outside of shoulder-width.
Form Tip: For many lifters, physical discomfort from holding the bar in position is the biggest challenge. Wrapping the bar in a towel or bar pad (often meant to cushion the neck during back squats) is a solution as your body adapts to the pressure. Keeping your hands palms-up, not thumbs-up, will also help to disperse stress onto the muscles of the forearm instead of the bones of the forearm.
Step 2 — Squat Down
Credit: BarBend / Youtube
Maintain a stable and wide stance, beyond shoulder-width. Take a breath into your belly and tense your abs. Shift your hips backwards to squat down until your elbows or the barbell (depending on arm length) barely touch your thighs. Keep your torso as upright as possible throughout the movement.
Don’t allow the weight to pull your elbows forward or your arms to straighten. Your hands should remain near your shoulders or your chin during the movement. Pause very briefly in the bottom position.
Form Tip: Maintain full-body tension in the bottom position. Don’t relax your legs, core, or arms. Don’t allow the weight to “unload” onto your legs, which decreases muscular tension and increases overall joint strain.
Step 3 — Stand Up to Lockout
Credit: BarBend / Youtube
From the bottom position, keep your feet flat while pressing upwards to a standing position. Keep your shoulders back and squeeze your elbows into your sides to encourage upper body tension. As your legs lockout, squeeze your glutes to increase tension and ensure a strong standing position.
Form Tip: Pause very briefly in the locked out position to ensure total-body tightness. Don’t rise explosively to prevent the bar from bouncing in your arms; move with steady power and control.
Zercher Squat Mistakes to Avoid
Because the Zercher squat involves a unique and often unfamiliar bar position, there are several common mistakes many lifters may make which can reduce effectiveness and increase the risk of injury.
Leaning Forward
Much like the front squat, the Zercher squat supports the barbell in front of the body. This requires an upright torso position during the entire movement. Leaning forward shifts your center of gravity and pulls your upper body into a weakened position.
Credit: BarBend / Youtube
When the upper body falls forward, either the bar will roll out of your arms or you’ll manage to keep control of the weight while grinding out a rep with a serious leverage disadvantage, exposing your lower back to potential injury.
Avoid It: Maintain a vertical torso by keeping your shoulder blades pinched back and, even more importantly, by keeping the bar as close to your body as possible. Create tension through your arms, abs, shoulders, and back to hold the bar in position.
Short Range of Motion
The lower one descends into a squat position, the more glute and hamstring muscles are recruited. (1) Squatting to a relatively higher position may offer specific benefits, such as competitive powerlifters who only need to reach a parallel-thigh position and not any lower.
Credit: BarBend / Youtube
However, when a lifter unknowingly squats high or deliberately squats high as an “easier” option, they shortchange their overall results. Partial rep squatting can also increase stress on the knee and hip joints compared to squatting to lower depths. (2)
Avoid it: Because the bar is held relatively low on the body during the Zercher squat, the barbell acts as a built-in boundary, offering an unwavering target for depth. Make sure the bar reaches your thighs at the bottom of each rep.
Bouncing Off Your Legs
Maintaining control of the weight during an exercise is essential for developing muscle and power. Uncontrolled, explosive movements also open the door for unexpected injuries.
Credit: BarBend / Youtube
While a guideline for proper Zercher squat technique is to reach the bar to the tops of your legs, some lifters descend so quickly that the bar impacts their legs and rebounds upwards. Clearly, smashing your thighs with 100-plus pounds at a fairly high rate of speed isn’t the best idea.
Avoid it: Lower yourself under control, don’t free fall. Imagine your phone resting on your legs and touch the bar as softly as possible without breaking it.
The Zercher squat allows the legs to move significantly heavy weight with a stable and engaged core, reducing potential lower back strain (compared to other squat variations). Power output is optimized due to overall leverage, making the legs the primary mover and the most significantly recruited muscle group.
Leg Size
The Zercher squat has been shown to activate the quadriceps comparable to several popular squat variations, while also activating the glutes and hamstrings to a higher degree. (3) This increased muscle activation can directly lead to more muscle growth.
Upper Back Strength
While the upper back isn’t worked through a significant range of motion, it is heavily activated to keep your shoulders back while maintaining a stable upper body position. This constant work, resisting the barbell’s forward and downward pull, leads to a stronger upper back.
Core Strength
The abs and lower back are essential for preventing your upper body from collapsing forward under the stress of the weight. Coordinating the abs and lower back in this type of supportive role is essential for building total core strength.
Sport-Specific Training
The front-loaded barbell position of the Zercher squat can offer direct carryover for strength athletes who compete in similar front-loaded events. In strongman/strongwoman contests, this would include atlas stones, stone carries, and, most specifically, the “Conan’s Wheel” event.
Training Around Lower Back Pain
All types of squats can help to build lower body strength, but many squat variations require intensive lower back stress which can be a limiting factor for some lifters. Due to the unique bar position and increased overall core recruitment, the Zercher squat doesn’t significantly strain the lower back, allowing lifters to target their legs with reduced back pain.
Muscles Worked by Zercher Squat
The Zercher squat is predominantly a lower body exercise, but it involves multiple large muscles in the upper body as well.
The quads are significantly recruited during any squat, particularly as you reach the bottom position of the Zercher squat. The quads are responsible for straightening the leg and extending the knee, which helps you rise from the bottom position and get to a standing position.
Glutes
The glute muscles play a key role to “extend” the hips and bring the legs directly under the upper body. Performing a complete lockout in the top position allows the glutes to maximally contract.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings consist of several different muscles heads, each of which coordinate to flex or bend the knee. The hamstrings are recruited and act as “brakes” while lowering yourself into the bottom of the squat position.
Upper Back
The upper back (consisting of the trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and other smaller muscles) is highly activated from the moment you unrack the barbell until the set is completed. The upper back works to keep your shoulder blades retracted (pinched together) and prevents your upper body from rounding forward into a dangerous position.
Spinal Erectors
The spinal erectors, or technically “erector spinae”, are more commonly referred to as the “lower back” although they’re a pair of muscles which run the entire length of the spine. They work primarily to prevent the rounding of the back and to maintain a straight upper body posture.
Abs
The abdominal muscles are responsible for more than just flexing or “crunching” the upper body. They control all basic movement from the hips up, including rotation, bending to either side, and to prevent bending backwards.
Biceps
The biceps, like the upper back, aren’t worked through any significant range of motion during a Zercher squat but they are highly activated to maintain a static position while holding the bar in place. It’s not uncommon for a lifter to feel muscular fatigue in their biceps after a set of hard Zercher squats.
Who Should Do the Zercher Squat
The Zercher squat can offer specific benefits for any lifter who can overcome or acclimate to the initial physical discomfort of the bar position.
Strength Athletes
Competitive strength athletes who perform front-loaded events can benefit directly from the Zercher squat. Athletes in any strength sport can benefit from the Zercher squat’s carryover to overall strength and core stability. Because of its significant upper back recruitment, it’s well-suited as an accessory exercise for either the squat or deadlift.
Training for Muscle
The Zercher squat isn’t a common exercise for muscle-building purposes, but it can serve as an effective squat variation to target the legs without excessive strain on the back.
How to Program the Zercher Squat
The Zercher squat can be programmed in line with multiple goals, but lower rep ranges are typically preferred to prevent fatigue as a limiting factor.
Heavy Weight, Low Repetition
The classic set and rep scheme of three to five sets of three to five reps is a reliable approach to build strength in any big lift, like the Zercher squat. The key to moving heavy weights is taking the time to adjust to the physical pressure at the elbows in the support position.
Moderate Weight, Low Repetition
Slightly reducing the weight while maintaining a lower rep range can shift the focus from leg strength to strength in the core and upper back. Two to four sets of four to six reps is an efficient way to train these total-body stabilizer muscles.
Zercher Squat Variations
Lifters may progressively work towards a full Zercher squat while adjusting to the bar position. Here are the most comparable options.
Goblet Squat
The goblet squat is a similar front-loaded squat variation, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in the hands near chest-level. It offers reduced lower back stress, making it ideal for any lifter with back issues.
The goblet squat also allows for a complete range of motion, letting the lifter squat as deep as their hip and ankle mobility will allow. While the goblet squat is sometimes used by beginner lifters, it can be progressed heavily and can benefit even the most advanced lifter.
Sandbag Zercher Squat
Training with a sandbag offers countless benefits ranging from increased core stability to overall calorie-burning. It’s also an excellent callback to homemade training equipment, in the true spirit of Ed Zercher.
Using a sandbag instead of a barbell does compromise on potential load, since you don’t often find 300-pound sandbags, but the thicker diameter makes the support position extremely more comfortable, which allows you to focus on basic exercise technique and intensity.
Zercher Carry
The Zercher carry removes the squat portion and swaps it for a nice, long walk. Anytime you move while carrying a load, your core activation will light up. Zercher carries, in particular, will also involve your upper back (specifically the traps) to a very high degree.
A word of warning: Be sure to pay attention to your surroundings when Zercher carrying a barbell. You’ll be moving a wide load and the last thing you need is to have the seven-foot long barbell clip an object on one side and throw yourself into a spin.
Zercher Deadlift
The literal granddaddy of all Zercher lifts, the Zercher deadlift starts with the barbell on the floor rather than a rack, just the way Ed did them.
Sometimes called a “full cycle Zercher,” this movement is a multi-step process requiring you to deadlift the weight, hold the bar in position while squatting your body down, rest the bar on your legs, take the bar into the crooks of your arms, and then squat up.
This drawn-out technique involves so many moving parts, literally, that many lifters may not find it efficient for their goals. It is, however, a purebred piece of weightlifting history and is worth an experience, if only with an empty barbell.
Zercher Squat Alternatives
Not all lifters may need to incorporate the Zercher squat into their routine. There are several exercises which can offer similar benefits.
Front Squat
The front squat may appear to be a “Zercher squat while holding the bar higher on your body.” That’s a fair assessment. By using a “rack position,” the front squat keeps the weight in front of the body, supported across the front of the shoulders.
This allows the legs to be trained with drastically reduced lower back stress. The wrist and shoulder mobility needed to achieve a strong rack position can be relatively quickly trained with minimal direct attention.
High-Bar Squat
A simple variation of the basic back squat, placing the bar high on the shoulders and traps allows the lifter to maintain a more vertical torso, which reduces lower back strain.
This squat variation also offers much more direct carryover to competitive powerlifters, compared to the Zercher squat, because the bar is placed nearly identical to their contest lift. (Though, many competitive powerlifters opt to use a low-bar squat position, which places the bar more on the middle traps.)
Safety Bar Squat
The key benefit of the safety bar squat is the hand position, which accommodates lifters whose shoulder problems prevent holding a bar across their back.
A significant secondary benefit of the safety bar squat is increased upper back recruitment, due to the way the specialized handle offsets the barbell from your center of gravity. This upper back recruitment can offer comparable benefits to Zerchers.
FAQs
The bar hurts my arms. What’s the solution?
Probably the single most common issue with Zercher squats is the initial discomfort of holding the barbell in the elbow-supported position. There are a number of very effective workarounds that allow you to gradually adapt to the feeling while working on the exercise.
You can cushion yourself by wearing long-sleeve shirts and/or elbow sleeves (some lifters wear knee sleeves on their arms because the knee sleeves are larger and more comfortable). You can also cushion the bar with a bad pad typically used when the bar’s on your neck, or by wrapping a towel around the barbell.
Increasing the diameter of the bar also reduces the direct pressure. If your gym has thick barbells or axles, those work very well. Attaching removable thick-grip handles can also work.
Lastly, if you don’t feel that adapting to the movement is a good investment of your time in the gym, and presuming you’re not a competitive athlete performing Zercher-type movements in competition, it’s entirely acceptable to simply choose a different exercise.
Will the barbell crush the tendons in my elbows?
No, it won’t. Biceps tendon injuries at the elbow are relatively rare in the gym and, even then, they most often occur at the shoulder, not at the elbow. (4)(5)
While the biceps tendon does attach to the elbow joint, it’s not being strained in the Zercher position because it’s under a static contraction. Biceps tendon injuries typically occur when the tendon is “overstretched” with too much weight, too much speed, or too much range of motion. During a Zercher squat, the tendon isn’t put through any of those conditions.
However, if you have pre-existing elbow pain or inflammation issues, the exercise becomes a different scenario. In that case, as with any exercise, you should choose movements which do not aggravate your condition or affect recovery.
References
Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European journal of applied physiology, 119(9), 1933–1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y
Hartmann H, Wirth K, Klusemann M. Analysis of the load on the knee joint and vertebral column with changes in squatting depth and weight load. Sports Med. 2013 Oct;43(10):993-1008. doi: 10.1007/s40279-013-0073-6. PMID: 23821469.
Erdağ, Deniz & Yavuz, Hasan. (2020). Evaluation of Muscle Activities During Different Squat Variations Using Electromyography Signals. 10.1007/978-3-030-35249-3_114.
Golshani K, Cinque ME, O’Halloran P, Softness K, Keeling L, Macdonell JR. Upper extremity weightlifting injuries: Diagnosis and management. J Orthop. 2017;15(1):24-27. Published 2017 Nov 7. doi:10.1016/j.jor.2017.11.005
Lavallee ME, Balam T. An overview of strength training injuries: acute and chronic. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2010 Sep-Oct;9(5):307-13. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e3181f3ed6d. PMID: 20827099.
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The 2022 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) is set to occur on May 24-29, 2022, in Sacramento, CA. The premier event in the strongman sphere will yet again see some of the world’s top strength sports athletes vie for the legendary Barry Frank Trophy. On April 27, 2022, the WSM organization revealed this year’s competition’s respective event format.
2022 World’s Strongest Man Event Schedule
Here is the full lineup and schedule of events, including the Qualifying Stage and a two-day Finals:
Qualifying Round, Day 1 — Tuesday, May 24th, 2022
Loading Race
Deadlift Ladder
Qualifying Round, Day 2 — Wednesday, May 25th, 2022
Car Walk
Log Lift
Qualifying Round, Day 3 — Thursday, May 26th, 2022
At the time of this writing, WSM has not announced which athletes will be in their specific Qualifying Groups. Notably, the 2021 WSM saw different, random draws for the various events. This year, every Qualifying Group will take on the same events.
The 2022 WSM format will consist of five groups with six athletes each. The respective winner of each group advances to the Final, while the second and third-place finishers will clash in a Stone Off to notch a spot in the Final. The fourth, fifth, and sixth-place athletes will leave the competition.
In the Stone Off, the onus is on the third-place finisher — who has the first crack at lifting the stones and risks elimination if they fail to complete a lift. That result will hold even if they raise the same number of stones as their competitor. The five respective winners of the Stone Off will take the remaining spots in the Final.
Here are more specifics on the events that the competitors can expect in Sacramento.
Loading Race
One of strongman’s customary events, the Loading Race will make another appearance at the 2022 WSM. It was an event that every Qualifying Group took part in during the 2021 WSM.
The 2021 respective Loading Race winners are reigning WSM Champion Tom Stoltman, Maxime Boudreault, Konstantine Janashia, Kevin Faires, and Robert Oberst. Each of these competitors has a place in the 2022 lineup save for Oberst.
Deadlift Ladder
Meanwhile, the Deadlift Ladder event makes its debut during the 2022 WSM. Competitors will start their deadlifts with 650-pound barbells and eventually work their way up to 750 pounds. The athletes have an extra incentive to finish their pulls quickly, which will reward them with more points.
Car Walk
Another event making a return after an absence, the Car Walk will see the athletes strap a Volkswagen Bug to their shoulders as they attempt to walk it down a 25-meter path. 2019 WSM Champion Martin Licis is a competitor to watch here.
Licis typically excels with the Yoke Walk — which is similar to the Car Walk, albeit with the car being more unwieldy. The strongman crushed a Yoke Walk during the 2021 Rogue Invitational when he carried a 455-kilogram yoke (1,000-pound) 50 feet in just over 44 seconds. That mark was enough to have Licis lap the next best competitor by almost six seconds and garner a second-place finish to Mateusz Kieliszkowski (41.74 seconds) — who recently withdrew from the 2022 WSM competition.
Log Lift
The Log Lift should be a spectacle to watch. Many of the featured athletes fare pretty well with their overhead strength.
Bobby Thompson in particular will be under the microscope as he holds the American log lift record with a 217.5-kilogram press (479.5 pounds) from the 2021 Clash on the Coast. The 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) Luke Stoltman should also be someone to keep an eye on. Stoltman holds the British log lift record with a 221-kilogram press (487-pound) from the World Ultimate Strongman’s “Feat of Strength” series.
The Wrecking Ball Hold is making its first-ever appearance at the WSM competition. Athletes will have the task of lifting a massive wrecking ball and holding it for as long as possible.
Stone Off
The Stone Off will be no surprise to the competitors who are intimately familiar with the famed Atlas Stones. Tom “King of the Stones” Stoltman might be the favorite. He won the final Atlas Stones event (five lifts in 20.21 seconds) during the 2021 WSM — a major factor in his eventual victory.
Two of the athletes, Trey Mitchell and 2022 ESM Champion Oleksii Novikov, should also make easy work of the stones. The two strongmen had a Stone Off for the ages during the 2019 WSM when Mitchell’s 14 successful staggering reps beat Novikov’s 13.
Including his recent ESM victory, Novikov has qualified for the podium in 13 of his last 14 sanctioned competitions. He is assuredly seeking redemption after not advancing from the 2021 Qualifying Round.
Giants Medley
The KNAACK® Giants Medley is comparable to the Loading Race, save for a structure that features a box carry and super Yoke.
Deadlift
At the time of writing, the WSM organization hasn’t confirmed whether the deadlift event is for a one-rep max or for reps. After tying for first (10 reps each) during the 2021 WSM, Mitchell and Adam Bishop are the reigning winners. Mitchell just barely missed out on an 11th rep before time expired.
Flintstone Barbell
Yet another event making a comeback, the strongmen will lift a pair of giants stone on each arm sleeve in what is functionally a behind-the-neck press. They will take turns attempting to lift the same weights, with that number successively increasing in each round.
Bus Pull
The Bus Pull will see the athletes pull a Sacramento Regional Transit bus that weighs roughly 40,000 pounds in a race against the clock. The ground’s surface and the tires’ traction should undoubtedly play a role for the eventual victor.
Power Stairs
The Power Stairs asks the athletes to carry an anvil-esque implement up a flight of stairs as fast as they can.
This event was the wheelhouse for five-time WSM Champion Mariusz Pudzianowski — who partly won his fifth WSM title in 2008 on the strength of a stellar Power Stairs performance.
Atlas Stones
As is the tradition, the competition will close with the Atlas Stones. While Tom Stoltman will be favored, a number of the other athletes like Licis, Mitchell, Novikov, and Brian Shaw share a similar proficiency with the Atlas Stones. As a result, the event may once more likely decide this year’s champion.
2022 World’s Strongest Man Lineup
Here’s the current list of athletes set to compete during this year’s event:
Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom) — Reigning WSM Champion
Several potential storylines lie in wait for this year’s competition. While Tom Stoltman is seeking a repeat, it could be the year of an upstart who surprises and takes home the hallowed WSM title.
Featured image: @theworldsstrongestman on Instagram
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On April 26, 2022, Olivares showed why he’s someone to watch in the powerlifting sphere when the 23-year-old locked out a 417.3-kilogram squat (920-pound) with ease during a training session.
Takes 100% effort to make something look effortless.
Olivares wore wrist straps, a lifting belt, and knee sleeves for the lift. The athlete also had three spotters on hand as a precaution, though, given how easily he completed the squat — their direct intervention was unnecessary.
Check out the casual, staggering lift below, courtesy of Olivares’ Instagram profile:
Olivares may be in his early 20s, but he’s been competitive powerlifting in some capacity for almost a decade. A Texas native, Olivares began his career as a teenager with the Texas High School Powerlifting Association (THSPA) in 2013. After getting some experience and meets under his belt, he managed to win the 2014 THSPA Mustang Invitational — his first-ever victory.
From there, it’s been mostly smooth sailing for the stellar young powerlifter.
Of late, Olivares has won six straight competitions and hasn’t lost an event since 2015. To date, his peak career achievement might be a first-place finish in the 2021 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships while competing in the 120-kilogram-plus weight class. That has also been Olivares’ competition weight during his ongoing winning streak.
Here’s a rundown of some of the more notable results from Olivares’ ongoing career:
Jesus Olivares Notable Career Results
2019 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Winter Iron Open — 1st place
2020 USAPL Capital City Classic — 1st place
2020 USAPL Collegiate Cup and Texas Open — 1st place
2021 USAPL Raw Nationals — 1st place
2021 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships — 1st place
2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals — 1st place
Olivares recently notched an unofficial world record for the 120-kilogram-plus weight class, among other feats. During the 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals, the powerlifter pulled a 402.5-kilogram deadlift (887.3-pound) — which would’ve been the world record if achieved at an international competition. Ray Williams still holds the official all-time IPF mark with a 398.5-kilogram pull (878.5-pound) during the 2018 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships.
In addition, Olivares also scored a 1,110-kilogram total (2,447.1-pound) during the meet. It is the second-heaviest raw total for the 120-kilogram-plus weight class in the history of IPF powerlifting. According to Open Powerlifting, Daniel Bell holds the all-time top spot with a 1,182.5-kilogram total (2,607-pound) from the 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Hybrid Showdown III.
Here are Olivares’ stats from his recent meet, where he broke multiple competition records in the 120-kilogram-plus weight class:
Jesus Olivares | 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals Stats
Olivares will continue to plug away with his training as he looks to defend his 2o21 IPF title. Considering his recent string of staggering results, he may become a repeat champion and officially log a world record or two.
The 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships will take place on June 6-12, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa.
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On April 26, 2022, powerlifter Jessica Buettner made waves again when she deadlifted 245.4 kilograms (541 pounds) for two reps during training — a new double PR. For the pull, Buettner used a mixed grip, worked from a conventional stance, and wore a lifting belt.
Check out Buettner’s set below, via her Instagram profile:
This display of power and volume is nothing unusual for Buettner in progressions lately. She recently deadlifted a staggering 230 kilograms (507 pounds) for six reps during a training session in April 2022.
That said, Buettner’s new deadlift double PR is noteworthy for two reasons. First, it’s only 6.1 kilograms (13.4 pounds) off her all-time competition best — a 250-kilogram pull (551.1-pound) from the 2020 Canadian Power Union (CPU) Nationals. Second, Buettner has Type 1 diabetes. She maintained that this obstacle added a challenging dimension to her recent training session.
“I am happy I was able to move this because my blood sugars weren’t too good,” Buettner wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.
It’s a testament to Buettner’s strength and perseverance that she managed to push through with a PR lift anyway.
Around The Corner
Buettner’s schedule is about to get quite busy.
In the near term, the powerlifter will compete at the 2022 CPU Nationals, which will take place from May 9-14, 2022, in St. Johns, Canada. Following that event, after a relatively short reprieve, she will take the stage at the 2022 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships, which occur on June 6-12, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa. The athlete will compete in her usual 76-kilogram weight class in both events.
Buettner should enter these competitions as an anticipated contender. As the reigning IPF World Classic Powerlifting Champion in the 76-kilogram weight class, she’s assuredly seeking a repeat. As for the CPU Nationals, it’s been two years since she last competed at the respective event.
Nevertheless, it would undoubtedly be a mistake for anyone to overlook the prolific powerlifter and what she brings to the table as an athlete.
To date, in 17 sanctioned competitions during her career, Buettner has 15 wins and two second-place finishes, according to Open Powerlifting. She’s also on a hot streak. The powerlifter has won three straight competitions, last coming in second during the 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Buettner’s continued diligence with her training is undoubtedly a significant factor in her ongoing success. When she steps onto the lifting platform in the coming weeks, she might be in a favorable position to notch wins and vaunted records at the same time.
Experts estimate that people around the world waste 1.3 billion tons of food each year.1 The costs to individuals, families, and the environment are astronomical. You can make a difference by making a personal commitment to minimizing food waste.
At Mark’s Daily Apple, we’re supporting Primal Kitchen in an effort to #MaketheMost of mealtime this National Food Waste Day. Scroll down to find tips and techniques for being more sustainable and reducing your environmental footprint by reducing food waste, optimizing your grocery budget, and contributing less to the landfill.
For more information, head to PrimalKitchen.com and sign up to receive an exclusive e-book to fight food waste with tasty recipes, packaging hacks, and tips that #MaketheMost of your favorite products and use every last delicious drop!
Small Steps Add Up to More Sustainability
Learn how to reduce food waste, cut down on your carbon footprint, and put less in the landfill. Small steps really do add up, especially when we all do our part.
Store and Preserve Food Properly So It Doesn’t Go to Waste
Food spoiling before you get a chance to eat it is a huge contributor to food waste. In additional to shopping smart (more on that below), you can nip this problem in the bud by storing food properly after you bring it home from the store.
For those times when you buy a little too much or you’re lucky enough to have a bountiful garden harvest, learn how to preserve that food and enjoy it for months to come.
We know, those bits and bobbles can be a little off-putting at first, but organ meats are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet! Eating the skin and gristly bits nets you a bunch of collagen to balance out the methionine in muscle meat. The bones of small, oily fish contain calcium and other minerals. And best of all, almost nothing goes to waste.
This is huge at a time when we’re fighting against a tide of anti-meat sentiment and claims that meat eating is bad for the environment. The best thing we meat consumers can do is advocate for and practice responsible omnivory or carnivory.
One way to reduce your carbon footprint is to buy locally grown food when you can instead of food shipping across the country or around the world.
Shopping at farmer’s markets not only supports local farmers and ranchers, but you also cut down on food packaging. Prioritizing locally grown produce also means you’ll naturally eat the foods that are in season in your region.
Planning a few days’ or a week’s worth of food can save money and cut down on food waste. A little leg work up front ensures you’re only buying what you need.
Take advantage of your local recycling program. Look on all food packages for what can be recycled or composted.
Reducing food waste is something you can do at home that really does make a difference. Talk to your friends and family, and start implementing some of these practices. What do YOU do to reduce food waste?
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
There’s a new deadlift mountain to climb for strength sports athletes everywhere.
Krzysztof “Mr. Deadlift” Wierzbicki deadlifted an astonishing 502.5 kilograms (1,107 pounds) during a training session. As a result, the Polish powerlifter now possesses the heaviest filmed deadlift in history.
Check out the historic feat below, captured from one of Wierzbicki’s recent Instagram stories and reposted by Julian Howard (@worldstrongestfan) on April 27, 2022:
Wierzbicki notched the all-time pull from a sumo stance while wearing wrist straps. He also may have been wearing a lifting belt under his shirt, but that is undisclosed for now.
At the time of writing, Wierzbick’s weight for the all-time accomplishment is unknown. If recent history is any indication, he might have weighed at or around 110 kilograms — his competition weight since Spring 2021, per Open Powerlifting.
Notably, since Wierzbicki’s momentous deadlift didn’t occur in a formal competition, it is not an official record. Nevertheless, it is the heaviest-ever deadlift from the floor and worthy of his evident jubilation upon completing the pull.
Wierzbicki’s Feat in Context
With this pull, Wierzbicki has gained entry into the legendary 500-kilogram (1,102.3-pound) deadlift club. There are only two other members — the 2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Champion Eddie Hall and the 2018 WSM Champion Hafthor Björnsson.
Hall was the first to capture the achievement with a 500-kilogram (1,102.3-pound) pull during the 2016 World Deadlift Championships (WDC). Björnsson then surpassed his rival by a single kilogram at the 2020 World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength Series.”
Notably, aside from the formal competition difference, there are other vital distinctions between Wierzbicki’s historic pull and that of his 500-kilogram predecessors. The powerlifter Wierzbicki completed his deadlift from a sumo stance — which isn’t legal during strongman competitions. In addition, the Polish athlete just used wrist straps. Björnsson and Hall wore wrist straps and deadlift suits for their pulls.
With Wierzbicki’s record taken into account, here’s a shortlist of the heaviest deadlifts of all time:
Heaviest Recorded Deadlifts in History
Krzysztof Wierzbicki (Poland) — 502.5 kilograms (1,107 pounds) | Unofficial Record
Hafthor Björnsson (Iceland) — 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds) | All-time World Record
Eddie Hall (United Kingdom) — 500 kilograms (1,102.3 pounds)
Danny Grigsby (United States) — 465 kilograms (1,025.2 pounds) | Full Power Meet Record
Whether Wierzbicki is capable of eclipsing Björnsson and Hall on their strongman, conventional, fully equipped terms is unclear. However, when it comes to powerlifting, it’s apparent he has the capacity to surpass his contemporary in Grigsby — who also used a sumo stance, but no wrist straps — on his full power meet record mark set in late March 2022.
Whenever Wierzbicki does compete in a meet next, expect the greater strength sports community to be on watch for a potential new deadlift record.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
A professional strength sports athlete deadlifting 600-plus pounds will almost always be noteworthy. When that person’s a teenager who still has to get their parent/guardian’s signature on school permission slips, the entire community will be on notice. On April 25, 2022, 15-year-old Morgan Nicholls recorded a video of himself crushing a 274.3-kilogram deadlift (605-pound) during a training session.
Had Nicholls achieved the pull during a competition, it would’ve eclipsed Arslan Bochkaryov’s world record 250-kilogram deadlift (551.1-pound) in the 90-kilogram weight class by over 20 kilograms. Bochkaryov captured the Teenage 13-15 division all-time mark at the 2020 FPR Russian Juniors & Sub-Juniors Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Check out the staggering pull, courtesy of Nicholls’ Instagram profile:
Nicholls completed the deadlift using a conventional stance, used a mixed barbell grip, and wore only a lifting belt.
Nicholls in Context
Nicholls is no stranger to making waves as a lifter despite his youth.
For one, according to Open Powerlifting, Nicholls’ previous deadlift high during a competition is 206.38 kilograms (455 pounds). He notched that mark at the 2020 Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) GP Summer Bash while competing in the Teenage 13-15 division — his only sanctioned meet to date.
Roughly a half-year later, in January 2021, Nicholls gained notoriety for a 183.6-kilogram bench press (405 pounds). If achieved during a competition, it would’ve been the second-heaviest-ever bench press in the Teenage 13-15 division — second only to Colin Grebel’s 205-kilogram bench press (452-pound) from the 2014 APF Gary Pendergrass Memorial Meet.
Everything feeling good took 605 for a ride for a new PR.
Before this latest unofficial record feat, Nicholls had recently posted Instagram videos of his rapid training progression — deadlifting as much as 265.35 kilograms (585 pounds). He may well make another meteoric rise up very soon.
Building a Legacy
Why Nicholls is proving to be one of the youngest and strongest lifters around might not be a secret. His mother is Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls — a four-time Ms. Olympia winner, a member of the IFBB Hall of Fame, and a person who some regard as one of the greatest female bodybuilders of all time.
By that same lineage token, Nicholls’ father is Chad Nicholls, a trainer for some of the biggest names in bodybuilding like eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, four-time Arnold Classic Champion Flex Wheeler, and current Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay.
Chad Nicholls expressed admiration for his son’s unofficial record feat over social media.
“Just another day in the office with the boys, which by the way, is literally my favorite part of the day,” Nicholls wrote of his son. [Morgan Nicholls] hitting a new deadlift PR 605 heavy-a** pounds.”
At the time of publishing, Morgan nor his parents have shared when his next formal competition will be. There’s likely no rush, though, given how far Nicholls has come with his strength.
The weather turns, the clouds disperse, the sun returns, and one’s thoughts wander to camping, backpacking, and just generally tromping around in the great outdoors. It is the human imperative to conquer the wilderness and to exult in its grandeur, beauty, and danger. The true frontier is mostly gone now, but we can emulate that most fundamental and ancient human experience by going camping.
Tuna packets or other tinned fish, canned oysters/mussels
Whole avocados
Whole fruits
Low-carb protein bars
Low-carb tortillas (or regular corn tortillas if you prefer)
Cooked potatoes/sweet potatoes (which last for a few days at room temp)
Hard boiled eggs (which last for a day or two depending on temperature)
Dried fruits, dates, berries, figs
In fact, you can eat quite well this way. You can certainly survive.
But sometimes you want a bit more luxury. You want something hot and comforting. Rather than squat around the fire gnawing on dried meat and crunching nuts, you want to sit with your people with a warm bowl in front of you and have a proper meal, wilderness style
Yesterday, you learned how to dehydrate food. Check that out if you’re new to dehydrating. It’s easy and economical, but there are a few things you need to know to get started. Today, I’m going to give you a few recipes for dehydrated trail meals. This is trail food—not car camping food. This is stuff that’s lightweight, backpack-stable, and dehydrated. This is food you can carry with you for days.
Making Your Own Easy Dehydrated Camping Meals
Unlike most commercial trail foods, these are nutrient-dense and delicious meals without any undesirable fats or ingredients. No industrial seed oils, plenty of animal protein.
There are a couple ways to make dehydrated camping meals:
You can make finished meals at home, dehydrate them, and heat them on the trail.
You can make individual dehydrated ingredients and then mix and heat them together on the trail.
I’ll describe below how to rehydrate food on the trail.
Scrambled eggs
This is almost as good as the real thing. Almost.
Add 1 part egg powder to 1.5 parts water, dried milk powder, and dried butter powder. (Ingredients readily available online or through a camping supply retailer.)
Whisk it furiously. You want it totally blended, completely smooth, with lots of aeration.
Heat oil or butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture and any other rehydrated veggies you might have and stir continuously. Salt and season as you go.
Finish with cheese if you have any.
Pressure Cooker Chili
This is a bare bones chili. It doesn’t have any beans, but you can add them if you like.
Place the leanest beef you can find (top round, London broil, 96% lean ground, etc) in the pressure cooker along with tomato paste, onions, garlic, peppers, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle pepper (if you like spicy). Add enough bone broth to cover everything, then pressure cook until the meat is falling apart.
Reduce the chili until most of the liquid is gone and it’s a thick stew rather than soup.
Spread the chili in a thin layer and dehydrate it.
The trick here is using liquid and pressure to cook it, rather than fat. When you rehydrate it on the trail, add plenty of fat.
Dehydrated mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
These make an excellent base for any meal, particularly if you’ve been expending a lot of energy out on the trail.
Peel and boil your potatoes just like you would when making mashed potatoes.
When they’re soft, drain them almost completely. Reserve a few cups of the cooking water.
Mash them with as much water as needed to produce a thick “soupy” textured mash, wetter than normal.
Add salt and spices if desired, or wait for the trail.
Do not add any fat, milk, butter, or cream. You can add that on the trail after reconstitution.
Spread into thin layer and dehydrate until dry and brittle. Break or grind up into powder and store.
To reheat, mix half cup of dehydrated potato with 2/3 cup boiling water. Cover for 5-10 minutes and add any milk, butter, cheese, or seasonings. Adjust texture by adding more water if you want.
This also works for cauliflower. Just be sure not to add any fat until you’re rehydrating it on the trail.
These are just a few ideas. You can do a lot of cool stuff out there if you stick to the basics and follow some fundamental rules.
Some Tips
Use as little fat as possible.
The thing about cooking and dehydrating your own meals for the trail is that you have to go about it a little differently. You can’t use a ton of fat when you cook because fat simply doesn’t dehydrate very well. The whole point of dehydrating is to remove moisture and end up with a final product that stays shelf-stable at room temperature for a long time. Too much fat will retain moisture and go rancid.
So when you’re looking at these recipes, they might seem a little funny. When I make my normal camp chili, I’m searing the meat and veggies in butter and olive oil and really making a rich, thick stew—but that doesn’t fly when you’re dehydrating chili. You can always add the fat afterwards, after the dehydrated meal has been heated up, and I’ll include a list of essential additions to bring along when you head out into the wilderness for enriching your meals.
Use lower fat meat.
When you use beef, go as lean as you can. When you cook chicken, use breast or canned chicken.
Use liquid.
Since you can’t really use tons of fat when cooking meals for dehydration, you’ll need to include a good amount of liquid to prevent sticking. Dehydration will take care of the moisture, of course.
Important Additions to Add to Your Pack
These are the cooking ingredients I consider essential for anyone eating well on the trail.
Gelatin powder/bone broth powder
Heat some water on the camp stove and whisk this stuff into it, then pour the gelatin-rich liquid into your soups, stews, chilis, and sauces to add texture, body, and gelatin.
Butter powder (yes, actual powdered grass-fed butter)
Add butter powder to any low-fat dish to enrich and render it more luxurious. You could also just bring real butter if there’s room, it’s not too hot out, and it won’t throw off your backpack weight.
Olive oil or avocado oil in small bottles
This is a great bottle (BPA-free, made in the USA) for storing edible oil to drizzle over your food. This is a good olive oil and this is a good avocado oil.
Milk powder is another good addition to have on hand.
Cheese powder or cheese
Cheese powder is a nice way to add body and nutrition to almost any dish. You could also pack straight-up hard cheese, which lasts quite well at room temperature. Shelf-stable grated cheese is also an option.
Salt, pepper, spices
At the very least, bring salt, black pepper, and something like garlic powder, paprika, porcini powder, or cayenne. Very easy, very simple, very effective seasoning.
Sun-dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes provide umami, acidity, sweetness, and that burst of rich tomato flavor that enriches almost any dish it touches. You can also snack on them directly.
Mayo
Yes, yes, it’s not essential, but if you have the room, keeping some mayo on hand will really enhance your meals.
How to Rehydrate Your Dehydrated Meals
This is quite simple.
Heat water until simmering in camp stove and add your meal. Usually it’s about 1 part dehydrated meal to 1.5 parts water.
Cover and heat until it reaches the desired consistency.
Adorn your meal with any spices, seasonings, oil, fat, and cheese.
Different dishes will have different rehydration requirements, but that’s the basic formula. If you’re just guessing, use less water than you think. You can always add more.
I’d love to hear what you guys are dehydrating and rehydrating out there on the trail. Let me know down below what your favorite dehydrated backpacking dishes are to make and eat!
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
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Food spoiling before you get a chance to eat it is a huge contributor to food waste. In additional to shopping smart (more on that below), you can nip this problem in the bud by storing food properly after you bring it home from the store. 
We know, those bits and bobbles can be a little off-putting at first, but organ meats are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet! Eating the skin and gristly bits nets you a bunch of collagen to balance out the methionine in muscle meat. The bones of small, oily fish contain calcium and other minerals. And best of all, almost nothing goes to waste. 
One way to reduce your carbon footprint is to buy locally grown food when you can instead of food shipping across the country or around the world. 
The weather turns, the clouds disperse, the sun returns, and one’s thoughts wander to camping, backpacking, and just generally tromping around in the great outdoors. It is the human imperative to conquer the wilderness and to exult in its grandeur, beauty, and danger. The true frontier is mostly gone now, but we can emulate that most fundamental and ancient human experience by going camping.
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
We don’t slow down because we age, we age because we slow down.”