|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 20:18:49 GMT -5
This isn't a bb competition, but it involves weights and lifting  I've written a lot so I'll have to break it into several of posts.... |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 20:20:24 GMT -5
I've just got back from watching the 2004 Heartland Strongman Challenge, an amateur strongman competition held every year in Council Bluffs, Iowa (Just across the Missouri from Omaha, Nebraksa). The event is held in the parking lot of Harrahs Casino right by the Missouri - It was hot but there is always a nice breeze by the river. Turn out was good, I would guess about 600 spectators. The competition consisted of six events: Farmers Walk, Log Press, Silver Dollar Deadlift, Yoke, Conans Wheel and Truck Pull. There were mens and womens competition. Only5 women competed so there was only one weight class for the women. This made the competition real interesting as there was probably a 200 pound differnce between the lightest and heaviest female competitors. The were about 20-22 male competitors. The standard weight categories were used: 231 and under (lightweight) and 232+ (heayweight). The heavies ranged from guys who just made 232 all the way up to some 300 pounders. Some of the 232 guys looked like they should probably have dropped a pound or 2 and made the lightweight class. Giving up 70 pounds is a very large obstacle to overcome and it showed in some of the events. My wife and I arrived late and missed the farmers walk. Second event was the log press for reps. Women pressed 100 pounds overhead for max reps in 75 seconds. LW men pressed 200 and the heavies pressed 230. I got a couple of photos of the hw men. The winner repped the log 20 times.   |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 20:23:37 GMT -5
Next event was the deadlift. LW men started at 420 and the weight was increased by 50 in each round. The deadlift uses specialised "baskets" instead of plates as weights - this raises the bar an additional six inches off the ground, so it's closer to a partial than full deadlift. This was great for some of the smaller guys - the range of motion was about 4". All of the LWs had no problem handling 420, it was not until 520 that some of the lifters dropped out. The tops guy finished at 620. The women also started deadlifting on a nearby platform. Opening weight was 200. Some of the women were tiny - 4'11" 100lbs but all handled the opener easily. Again, the shorter girls had a tremendous advantage, one had to move the bar maybe two inches until lockout. The top women finished at 350, no-one was able to make 400. Next up, the HW men. HW men opened at 520, a couple of the lighter guys struggled at his weight, barely making the lift. The HW men really consisted of two groups - guys who maxed at 570 and 620, and another group who lifted considerably more - the eventual winner was the only man to lift 850lbs! Unfortunately I didn't manage to get any good photos of the Deadlift Comp  |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 20:34:24 GMT -5
After the deadlift the lifters took a break. A Karate school (American Schools of Karate?) gave a demonstration involving the breaking of numerous bricks and cinder blocks. One guy was breaking them with his head! The were spectator activities being held all day. There was a bench your weight for reps competition. The guy who won benched his weight fifteen times. The womens winner benched an incredible 38 times! Sorinex Equipment also brought along a replica "inch dumbell" for people to try. For those of you not familiar, this is a 174 pound dumbell. The problem is the handle is only big enough for you to use one hand, and the bar is 2.5" in diameter - only a handful of people have ever lifted an inch dumbell - the combination of weight and size makes it real difficult. Of course, I didn't manage to lift it. I think it just shot to the top of my Christmas list - I would love to have one of these. I hope my wife reads this and takes the hint. (honey, if you read this, go to sorinex.com ;D )
There was music throughout the whole day and it was nicely done. If you've ever been to a strongman/powerlifitng comp, the music often plays a huge part in psyching lifters up. This comp didn't disappoint and we had a whole day of AC/DC type music playing. The MC for the day was fantastic; knowledgable and funny, he did a great job of getting the crowd behind all of the lifters regardless of their performance.
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 20:44:08 GMT -5
Next event: Yoke.
This involves carrying a yoke 75 feet in the shortest time possible. The women were too short to compete in this event so they did a one handed clean and press instead. The winner pressed 75lbs overhead. Keep in mind that this was a clean and press and the winner weighed 100 pounds. Imagine clean and pressing 75% of your bodyweight overhead one handed. It's very impressive. LW men used a 525 pound yoke. The winner completed the course in around 13 seconds, the guy literally ran with
525 on his back! A couple of the lighter guys didn't manage the whole 75 feet. HW men next. For the heavies, the weight was increased to 600 pounds. Once again, thr winner ran with the damn thing. It wasn't until we saw some of the other competitors struggling to even pick the yoke up that we appreciated just how quick and strong the top three guys were. Once again, my photos are terrible so at this point I handed the camera to my wife who is a much better photographer...
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 20:58:24 GMT -5
The penultimate event was the Conans Wheel. This involves walking in a circle with a 15 foot bar that is fixed in the middle of the wheel - the bar is loaded with weight and is set at about 4 feet. The winner is the one who can walk the furthest in 75 seconds. This caused problems for some of the female competitors who were just too short to perform the lift correctly. The weight was 200 pounds for the women, the winner completed about 4 complete revolutions in 75 seconds. Winner  2nd  Next up the men. For the LW men the bar was loaded up with 550 pounds. This was a very tough event with a couple of men failing to move from the start line.  The MC kept referring to this guy as the worlds strngest bowler. He deadlifts 550, and has made 10 300 games bowling.  HW men The weight was increased to six hundred pounds for the heavies. IT seemed like technique was as important as strength as some of the stronger guys struggled in this event. You could definitely spot who had competed in this event before. This guy won the heavies with 2 revolutions of the wheel.  |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 21:04:59 GMT -5
Last Event: Truck Pull The truck pull is what it sounds like; pull a truck 75 feet in the shortest time possible. This was made more difficult because there was a very slight incline that the lifters had to pull the truck against. The women pulled an F150, not sure of the results. The guys pulled a big truck (like the largest size uhaul trucks). By this point, everyone looked very tired having competed in five events in three hours. As a result, many of the guys could not complete this event.  The final postions and winner were announced but I didn't have a pad and pencil handy so I could not write them down. |
|
|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 21:15:35 GMT -5
We had a great day watching this comp. There was a strong comaraderie between the lifters; everyone cheering and encouraging everyone else. There were plenty of distractions to keep the crowd entertained during the breaks in the lifting like the karate and bench pressing competitions. There was also an arm wrestling competition. With some of the best heartland armwrestlers. One of the female strongwomen competitors (Mary McConaughey) is one of the greatest female armwrestlers ever. She peformed well in the strongman comp but I'm not sure where she placed (1st or 2nd).
The whole evnt had a strong "family friendly" atmosphere, and there were may families present in the audience, not the stereotypical meathead crowd one might expect.
I have to admit I did have an alterior motive for attending; I've been conisdering entering a strongman comp for a while and after seeing this event I plan on entering it in 2005. Next years report will be brought to you by a competitor not a spectator!.
Again, I cannot say enough good things about this event - it was fantastic and everyone, judges, promoters, competitors and spectators looked like they really enjoyed themselves.
|
|
|
|
Post by ChrisC on Aug 7, 2004 21:30:36 GMT -5
The only negative part of the entire day is that I got sunburn on my arms so bad they feel like they are on fire. The only thing standing between me and hacking my arms off right now to ease the pain is...  |
|
|
|
Post by GerryT on Aug 7, 2004 22:42:47 GMT -5
Been there, done that re sunburn!
Outstanding report, Chris. Makes me wish I were there.
Very interesting and comprehensive.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tim Wescott on Aug 8, 2004 5:55:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the great report and awesome pics Chris!! Those people are phenomanal. Take care of that sunburn and get busy training for next years events!!  |
|
|
|
Post by J65 on Aug 9, 2004 16:55:33 GMT -5
Thanks for taking the time to make the report. Glad that you and your wife had a good time and that the atmosphere was professional and family friendly.
One word, sunscreen. The summer after graduating high school, went water skiing all day on a cloudless day. Next day my nose was blistered and stayed in bed for the next two. Doctor said I had sun poisoning. The next week skin peeled off me like sheets.
|
|
