Strength Of Character
Men's Health UK|April 2017

Away from the compression tights and almond shakes, a grittier fitness movement is gathering pace. Strongman training sees men hunting for a cruder, more visceral experience. But with the threat of injury never far away, can the benefits outweigh the bruises?

Dan Masoliver
Strength Of Character

The 20:57 from Cannon Street rumbles above, shepherding flocks of office workers from the glass and steel finance factories of the City back toward the comfort of home. Unbeknown to these weary commuters, down in the railway arches below, a small group of men is engaged in a gruelling, primal test of strength. The departing train sends shockwaves through the half-tonne tyre which our hands are holding in a white-knuckle grip. Sweat drips from my chin and flows between the 4in-thick treads, pooling on the concrete floor below. I glance at the two men on my flanks. Each face contorts in anticipation. The command comes.

On the count of three, slowly, stubbornly, the tyre rises. We double our efforts, releasing a chorus of strained groans as we lever our thighs between concrete and rubber. Tomorrow, my knees will be swollen, my shoulders a deep shade of purple, and my hands bloody; but for now, we drive. With a final, arduous heave, bodies quivering, we upend the incongruous lump of industrial equipment. This object – rough, uneven and unwieldy – wasn’t designed to be lifted by hand, yet lift it we did. The satisfaction is full-bodied, but fleeting. With unthinking masochism, we push the tyre onto its side so it lands with a ground-shaking thud, then go at it again.

While men of a certain character have long been drawn to battles with inanimate objects, it’s the nature of the weight we’re shifting that is changing. The number of independent gyms swapping out squat racks for Atlas stones is rising; and they’re seeing their attendance figures swell as fast as their members’ muscle mass. The Welsh national team used similar training drills to prepare for the last Rugby World Cup and it’s Chris Hemsworth’s method of choice when it comes to getting his Thor on. In short, strongman training is now a big deal.

This story is from the April 2017 edition of Men's Health UK.

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This story is from the April 2017 edition of Men's Health UK.

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