 |
| "You're the strongest? Dr. Wheelo will see you now." |
But that's not going to stop us from arguing about it. This article is an attempt to compare all those we would call the "Strongest in the World" and perhaps get a little closer to an answer... or at least something else we can argue about.
Let's start with...
1. Olympic Lifters
Olympic lifting is the combination of super strength and super technique. The clean and jerk and the snatch are the two lifts scored in the Olympics and getting a gold medal in weightlifting during the Olympics certainly should entitle you to being the strongest in the world, right?
I mean, it's the friggin' Olympics!
 |
| Look at him. He looks like he's about to break that bar in half. |
But this is not so cut and dry. Even though the men and women of the Olympics can put massive amounts of weight overhead, there is another class of athlete that moves weight equal to or greater than the Olympic lifters (although in different lifts).
2. Powerlifters
These men and women are capable of moving ridiculous amounts of weight. Even at the lowest weight classes, they move 3-4 times their own weight in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The percentage of their bodyweight decreases as the weight classes get higher, but the records for the heaviest lifts of all time are over 1,000 pounds in each lift. The heaviest total weight of all three lifts was 3,005 pounds (Dave Hoff, 2013)! These guys are strong, no doubt.
 |
| Most non-powerlifting people don't do that many plates in all of their lifts combined. |
But does three lifts really make you the strongest in the world? Would more variables help determine what it means to be the strongest?
3. Strongmen/Strongwomen
Strongman and strongwoman competitions are full of heavy lifting of various types. Increasingly heavier squats, massive deadlifts, truck pulls, super heavy carries with awkward weights, cleaning and pressing logs, throwing kegs high into the air-- these are all frequent feats completed by strongman competitors. It's high level strength and technique combined with vicious relatively short periods of all-out conditioning effort.
4. CrossFitters
Crossfitters are frequently looked down upon as being weak, but there are some seriously strong guys and gals who compete in the CrossFit Games every year. And it's not just strength, because there is so much versatility present in these athletes. While they can lift heavy, they can also run fast or far, or crank out hundreds of reps of a huge list of exercises.
CrossFit prides itself on producing "generalists." This term means that a CrossFitter should be able to meet and perform on any general number of tasks. They may not be the fastest runner or be able to do ultra-marathons or deadlift world-record weight or compete on the level of the elite "specialist," but they have proven it is possible to produce an athlete that is capable of being above-average (many times, highly above average) in a wide range of physical fitness applications. And this means that, on any given day, that a good Crossfitter would be able to beat most people in most activities. Therefore, the winner of the CrossFit Games would (theoretically) be able to beat the majority of athletes in a majority of things. And that's pretty cool.
5. MMA Fighters
Fighters are a special breed. You step into a cage or a ring with another guy or girl who wants to hurt you and you punch, kick, and grapple until someone wins by knockout, submission, or decision. It's tough and anyone who even gets in there to compete deserves immediate respect.
You might find it odd that I would include MMA fighters in the list of the "Strongest in the World;" however, consider what it means to be the strongest for just a moment. Hanma Baki said (paraphrasing) that the strongest is the one who is standing over someone else. In short, the strongest one is the victor in combat. Squatting 1,100 pounds and tearing a phone book in half means you have ridiculous strength, but if you are beaten into submission by another person, who is stronger? If it is this kind of strength, then it's either the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world or the top guy of the highest weight class who's the strongest.
3. Strongmen/Strongwomen
Strongman and strongwoman competitions are full of heavy lifting of various types. Increasingly heavier squats, massive deadlifts, truck pulls, super heavy carries with awkward weights, cleaning and pressing logs, throwing kegs high into the air-- these are all frequent feats completed by strongman competitors. It's high level strength and technique combined with vicious relatively short periods of all-out conditioning effort.
4. CrossFitters
Crossfitters are frequently looked down upon as being weak, but there are some seriously strong guys and gals who compete in the CrossFit Games every year. And it's not just strength, because there is so much versatility present in these athletes. While they can lift heavy, they can also run fast or far, or crank out hundreds of reps of a huge list of exercises.
CrossFit prides itself on producing "generalists." This term means that a CrossFitter should be able to meet and perform on any general number of tasks. They may not be the fastest runner or be able to do ultra-marathons or deadlift world-record weight or compete on the level of the elite "specialist," but they have proven it is possible to produce an athlete that is capable of being above-average (many times, highly above average) in a wide range of physical fitness applications. And this means that, on any given day, that a good Crossfitter would be able to beat most people in most activities. Therefore, the winner of the CrossFit Games would (theoretically) be able to beat the majority of athletes in a majority of things. And that's pretty cool.
5. MMA Fighters
Fighters are a special breed. You step into a cage or a ring with another guy or girl who wants to hurt you and you punch, kick, and grapple until someone wins by knockout, submission, or decision. It's tough and anyone who even gets in there to compete deserves immediate respect.
You might find it odd that I would include MMA fighters in the list of the "Strongest in the World;" however, consider what it means to be the strongest for just a moment. Hanma Baki said (paraphrasing) that the strongest is the one who is standing over someone else. In short, the strongest one is the victor in combat. Squatting 1,100 pounds and tearing a phone book in half means you have ridiculous strength, but if you are beaten into submission by another person, who is stronger? If it is this kind of strength, then it's either the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world or the top guy of the highest weight class who's the strongest.
No comments:
Post a Comment