Are you strong? In gym class, you've probably tried push-ups. When you're young — and even when you're older — push-ups can be hard. Pushing your body weight up with just the power of your arms definitely tests your strength.
You probably know that there are many people in the world who can lift way more than just their body weight. Professional athletes and bodybuilders rely upon exceptional strength to compete at the highest level. But who's the strongest person in the world?
Is there an easy way to judge who's the strongest person in the world? How do you measure strength? If you've ever exercised in a gym or lifted weights, you know that there are many different types of weightlifting exercises that strengthen and test different muscle groups.
When searching for the world's strongest person, one might look to the winners of the various strongman competitions held all over the world. These competitions test contestants in a variety of different ways, eventually awarding a title to the overall winner who performs the best in the most events.
One such competition is called The World's Strongest Man. It is held each year around the end of the year. Competitors must earn a spot in this prestigious competition by placing in the top three at other qualifying events held throughout the year.
The winner of The World's Strongest Man usually lays claim to that informal title for the year until the following year's competition rolls around. The most recent winner is Žydrūnas Savickas, a Lithuanian power lifter.
Many experts consider Savickas one of the greatest strongman competitors of all time. He is the only modern strongman competitor to have won every major strongman competition, including The World's Strongest Man four times! Brian Shaw of the United States has also won The World's Strongest Man twice in the last few years.
Before you start lifting weights to enter the next strongman competition in your area, you might want to know what you're getting yourself into. To compete, you'll be doing a whole lot more than just lifting a few barbells. Strongman competitions can include a variety of interesting and unique feats of strength.
For example, the famous Atlas Stones event requires competitors to lift five heavy, round stones onto high platforms. Generally, the stones increase in weight, starting at around 220 pounds and increasing to over 350 pounds.
There is also usually a popular pulling event that requires competitors to pull a vehicle across a 100-foot course as quickly as possible. We're not talking about just any vehicle, though! In the past, vehicles used have included train cars, buses, airplanes, and fire trucks!
In addition to more traditional weightlifting events, such as overhead presses, squats, and dead lifts, competitors might also find themselves competing in events with titles like the Car Carry, the Hercules Hold, the Farmer's Walk, the Duck Walk, and the Log Throw.
If you're WONDERing who has lifted the most weight in history, some people claim that title goes to Paul Anderson. Anderson is believed to have lifted 6,270 pounds with his legs and back in 1957. He accomplished this amazing feat when he lifted a table with dozens of people sitting on it!
The title of world's strongest woman would likely go to Kati Luoto today. Luoto is a Finnish strength athlete who won the most recent United Strongmen Women's World Championship. She has also been named Finland's Strongest Woman seven times!