strongman

Strongman is a term used to describe a person with exceptional physical strength, capable of feats such as lifting heavy objects, pulling vehicles, or carrying unusually heavy loads. It also denotes a sport in which athletes compete in a series of events designed to test brute strength, speed, and technique under fatigue. The sport is commonly referred to as strongman or strongman competition; events emphasize static lifts, implements like logs and anvils, and moving carries.

Historically, public displays of strength date to 19th-century circuses and vaudeville. In the 20th century, organized demonstrations and training cultures grew into modern competitions. The World’s Strongest Man, established in 1977, and the Arnold Strongman Classic, established in the early 2000s, helped popularize the sport. Competitors train year-round, focusing on lifts such as the log press, deadlift, and snatch-grip variants, as well as distance carries and loading medleys.

Notable athletes include Mariusz Pudzianowski, Eddie Hall, Hafthor Bjornsson, Brian Shaw, and Žydrūnas Savickas, among others. The sport has acclimated to women's competition under strongwoman or women’s strongman formats, with parallel events and separate titles.

In addition to sports, the term strongman is also used in political and social contexts to describe leaders who consolidate power and suppress opposition.