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Slater's is always looking for interesting news. If you have news and/or pictures you would like to share, please e-mail Steve at steve@slatershardware.com to submit them. Thank you
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Mark Watts Director of Strength and Conditioning at Denison University is teaming up with Strongman Dan Kindell (pictured) to promote what looks to be an awesome NAS silver level competition. If you have been wanting to try strongman this would be a great show to be held at Denison. Dan may be smaller in structure but he is large in strength. He loads a 360 stone at a bodyweight under 190. Not bad for a guy that got into strongman just under a year ago. Here is the entry form .

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The 2010 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) will maintain most of its signature events, and will once again be sponsored by Maximum Human Performance (MHP).  The ASC will also introduce several changes in an effort to improve the contest.  These changes have been made by the ASC’s organizing committee, led by Dr. Terry Todd and made up of Scotland’s David Webster, Strongman legend Bill Kazmaier, equipment manufacturer Richard Sorin, historian Dr. John Fair, and Dr. Jan Todd, former world record holder in powerlifting.

The Arnold Strongman Classic originated in 2001, when Jim Lorimer asked Terry Todd if he would design and oversee a Strongman competition for the 2002 ASC.  From the beginning, Lorimer and Todd, along with Arnold himself, wanted a Strongman contest that would be the truest test of brute strength in the world as well as exciting to watch.  Every year the ASC Committee has tweaked or even replaced certain events in order to make the overall contest better.  This year the ASC will consist of five challenges instead of the six which were used last year.  The Heavy Yoke will be dropped, and the remaining challenge will be:   


1.    The Tire Deadlift— The Tire Deadlift is done on a unique bar 14 feet long and loaded with Hummer tires.  The men can wear lifting straps, which eliminate any strain on the grip, and the bar is approximately 2” higher than a standard Olympic bar would be when loaded with either 20 kilo or 45 pound plates.  The world record on this bar is an amazing 500 kilos (1102 pounds).

2.    Manhood Stone— the Stone will weigh approximately two kilos or 4 pounds more for record-breaking purposes.  Last year the round, smooth Manhood Stone weighed 529 pounds, and was the heaviest stone of this sort ever lifted over a bar 48” high.

3.    Apollon’s Wheels—  This event has been used in each of the eight ASC contests, and the challenge has always been to lift the 166 kilo (366 pound) barbell from the floor to the shoulders and then overhead for as many complete repetitions as possible.  Last year our winner, Derek Poundstone, made a remarkable 15 complete reps with the 2” diameter bar, and so the committee decided to switch to a rising bar format in which each man will get three attempts.  The same man who designed and built our Apollon’s Wheels, Tom Lincir, has designed a way to allow the basic Wheels to be increased from 166 kilos in four 10 kilo jumps—to 176 kg (388 pounds), 186 kg (410 pounds), 196 kg (432 pounds), and finally to 206 kg (454 pounds).  Men who reach the top weight will be asked to do as many floor-to-overhead reps as they can in 90 seconds.

4.    Circus Bell—weight change.  Last year’s format will be used, but the weight of the huge, awkward implement with its 3” diameter bar will be boosted to approximately 103 kg (228 pounds).  The ASC committee believes that no event in a true Strongman contest should use a weight so light that one or more of the competitors could do 12 or more repetitions with it.  

5.    Timber Carry—major change.  For many years we have used the same massive, solid frame built out of old barn timbers and weighing approximately 875 pounds.  In the past the men were not allowed to use straps and they were required to walk up a ramp about 36’ long as fast as possible.  This year the ten giants will be allowed to use straps because the weight of the frame will be approximately 450 kg (1003 pounds)--an increase of more than 57 kilos (approximately 127 pounds) heavier.  To offset this dramatic weight increase the men will carry the Timbers on a flat platform instead of up a ramp.  Each man will be given the same 30 second time limit as has been used in the contest from the beginning.

As has been the case since the first Arnold Strongman Classic in 2002, the contest will award the greatest top prize in the sport and will feature the leading strength athletes in the world.  At this point we have commitments from Zydrunas Savickas, winner of six ASC titles from 2003 through 2008 and also winner of the 2009 Fortissimus title and the 2009 World’s Strongest Man tv contest; Derek Poundstone, winner of the ASC in 2009; Phil Pfister, winner of the World’s Strongest Man tv in 2006; Brian Siders, winner of the superheavy class in the International Powerlifting Federation and world record holder; Brian Shaw, winner of America’s Strongest Man; and Travis Ortmeyer; past winner of the WSM Super Series contest.  As usual, an invitation has been sent to Mariusz Pudzianowski, five-time WSM winner, MMA fighter, and winner of Poland’s version of Dancing with the Stars.  

 

 
In 2010, in addition to the Arnold Strongman Classic’s traditional tests of brute, total body strength, there will have a new feature for the viewing pleasure of the crowds at the Expo Center.  Called “Mighty Mitts,” this new feature will not include our Strongman competitors, but will be open to any other qualified person and will consist of four or five challenges focusing on hand and wrist strength and rewarded by up to $1000 per event.  These challenges will be sandwiched between our Strongman events as an extra attraction for fans of Strongman contests as well as of “grip feats.”  For the past two years we have issued challenges to the audience featuring the 200-plus pound Circus Dumbbell we use in the Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC), and these challenges have been so popular that we decided to create a number of truly difficult feats of hand strength as a way to provide even more excitement for the tens of thousands of people who watch the ASC every year.  
 
The challenges for the Grandmasters of Grip in 2010 will be:
 
1.     The Jowett Anvil—In the early years of the 20th century, George F. Jowett was a very prominent figure in the physical culture world as a weightlifter, a writer, a publisher, and a promoter.  One of the stunts for which he is most famous featured a large blacksmith’s anvil, said to weigh 163 pounds, which he supposedly gripped by the horn with one hand, swung up to his shoulder, caught so that the anvil was upside down in his hand, and then pressed it over his head.  He claimed to be the only man who could perform this feat, although leading strength historians are in agreement that Jowett—who was also famous for his exaggerations--never made such a lift.  Even so, Terry Todd, the creator and director of the Arnold Strongman Classic owns this anvil, which was given to him by Phyllis Jowett, George Jowett’s daughter.  That anvil, which weighs 163 pounds, will be part of the first challenge.  The anvil will be placed on the platform with its horn pointing upward, and the challenge will be to simply grasp it by the horn with one hand, deadlift it, and hold it in the air for as long as possible.  If no one can deadlift the anvil we will award the prize-money ($1000) to the man who lifts it the highest.  Only chalk will be allowed for this challenge and for all others.

2.     Sorin’s Monster—Richard Sorin, founder and owner of the Sorinex Equipment Company and himself one of the legends of hand strength, will make a huge, circus-type barbell weighing approximately 500 pounds and featuring a bar two inches in diameter.  The challenge will be to deadlift the bar, according to the rules of the International Powerlifting Federation, for as many repetitions as possible using a double-overhand (pronated) grip within 30 seconds.  The barbell will have to be returned to the platform on every rep after the referee has given the “Down” signal, and a “hook grip” will not be allowed.  If no one deadlifts the Monster no prize-money will be paid, but if more than one person makes at least one successful lift and there is a tie in the number of reps the prize-money will go to the man who pulled the bar the highest during his unsuccessful attempt.

3.     Inch by Inch—Named in honor of the English strongman and weightlifter Thomas Inch, the Inch Dumbbell weighs 172 pounds and has a handle almost 2.5” in diameter.  The bell is approximately 100 years old, and for many years very few men were able to even budge the original Inch Bell off the floor.  Once replicas of the original implement began to be manufactured, however, a number of men trained until they could deadlift one.  What’s more, in 2002, Mark Henry, who won the first Arnold Strongman Classic, became the first man to clean an Inch replica and push-press it overhead.  Also, a few men have been able to deadlift two Inch Bells and walk a short distance with them, and so the challenge at the Mighty Mitts event will be to do exactly that—to deadlift two Inch replicas and walk as far as possible without dropping either bell.

4.     The Mark Henry Bell—About three or four years ago, after Mark Henry became the first man to lift a 226-pound Millinium Dumbbell with each hand without tilting it to make the feat easier, he decided to have a dumbbell made weighing approximately 250 pounds because he thought he could lift at least that much and, if he did, the dumbbell would be a challenge to those who followed him—as Scotland’s Dinnie Stones have become a challenge for stone-lifters from around the world.  However, the machine shop that built Henry’s bell made a major miscalculation when they cut the pieces of 9” bar-stock used for “canister” weights at each end of the short bar.  The result was a dumbbell, with a handle 2.5” thick, which weighed not 250 pounds but 300 pounds, on the money.  For years we called it the “Mistake Bell.”  Even Henry was unable to lift it, but instead of having 25 pounds cut off each cylinder, he decided to leave it as it was so that it would remain as a challenge for him and for others.  Because of Henry’s travels as a professional wrestler, his injuries, and having his main residence in New York City, he hasn’t trained on the beast—which makes the Inch Dumbbell look like a baby’s rattle.  In any case, shortly after the Henry Bell was made, a small but heavy box was built for it so that it would be easier to carry, and the challenge will be to lift the bell all the way out of its box.  If more than one person succeeds, the prize-money will be split.  Although we doubt that anyone will be able raise the Texas Bell in this way in 2010, we believe that a man will come along one day who will do it and we intend to bring it to Columbus every year until someone does.

5.     The Gama Club—the Great Gama, who was part of the ancient tradition in India of “mud-pit wrestling,” did some of his training by swinging clubs.  He was perhaps the best wrestler in the world during the early years of the 20th century, and we may bring a large Indian Club of approximately 100 pounds as one of the challenges in the Mighty Mitts competition.  In the 1920s, Paul Von Boeckmann supposedly grasped an 80-pound Indian Club at the small end with both hands (like gripping a baseball bat) as it lay on the floor and then, using the strength of his wrists and hands, levered it into the air and brought it up so that he placed it across his right shoulder.  A bit later, Joe Nordquest, another powerful man during the first half of the 20th century, managed to duplicate Von Boeckmann’s feat after a terrific struggle.  We’re not certain if we’ll include this feat in 2010 as we want to be sure we have a club that is not totally impossible to lift.
The winner of each of these challenges will earn $1000 as well as lasting fame, and his name will be placed on a plaque at the Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports at the University of Texas.  During the months between future Arnold Sports Festivals, challengers will be welcome to come to Austin and attempt to match or exceed the accomplishments of our contestants in this new event.  It is not necessary for a challenger to attempt all four or five of our events, but no one will be allowed to attempt the challenges without demonstrating that he has at least a chance to succeed. 

Prior to the Arnold Strongman Classic, prospective challengers should send an email to Terry Todd at ttjt@centurytel.net stating their interest and their accomplishments.  Some people may be allowed to take part based on what they have provably done in the past, but some will be asked to meet with our officials prior to the challenges and to demonstrate their strength in particular events.  We hope these challenges bring out the true Giants of Grip from around North America and well beyond, and that the growing community of grip enthusiasts comes to Columbus to watch what should be an exciting addition to the Arnold Strongman Classic.  Jim Lorimer refers to the Arnold Sports Festival as “Strength Heaven,” and in creating these unprecedented grip challenges a new star has been added to the firmament—a star which should stimulate strong men everywhere to push back the boundaries of hand strength.  
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 Amateurs Perform Amazing Feats of Strength March 5 & 7, 2010

North American Strongman, Inc., the premiere governing body for amateur strongman athletes, will join forces with The Arnold Sports Festival to present the 2010 Arnold Amateur Strongman. The event will be held Friday, May 5 and Sunday, May 7 at The Greater Columbus Convention Center.

The competition will feature a selection of up to 50 amateur strongman athletes from around the world. Ten top amateur strongmen from the United States and Canada are expected to compete, including Texas’s Ryan Bracewell and Dan Harrison of California.

 “The Arnold Amateur Strongman will present an international selection of elite amateur competitors from the USA, Canada, Latvia, Russia, Australia, Iceland, South Africa, Lithuania, and more,” said Dione Wessels, President & CEO of North American Strongman. “We are honored to join Jim Lorimer and The Arnold Sports Festival in the presentation of this thrilling new event.”

The Arnold Amateur Strongman will not conflict with the annual Arnold Strongman Classic, which will be held at different times on Friday and Saturday. “My committee and I are in full support of this new event,” said Dr. Terry Todd, director of the Arnold Strongman Classic. “In fact, we intend to invite the winner of the event to take part in the 2011 Arnold Strongman Classic.” Wessels added, “A number of competitive events are under consideration for the competition including the Yoke Walk, a Farmer’s Carry, Atlas Stones, two overhead events, a deadlift event, and a possible 2-3 part carry and drag medley.”

Athletes will qualify for the Arnold Amateur Strongman at July’s America’s Strongest Man contest in Bangor, Maine and October’s Amateur National Championships in Lafayette, Louisiana. Additional spots will be determined in partnership with sanctioning bodies across the world.

Sponsors for the annual Arnold Strongman events include MHP and Supro. Additional sponsors are anticipated in support of the amateur event.

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These are some hard working guys as are all the local volunteers that help at the Arnold Strongman Classic.

Nathan, Brad and L-Train all worked well as a team.
Also a big Congrats to Brad for closing the # 3 Gripper.  This takes tremendous grip strength.
For more info on Grippers visit Iron Mind
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Strongmen will be Strongman
Arnold Strongman Equipment Set Up Crew cutting loose after a hard weekends work and 6 Pizzas.
Top to bottom,left to right- Corey, Tyler, Bill, Schad, Justin, Shawn, Rick, Tim, Steve(Nice Face) and Big Brad
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Great job to all the Athletes and to the Arnold Strongman Committee
The Pictures
The Results
Winner: Derek Poundstone, USA
Runner-Up: Mikhail Koklyaev, Russia
3rd: Travis Ortmeyer, USA
4th: Vidas Blekaitis, Lithuania
5th: Phil Pfister, USA
6th: Brian Siders, USA
7th: Andrus Murumets, Estonia
8th: Ervin Katona, Serbia
9th: Oleksandr Pekanov, Ukraine
10th: Dave Ostlund, USA
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Mikhail Koklyaev (Russia)
The Arnold Strongman Classic will bring out the best of the world's most elite strength athletes come March 2009.

Invited athletes for 2009 include The top USA Strongman Competitors: Derek Poundstone (Connecticut), Phil Pfister (West Virginia), Travis Ortneyer (Texas), Brian Siders (West Virginia)), and Minnesota's Dave Ostlund are invited to compete in the 2009 Arnold Strongman Classic . Top Invited European Strongman Athletes include Mariusz Pudzianowski (Poland), Mikhail Koklyaev (Russia), Andrus Murumets (Estonia), Benedikt Magnusson (Iceland), Ervin Katona (Serbia) and Oleksandr Pekanov (the Ukraine).
More Arnold News Here


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Video Here
Ok... here they are...our new Timber Farmers Walk and they have been competition tested in the Buckeye Classic.

Derek Poundstone has walked with these with 400lbs loaded and neither Derek nor the timbers showed any type of strain.

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Big Bucks checked in at Slater's Hardware today.... Still waiting on the total count for the first day of shot gun season.
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