LW Pros

[Garrick Daft]

Anyone know the bodyweight of the lightest athlete to become a LW Pro and also the heaviest (which might obviously be 231, but never know).
Also a list of all the LW Pros and their bodyweights would be interesting to know.
Just curious that is all.

[rickfreitag]

I think there might be a multiple way tie for the heaviest. I try to keep my BW under 248 at night within weeks of a contest to be sure I can make weight. That puts my morning weight around 242-243. That's means dropping 12-13 lbs to make weight.

I know the Barabas cuts weight. So does Reynolds and Moore. Not sure on others.

[barabas47]

I know the Barabas cuts weight. So does Reynolds and Moore. Not sure on others.

cutting weight is an understatement. I wish we all had it as easy as Justin Blake. He could weigh in holding a 45# plate and still be under.

On reason why host hotels with a sauna is a great idea. Or a really hot shower

[Eric Todd]

238# this morning
ET

[Ryan Brown]

I would guess the lightest ever was Cam Gardner. I think he was about 200 lbs.

Kevin Nowack and Justin Blake are also fairly light I think--212-217 type range I think.

Most of the others I suspect are right around 231 at weigh-in and most of those probably have to cut a few lbs.

[Eric Todd]

YEah, Cam won the 200# class and the overall LW National championship in 2003, thus making him the first LW pro.
ET

[Adam Keep]

I am now normally 228, but am dropping a little more to try and do a little better on my PT test. In the AF your waist measurement is worth 30 out of 100 points and I only get 22 for a 35in. waist. I still max out the pushup and situp portions and run the mile and a half in 11 min or less so I do well, but I want to get better. For a list of the weights of the other guys I would just go to americanstrongman.org, but there are plenty of guys that don't have their profile on there or it doesn't show accurate weights.

[Billy Wolt]

I am now normally 228, but am dropping a little more to try and do a little better on my PT test. In the AF your waist measurement is worth 30 out of 100 points and I only get 22 for a 35in. waist. I still max out the pushup and situp portions and run the mile and a half in 11 min or less so I do well, but I want to get better. For a list of the weights of the other guys I would just go to americanstrongman.org, but there are plenty of guys that don't have their profile on there or it doesn't show accurate weights.


i didn't know waist measurment was a good indicator of physical fitness.

[Adam Keep]

i didn't know waist measurment was a good indicator of physical fitness.

Haha! It really isn't, but it is a good indicator of whether or not you look good in uniform. If the AF has pride in anything it is pride in the uniform and our policies are strict. As long as you have some sort of a V taper you will look decent in the uniform, but it does still count on the test so I am trying to drop to a 32 so I can get full or close to full points in that section. It is the only thing holding me back from getting an "excellent" on my test. There really isn't any thing extra for getting an excellent, but the AF core values are "integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do" and I would be a crapass airman if I didn't at least try to get better.

[benjamin d. moore]

265 or below in the off season. 250 or below in season. Most I've cut is 23

[Justin Blake]

it aint easy being this big

vegas nats stone pic (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/viewPhoto?uname=northamericanstrongman&aid=5140390094193139617&iid=5140390588114379234)

[Garrick Daft]

Ok thanks for the replies, so I guess from 200-231 ;)

I was talking with Freitag last Saturday and was thinking it would be cool for a LW pro to get a wildcard invite to WSM, see how they can compete in that contest being that the weights aren't much heavier then what you guys see.
Rick was repping a 370 like nothing with a strained knee on saturday. Part of what me think about it before was Jeff Peterson's performance in the HW category earlier this year, and he was at a LW bodyweight I think.

Any reason why LW pros don't get invited to compete in WSM or SS events?

[Jonathan Macfarlane]

Ok thanks for the replies, so I guess from 200-231 ;)

I was talking with Freitag last Saturday and was thinking it would be cool for a LW pro to get a wildcard invite to WSM, see how they can compete in that contest being that the weights aren't much heavier then what you guys see.
Rick was repping a 370 like nothing with a strained knee on saturday. Part of what me think about it before was Jeff Peterson's performance in the HW category earlier this year, and he was at a LW bodyweight I think.

Any reason why LW pros don't get invited to compete in WSM or SS events?


I'd take Darren Sadler as a LW, alot of the time he was weighing in at 242lbs or so, pretty much a standard weight for a dieting down LW.

[Justin Blake]

Ok thanks for the replies, so I guess from 200-231 ;)

I was talking with Freitag last Saturday and was thinking it would be cool for a LW pro to get a wildcard invite to WSM, see how they can compete in that contest being that the weights aren't much heavier then what you guys see.
Rick was repping a 370 like nothing with a strained knee on saturday. Part of what me think about it before was Jeff Peterson's performance in the HW category earlier this year, and he was at a LW bodyweight I think.

Any reason why LW pros don't get invited to compete in WSM or SS events?

Jeff competed out here in michigan back in february as a HW and he looked closer to 260 than 230. He was definitely and impressive athlete though

[Garrick Daft]

Jeff competed out here in michigan back in february as a HW and he looked closer to 260 than 230. He was definitely and impressive athlete though
Oh didn't know that, I thought someone told me he was really close to 231 bodyweight.

I meant that they should invite an American LW and bill them as a LW pro. It would bring more exposure to the LW division I think. I just think it would be cool to see LWs in the WSM mixing it up with the HW.

Maybe the US champ gets an invite to WSM? I don't know, I just know that the LW numbers are not too far off from HW in some instances and it would be fun to see a perceived underdog go at it with the best.

just conversating, no offense to anyone hopefully.

[Tom Mutaffis]

it aint easy being this big

vegas nats stone pic (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/viewPhoto?uname=northamericanstrongman&aid=5140390094193139617&iid=5140390588114379234)

Haha, you look like Frank Zane in that picture...

Anyone out there know why the guy who dominates in LW Worlds doesn't jump into WSM / SS or IFSA HW contests? Looked at some previous results and a couple years ago Sadler was 3rd or 4th behind him and Yanni (believe that's his name) won every single event, some by a good margin.

[Matt Reynolds]

Im similar to Ben. I weigh 265-270 in the offseason and around 250 in season and cut to 231 in about 2 days.

But I might be the worst LW pro in America. lol

[Adam Keep]

Oh didn't know that, I thought someone told me he was really close to 231 bodyweight.

I meant that they should invite an American LW and bill them as a LW pro. It would bring more exposure to the LW division I think. I just think it would be cool to see LWs in the WSM mixing it up with the HW.

Maybe the US champ gets an invite to WSM? I don't know, I just know that the LW numbers are not too far off from HW in some instances and it would be fun to see a perceived underdog go at it with the best.

just conversating, no offense to anyone hopefully.

It would be cool to see the top LW in the world go. I bet Janne Hartikainen could do very well in the HW division. He placed 3rd in the Finnish championships this year and they have some of the best heavies in the world.

[rickfreitag]

Great topic! Particular LW's would do very well, especially on certain events. I can only speak for Americans, Saddler, and Anderson because I've competed against them. Spy is great on medleys and farmers, tire, conan's and would likely hold his own on some pressing events. Saddler is the real deal all the way around the block. We've seen that in his recent performances, though I've read he's heavier now, more towards 260-270, but that could be mis-information. Anderson is very impressive also and I believe would hold his own. I believe if Porter comes back strong he could hang with them also. It would be interesting that is for sure.

[barabas47]

Blake,
you look so lean. Obviously not going with the Spy approach is seeing those abs. All i need to do is to get you to shave your legs and you can be a mini Barabas, just no where near the "hotness"

[Garrick Daft]

Great topic! Particular LW's would do very well, especially on certain events. I can only speak for Americans, Saddler, and Anderson because I've competed against them. Spy is great on medleys and farmers, tire, conan's and would likely hold his own on some pressing events. Saddler is the real deal all the way around the block. We've seen that in his recent performances, though I've read he's heavier now, more towards 260-270, but that could be mis-information. Anderson is very impressive also and I believe would hold his own. I believe if Porter comes back strong he could hang with them also. It would be interesting that is for sure.
Maybe there could be like a LW Super Series contest, top 3 or 4 get invited to the WSM Heats. Invite the best from around the world. I agree Rick that those athletes you mentioned would do well. I think Jeff Peterson would do well also. Nick McKinless from the UK also. Don't know much about any other foreign LW competitors. Be great to see that happen, oh well, maybe in the future.

[Scott Porter]

I'm sitting at 245 right now without legs or event training for the past 4 months due to my knee surgery. I believe I have the frame to pack on more weight, especially once I can train heavy again on legs and do strongman events. I'll have to see if that will actually help my strongman though.

It's hard to speculate how the LW Pro's would fair against the HW's. It really depends on events and weight selection. The stronger LW Pro's who can pack on some more bodyweight and keep their speed would do well. Spybrook, Peterson (HW Pro now), Kirk Nowack, Freitag are my selections....and I'd include myself if and when I'm healthy. :D

I know I would have placed high (if healthy and competing) in the 265's and overall at NAS HW Nationals this year because the show was on the lighter side. Yoke and farmers are my top two events, tire and stones are pretty good for me as well, but they were more like speed events.

To give you an idea, other than stones and press, I can hang pound for pound on the events with Ryan Bakke who just placed 3rd overall at HW Nationals. Of course, if you make it a max log or heavy press he will just make me look downright silly.

[Chris Hickson]

it aint easy being this big

vegas nats stone pic (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/viewPhoto?uname=northamericanstrongman&aid=5140390094193139617&iid=5140390588114379234)
how big da stone??