BSM Events- Looks like a ruff contest

[Matt Schumann]

I was checking out the events for the up and coming BSM, looks like a very tuff contest...

<TABLE class=bodytext width=641 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=bigboldtext align=left>Revised Schedule for Britain’s Strongest Man by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. | ©2008 IronMind

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodytext>IronMind has received the revised schedule for the upcoming Britain’s Strongest Man contest, which will be held in Minehead June 7 - 12.

Here is the revised, official schedule, although please note that events and times are still subject to change:

http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/system/galleries/ironmind/bsm08_lg.jpg (http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/system/galleries/ironmind/bsm08_lg.jpg)
This is the latest schedule for the 2008 Britain’s Strongest Man contest, courtesy of TWI/IMG</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Jean-Charles Péronnet]

This should be nice :mag:
I'm happy to see car flip, much more visual than tire flip, and wrestling! Let's see what Terry can do on that field (I have my idea right now).

[Ian Duggan]

Wrestling?! Oh for...

So theses guys train all the lives for strength, and then somebody like Darren Saddler, probably one of the best pound for pound strongmen in the world, gets to wrestle with somebody who's carrying 100lbs more body weight?

This does nothing to promote strongman as a sport and everything to encourage the old "if Mariusz was in MMA, you you think he would beat everybody cause he is huge."

Splendid...

[Matt Schumann]

I agree 100%. Strongman is a great sport but I personally do not like seeing wrestling as an event. The contest overall looks back breaking literally! I dont think anyone will be able to walk at the end of this contest, well who ever makes it to the end lol

I hope there are vids on youtube from this contest


Wrestling?! Oh for...

So theses guys train all the lives for strength, and then somebody like Darren Saddler, probably one of the best pound for pound strongmen in the world, gets to wrestle with somebody who's carrying 100lbs more body weight?

This does nothing to promote strongman as a sport and everything to encourage the old "if Mariusz was in MMA, you you think he would beat everybody cause he is huge."

Splendid...

[Brandon R.]

I agree 100%. Strongman is a great sport but I personally do not like seeing wrestling as an event.

I sort of agree. I mean its not the best test of stength, but c'mon you have to admit that it'll be fun to watch(probably). lol

[tackle78]

I agree 100% on the wrestling. I don't think it is fun to watch either. If I wanted to watch sumo, then I would watch sumo. It is really all about leverages and has little to do with strength. Those with wrestling/judo experience would/do walk over the others. The only time I've seen one interesting is when two have no experience and just both push. But with the number of injuries from this...it should be eliminated.

[Ian Duggan]

Two years ago in UKSM they had a tug o' war. Now THAT Was dumb. One of the match ups was Terry Hollands vs Glen Ross. Oddly enough, over the time limit, neither man moved very much.

But yeah, that does look like a pretty brutal contest this year. Great field of ahtletes too.

[Barry Perkins]

isn't wrestling a sport in itself? why..why..why...would you have wrestling in a strength contest...wow..

it can only lead to injury....these guys aren't wrestlers ...geesh..i don't get it...

then..most likely...they'll have wrestling in the World's too...i bet...

[Bob Toth]

So wrestling cause more injuries then tire flips?
Do you think the wrestling is included b/c of the audience? American Gladiator-ish...

Although I realize there is a lot of technique involved, I actually like seeing 2 bulls smash into each other... those old Kaz clips were great...

[Ian Duggan]

Do you think the wrestling is included b/c of the audience? American Gladiator-ish...
TWI obviously have done a great deal for the sport of strongman, but I'm still of the opinion that they're making a TV show first and a sporting event second.

[WILL NEWLAND]

Jimmy Marku is an ex national wrestling champ so may
have a chance ?
I`m of the opinion that wrestling has no place in the finals .
:IMHO:

[James Fernandes]

Looks like Marku will beat the rest, I agree wrestling is not a strength sport and more on skill and technique, I myself would get taken down by a 140lb national champ tennage girl

then again, not all the events have to be in the favour of the strongest guys, and maybe gives a chance for people to show other skills too.

[Steven Cooper]

Does anyone know when this will be televised on channel 5 (UK)? I looked at the worldsstrongestman website but i couldnt find it.

[Ian Duggan]

then again, not all the events have to be in the favour of the strongest guys, and maybe gives a chance for people to show other skills too.
Perhaps we could call it Britain's Not Necessarily Strongest Man?

:D

Actually, I think they're are events like that already. Stones need a lot of technique, over head safe lift certainly will... in fact, very few strongman events are just raw power. The squat and deadlift would be the closest I guess.

I just don't see the point in wrestling, sumo or otherwise, in such a major strongman competition. Nationwide qualifiers, athletes coming from all across the UK. Some athletes have been focusing all year on this.

Guys like Loz who cracked a vertebrae but still finished the contest on top, or Jay Hughes who broke an already damaged foot and made it through; they're fighting through the pain and giving it their all... only to discover that if they're unlucky enough to be in the wrong heat they're going to have to wrestle... and then if they make it through to the finals, they're going to have to wrestle again.

And who decides who wrestles who? What basis? Are the winners of bouts going to have to wrestle more than once? Is there genuinely a chance of Saddler having to wrestle Hollands, which would just be silly? Hollands must have close to 150lbs on Saddler.

Of all the events they could do... [shakes head]... I just don't understand the thinking.

Unless, as I said before, you look at it as a TV show. Then you can imagine the organisers saying "right, we've got all these massive guys, what would the viewing public like to see them do? Can we have a boxing match in there somewhere? No...? Damn... OK, let's get these guys wrestling then. That'll bump the ratings up."

The most annoying thing in my mind is that aside from this, the rest of the events look great. This really does look like a terrific show, with a fantastic group of athletes all on the top of their game. But in the middle of the final... wrestling... sigh...

[Jean-Charles Péronnet]

Saddler and Marku, given their relatively small height, maybe those who have a chance against Terry, lower center of gravity, grabbing a leg etc...Those who are as tall as him but lighter may have more problems :D

[Karl Gillingham]

TWI obviously have done a great deal for the sport of strongman, but I'm still of the opinion that they're making a TV show first and a sporting event second.


Correct! 25% of the events are Barrel loading, Keg Toss and Wrestling. Events designed specifically for TV appeal. Expect that these will be in the WSM as well. Britan's always is the prelim for testing WSM events.

[Barry Perkins]

Correct! 25% of the events are Barrel loading, Keg Toss and Wrestling. Events designed specifically for TV appeal. Expect that these will be in the WSM as well. Britan's always is the prelim for testing WSM events.


yes...just watching it in Anaheim...made you realize..it was the taping of a television show...and not a sporting event...persay....

but i guess...whatever promotes the sport...works...

TWI has done alot...

[Ian Duggan]

but i guess...whatever promotes the sport...works...
Even if it makes the general public think of it as a freak show or a TV oddity rather than a sport? I'm genuinely asking, it's something I think about a lot... when I've nothing better to do, AKA when I should be studying.

I'm not really sure either way. The one thing I will say is that after last years BSM, which was in pouring rain and freezing winds on a few of the days, a few of the athletes who's posts I've read online, and a lot more of the spectators that I've heard from were unhappy at the way it was run.

Example - athletes getting warmed up for doing 1rm deadlifts and then being told to wait for 30 mins till the lighting conditions are right for the cameras is not exactly ideal, for either the spectators or the athletes.

Makes for a great TV show though...

[Josh Kamins]

I'm assuming those qualifier events are split into heats and not every athlete does all of those...? Or is it a medley when it says tire flip and X followed by tire flip and X....

[Ian Duggan]

Right first time Josh. Similar to how WSM is done I believe, so that unless you're taking meticulous notes yourself... you got no idea what's going on.