If you are a fan of strongman-style competitions, you will be in for a treat when the inaugural Stronglikecaveman contest debuts this fall.
Inaugural Invitational
The invitational will be held at True Strength Inc. in Paradise, NL, from November 29th to December 1st. The contest will include six to eight events, including sponsored cash prizes for the top three men and women.
Kyle Mahoney, a strength trainer and fellow strongman athlete, organized the event. He said he always wanted to host a free event for local athletes so they would feel they were part of something special.
“My goal for the Stronglikecaveman Invitational is for all the athletes to walk away feeling like professionals,” said Mahoney. “Like they participated in something big. I want them to walk away talking about it for years.”
Mahoney’s inspiration for the contest in Newfoundland came from his positive experience qualifying for and participating in the UKNS Natural Worlds in Scotland last year.
Strongman From Inception
Mahoney said he had been strength training since 2014 and immediately implemented strongman-style movements with various carries and overhead work.
“I focused mainly on the big three (squat, bench, and deadlift) paired with typical bodybuilding-style training. Around 2017, I took Strongman a little more seriously and did my first competition in 2019.”
Intense Preparation
A typical training session in preparation for a strongman competition is not easy. It lasts two to three hours, depending on the intensity and set-up.
Mahoney said some strongman events require a lot of set-ups to train, so these sessions are usually a little longer and take place on the weekends, whereas an average pressing session is generally done in 1.5-2 hours.
Local Challenges
One of the biggest challenges in organizing a strongman event is building the sport in Newfoundland and Labrador, which is still relatively new.
“Strongman/Strongwoman is a very new sport to our province; it has been off and on for quite some time, but only in the past five to six years has it been organized to this capacity,” said Mahoney. “There are only a handful of places where you can train in NL, so recruiting new athletes across the province has been challenging.”
Training the Right Way
Mahoney said one of the most critical aspects of managing the physical strain and risk of injury inherent in strong-man competitions falls on rest, diet and a proper training program. Other factors, such as balancing your training regimen with different aspects of your life, are also important.
Advice for Novice Strongmen and Women
If there is one piece of advice he would give to athletes interested in training for a strongman competition, it is to build a decent strength training base in squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and overhead press exercises.
“You don’t need to hit certain numbers, but learn the movements so you can train them safely at higher loads when the time comes,” said Mahoney.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help; our community is super welcoming and supportive of all experience levels.”
Competition Helps Improve Goals
Mahoney also said that it is essential to have fun and not always worry about winning every competition.
“Everybody likes to win, but you can’t win them all. From my own experience, I just enjoyed getting stronger, beating my previous numbers, and having some fun. I don’t put as much pressure on myself now as I did when I first started. Now, I enjoy meeting new people, helping new athletes, and just putting on a show for the crowd.”
He said building a solid base for strongman-style competitions in Newfoundland and Labrador fits in with our ancestral tough-as-nails reputation.
Newfoundlanders Understand Hard Work
“I’ve always said Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are some of the earth's toughest and strongest people. We live in one of the harshest climates, and the bulk of the population works in trades, the fishery and farming,” said Mahoney. “We have always relied on a strong back and unmatched resilience and toughness. I am proud to participate in a sport that pays homage to our province's strength, camaraderie and toughness.”
How to Qualify
Athletes interested in qualifying for the Stronglikecaveman Invitational can start by qualifying online via Instagram @stronglikecavemaninvitational, where the top 10 men and women receive invites. Athletes also receive invites via placings in local contests, such as this past month's WHEA Nationals on July 6th and NL’s Strongest 2024 contest on August 10th.
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