World's Strongest Man

[Dennis]

Just glancing at Sunrise (Channel 7) in the background and heard those immortal words "the world's strongest man" so I sat down, expecting to see our very own Mike, but instead saw another Aussie bloke lifting the rear end of a Commodore 5 times during an interview with the Ch 7 team.

Go Mike, when's your comeback!:)

Cheers

Dennis

[h0ughy]

:poke:Mike!! he is lucky now to lift a packet of wetones:scared3: :scared3: now stirred the pot and he is over 500km away so i feel safe :P;)

[big_dav_2001]

One of my mates just took out 2nd in the PTC 'Raw' state finals for powerlifting a few weeks ago... I don't know exactly what weights he was lifting, but he's got muscle on top of his muscles... Lol Strongman competitions are a slightly different field, but both take a lot of hard work and dedication, that's for sure..

Davin

[technofetishism]

Strongman comps are just fun to watch. :)

[strongmanmike]

Yes, you mean THIS (https://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/watch/22894747/australia-s-strongest-man/) piece.

Have to say, I competed against a few drongoes during my time in the sport who had trouble stringing decent sentences together, I can tell you :doh: but Ben sounds like a really nice guy :)

When I was in training I had a set of handles made up that attached to a tow bar of a car so I could do the car lifting, my setup wasn't as efficient as Ben had there and made it harder to lift the vehicle, I had to tie the suspension up so I could get the wheels clear of the ground...but it was good overload training :) With a bar only slightly higher than Ben had there I was capable of a 500kg lift...oc ei laddies those were the days, those were the days :lol:

As for a come back :question: :scared:...Houghy is pretty well right.. :sadeyes:...I can still lift peoples spirits on occasion too I guess? :P...I'm just even struggling sitting in my observatory staying focused and getting mega imaging data now :lol:

Mike

[DavidTrap]

My back is aching just watching that…

Mike - how many hernia repairs have you had?

DT

[strongmanmike]

:lol: always got asked that question by spectators at comps too. Actually, I came out of nearly 10yrs of competing with no residual physical issues at all, probably because I was methodical with my overload training, carefully cycled my training intensity and didn't take steroids, which by the looks of it neither does Ben..? and if so, I wish him very well :thumbsup:

Mike

[DavidTrap]

That's quite impressive Mike!

DT

[Dennis]

Yeah, lifting the rear end of a Commodore is certainly impressive, but it can’t really compare to 20 hours on Centaurus A – now that takes real strength of character and commitment!;):)

Cheers

Dennis

[avandonk]

We used to have a storeman at Kodak who was known as 'Hydraulic Jack' as it was reputed he could 'lift' anything!


Bert

[Varangian]

Mike I've always had an interest in strength and conditioning and spent many hours doing natural kinetic movements with kettle bells, tyres etc. In your opinion how much is the ability to lift extremely heavy objects a matter for the mind rather than any particular muscle group? Have you struggled to lift particular weights in the past because your head just hasn't been in the right spot? Regards, John.

[strongmanmike]

:lol:...true, but that was well and truly broken by Kiwi Rolf...buuut, I'm gunna take him, I tell ya...I'm gunna :driving:...then again.. maybe not :question:, his 120hrs on Cen A is like Bob Beamon's long jump in 68 that smashed the record and by quite a way...it took 23 years before someone beat that :eyepop:

Mike

[LewisM]

All this MEGA DATA... sounds like chest beating.

Real men stretch the carp out of 2 hr data :) :) :) :)

[strongmanmike]

I can safely say that mind power alone can not lift big weights, it is a fallacy plain and simple and belongs in the same space as palm reading and fortune cookies :).

Having said that....state of mind is very important. Focus on the task at hand and confidence make useful assistants, especially when performing in front of 1000's of people! This is where I faltered on occasion...I let the occasion and atmosphere get to me, kind of like the time slows down/out of body experience thing I guess? It kind of makes you relax in a strange sort of way and not go all out, bit like nerves..? Here is where focus techniques can help, the ability to block out the whole situation, big occasion and screaming crowds, this is not that easy to do really but when I was able to do this I performed better :thumbsup: BUT it is progressive overload and patience that leads to lifting bigger and bigger weights, careful attention to technique and efficient movements makes the difference, especially when performing drug free and with only hard work and discipline on your side :)

Mike

[strongmanmike]

:lol:... 500kg deadlift = 120hrs on Centaurus A (approx) :thumbsup:

Mike

[el_draco]

Oh the joys of disk compression and vertebrae deformation they get to enjoy later in life... :(

[cybereye]

I once had to lift the rear end of my Daihatsu Charade (1983, 2 seater model) that an ex, who was driving, had positioned across a median strip and couldn't get it off...

...maybe I missed my calling...:question:

...or maybe not! :lol:

[strongmanmike]

Nice one :thumbsup:

Yep! it's the Italian way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnT-OMiCtr0) :D

Superhuman strength does come in handy at times...

Some years ago while still in top shape, my wife, son and I had just completed the weeks shopping at a VERY busy woollies and we were pushing the fully laden trolley back to the car...when the footpath ran out :eyepop: with car still about 50m away :doh: the way ahead was rough dried mud ruts between us and the boot, the trolley wasn't being pushed over that :question:..soooo, I looked at the full trolley, looked at my wife, she shook her head and said NO don't you dare!!...so I thought :evil: what the heck :shrug: I'm tired and cranky from all this shopping and I ain't moving the car, meah, I'll give it a go:D ...I picked up the entire trolley bear hug style and carried it complete with grunts and groans, over the rough terrain to the car :lol: all the while my son and wife walked far away from me like they didn't know me...:D when I got there and my wife was glaring at me and in true Carlton beer advert style I looked at here, shrugged and said.."What?"

Ah yes...now just pushing the lawn mower is tough :lol: :P

Mike

[LewisM]

Did the same. I might look slothish, but I got me some grunt.

Needed to move an air conditioner - the big bastiges. Had no help. Wife said "don't be a zalupa" (Russian for head of male appendage), bear hugged it,moved it 50 meters. Meanwhile, of course I dislocated myleft shoulder, which 5 years later still give me the irrits (VERY sore lately,thanks to redislocating it after moving house,including,you guessed it,moving a fridge upstairs solo and other furniture). I will have surgery on it one day - meanwhile, I just pop it back in Mel Gibson style.

[strongmanmike]

Ah not bad but, that's nuthin, when I was a young man I moved, two sheep, a bull, two horses and an elephant!

Ah sigh.."and you try and tell the young people of today that and they won't believe ya!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo) :lol: :thumbsup:

[Barrykgerdes]

Mi Mike

Are you coming to the SPSP.
I will test out your strength when I get my annual Hug!

Barry

[Barrykgerdes]

When I worked in a garage I had no bother lifting a 2 ton car 6 ft off the ground with one hand! :P;)

On the "nasty side". When we went to school (4th year 1950) the french teacher had a Renault and a crew of us used to lift it up and park it between two trees.
Later we found out this teacher was a real war hero. A pilot shot down in France who escaped back to the UK. We never crossed him again and went out of our way to protect him.

Barry

[cybereye]

Hmm, the closest I get to Franco in my youth are the tight 1980's shorts... :lol:

[strongmanmike]

Of course I will Barry…and the annual hug is one of the highlights, one Barry Gerdes will always have a soft spot in Mikes heart ;) :)