Why Strongman Will Not Grow in Australia

[Weak Pom]

Another reason this sport will not grow is the method that is currently employed for moving people up categories.

I have now done 4 events...EVER.

I won the 3rd event so I then HAD to go up into the Ams in this latest comp. I knew that was going to be the case before you keyboard cowboys say anything, or the muppets that say 'well you should eat more. Its a strongman event'. Yes I'm well aware of this but couldn't this sport be organised in a different way so that you don't push people out to pasture after 4 events?

I was always cognisant that I was going to move into the Ams if I won a Nov comp. But surely Rauno and myself are leagues apart? He has been doing this for the majority of his adult life and won countless titles including Estonias Strongest Man. Am I really going to be in the same ball park as him? NO.

Ok, so what do we do? Well how about having people move up after say 10 events? At least by that stage they will know whether this sport is for them and they want to take it further and maybe start taking a 'helping hand' so they can at least hold their own. Or maybe we utilse the Olympic weightlifting marking scheme where its body to weight power ratios? Maybe there is just a league for people that compete clean? The list goes on.

No before you go and say ANYTHING at least think first, engage brain and consider this for others not just yourself.

This is far from sour grapes. I thoroughly enjoy doing this, but if its only PB's I'm now able to chase I can do that in the confines of my own gym which is going away from the point of getting like minded people together and lift shit!

Is there another way of getting us like minded people together without such gapping voids between competitors? I'll await the typical responses and hope there might be some thought in others.

Scotty

[macmad]

maybe you should change your username to Whinging pom?

[Weak Pom]

Yes...as suspected here they come.

you could change yours to knuckle head or stereotypical meat head.

Why not engage brain first and write something decent?

[Hoggy]

I dont write many post on here for many reason. I had a read of your post and thought stuff it so here we go about having only 4 comps and then having to compete with the next level. Well for a start we dont have that many people competing so you grab any event anywhere just to compete,My 2nd full strongman comp was a International against the likes of Marius, Mark Felix,Dom F in Iran and I jumped at the chance I new that I was never going win but gave it a shot for the chance to test myself. The reason that strongman may not take in Aust(weetbix events here worked well was run by David Huxley) is more to do with lack of good sponsors and lies and people thinking they are a lot better than they really are. I havent been doing strongman for that long and Im sort of glad that Im old because of all of the tall poppy syndrome as well as about 3-4 people tell people that they are Aust Strongest Man and it shits me to tears thats another reason how can people take the sport seriously. People coming to events and giving up or pulling out because they maybe not win, lots of people talk the take not many walk the walk. Im not having ago at you but If you want to win every event that you go in you may need to start your own Fed, the best way to get better is to learn from the best.

[macmad]

OK, this is not America, not everyone gets a prize.
Think of things from the promoters and crowds viewpoint for a change instead of your own.
Most comp's should only have 2 classes, Light and Heavy. with light designated by whatever the promoter feels will split the field evenly.
I personally would much rather come 6th or even last if it was a strong field than win or place for being included in a nice easy novice division.

[madmik]

With 10 years in strongman and highland games, I have competed against some of the best in the world. What your saying Scott is true, who wants to compete to lose, but why not use each event as a building block to go further in the sport. I understand the amateur class is to give people a go but why would you have a weight class, once you have the techinque and strength, why not compete at each event as if it were your last. In my opinion, strongman and highland games is about challenging yourself to throw further, lift heavier and to take yourself out of your comfort zone while having fun doing it. Strongman and highland games is a novelty sport in the southern hemisphere. If you enter a highland games in Scotland or NZ, you throw with whoever shows up, and when I first started strongman this was the way as well.
Strongman is not for everyone and I think it has become a fad.

Thanks

Mick Cottrell

[strongman promotions]

so here we go again ...
Jeez Scott , being given an opportunity to step up to Amateur was a compliment to your performance , and the impression that you could cut it in the bigger lads division .
And I wonder if you would be ranting again if you walked away with a spot other than 4th .
Would you rather step down to the Novice boys just so you can get first place ????

Seriously guys , the amount of whinging and bitching is getting so predictable that its boring .
If you dont like the way we run things , dont compete . If you dont like the weights in the events , then dont enter.
I would rather give my time and effort to helping out those that want to pursue strongman competitions , regardless of if they are a top competitor or a complete green novice .
I am not going anywhere ,I will continue to keep running comps no matter how petty you guys get
If you think that you are so hard done by , then seriously dont take up the spots of those that WANT to be there .

Jane

[Weak Pom]

Now the last three responses (other than Jane/Pete who miss the point) are more like it. I agree guys. Truly I do. I'm just saying that when the disparity between competitors is so vast it can have a negative effect on the crowd and more importantly the other competitors. If you look at the video poor old Dan Spooner, George and Rauno are getting cold by the time it takes me to complete some of the events. It was great to have a go against the big boys and AS I SAID I wasn't doing this to win. I wasn't doing it to win the last 2 times either (Jane/Pete). So no there is no bitching. Step out of the subjective (again - this isn't directed at you) and see what else could be done to get more competitor there that are more equal.

And to be fair I wasn't taking up anyones spot. I earned it. I enjoyed ANOTHER very well run comp. I'm simply asking is there a better/another way of running these comps?

[mattjackson]

Weak Pom
I hear what you are saying and I do agree - it is very difficult once you have had a few comps as you are "encouraged " out of the novices and into the am's -
My first comp was at Lismore and I came a resounding last as I was against 8 guys twice my size in many cases ( but didn't come last in every event- so well proud)
It would be nice to have guys find their feet and be able to practise in comps but we don't have the people - your lucky sometimes to get enough to have two divisions -plently say their gonna turn up then don't.
I have competed in 4 comps and refereed two and it's always a struggle to balance the needs of the althletes and trying to entertain a paying crowd ( small as they are) -
We just don't have the population density here to sustain a growing sport - I think it's a surging thing- 2 steps forward, then one back , people come and go and theirs no money, little sponsorship and very little real media interest in it.

Good luck with your competing- maybe travle and compete in the different states for more fun and experience
soory there is no real solution but I do hear you and have been there - you are not whinging ( us Pom's have to stick together)

All the best

Rage

[Weak Pom]

Thanks Rage. You and some other realise that I'm certainly far from whinging. Just asking about other methods...if there are any.
I think your right, just too few people to make other ways of doing it easy.

I'll take your advice though, and try other states.

All the best.

Scotty

[theazz]

Gentlemen...

I agree with what Weak Pom is saying to a point...
I am only just starting the sport and have been lucky enough to start training with joel...
I dont understand much about the different feds in Aus.... I dont even know how many factions there are.
All i know is I'm in the sport for two reasons; to challenge myself and to lift heavy sh**
it doesnt matter what division you are in, nor what class, as long as you can get in and move large bits of metal it doesn't matter if you win or lose, its all about the sport..

I have the opinion it doesnt matter what PL fed you lift in, what strongman class you have to compete in, or even if you are an Oly lifter, competitors in strength sports need to stand up for each other and leave the petty crap for the playground down the road...

complaining is a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it wont get you anywhere...

Lets all do what we can to build the sport in Aus

[Marc]

I personally would much rather come 6th or even last if it was a strong field than win or place for being included in a nice easy novice division.

This....

[ironage]

For me, I love the training. The competitions are a place where I can exercise my demons, as it were, and I certainly enjoy them, but they're not really my focus. I also really enjoy competing in highland games. Talk about toiling in obscurity! The only return on that investment is the friendship and respect of my fellow throwers, and I get to wear a kilt, which my wife loves, but I digress...If your only concern is the destination then a journey as demanding as this one may prove too much for many to endure. That's why I feel it's important to make sure you're enjoying the journey. Take joy and fuel from the little things. At our gym, the stones are by the door, and I love that WD-40 and tacky smell right when I walk in. I love picking fun at the powerlifters as they cover themselves in Blue Heat before every training session. I love every PR, mine or others, no matter how small. I love hanging out with the guys after training days and competitions. I take the time to enjoy the little things, and that's what keeps me going.
__________________
This is a quote from Andy Vincent on a similar discussion in the states . It is not just the Aussie scene that has complaints about comps and qualifications. Although I may be taking a long bow in comparisons I thought Andy's comments typify what a pure athlete is all about. If everyone had these reasons for doing the sport how harmonious life would be.

John

[Luke Reynolds]

Jeremy, mick, and macmad- all good posts.

i'm not going to repeat what those fellas have already said, but-

the measure of your victories can be judged by the quality of your opponents.

[Weak Pom]

John and Luke, both fair comments.

I love it just the same as you, that's why I went. I'm still not sure people are getting the point though. I'm far from bitching or whinging and if you still think that you need to see someone! I'm on about a method by which we can get more people involved or close the gap between competitors? As I said on the original thread I'm not doing this for prizes, its about everything John just said. Pete has put on some great comps and I have enjoyed all of them. That wasn't the point.

It was a conversation point about whether there is a better way of getting the categories a bit closer so that there isn't this monstrous gap between competitors in the same division. Yes you learn and take pride in going against people like Rauno, but there wasn't a 'competition' between us and I'm wondering whether there should be? Should there be a handicap system? Should there be a power to weight calculation? I know that I get pushed doing these comps against these massive blokes, but who pushes Rauno in them? Maybe if there was a handicap system in place (and I have no ideas guys - that was the purpose of putting this out there) then not only would I be trying my hardest, but he would have to too.

This is a great sport. There are loads of awesome people in it. I would just like to see more involvement and closer comps.

Scotty