“The requirements have to be held,” Shaw voiced to his neighborhood on social media.
Final up to date on August twenty ninth, 2024
The 2024 Strongest Man on Earth (SMoE) competitors made historical past with its record-breaking prize purse of $263,200, the most important ever provided within the sport. The champion, Mitchell Hooper, took residence $100,016.
Regardless of its success, the present wasn’t with out controversy. On Aug. 23, 2024, four-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Brian Shaw, the Shaw Traditional‘s namesake promoter, shared an in depth critique and breakdown of the competitors.
Shaw highlighted the 2 occasions that drew probably the most criticism — the overhead medley and squat carry.
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1. Axle Implement Misplacement
Within the overhead medley occasion, every athlete tried to carry a 163-kilogram log, a 170-kilogram axle, a 177-kilogram log, an 184-kilogram axle, and a 191-kilogram log in two minutes.
Nonetheless, after watching the primary 4 athletes battle, Shaw realized there had been a mix-up with the axles. The heavier 184-kilogram axle had been mistakenly positioned earlier than the lighter 170-kilogram one within the sequence.
My greatest disappointment from the competition.
After consulting all of the athletes, the implements have been rearranged within the right order, and the 4 affected athletes have been provided an opportunity to reattempt the occasion in spite of everything different rivals had accomplished their turns.
There is no such thing as a excellent resolution to one thing like this.
Taking full accountability for the oversight, Shaw acknowledged {that a} extra cautious setup might have prevented this error. He expressed his frustration, noting that logistical missteps like these can undermine an athlete’s efficiency, doubtlessly even costing them an occasion and a good shot on the title.
2. Squat Depth Requirements
The second controversy on the 2024 SMoE was Hooper’s unconventional kind through the squat carry occasion. Whereas fellow contestants relied on hip and knee flexion to execute their reps, Hooper primarily employed a hip hinge, sparking debate over the legitimacy of his approach.
Shaw clarified that earlier than the competitors, all rivals acquired an intensive clarification of the foundations, together with private demonstrations from Shaw himself on the required actions and the standards for a sound carry in every occasion.
Shaw highlighted that the SMoE staff documented every athlete’s foot place, knee angle, and bar place on their backs to determine clear benchmarks for judging the lifts.
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Shaw then defined the distinction between powerlifting and strongman squat requirements. In powerlifting, squat depth is often judged by whether or not the lifter’s hip crease descends under the highest of the knees, an ordinary that’s rigorously enforced in competitions.
- “In strongman, when you get below the equipment, your solely accountability is to take it off the rack, go from the highest to the underside, after which get again up,” Shaw defined.
Shaw underlined that every athlete adopted a novel method to leverage their power for this occasion. Whereas some maintained an upright torso to maximise glute and quad engagement, others, like Hooper, leaned ahead to leverage their again power.
Shaw revealed that every time the referees had doubts a couple of carry assembly the requirements, they totally reviewed it earlier than deciding. He asserted that each carry awarded within the competitors adhered to the established tips and was judged pretty.
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Featured picture: @shawstrength on Instagram