Start Here: Your First Strongman Comp

My first competition was Stone City Showdown II, in May 2023. I showed up with no team, no budget, and no idea what a comp day actually felt like. Fourteen competitions later, I’m still learning — but the basics that would have saved me stress at comp number one are all on this page. If you’re a new athlete staring at your first platform, start here.

Before — Pick It and Train for It

• Pick your comp and your class. Choose a show, know which weight class you’re entering, and put the date on the calendar. A date makes training real.
• Train the actual events. A comp is not a gym PR day. If the show has a log, an axle, a yoke, or sandbags, your hands need to be on those implements before comp day — not for the first time on it.
• Know the rules. Every show posts its rules and event standards. Read them twice. What gear is legal, how the events are judged, what gets you a zero — it’s all in there.
• Register early. Spots fill, early registration is usually cheaper, and once your name is on the list you train like it.

Weigh-In Day

• Weigh-ins are in kilos, with no clothing allowance. The number on the scale is the number — plan your class around that, not around what your bathroom scale at home says in pounds.
• Bring your ID. You’ll need it to check in.
• Eat after you weigh in. Once the number is official, the job flips: eat, hydrate, and sleep. Comp day is won by whoever recovers best from weigh-ins.

The Comp Day Kit

• Chalk
• Belt
• Straps or figure-8s — where the event rules allow them
• Sleeves
• Snacks, water, and electrolytes — more than you think you’ll need
• A spare shirt
• Phone charger — comp days run long

On the Floor

• Warm up early. Your name gets called whether you’re ready or not.
• Listen for your name. Stay close enough to the platform to hear the order and the calls.
• One event at a time. The last event is finished, good or bad. The next one is the only one that exists.
• No sumo on the deadlift unless the rules say so. Check the event rules for your show before you build your whole prep around a stance that isn’t legal there.

After

• Thank the judges and the loaders. They volunteer their day so you can have yours. Be the athlete they remember for the right reason.
• Write down every result. Every event, every weight, every rep. The log is how you get better — it’s the difference between “that comp went okay” and knowing exactly what to train next.
• Then pick the next one. One comp makes you a competitor. The second one makes it a career.