Research Impact: Humans have always been fascinated by individuals who perform extraordinary feats of strength, and consequently intrigued by what makes these individuals so strong. In this study we measured the strength/power (isometric mid-thigh pull [IMTP], countermovement jump [CMJ]) of a uniquely strong individual (World’s Strongman Man [WSM] and deadlift champion), comparing their strength/power values to the existing literature. We also measured using magnetic resonance imaging the muscle volume of 22 lower limb muscles, and patella tendon cross sectional area (CSA) and moment arm, comparing the WSM values to those previously measured by our lab: untrained (n=11-102), long term resistance trained (n=16), sub-elite sprinters (n=26) and elite sprinters (n=5). It was found that the WSM produced the highest IMTP (gross [+54%] and net [+100%]) force and CMJ (+164%) power values ever reported in the literature. The WSM’s overall lower body musculature was greater than untrained controls, long term trained, sub elite and elite sprinters (+32 to +96%), with some interesting differences in the individual muscles that stabilise the hip, i.e., 2.5-3.0 times greater gracilis, semitendinosus and sartorius for WSM vs. untrained controls. Finally, it was found that although WSM had 2-fold greater total quadricep muscle volume when compared to untrained controls; however there wasn’t a proportional difference in patella tendon size when compared i.e., +30% greater for WSM vs. untrained controls.
Balshaw, T.G., Massey, G.J., Miller, R., McDermott, E.J., Maden-Wilkinson, T., and Folland, J.P., 2024. Muscle and tendon morphology of a world strongman and deadlift champion. Journal of Applied Physiology. DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00342.2024.
journals.physiology.org/…/japplphysiol.00342.2024
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