How I Challenged the World’s Strongest Man—and Failed Miserably
Who knew a 15-word sentence could impart such terror? But here I was, in the Scottish Highlands, among the whisky distilleries and rutting deer, in the company of Europe’s and the World’s Strongest Man, two Scottish brothers, about to be exposed as a weakling.
The Rise of Tom and Luke Stoltman
Since the COVID pandemic, the names of Tom and Luke Stoltman have grown, fittingly, in stature. Tom, the current World’s Strongest Man, is 6ft 8in and weighs just shy of 180 kilograms; Luke is Europe’s Strongest Man, a WSM finalist, and stands just south of 6ft 4in, weighing a shade less than 160kg. Details of the food bill will come later.
The brothers have qualified for WSM finals in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and Tom lifted the trophy in three of those, including this year. At the age of 30, Tom needs just two more titles to tie the record of the most famous strongman of all, Mariusz Pudzianowski.
Journey to Invergordon
I have come to Invergordon, a sleepy town half an hour north of the United Kingdom’s most northerly city, Inverness, to see just what it takes to get to their level: the obscene commitment, the absurd training, the mammoth weights. Just 30 miles away from Loch Ness, they know a thing or two about monsters.
The Stoltman Headquarters
Stoltman HQ is a discreet building in keeping with the town’s tranquillity. The scenery beyond, across the Highlands, is breathtaking in its color—all auburn and orange, pierced by the autumnal sun. Back towards Inverness, in Muir of Ord, the brothers own a warehouse where they train for specific strongman events—gigantic Atlas Stones and kegs for tossing, among others—but their hometown is their hub.
Luke Stoltman: A Highland Oak
“We come from a small town, and we were told, growing up, that nothing really should happen,” Luke, a former oil rig worker nicknamed the Highland Oak, says. “You’ll be a farmer, work in a fish factory, or off-shore in the oil rigs. There’s not much that happens up here. We had a different mindset to that…”
The end goal is to have everything under one roof, but, in the meantime, the Stoltmans have opened a shop at their headquarters selling merchandise. Fans from as far as New Zealand have visited the brothers, increasing their popularity.
Training with the World’s Strongest Man
We arrive at the gym, a disused warehouse on the outskirts of Invergordon, alongside a junkyard, tyres strewn everywhere, giving it every bit the strongman vibe. This afternoon, walking past the sauna and ice bath on the way in, we have the place to ourselves.
Tom is on a rest day during my visit, which means he does a weights session which most mere mortals would still fail to accomplish. Tom’s achievements – three World’s Strongest Man titles in four years – are made all the more impressive by an autism diagnosis as a child.
My Attempt at Strength
I am 6ft 5in and weigh around 105kg. I thought a bit of natural strength would be enough to carry me home and lift me out of the realms of embarrassment. I was wrong.
Luke went first, demonstrating lifts that looked easy for him but felt impossible for me. After failing miserably, the brothers kindly adjusted the weights for me, but even then, my efforts were pitiful.
The Importance of Recovery
The brothers have to shift this amount of mass almost daily, so recovery is crucial. Sports scientists and strength-and-conditioning experts play a significant role in their preparation. Tom highlights how important sleep quality is, along with cold-water plunges and custom-built beds designed to support their massive frames.
Reflection
As I drove home, I thought about how much I could have used one of those custom beds. A cheat meal, after my efforts, would not go amiss, either.