The Strongest Man on Earth Reveals the Best Exercises for Testing Pure Strength
In a recent YouTube video, Mitchell Hooper, the reigning Strongest Man on Earth, broke down four categories of exercises for measuring pure strength. As a well-educated athlete with a kinesiology degree and plenty of practical experience pushing, pulling, and moving heavy objects, Hooper is perhaps the top expert in his field.
Criteria for Evaluating Exercises
Before diving into which exercises earned Hooper’s stamp of approval, let’s take a look at how he determined the best from the rest. Here’s an overview of the criteria he used to evaluate which exercise should determine the strongest human:
- Leverages can’t play a major role
- Must be a full-body test of strength
- Must be on easily standardized pieces of equipment
- Must be for 1-rep max
- Must test strength, not power
- It cannot be manipulated to gain an advantage
Nonsense
The aptly-named "nonsense" category includes a few movements that should be familiar to strongman fans:
- Front hold: Hooper highlighted how easily you can cheat on this exercise.
- Wrecking ball hold: Despite being a former world record holder in this exercise, Hooper has a "personal vendetta" against it, noting that it’s not a strength exercise at all.
- Dinnie Stone carry: Hooper believes it’s a test of your pain threshold rather than actual strength.
- Isolation exercises: Hooper believes these exercises, such as biceps curls, leg extensions, and calf raises, do not test pure strength.
Bronze
Better but certainly not the best, the bronze category features the following four exercises:
- Throw for Height
- Push Press/Jerk/Split Jerk
- Sandbag Carry
- Hercules Hold
Why didn’t throws for height earn silver or gold status? Hooper highlighted how taller athletes have a "calculated advantage" due to their build.
Silver
Unsurprisingly, the runner-up category consists of three exercises Hooper and his fellow strongmen routinely perform in training and competitions:
- Farmer’s Carry: Hooper praised this exercise, saying it tests your ability to move, your grip, and your core strength.
- Atlas Stones: Hooper explained that this exercise tests your ability to pick it off the ground as a deadlift, squeeze with your chest, front squat, and hip thrust.
Gold
Now, onto the cream of the strength-testing crop. Hooper’s golden trio consists of:
- Log Press: Hooper noted that this exercise combines a deadlift and squat while also challenging your upper-body strength.
- Deadlift with Straps: Hooper believes grip should not be a limiting factor when testing total body strength.
- Squat: Hooper believes that the squat is the best exercise for testing pure strength, as it’s very heavy, uses your full body, and leverages aren’t as important.
Conclusion
Well, it couldn’t be more clear than that. Hooper’s criteria for evaluating exercises and his ranking of the best exercises for testing pure strength provide valuable insights for athletes and strength enthusiasts alike.
FAQs
Q: What is the most important factor to consider when evaluating exercises?
A: According to Hooper, the most important factor is that the exercise does not provide any major advantages based on leverage.
Q: Why did Hooper rank the squat as the best exercise for testing pure strength?
A: Hooper believes that the squat is the best exercise for testing pure strength because it’s very heavy, uses your full body, and leverages aren’t as important.
Q: What is the difference between the silver and gold categories?
A: The silver category includes exercises that are good tests of strength but may have some limitations or drawbacks, while the gold category includes exercises that are the best tests of pure strength and meet all of Hooper’s criteria.
