SALEM, Va. – Athletes will travel from all over the country to compete in Strongman National Championship. The competition will be held at the Salem Civic Center on Oct. 15 and 16.
Bryan Beaune from Michigan and Tommy Burns from California will compete in six different events this weekend. The competition will be split up into two days and they will compete in three events each day. These events include the max log press, the sandbag toss, wheelbarrow race, and axel clean and press, and more.
There are different weight class competitions for men and women. Anyone is invited to come out and watch the athletes and they want you to know that this is a family-friendly event.
“There is a family environment. Everybody is loving on each other, and it is just great fun competition. There is no better place to bring your kid. My son was raised in it. He did his first Strongman competition when he was 14. The environment and the people are amazing,” said Bryan Beaune.
Beaune said he is most excited to see his one friend compete in the log press and see how much weight he can handle. At the competition, athletes will be testing their strength, but they will also be building relationships.
Athletes said they love to compete, but they enjoy the community that the sport creates more. They said the support system that the other athletes provide is like nothing else they have ever experienced.
At the competitions, you will see athletes cheering each other on and giving tips on how to be better.
“It is not just about this meathead jock type of energy feel. It is literally about competition and collaboration at the same time. I have never experienced this anywhere else except in the sport of strong man and that competition,” said Tommy Burns.
Tommy said the national competition is like the super bowl of the sport, but there are other events for anyone at any weight class.
If you want to get involved or start testing your strength, most strongman gyms have days that are open to new athletes. In our area, The Noke Training Center in Salem has equipment for strongman/strongwoman competitors from novice to pro including enough space to do all moving events indoors.