Two-time World’s Strongest Man Tom Stoltman and his older brother Luke Stoltman are both in the final stages of their preparations for the 2023 World’s Strongest Man contest, to be held the week of Apr. 19-23, 2023 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
The Stoltman brothers have been sharing portions of their contest prep with their followers, including a recent event-focused training session that was published their YouTube channel on Apr. 3, 2023.
The title of the video is “Our Best Session Yet,” indicating that they deemed the training to be productive. The massive training included the log press, circus dumbbell press, Fingal’s Fingers, a pulling phase designed to simulate the Truck Pull, and Atlas stones. All of these lifts are events that will be a part of the prestigious strongman contest in South Carolina.
Log Press
The strongmen started by replicating a Log Press ladder, adding weight with each successful rep. Luke Stoltman lifted first and performed five individual reps with weights ranging from 140 to 180 kilograms (310 to 397 pounds) in 10-kilogram jumps performed with nearly no rest between each repetition.
Tom followed after, but he didn’t lock out the 180-kilogram lift. Their younger brother, Harry, also trained with them using lighter weights. Both Stoltmans completed a second set with the same weights, where Tom was able to successfully complete the heaviest lift.
After the set, Tom reflected on his performance while breathing heavily, “I knew the first one was there, I just didn’t put enough chalk on it. So, you can see the power’s there and that’s nice. It’s good to do it on the second round, as well. That’s how fatigue will be at World’s [Strongest Man].
Circus Dumbbell Press
They moved on to Circus dumbbell press next. Weights weren’t revealed on the screen, but Tom Stoltman told the camera that he performed two presses with 120 kilograms (242 pounds) for two, which he was proud of considering he did the log work before.
“My shoulder power’s feeling very good right now, so, I just need to keep it up.” Tom said, referring to his PR on the dumbbell press.
Fingal’s Finger
The third event of the day was with their custom Fingal’s Finger apparatus, which Luke said they did “nice and comfortable for a couple of sets.” Each athlete donned gripper gloves, not unlike what an American football wide receiver might wear, to assist their performance in the unconventional overhead movement.
Simulated Truck Pull
The fourth event was scheduled to be a Truck Pull, but it was raining in their area. So, they loaded up a sled with a combination of a 125-kilogram (275-pound) keg, 180-kilogram (397-pound) sandbag, one of the brothers weighing “almost 200-kilos” (440-pound), plus additional undisclosed weights would sit on top while the other pulled. Each Stoltman pulled twice across their building for an undetermined total distance.
Atlas Stones
The final training event was the Atlas stones. Both men lifted a 160-kilogram (352-pound) stone up and over a wooden bar setup for reps, simulating a Stone Off event. Tom can be seen doing nine, while Luke is shown on camera doing six reps.
Tom Stoltman is looking to add a third WSM trophy to his mantle while Luke will be competing for his first title. If Luke were to win the contest, he and Tom would be the first brothers to have both been the World’s Strongest Man. If Tom does “three-peat,” he would be the seventh champion to attain the title at least three time in the contest’s 46-year history.
Featured Image: Stoltman Brothers / YouTube
