Popular strength competition will soon return to eastern Idaho
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IDAHO FALLS — Athletes from across the country will be in eastern Idaho this weekend to test their strength in unique ways.
Eastern Idaho’s Strongest, a United States Strongman (USS) sanctioned competition, is a free event that will take place on Saturday. The competition goes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fitness Supply, 2556 Heyrend Way in Idaho Falls. This is the third year of Eastern Idaho’s Strongest.
“The main goal is to get competitors to their national competition,” Stacey Preston, one of the promoters of the competition said about the event. “We have competitors from preteen age — our youngest is about 9 years old — all the way up, that will be competing. They’re going to be doing feats of strength.”
Some of the events include deadlifting a car, side-by-side and a four-wheeler (depending on the weight class) and the Hercules Hold, where the competitors hold two pillars together while weight is added.
Other events are the Stone Load Series, where athletes will load concrete balls — ranging from 100 pounds to 400 pounds — onto platforms, plus, the Sandbag Toss Series, which requires athletes to toss sandbags of various weights over a 13-foot bar.
“For the men and women, they’re going to weight range anywhere from under 132 pounds, all the way up to some of our biggest guys (who) are going to be 380 to 400 pounds,” Preston said.
Preston said the competitors are part of the USS Federation, and they compete in local shows to try and earn their way to a national spot. The top three in each weight division on Saturday will be invited to attend nationals, according to Preston.
She said from there, an athlete can become a professional strongman where they end up being compensated, and eventually, they can try to become the World’s Strongest Man.
“Our first place winners will receive a medal, … a personalized ax and a $25 gift card to one of our sponsors. Second and third (place) get medals,” she explained. “We’re doing something a little different with our stone run. They have to load four stones and the fastest male and the fastest woman each get a brand new barbell from Bishop Barbell, which is about a $300 value each.”
Preston hopes the community will not only come out and show their support by watching “regular people do crazy feats of strength” but she wants people to understand that “fitness isn’t boring.”
“I’d much rather go out and lift random stones and pull vehicles than stay in the gym doing curls,” she added.
