Under Construction CityGym

VikingR caught wind that there was a brand new strength facility opening up in the Midlands and rumors had it that they was to have strongman facility's at this new establishment ..

We sent our VKR investigator "Little Sen" over to the half built facility to scope out the vibe !! He was welcomed with open arms and we will definitely be back over to bring you more information when the project is complete ...

Over to Little Sen -

Mark Clegg

Under Construction

Little Sen visits a new facility being set-up in central Worcester – the Midlands and gets an advanced viewing of what is to come at a gym hoping to stamp its mark on the strength sports and athletics scene. 

It doesn’t look like much right now, but through the eyes of anyone who was ever wanted their own little temple of iron, you can see this place oozes potential… 

With 5 years in the health and fitness scene, catering to bodybuilders and the fitness crowd Chris Robinson, owner of CityGym Worcester, has decided to expand and welcome a more sport specific crowd through his doors with the addition of a new facility in a separate warehouse next to his current set up. Chris is hoping to welcome strongmen, rugby players, Olympic lifters, cross-fitters and more to his family of iron addicts. 

The area itself, is rather modest for most gyms… but let’s not forget this is a dedicated area, he already has a huge amount of floor space with racks, benches, cable machines and all sorts upstairs… this is a dedicated area for the freaks amongst us that find climbing ropes or loading stones a fun way to while away their weekends. 

Currently there is a large van parked in the corner where I can see myself hitting a few farmers PBs in the near future; Chris assures me there will be at-least a 25 meter run kept clear for the farmers and yokes, sleds or other movement training, weather permitting and with the large warehouse shutters up… well you can go until you puke if you like. Across from the van, under the stairs up to the changing rooms and showers, a dark-warm matted corner promises heavy-bags, conditioning kit and MMA specific training, whilst next to it is an 18 square foot matted area for Olympic lifting and barbell work, whilst along from there across a huge back-wall is an area that promises cross fit style frames, climbing ropes and piles of medicine balls. A few other bits of kit I can see scattered around are some half-built competition bench’s and large power-racks. 

Now, we know I’m a pessimist, sure there is the floor space – yeah anyone can get some farmers handles and some stretches of concrete, but what has say, a rugby player got to look forward to here? 

Will I really get a better session down here, than If I trained with my barbell and rack in the back-garden? 

Chris happily reels of a list of the kit he has coming in and being fabricated: A Scrum-Machine (which I have already seen and played with) pulley systems for harness usage, tires, axles, Steel logs, Yokes, sleds, lighter atlas stones and platforms, sandbags, competition benches, 2 new power-racks, beer kegs, a car deadlift frame and a car, climbing ropes and Crossfit licensed frames and ladders…

“Oh, and have you ever seen one of these?” 

…A large piece of kit I hadn’t really noticed before… I was too busy visualising how the stone and sandbag platform might look or wondering whether I’ll get to play with a shiny steel super yoke or if it will be a standard, lighter weight, more common yoke…  

I say kit… Let me explain, I understand that this unit used to be used for metalwork and scaffolding – one piece of “kit” leftover is a rather large, industrial winch mechanism that is being scrubbed up and fitted with a new pulley (Held by owner Chris in the picture) – capable of safely handling loads of up to 250kg (or 1000kg breaking point according to the nice little certificate that came with it). This large piece of kit is being refurbished to create some sort of sadistic pulley system in which users can be harnessed into or grapple onto and used to hoist huge weights up into the air in the corner of the gym.  


Pretty cool huh! – Although I daren’t think of the Health and Safety implications of a piece of kit like that… 


think the “Severn Valley” arm-over-arm weight hoist seen in their 2007 strongman competition 
(Youtube video - http://goo.gl/OMv1U), only much, much more hardcore.

Now, all I can really think about of is how damn cool it would be to hook it up to the back of my irritating neighbour’s tiny little chavmobile that blares out music at 3am on a weekday. How satisfying that would be…. Oh, don’t worry…I’d let him get out of it first. 

Probably. 

The details: Organised groups for crossfit and MMA; the centre is accessible for anyone already a member or for single usage fees, open 9-5 on weekends and 7-10 on weekdays. The Strongman specific kit will have controlled use however on a weekend and perhaps one weekday evening.

We can expect to see CityGyms new and as of yet, unnamed little brother gym join the ranks of other top gyms in the midlands such as Leicester’s “The Warehouse Gym” who CityGym have been working with closely to help develop this new venture, as a veteran of the strength scene already, he has chosen a good partner! If we see any influence from them here, it can only be a good thing! We can also expect to see this facility as a new events venue, Chris is very keen to hold open days and get his foot in with some friendly competitions; done right this little gym looks like it has the potential to really deliver.  I can’t wait to see how it turns out over the next few weeks. 

So don your “imagination hats” and have a browse of these “under construction” photographs included throughout and cross your fingers that we might have another quality place popping up nearby. 

Contact: “Citygym Worcester” on Facebook for more information.

"DESIGNED BY STRENGTH ATHLETES 


FOR STRENGTH ATHLETES" 

VIKINGRBLOG

Report : Englands Strongest Man 105kg

I`m am very happy to introduce you to VikingR competition reporter Paul Fong who will be reporting on whats happening out and about in the Strength World ..


We sent our new reporter over to ESM 105kg to check out what unfolded ..

Mark Clegg

Good evening blog readers, my name's Paul and today I was given the opportunity to report on England's Strongest Man U105. This was actually my first ever attended competition so as you can imagine I was pretty psyched to watch how these guys battled out for that prestigious title. For months, 60 men have been whittled down to just 13. Today was a battle of the best, and what a show I was in for!







The competition began promptly within minutes of the stated start time and first up was the circus dumbbell medley. 51, 57, 67, 78 and 105kg dumbbells were to be lifted and dropped consecutively in a controlled manner to award points. Practically everyone made short work of the first three, but it was the big 78 that caused problems for a lot of the competitors. Ben Kelsey, Darren Clarke and George Winston successfully managed the lift on their first attempt, with Sebastian Iwaniak and Damien Turner requiring further attempts. With just single seconds separating the top 3, it was already proving a close competition as Ben Kelsey took the win on time. However, with only five competitors completing just the 4th dumbbell, ESM2012 was indeed going to test every fabric of strength within these incredible athletes.



​

Next up was the deceptively low big-wheel deadlift. The challenge: 300kg for reps (from what looked to be around 12 inches) within a 75 second time limit. With the majority of the competitors setting a very respectable 1-3 rep standard, Ben Kelsey stepped up to the platform and ripped out 13 huge reps. The crowd went wild, and the competition saw it's first glimpse of a potential dominating force. Many more tried, with the rep count climbing between the 5-8 range now, but still Ben looked unstoppable. As Sebastian Iwaniak approached the bar, he calmly asked what he needed for the win, and as the judge replied with 14, he confidently looked down to the bar and ripped it upwards. In very controlled and technical manner, the crowd watched as he built his way up to ten big reps but eventually ran out of time. He looked good for more, but Ben's speed snatched him the victory for a 
second event win.




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As the tractor pull was being measured, I couldn't help but notice the giant block of concrete stuck to the back of it. So as if a 1.5 ton tractor wasn't enough, the great big pile of concrete tipped it to a whopping 2 tons. And it was pulled on grass, which I can only imagine being a real pain in the arse for trying to gain that initial intertia and continuous momentum started. Alas, every competitor completed the pull in half the time limit, suggesting that these guys really meant business. Jonathon Mills flew ahead by over two and a half seconds, robbing Ben of his third win leaving him in second place. A variety of different pulling methods were used; Some used the legs, the arms, even their back! It was a wonderful sight for someone who's got an upcoming arm-over-arm in a novice comp soon...

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Next up was the sandbag loading, which definitely looked like the hardest event of the day. As James Clayton approached the sandbags, he seemed almost guaranteed to load it, but from the spectator’s view, there was a problem. As they were using the side of the stone loading platform, there was a 6” bar around 3” inwards on the platform that the competitors also had to clear. This caused so many problems, especially for the shorter athletes, and proved the downfall for over a third of the competitors. Even worse was when the athletes tried to compensate for this bar by literally flinging it over, only to have it roll off the edge! It turned out to be a very technically challenging event, but a superb performance by Darren Clarke and Daniel Cave gave them the top two spots as the only competitors to load all four. Considering these bags were 10kg over bodyweight and essentially required shouldering, the crowd definitely appreciated all of the athlete's efforts and cheered everyone on, regardless of placing.​








The penultimate event of the competition was the keg toss, and once again Ben Kelsey claimed the win after a dominative run. Followed closely by Sebastian, they were the only two competitors who managed the 6th and final keg. At 18kg and needing a height of over 14 feet, a lot of competitors found it challenging, but that didn't stop them trying! A valiant effort from Darren Clarke, Damian Turner and George Winston saw them repeatedly try it after a blisteringly fast first five, but to no such luck. Unfortunately, most athletes found themselves running 15m and back after stray kegs went under or around the bar, perhaps unexpectedly testing their cardio and stamina as well as their explosive power!


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And of course, the perfect final event to any strongman competition, the atlas stones. Just a quick note to mention how cool the loading platform was, as it was 3-4 logs laid down allowing the stones to sit in between them, very intuitive! (Well, I'd never seen one before anyway...). At a starting weight of 117kg, these stones were not for the faint hearted. Still, everyone managed at least two (135kg) and over half the competitors managed three! (160kg). Once again, when the crowd noticed how tough these guys found it, they really backed every little attempt there was. With the 4th and final stone, most competitors managed to lap it, and some even came close to loading it, but it all came down to Sebastian, Darren and Ben. Seb made the first three look easy, and loaded the 4th with confidence too, finishing in a very fast time of 35 seconds. Next, Darren was up, and while the first three went up very quickly, the 4th just wouldn't budge. As both Ben's and the competition's final turn came around, he rose to the occasion, the crowd screaming and shouting, and the 175kg stone was loaded with authority.



​

                                     Ben Kelsey Wins Englands Strongest Man U105kg !

A dominative performance grants Ben a well earned victory, with Darren Clarke and Sebastian Iwaniak following closely behind in second and third, respectively. A huge congratulations to not only our top 3, but also the top 6 who've now qualified for Britain's Strongest Man U105, and of course to the rest of the roster who put on an absolute belter of a show too. And not just only them, but also the officials, organisers and volunteers who allowed for a impeccably organised and well run competition on the day. I'm afraid to admit it but I actually missed a few good photos from writing notes, only to look up and find that a new athlete had already started! (Almost TOO organised!).

Like I said, this was my first competition and these phenomenal guys have made it an awesome day out. Depending on the organisation and smoothness of other shows, they may have indefinitely ruined all future comps for me with such high standards too! A magnificent field of athletes, officials and organisational team definitely made this a day to remember.

Final Scores were -

1st Ben Kelsey 72 pts

2nd Daz Clarke 65 pts

3rd Sebastian Iwaniak 61 pts

4th Daniel Cave 49.5 pts

5th John Rudgard 43.5 pts

6th George Winston 41 pts

7th Damien Turner 40 pts

8th James Clayton 32 pts

9th John Marsden 30.5 pts

10th Jonny Mills 30 pts

11th John Campbell 24.5 pts

12th Danny Loundon 20 pts

13th Mark Hodgson 19 pts

VikingrBlog

Designed By Strength Athletes For Strength Athletes

New Blogger Dan Ashcroft`s Story

As the VikingR Team grows bigger and bigger every week, I get really excited about what the future brings for our close nit brand ..

Orders are coming in thick and fast and to all the guys who have supported us i want to say a massive "THANK YOU" ..

Designed By Strength Athletes, For Strength Athletes !!! This is our tag line at the moment and it rings true .. This is the way we roll and products are getting better and better all the time .. The new Tshirts designs are incredible and even our packaging has been well received ..

We`re not saying we are the best brand on the planet, what sort of self important arsehole would ? BUT i put my name on the fact that everything is made with care and we think about our customers .. A high percentage of our turnover is re-invested back into strength sports too.

I`m proud of my company ..  And proud of my BLOG too !

The newest member of the Blog team is a great aspiring young Strength Athlete who has been flying up the ranks in the light weight divisions and i know carries a big passion for Strongman ..

I`m proud to present my good friend the "FLASH" Danny Ashcroft ..  As with previous new members to our team, i ask for their story .. I think its important for people to realise that our guys are not University book readers .. Our guys are out there on the Dance Floor of Strength Sports, they don`t give English lessons, they give first hand accounts  of whats going down in the real world .. 


Hope you enjoy !

Mark Clegg

As this is my first blog post for VikingR, I Would like to thank people for taking the time to read my ramblings and secondly introduce myself to those that don’t know me or haven’t had the pleasure of meeting me, yet!

My name is Danny Ashcroft, also known as Flash. The nickname came from my younger days, when I used to be quite quick and nippy. I was born in April 1987 in the grim north, Morecambe Bay to be more specific, and was raised on the belief that nothing came easy and if you want something, you work hard to get it. This belief was ingrained upon me by my working class family, especially my granddad, and its from these early days that I get my mental and physical toughness that is needed to succeed in the strength game.

I have taken a rather long route to becoming involved in the sport of strongman and heavy lifting, but I suppose the passion and desire for strongman and all things strength related was given to me from an early age. Many Saturday evenings were spent watching WWF wrestling on ITV with none other than my mum and nanna, who I’m sure were watching it for the muscular men in lycra. Many a Saturday night was spent moonsaulting off the couch onto my passed out, pissed up dad on the floor and this coupled with the ensuing submission moves I would attempt to put on him meant I was regularly sent to bed early.

However this obsession with the strength and coolness of the American wrestlers helped fuel something inside this 8 year old midget that would eventually create a complex inside me, one that led me to believe if I couldn’t be taller than the pricks that lived around me, I would be more muscular and stronger. This was cemented in me by the programme Gladiators. My favourite Gladiator on the show was Rhino, not because I had the thirst to be black, but because he was 5’7” (The height of my dad, so I knew I didn’t have much to aim for) and he was an absolute animal. Superset this with the annual family watching of WSM on new years day at my Granddads little house on the Hala estate in Lancaster (those of you who know will understand) and the quest to be strong was born. My grandad was like a dad to me and everything he said I valued and he was an avid fan of WSM so strongman would always hold a special place in my heart. My earliest memories of strongman are of Magnus Ver Magnusson and Jouko Ahola lifting rocks, so every Sunday when I walked the dogs on the beach with my mum I would try and pick up rocks like these strength heroes and run around giving it a double bicep pose if I managed to even lift the tiniest pebble.

I then went on to high school and found a particular aptitude for rugby. This would enable me to channel my “little man” complex as I was able to play the bigger boys at their own game, and beat them for speed and skill as well as strength. The years passed at school and I was getting by with everyone calling me small by just giving them a wack, which resulted in more than one visit to the head teachers office. By 14 it became apparent that speed alone wasn’t gonna help me on the rugby field, I needed muscle (please see picture below).

So I decided to join VVV gym on my aunties membership. The £5 I earnt from my increasingly uphill paper round was used to pay for this and I was off. The weights room was a tiny little room with mirrors on the side of a health club.  My favourite exercise was the smith machine bench and cable crossover, anything that made my chest bigger and encouraged the girls at school to touch my testosterone filled body. The extra attention from the woman folk made my trips to the gym more and more regular and it wasn’t long until I was purchasing muscle & fitness magazine and was reading the secrets on how to gain the “perfect 6 pack”, and big arms.

I then hit 16 and strength & conditioning became more important to my development in rugby and I was told by coaches I would have to do this thing called squat and power clean. I had no idea what this was at the time because girls were not interested in the size of quads or hamstrings, they wanted biceps and abs. BUT, I wanted to be a sportsman, and I knew nothing came easy, thanks to the constant reminder from the estates round my way and the constant ringing in my ear from my mother, so I embraced the squatting. This bought strange looks from the members of the health club as they didn’t really seem to understand what was going on, but every time I stepped out onto the pitch every week, I knew exactly what was going on, I felt the difference in speed and strength, and so did my opponents.

After a successful sixth form I progressed onto uni, and ended up at Loughborough. No for anyone that doesn’t know, this is THE place to go if your interested in size and strength. You have little or no option but to join a gym and get big coz on first arrival it seems the whole campus is full of Greek gods. It was recently described by Saint Helens and GB rugby league international John Wilkin as a place full of monsters studying a BSc in Bench Press. Coming to Loughborough as a successful rugby player at school meant nothing as everyone shared the same luxuries. So again to get anywhere, I had to work. I was selected for the rugby league team and never looked back.

Every week consisted of 4 gym sessions and 4 team sessions, so to not get fit and strong was impossible. I was instantly noticing the improvements and an obsession had taken over. I loved the gym sessions, due to my desire and short levers I was statically stronger than most of the team and I loved this. I would spend extra hours and extra sessions working on my strength and working on being THE strongest.

After 2 years I was given the opportunity to go and play rugby in Australia for a year and by now I was beginning to believe that a career as a sportsman was a distinct possibility. I worked harder than ever in the gym to get into the best shape of my life. I was now obsessed with lifting big to get big and getting the admiration of team mates and friends for the things I could lift. Squatting and bench press were staple but I was still yet to ever pull a deadlift.

I returned to England to finish my degree with every intention of returning to Australia to honour a contract I had with a team in NSW. However, during my final year, at the age of 23, I was badly knocked out 4 games in a row and it was explained to me that it be best I never play again. I was heartbroken and was totally lost for a while. I hit the booze and went a bit mental for about a month. I kept with the gym a bit, but only the occasional session when I could be bothered.

I then saw a very good friend of mine in the gym lifting a log. The large headed fella lifting the Log was Adam Bishop, or Bish to the Sugden folk. He explained to me the weightclasses in strongman, this bought back memories of my childhood and my now deceased granddad, and the decision was made within about 2 seconds, that’s what I would do, and that would be my life.

I started log pressing and deadlifting with Bish every week, and the first time I ever pulled a deadlift for 1 rep I pulled 200kg, Bish said this was a fairly decent achievement, and after plenty of nagging from him and my girlfriend it was decided I would enter my first comp and start training down at the container with JT and the crew. I immediately found the team spirit and camaraderie that I was badly missing and craving since retiring from rugby and the fire was lit. Over the last 2 years I have rarely missed a session and seen drastic improvements in all things strength related. I have put blood, sweat and hard graft into my training and I’m now starting to reap the rewards. This became most apparent with my recent 3rd place in BSM U80kg and I now want to push further, and become a nationally recognised u90kg competitor. For me this is going to mean adding bodyweight, but such is my strength background, I want to remain mobile with this. I see next year as my breakthrough year as an U90 and then the competitive instinct in me says I must go all the way.

So that’s my journey in strength, and although I’m only 25, it feels like its taken me to the highs, then lows and now I’m creeping back up there again. I hope you now understand some of my obsession with strength and the dedication it takes to get somewhere on the ladder. Thanks to Mark and VikingR, and I look forward to many more blog posts in the future.

Thanks for reading,

Danny "Flash" Ashcroft