When people hear the title World’s Strongest Man, they assume it means exactly what it says — that the winner is the single strongest human on the planet. But is that really true?
It’s a question I’ve been asked countless times, and recently I had a long conversation with Dr. Mike about it. The reality is, strength isn’t one simple thing. It’s far more nuanced than just moving the most weight in one lift.
What Do We Mean by “Strength”?
To explain this, I like to use a childhood analogy. Like a lot of kids, I went through a dinosaur phase (which, if I’m honest, lasted a bit too long). I once saw an infographic about “the biggest dinosaur of all time.” But here’s the trick: there wasn’t just one.
- The Ultrasaurus was the tallest.
- The Supersaurus was the longest.
- The Seismosaurus was the heaviest.
All massive, all dominant in their own way — but none held every record. “Biggest” wasn’t a clear-cut title.
Strength works the same way. Depending on how you define it, you’ll end up with a different “strongest” person.
The Different Contenders
If we’re talking about strength, we have a few obvious candidates:
- World’s Strongest Man Champion – A test for whether you’re the best strongman in the world, but not necessarily the “strongest” in every sense.
- Arnold Strongman Classic Winner – Usually heavier, often considered the rawest test of static strength.
- Strongest Man on Earth Champion – A newer competition designed to be brutally heavy and dangerous, and I was fortunate to win it last year.
- World Powerlifting Champion – Moves the most weight on the squat, bench, and deadlift. That’s a textbook definition of strength.
- Olympic Weightlifting Champion – Can put the most weight overhead. Another classic example.
- Elite Wrestlers, Sumo Wrestlers, and Throwers – They might not deadlift the heaviest bar, but their ability to apply force in real-world, chaotic situations is unmatched.
- And of course… the farm folks who never compete formally but whose lives demand real, raw strength.
Strength Is Contextual
Take powerlifting: the IPF world champion can squat and deadlift massive weight, but put them into a wrestling match, and they may be outmatched by someone who’s not built for max weight but excels in technique, endurance, and real-world force application.
That’s what I mean when I say strength isn’t just about numbers in the gym. It’s about context — the rules, the environment, the unpredictable stuff.
My Working Definition of Strength
For me, true strength is about physical readiness for the unknown.
If you can only show strength in one narrow way — perfect bench press technique, arch just so — that’s impressive. But that doesn’t mean you're ready for whatever life or competition throws at you.
To be the strongest person in the world, I believe you need to:
- Be classically strong (squat, pull, press).
- Be able to move your body quickly over short distances.
- Handle awkward, heavy, unpredictable objects.
- Produce maximum force even when the test isn’t something you trained for.
Strongman is unique because the events are deliberately strange and varied. Logs. Atlas stones. Tires. You name it, you might get asked to lift it. You can’t always predict it — you just have to be strong.
Could We Ever Truly Test “The Strongest”?
In theory, yes. We could build a lab test: machines that measure maximum force output in every major movement pattern — squats, hinges, presses, pulls, carries. Stripping away technique or experience, focusing purely on force.
But in that kind of test, technique, adaptability, and unpredictable events get tossed out the window. You might have someone who dominates the lab test but loses in a real contest or real-world struggle. So while that test could tell you something, it wouldn’t tell you everything.
So Who Is the Strongest?
If aliens landed tomorrow and asked us to send forward our strongest human, I’d send a strongman. Because strongman competitions test strength in its most diverse, chaotic, real-world applicable form.
You don’t get to pick your perfect lift. You don’t get advanced notice of awkward implements. You just show up and move the weird, heavy thing. If you can do that, you’re strong.
By that standard, in my mind, the Strongest Man on Earth competition is among the best measures of strength we’ve ever had. And since I won it last year… well, maybe that makes me the strongest man on Earth. At least for now.
How You Can Train for Real Strength
If you want to build that kind of strength — not just in the gym, but functional, adaptable, powerful strength — I’ve put together a program designed for exactly that:
Hercules Fit — built to push your limits, improve your stability, build power in compound movements, and prepare you for whatever the world might throw at you.
If you’re serious about not just testing your strength, but living it, I’d encourage you to check out Hercules Fit. Train like you mean it.
Strength isn’t just numbers. It’s adaptability. It’s willingness. It’s showing up when you don’t know what’s coming. And that’s something I respect more than anything.
If you think I’m the strongest man on Earth — or if you think someone else is — let me know. The conversation’s what pushes me, and maybe it’ll push you too.
Lift heavy. Train tough. Be ready.
— Mitchell Hooper