MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Once again, barrel-chested and sculpted athletes took to the field of battle to prove who was the mightiest of them all in the 4th annual Strongman Competition at the Penny Lake fields here April 10.
After huffing, puffing and bellowing war cries through a gauntlet of pain, five athletes emerged as the strongest of the strong in their respective weight classes.
For the females, Yolanda Olivas took top honors in the 130-pound and under weight class while Vickie Feyedelem captured the 131-pound and up weight class.
In the male division, Adrian Figueroa swept the 160-pound and under weight class taking first in every event. Robert Jones edged out his competition in the 161-190-pound weight class. O.J. Weiss easily took first in the 191-pound and up weight class.
“Feels pretty good,” Jones said of his victory. “I worked hard, probably a good 4 or 5 years trying to get this way without having to bulk up or anything.”
Despite forebodingly named events such as crucifix and steel log clean and press, 20 athletes took up the challenge.
The trial seemed simple enough, compete in five events and earn the lowest number of points.
Points earned were equivalent to placement position in each event. First place received one point, second place two points and so forth.
What may have sounded simple was more like a trial by fire with every warrior raising the performance bar.
In the farmer’s walk, the females toted 136-pounds in the 130-pound and under weight class while the 131-pound and up hefted 156-pounds. Olivas stomped the competition walking 256 yards.
The males traversed the distance with 248 pounds for the 160-pound and under and 161-190-pound weight classes. The 191-pound and up class athletes trudged with 268 pounds. Richard Eenigen managed 151 yards to barely edge out.
Jones said the farmer’s walk was the easiest event because the arms didn’t do much work; just keeping the legs moving was the key.
Next was the tire flip, in which the females tossed a 200-pound tire end-over-end as many times as they could in two minutes.
Feyedelem took the event with 42 flips.
The males had to flip a 7-ton vehicle truck tire, or approximately 550 pounds.
O.J. Weiss came out on top with 38 flips.
Because of the rain the prior evening, this event proved even more challenging.
Jerome Taylor, third place finisher in the 161-190-pound weight class, said gripping the wet tire was difficult because his fingers kept slipping.
Following the tire flip was the appropriately named crucifix.
Those vying had to hold 17-pound weights, for the females, or 22-pound weights, for the males, in both hands palms up with their arms extended with only a slight bend in the elbow permitted.
Olivas managed 33.2 seconds for the females while Keith Paley suffered for 1 minute 43 seconds.
The steel log clean and press had the females pumping out repetitions with a 62-pound log while the males pressed 82-pounds, 102 pounds and 153 pounds respectively.
Jones found this event to be the most challenging, “It was awkward because of the way the handles were on it; they’re not like a standard bar.”
Feyedelem easily trounced her female competition with 20 presses while Adrian Figueroa topped out at 23 pumps.
Of course, waiting for all the competitors after the grueling feats of upper-body strength was the truck pull.
For approximately 75-feet, the females had to drag a 2-ton, or 4,000 pounds, truck while the males lugged a Humvee weighing more than 5,000 pounds.
Olivas easily took the female divison with a time of 38 seconds while O.J. Weiss dominated with 26 seconds.
“Thank God, thank God this is over,” said Feyedelem of her thoughts upon completing the final event.
For others, crossing the finish line was not assured victory as the male 161-190-pound weight class had been very contentious.
Jones said he wondered where the scoreboard was as soon as he completed the Humvee pull.
While the Strongman Competition is over for this year and a new set of titans reside in the annals of history, new and old athletes around the air station have a year to prepare for next year’s battle.
For those ready to take up the gauntlet, some of this year’s winners mentioned their recipes for success.
Ironically their methods involved no special training for this competition.
Jones, who narrowly took the 161-199-pound weight class, said he had been doing CrossFit for two years three times a week for four hours.
Feyedelem jammed to her own beat as well.
“I didn’t really prepare; obviously you can’t just go pull a truck,” she said. “I just do my regular routine and then come out here and push myself and see what I can do.”
The bottom-line is clear, “You can’t not work out at all and just decide to come,” said Feyedelem.
This year’s event had some minor modifications from last year’s for the female weights.
“Last year we had them competing, we received some feedback where some of the events were a little bit too easy, so of course we went ahead and made the adjustments by adding more weight this year,” said Jeramie Johnson, IronWorks Gym complex manager.
For those seeking glory and title, a baptism of fire awaits.
Begin preparing now.