Strength athletics in the United States refers to the various strongman competitions organized throughout United States and North America with the elements of all of strength athletics taken into account. United States has held a preeminent position as a nation due to the enormous success of its competitors on the international stage, who between Bruce Wilhelm, Don Reinhoudt, Bill Kazmaier, Mark Henry, Phil Pfister, Derek Poundstone, Brian Shaw, Mike Jenkins and Martins Licis have won twelve World's Strongest Man titles, eight Arnold Strongman Classic titles, in addition to numerous other international strongman competitions won by various different athletes. United States has both amateur and professional sanctioning bodies in the sport.
History American Strongman Corporation ("ASC") is the sole sanctioning body for all professional American strength athletes and organizes the annual America's Strongest Man contest, as well as the NAS US Amateur National Championships, the winner of which receives their pro card to compete in professional contests. North American Strongman ("NASM") organizes the majority of the amateur contests in the United States, and holds pro qualifier events and national championship events throughout the year with men's, woman's, teen's and master's divisions as well as lightweight and heavyweight classes similar to ASC.
United States Strongman is a relatively new organization.
National Competitions America's Strongest Man
America's Strongest Man is an annual strongman competition held in the United States and featuring only American athletes. It is the most prestigious of the national titles. The contest was established in 1997 in Primm, Nevada, with Mark Philippi winning the inaugural contest. It has been held twenty-nine times in eighteen locations across the United States and has produced twenty-one champions.
Derek Poundstone and Lucas Hatton shares the record for the highest number of wins with three, while Brian Shaw, Dimitar Savatinov, Steve Kirit and Brian Schoonveld share two wins each.
Champions breakdown YearChampionRunner-up3rd PlaceLocation1997 Mark Phillipi Harold Collins Tommy Ingalsbe Primm, Nevada1998 Karl Gillingham Doug Ahr Harold Collins Odd Haugen Las Vegas, Nevada1999 Brian Neese Ken Brown Odd Haugen Honolulu, Hawaii2000 Brian Schoonveld Phil Pfister Whit Baskin Maryland Heights, Missouri2001 Brian Schoonveld (2) Phil Pfister Johnny Perry Kokomo, Indiana2002 Steve Kirit Johnny Perry Karl Gillingham St. Louis, Missouri2003 Steve Kirit (2) Phil Pfister Mark Phillipi St. Louis, Missouri2004 Van Hatfield Phil Pfister Karl Gillingham Atlanta, Georgia2005 colspan="4" 2006 Steve MacDonald Jon Andersen Travis Ortmayer Columbia, South Carolina2007 Derek Poundstone Nick Best Van Hatfield Charlotte, North Carolina2008 Jason Kristal Jason Bergmann Van Hatfield Charleston, West Virginia2009 Derek Poundstone (2) Travis Ortmayer Andy Vincent Morgantown, West Virginia2010 Derek Poundstone (3) Mike Jenkins Marshall White Las Vegas, Nevada2011 Travis Ortmayer Dave Ostlund Mike Burke Hot Springs, Arkansas2012 Mike Burke Mike Caruso Robert Oberst Las Vegas, Nevada2013 Brian Shaw Robert Oberst Dimitar Savatinov Las Vegas, Nevada2014 Dimitar Savatinov Robert Oberst John Posen Phoenix, Arizona2015 Dimitar Savatinov (2) Martins Licis Scott Weech Atlanta, Georgia2016 Brian Shaw (2) Casey Garrison Dimitar Savatinov St. Louis, Missouri2017 Jerry Pritchett Dimitar Savatinov Wesley Claborn Phoenix, Arizona2018 Trey Mitchell Jacob Fincher Wesley Claborn Long Beach, California2019 Wesley Claborn Trey Mitchell Josh ReynoldsMiami Beach, Florida2020 Marcus Crowder Tyler Cotton Jose Baez Savannah, Georgia2021 Josh Silvas Tyler Cotton Marcus CrowderSan Antonio, Texas2022 Bobby Thompson Tyler Cotton Trey MitchellLas Vegas, Nevada2023 Lucas Hatton Marcus Crowder Rob KearneyOrlando, Florida2024 Lucas Hatton (2) Tim Buck Kevin FairesLas Vegas, Nevada2025 Lucas Hatton (3) Nick Guardione Austin HammLas Vegas, Nevada2026 Martel Johnson Evan Singleton Roy OrrantiaLas Vegas, Nevada
Repeat champions ChampionTimes & years Derek Poundstone 3 (2007, 2009, 2010) Lucas Hatton 3 (2023, 2024, 2025) Brian Schoonveld 2 (2000, 2001) Steve Kirit 2 (2002, 2003) Brian Shaw 2 (2013, 2016) Dimitar Savatinov 2 (2014, 2015)
All-American Strongman Challenge
A competition started in 2005 which was initially reserved for American athletes but was later opened for international athletes from 2010 until its end in 2012.
YearChampionRunner-up3rd PlaceLocation2005 Brian Schoonveld Travis Ortmayer Jesse MarundePasadena, California2006 Travis Ortmayer Jesse Marunde Dave OstlundPasadena, California2007 Karl Gillingham Kevin Nee Jason BergmannPasadena, California2008 Travis Ortmayer Brian Shaw Dave OstlundPasadena, California2009 Brian Shaw Nick Best Travis OrtmayerLos Angeles, California2010 Nick Best Mark Felix Louis-Philippe JeanLos Angeles, California2011 Terry Hollands Nick Best Mark FelixLos Angeles, California2012 Mike Burke Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Nick BestLos Angeles, California
NAS US Amateur Strongman Championships The Amateur US Nationals were created in 1997 and are held annually in various locations throughout the United States, with the winner of each weight class earning their pro card to compete professionally. Traditionally, the winner of the men's heavyweight class will go on to compete in major national and international strongman contests such as the World's Strongest Man and the Arnold Strongman Classic.
Heavyweight Champions Year Winner Venue2004 Travis OrtmayerIndiana, Pennsylvania2005 Tom McClureLouisville, Kentucky2009 Justin WarrenCarencro, Louisiana2010 Eric Peterson Reno, Nevada2011 Adam ScherrTunica, Mississippi
Other competitions Rainier Classic Santa Monica Classic Vice Grip Viking Olympia Strongman Challenge Clash of the Titans Wrath of the Strongest North Dakota's Strongest Man Georgia's Strongest Man Tennessee's Strongest Orlando's Strongest Strongest on the Coast PA Dutch Strong Cerberus USA Mid-South Regional
America's Strongest Woman America's Strongest Woman was initiated in 2021 and features both American and foreign athletes residing and training in the United States. Over 20 athletes have participated in the competition over the past six years.
YearChampionRunner-up3rd PlaceLocation2021 Victoria Long Cori Butler Britta MaggardOrlando, Florida2022 Victoria Long Olga Liashchuk Inez CarrasquilloLas Vegas, Nevada2023 Angelica Jardine Olga Liashchuk Cori ButlerOrlando, Florida2024 Olga Liashchuk Nadia Stowers Erin MurrayLas Vegas, Nevada2025 Olga Liashchuk Jackie Rhodes Sumer JohnsonLas Vegas, Nevada2026 Inez Carrasquillo Morgan Irons Taylor DoxeyLas Vegas, Nevada
Regional Competitions North America's Strongest Man
North America's Strongest Man is an annual strongman competition consisting of athletes from both United States and Canada. The event was established in 1992 with Gary Mitchell of the United States winning the inaugural competition.
Despite the three hiatus periods (1994-1997, 2004-2006 and 2015-2022), the competition has been held eighteen times. Canada has produced five champions who shared ten titles among them while United States has produced eight champions with a title each for a total of eight.
The contest has been always held in Quebec.
Champions breakdown YearChampionRunner-up3rd PlaceLocation1992 Gary Mitchell Gatineau, Quebec1993 Steve Pulcinella Gatineau, Quebec1994–1997 colspan="4" 1998 David Brown Gatineau, Quebec1999 Steve Dmytrow Gatineau, Quebec2001 Hugo Girard Geoff Dolan Phil Pfister Gatineau, Quebec2002 Hugo Girard (2) Gatineau, Quebec2003 Jon Andersen Chad Coy Walt Gogola Gatineau, Quebec2004–2006 colspan="4" 2007 Jessen Paulin Brian Shaw Christian Savoie Gatineau, Quebec2008 Jessen Paulin Christian Savoie Pete Konradt Gatineau, Quebec2009 Christian Savoie Jean-François Caron Josh Thigpen Gatineau, Quebec2010Tuesday, September 7, 2010, Christian Savoie Wins North American Strongman Championships, by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. IronMind Christian Savoie (2) Jean-François Caron Scott Cummine Gatineau, Quebec2011 Christian Savoie (3) Jean-François Caron Karl Gillingham Gatineau, Quebec2012 Jean-François Caron Dave Ostlund Jackie Ouellett Gatineau, Quebec2013 Jean-François Caron (2) Christian Savoie Dave Ostlund Gatineau, Quebec2014 Brian Shaw Jean-François Caron Simon BoudreauGatineau, Quebec2015–2022 colspan="4" 2023 Trey Mitchell Lucas Hatton Wesley Derwinsky Victoriaville, Quebec2024 Maxime Boudreault Lucas Hatton Tristain Hoath Victoriaville, Quebec2025 Bryce Johnson Wesley Derwinsky Nick WorthamVictoriaville, Quebec2026 Bryce Johnson (2) Trey Mitchell Thomas EvansVictoriaville, Quebec
Results courtesy of David Horne's World of Grip: http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/strongmanresults.html
Repeat champions ChampionTimes & years Christian Savoie 3 (2009, 2010, 2011) Hugo Girard 2 (2001, 2002) Jessen Paulin 2 (2007, 2008) Jean-François Caron 2 (2012, 2013) Bryce Johnson 2 (2025, 2026)
References