Keg-tossing

Last updated

Keg-tossing (or keg toss or weight over bar) is a traditional strength sport that involves the heaving of a standard half-barrel beer keg or a similar implement. The keg must be completely emptied before it should be tossed for better stability and to avoid injuries. The basic technique involves swinging the keg in a pendulum like manner and releasing when it is at its apex.

Contents

Highland games and Strongman competitions

Throughout centuries, several variations of the traditional movement has been carried out during Highland games. In Ireland, empty beer kegs of different weights and sizes have been typically thrown over upwards and the height of the toss determined the winner. Another variation in Scotland combined techniques of both the discus and hammer throw. Rather than height, this form measured the farthest distance. In both variations, athletes were given three attempts to throw the keg and the winner was determined by measuring the height or the distance tossed.

In 1980 World's Strongest Man, 'weight over bar' event was introduced where the competitors had to throw a 25.5 kg (56 lb) weight derived from Highland games using only 1 arm for max height (a heavy block of iron was attached to a fixed small ring which itself was attached to a freely moving large ring, used to grip the weight. The weight was derived from the imperial unit Stone, where a weight of 4 stones (1 stone = 14 lb) was used as a counterbalance for weight measurements when buying or selling in the ancient Scottish markets). [1] In 1992 World's Strongest Man, the competitors had to throw a 30 kg (66 lb) Thor's hammer but this time using both arms for max height. In 1993 World's Strongest Man, the competitors had to throw a 20 kg (44 lb) concrete block over a contraption which was called the Trojan wall again for a max height. In 2010 World's Strongest Man, the competitors had to throw 8 beer kegs of increasing weights ranging from 17 to 24 kg over a 4-meter bar in the fastest time. At the 2017 Arnold Strongman Classic, the competitors had to throw very heavy sandbags over a 15 ft bar for max weight. In all the variations, the weights were thrown overhead, to the rear of the thrower, and over the top of the bar to prove clearance.

World Records

Max height/ Max weight

Speed

Note: During Savickas's performance, the rule was to start while the athletes were already touching the first keg. During Björnsson, Radzikowski, and Šmaukstelis's performances the starting signal was given when the athletes had to stand back in a line, having had to run forward a few feet in order to grab the first keg.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World's Strongest Man</span> Strongman competition

The World's Strongest Man is an international strongman competition held every year. Organized by American event management company IMG, a subsidiary of Endeavor, it is broadcast in the US during summers and in the UK around the end of December each year. Competitors qualify based on placing in the top three at the four to eight Giants Live events each year. The current event sponsor is SBD Apparel. Previous sponsors include Tachi Palace, Coregenx, Commerce Hotel and Casino, DAF Trucks, Tonka, MET-Rx, and PartyPoker.com.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Strongman Classic</span> International strongman competition

The Arnold Strongman Classic is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, determining who is the Strongest Man in the World. Created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Lorimer and Terry Todd, it is an offshoot of the Arnold Sports Festival which takes place annually in Columbus, Ohio, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stefán Sölvi Pétursson</span> Icelandic strongman competitor

Stefán Sölvi Pétursson is an Icelandic strongman and a finalist of the World's Strongest Man competition, winning 4th place in the 2010 World's Strongest Man competition held in Sun City and 9th place in the 2011 World's Strongest Man competition held in Wingate, North Carolina. He has also won Icelandic Strongman competitions multiple times including Iceland’s Strongest Man in 2009 and 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurence Shahlaei</span> British strength athlete

Laurence Cristiaan David Shahlaei is an English YouTuber, strength sports commentator, analyst, coach, and a retired strongman and powerlifting competitor. He won the 2016 Europe's Strongest Man competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Shaw (strongman)</span> American professional strongman (born 1982)

Brian Shaw is an American retired professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all-time. He won the 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016 World's Strongest Man, making him one of only five men to win the World’s Strongest Man four times or more. In 2011, Shaw became the first man to win the Arnold Strongman Classic and the World's Strongest Man competitions in the same calendar year, a feat he replicated in 2015. With 27 international competition wins, he is the fourth most decorated strongman in history behind Lithuania's Žydrūnas Savickas, Poland's Mariusz Pudzianowski and Iceland's Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. Shaw has also set more than 25 world records in deadlifting, stonelifting, keg-tossing, grip related movements and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson</span> Icelandic strongman (born 1988)

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson is an Icelandic professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. He is the first and only person to have won the Arnold Strongman Classic, the Europe's Strongest Man, and the World's Strongest Man competitions in the same calendar year and holds numerous Strongman titles from multiple strength federations, including multiple world records. With 30 international competition wins, he is the third most decorated strongman in history, behind Lithuania's Žydrūnas Savickas and Poland's Mariusz Pudzianowski, and in terms of pure brute strength and with over 100 world records, many strength analysts and Strongman experts regard Hafþór as "the strongest man to have ever lived".

The 2011 World's Strongest Man was the 34th edition of World's Strongest Man and was held on the campus grounds of Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina, US. The event was sponsored by MET-Rx. The qualifying heats were scheduled for September 15–18, and the finals on September 21 and 22, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krzysztof Radzikowski</span>

Krzysztof Radzikowski is a professional strongman competitor from Głowno, Poland. He has competed in 112 International strongman competitions and has won 24 of them, making him the sixth most decorated strongman in history following Žydrūnas Savickas, Mariusz Pudzianowski, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Brian Shaw and Aivars Šmaukstelis.

The 2012 World's Strongest Man was the 35th edition of World's Strongest Man. The event was held on the grounds of the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, California, US. The event was sponsored by MET-Rx. The qualifying heats were held from September 24–27, and the finals took place Sept. 30 & Oct. 1, 2012. The winner was Žydrūnas Savickas, it was his third WSM title. Vytautas Lalas of Lithuania was second, and Iceland's Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson was third.

Edward Stephen Hall is a British media personality and retired strongman. He is best known for his world-record setting 500 kg (1,102 lb) deadlift in 2016 which is widely regarded as one of the greatest feats in the history of strongmen. He is also known for winning the 2017 World's Strongest Man competition.

David Pirie Webster, OBE was a Scottish author, historian, and sports promoter living in Glasgow. Webster was the organiser of the Highland Games around the world for over 50 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 World's Strongest Man</span> Strongman competition in 2018

The 2018 World's Strongest Man was the 41st edition of the World's Strongest Man competition held in Manila, Philippines from April 28 to May 6, and was won by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson the first Icelander since Magnús Ver Magnússon in 1996 to win the title. Mateusz Kieliszkowski of Poland finished second and four-time winner Brian Shaw of the United States third.

World's Ultimate Strongman was an annual strongman competition which was held from 2018 to 2021 with the participation of top strongmen from all over the world, determining who is the strongest man in the world. The event was noted for its brute-strength-centricity and expanded the sport to a wider audience outside of Europe and USA. It also introduced the 'feats of strength' series in 2020, ensuring the continuous expansion of the sport during the Covid-19 pandemic. The competition has a number of rival and parallel competitions, including the World's Strongest Man, the Arnold Strongman Classic and the Giants Live Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikhail Shivlyakov</span>

Mikhail Vasilyevich Shivlyakov is a former Russian Marine currently competing as a professional strongman.

The 2018 Arnold Strongman Classic was a strongman contest that took place in Ohio, Columbus from 2–3 March 2018 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The Arnold Strongman Classic is the finale of the Arnold Strongman Tour and is seen as one of the biggest and most prestigious strongmen events on the circuit.

Ari Gunnarsson is an Icelandic strongman competitor from Reykjavík.

Mitchell Hooper is a Canadian strongman and kinesiologist. He secured 1st place at the 2023 World's Strongest Man competition in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he also became the first Canadian to win the title of World's Strongest Man. He is also the winner of both the 2023 and 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic events. In 2023, he became the fourth person to win both the World’s Strongest Man and Arnold Strongman Classic competitions in the same year. He is currently the only person to have won what are considered to be the four most-prestigious competitions in modern strongman, being the World's Strongest Man, Arnold Strongman Classic, Rogue Invitational, and Strongest Man on Earth competitions.

Aivars Šmaukstelis is a Latvian strongman. Having competed in 74 International strongman competitions, he has won 26 of them, making him the fifth most decorated strongman in history behind Žydrūnas Savickas, Mariusz Pudzianowski, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and Brian Shaw.

Lucas Hatton is a professional strongman from Eatonville, Washington and the reigning America's Strongest Man.

References

  1. ↑ Highlands and Islands association of Celtic gatherings (30 May 1989). "Highland Games". mshighlandsandislands.com. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. ↑ Andrew Gutman for Barbend.com (30 October 2022). "Hafthor Björnsson Sets New Weight Over Bar World Record Of 20 Feet, 3 Inches; Teases Competitive Return To Strongman". Barbend.com. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  3. ↑ "2024 Arnold UK - Strongman". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  4. ↑ "Hafþór Björnsson breaks World Record for Keg Toss". YouTube.com. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  5. ↑ "2024 Strongest Man on Earth". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "Hafthor Julius Bjornsson - Keg Toss 6 meters with 25kg keg". YouTube.com. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  7. ↑ "Iceland's Strongest Man 2024 - Day 2 - Timestamp 23:51". YouTube. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  8. ↑ "Arnold Strongman 2017 Rogue Fitness". YouTube. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "World's Strongest Man 2014". Strongman.org. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "2013 SCL Poland". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "Fastest time to toss 10 kegs (male)". Guinness World Records. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.

https://www.foxsports.com/ohio/video/1270467651836

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.