Amateur Strongman

Arnold Amateur Strongman & Strongwoman World Championships

The Arnold Amateur Strongman & Strongwoman World Championships will once again feature more than 80 of the world’s top male amateur strongman athletes and over 100 of the top female amateur athletes from more than 25 countries.

This year's Arnold Amateur Strongman & Strongwoman World Championships will be held in the Iron Games Arena in the back of Hall A inside the Arnold Expo.

The world's best Amateur strongmen competitors will compete in the following weight classes: up to 175 pounds (79.4kg) for Lightweight; 175.5 pounds (79.6kg) up to 231.4 pounds (105kg) compete in the Middleweight category and athletes over 231 pounds (105kg) compete in the Heavyweight category.

In the Amateur Strongwoman World Championships, athletes from 120 pounds (54.5kg) to 140 pounds (63.5 kg) compete in Lightweight Women, those from 140.5 pounds (63.7 kg) to 180 pounds (81.6kg) compete in Middle Weight Women and those over 180.5 pounds (81.9kg) compete in the Heavy Weight Women category.

“Strongman is by no means a ‘mainstream’ sport along the lines of football, basketball or baseball, but it is becoming more and more popular,” said Dione Masters, CEO of Strongman Corporation, the governing body for amateur strongman competitions. “Adding an amateur competition to the Arnold Sports Festival has allowed the perfect opportunity to further promote the sport of strongman in the world.”

There are an estimated 20,000 amateur strongman athletes in the North America that compete in over 200 events throughout the year.

Thomas Evans of Russia won the 2022 Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships and will compete in the Arnold Strongman Classic at this year's Arnold Sports Festival.

All athletes qualify for the Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships by winning or placing in a national championships conducted by their national federation. U.S. competitors will qualify at the North American Strongman National Championships.

The Arnold Amateur World Strongman Championships are governed by Strongman Corporation  .

Amateur Strongman World Champions

2010: Mike Jenkins (USA)
2011: Matesz Baron (Poland)
2012: Adam Scherr (USA)
2013: Mikhail Shivlyakov (Russia)
2014: Mateusz Kieliszkowski (Poland)
2015: Alexander Lyskero (Russia)
2016: Zach Hadge (USA)
2017: Mateusz Ostaszewski (Poland)
2018: Olexii Novikov (Ukraine)
2019: Bobby Thompson (USA)
2020: Evgeny Markov (Russia)
2022: Thomas Evans (USA)