Tom Stoltman won the World’s Strongest Man award for the third time, taking back the crown from Canadian Mitchel Hooper. Representing Great Britain, the 29-year-old Scot took the lead after the competition’s qualifiers. In the six Final events, Stoltman only came first in Atlas Stones – his specialty – but finished in the top three in all others. He now establishes himself as one of the greatest competitors of all time for the World’s Strongest Man.
‘I wouldn’t go home without [the win] this year. Winning the title is special every time you win it, but coming back from the loss and winning is even more special,” Stoltman said after the event.
How Tom Stoltman Builds His Body
Hard work clearly runs in the family. Born in the Scottish Highlands, Tom Stoltman began weight training at age 16, promoted by his older brother and fellow strength competitor, Luke, who in turn was inspired to take up the sport after seeing a photo of his grandfather. carrying a log the size of his body.
At 6ft 6in, over 27st and with a wingspan that has earned him the nickname ‘The Albatross’, Tom Stoltman may seem made for such feats. But developing the strength and skill to win titles is hard work.
The Stoltman brothers, who train together, try to condense their efforts into a five-day week, leaving the weekends free for rest. In a typical week, Monday might be dedicated to deadlifts and back presses, Tuesday to overhead pressing movements, and Thursday to leg exercises, with competitions, events, physical therapy appointments, and chiropractic filling the remaining time.
Refueling is a job in itself: Before the competition, both Tom and Luke manage to consume more than 9,000 calories a day. Sometimes that means eating the things you expect – steak, fish, 10-egg omelets. Other times, especially in the days leading up to a big event, it’s simply about eating as many high-calorie, high-carb foods as possible, including pizza.
Three world title-winning performances aren’t enough for Tom. “I want to win, like, five times,” he says. ‘I want to be the greatest World’s Strongest Man competitor of all time.’
Tom Stoltman’s daily diet
A typical day of eating for Tom while preparing for a competition might involve:
Breakfast: Pancakes and bacon, followed by sweets and chocolate. “Often we eat just to eat,” says Tom. “We just need as many easy carbs as we can to get into our bodies.”
Lunch: Two servings of burgers and fries. ‘My second meal is around 11am. I usually have a Five Guys and then have another two hours later.
To have lunch: Pasta, pizza and cheesecake. ‘In the evening, it will be a pasta dish. And then, the last meal before bed will be pizza and dessert. We are burning a lot of calories. So it’s very extreme.
Quick fire questions and answers
Gym tool on desert island? Atlas Stone.
Fantasy training partner? Arnold Schwarzenegger. 100%. He’s a legend.
Favorite post-event meal? Burger and fries.
Robert Hicks is the Executive Editor of Men’s Health UK. A Sports Science graduate and author of three fitness books published by Bloomsbury, Robert has written numerous articles on health, fitness and nutrition and created several documentaries, most notably Britain’s Steroid Epidemic and The Faces of Attempted Suicide. Robert has worked at Men’s Health UK for seven years.
