OpinionsNot the NormDuma’s strongest men

Duma’s strongest men

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Last weekend, I had the chance to travel to Bohol to witness a unique sporting event: a Strong Man competition. Hosted by the Strongman Federation of the Philippines, I tagged along to cheer for two friends and Dumaguete sons, Lester “Mark” Polancos and Karlo Singco.

While this would be Karlo’s first Strong Man, Mark is a veteran of these competitions, having participated in the Fitbox Strongest Man challenge, the Philippines Strongest Man and Women, a deadlift competition, and the VisMin Strongman Qualifiers. He walked away victorious from all four and was determined to continue his success in Bohol.

I know both gentle giants from the P&E Classic Health and Fitness Center in Dumaguete but found out that they workout at Fit Box, too.

“I go two training fitness centers,” says Mark, “P and E for building mass and using machines that isolate my muscles, and then Fit Box to prepare upcoming competitions.”

They both train three to five times per week, with each workout spanning approximately 90 minutes. It also takes strict discipline to maintain the optimal diet for energy, muscle recovery and also make weight as events near. Mark, for instance, eats a big meal every two to three hours, making sure to balance the perfect proportion of carbohydrates with proteins, fats, and additional multi-vitamins.

How did they first get into the sport, I wondered? While Mark started serious weight training in college, Karlo began at only ten years old, emulating his father as he exercised with homemade dumbbells made out of cement. He stopped training for years but then picked up lifting again in college for typical young man reasons:

“My initial goal was to look jacked with abs to attract the ladies,” Karlo confessed to me. “But I eventually fell in love with strength training and started chasing personal records instead of just looks.”

I traveled to Tagbilaran City in Bohol on the same ferry as Mark and Karlo and met up with them the next day at the Island Mall, where the games were getting underway in an outdoor area.

There were competitors and teams from all over, including hometown boys and girls from Bohol, a few monsters from Manila, and our own Dumaguetenos. A lot was on the line since this was the Visayas Qualifiers, so those who did well could go on to compete at nationals in Manila.

As the games started, I jumped in the back of a pickup truck with a few Filipino trike drivers, where we had a perfect vantage point of the small circular staging area.

There were four events planned that day:

Log lift: Lifting a straight bar truck tires and rims plus additional weight straight from the ground straight over their heads.

Axle deadlift: Performing a simple — but incredibly difficult — deadlift exercise with an inhuman amount of weight.

Truck pull: Harnessed to a pickup truck or VW car, they were to pull these vehicles a designated distance as a race. (Unfortunately, it was canceled due to rain and slippery conditions.)

Atlas stones: Taking hard-to-grip round cement stones, they had to lift and place them over a bar as often as possible.

As the contest heated up with the afternoon sun, I was impressed by the athleticism and effort of the entire field, as well as their comradery.

“What made me fall in love with Strong Man is how awesome the community is!” Karlo told me. “The people are friendly, cheering and motivating each other even though they are competing.”

After hours of grunting and grueling, sweating and straining, the event concluded, with only the strongest men and women left on the podium. Karlo won his weight class the under 80kg, ranking first in all three challenges, and Mark dominated the U90kg weight class.

So, what’s next for these Herculean heroes?

“My goal is to train the Strong Man Nationals this coming July,” says Karlo., “Representing Dumaguete as well as motivating other people to join and get fit.”

Mark also hopes to defend his U90kg weight class title nationals in Manila this coming July. Fitness is his full-time job, as he’s a Certified Personal Gym Trainer who worked in the United Arab Emirates for years and now trains a book of clients in Dumaguete. Karlo, however, works as a software engineer, structuring his downtime to fit his training schedule.

“Strongman training is far from easy,” says Mark. “It’s demanding and challenging, both physically and mentally. It’s a sport where only the strong will survive.”

To continue chasing their dreams, both Dumaguete athletes are in need of sponsors to assist with travel, lodging, and other fees for the national Strongman in Manila. Please contact P & E Gym or email me if you’d like to help.

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Author’s email: [email protected]

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