Royal Navy personnel have put their strength to the test in a brutal Strongman and Strongwoman competition featuring everything from Zercher squats to maximum deadlifts.
And looking at the five events they were asked to complete, most people would probably struggle to decide which one they’d least like to attempt.
HMNB Clyde hosted the second Royal Navy Strongman and Strongwoman event of the year on September 22, bringing together serving personnel from across the Royal Navy, Army and RAF.
The competition took place at the Sportsdrome Gym and doubled as a qualifying event for the 2026/27 UK Armed Forces competition.
Athletes were faced with five traditional strongman challenges throughout the day.
First on the menu was the axle clean and press, requiring competitors to get a thick axle from the floor before pressing it overhead.
There were also Zercher squats, where the weight is supported in the crook of the arms rather than across the shoulders.
If that wasn’t uncomfortable enough, competitors then had to tackle Dinnie stone handles.
The event takes inspiration from one of strength sport’s most famous tests, with athletes required to lift using handles rather than a conventional barbell.
A sandbag toss added another completely different test of strength before the competition reached an appropriately heavy conclusion: a maximum silver dollar deadlift.
Eight different categories were contested across the event.
Jessica Hancock took the Female Novice title, while Neve Smithson won the Female U64kg category and Emma Brown finished top of the Female U82kg competition.
On the men’s side, Isaac Wiala was crowned Male Novice champion.
Cameron Lees became the first Male U72kg champion after the category was introduced to UK Armed Forces Strongman and Strongwoman competition for the event.
Josh McKay won the Male U90kg contest, Lamar Parkes took the Male Masters title and Dan Bromwich came away as the Male Opens champion.
The addition of the U72kg class is particularly significant for the competition, creating another route into strength sport for serving personnel who might previously have found themselves competing against substantially heavier athletes.
Strongman and strongwoman are also continuing to expand across the Armed Forces, with personnel able to progress from training and competitions at unit level through to Royal Navy and eventually UK Armed Forces events.
More workshops, coaching courses and competitions are planned throughout the 2026/27 season.
Next up is the Royal Navy Strongman and Strongwoman Championships at RNAS Yeovilton on February 17, 2027.
Featured image credit: The Royal Navy
