Despite calls to see him back in action, Nick Walker hasn’t announced imminent plans to compete. Taking to YouTube on April 26, he shut down rumors about entering the 2026 Pittsburgh Pro contest. 

Nick Walker‘s 2025 bodybuilding season was full of surprises. He went all-in at last year’s Pittsburgh Pro and finished in second place behind Derek Lunsford. He trailed by only one point, leaving many curious how he’d fare on the Olympia stage. 

Walker secured a third ring with a dominant victory at the New York Pro to qualify for the event. However, his peak for the Mr. Olympia was mismanaged, and he finished sixth. He was counted out at the 2026 Arnold Classic, but proved he was far from done. Though Walker didn’t lay claim to the crown, he gave the winner, Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea, a run for his money. Looking ahead, questions loom about his next performance. 

Men’s Open Bodybuilder Nick Walker Dismisses 2026 Pittsburgh Pro Rumors

While rumors have spread about him possibly entering the Pittsburgh Pro, Walker made it clear in a recent YouTube video that’s not the case. He added that he’ll likely attend the Pittsburgh Pro but not compete, which means we could see him guest pose after all. 

“I had somebody hit me with a comment, like, see you at Pittsburgh for your fourth ring! I’m like, no, you won’t. I said I might be there for an attendance, that’s about it.” 

“I just don’t believe in getting fat. I like to stay in shape. Sorry, sorry to burst everyone’s bubble,” Nick Walker shared. 

The guest posing show at the Pittsburgh Pro is seen as a preview for the upcoming Mr. Olympia contest. This year, it’s been confirmed that Jacked, Lunsford, and Samson Dauda are featured in the lineup. Historically, contenders gain considerable momentum following the spectacle. 

Walker doesn’t have a show locked in yet, but he’s making sure to diet and train strategically. He recently broke down his 3,857-calorie full day of eating.

All roads lead to the 2026 Mr. Olympia contest, and the stakes are higher than ever. Jake Wood revealed the Palms Casino Resort will serve as the new host hotel for the historic weekend. Don’t miss the action when the Mr. Olympia returns from September 24-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

RELATED: Guy Cisternino Says Nick Walker Used ‘A Lot Lower’ PEDs and Diuretics for the 2026 Arnold Classic

Watch the full video from the Nick Walker YouTube channel below: 

Bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest believes drug cycles in the Men’s Open have gotten too expensive. Taking to YouTube on April 16, 2026, he shared that it can be affordable and called out younger gym-goers for taking excessive amounts. 

Despite lacking stature, Lee Priest made waves in the IFBB Pro League with unparalleled conditioning. Throughout his tenure in the 1990s and 2000s, he tested himself against all-time greats like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler. 

Steroid cycles have changed since his era, and Priest believes they’ve gotten out of hand. Adopting a less-is-more mentality, he broke down how to run a cycle without suffering financially. 

Lee Priest Says Drug Cycles in Men’s Open Have Gotten Too Expensive

In the video, Priest explained that drug cycles don’t always have to be expensive. He shared that top Open Pros like Phil Heath and Samson Dauda have gotten by on smaller amounts. In contrast, he noted that younger gym-goers are abusing growth hormone. 

“You know me, I’ve always been honest with my drug cycles and that. It doesn’t have to be expensive. The amount of gear even some of the Pros are using, with their genetics, they have like a Phil Heath or Samson… Samson is only on smaller amounts, and I believe him,” said Lee Priest. 

“He’s cut back. He said, even Fouad would say he uses half what he does now. It doesn’t have to be expensive. All these young kids are taking too much growth.”

Looking back on his career, Priest revealed that he only spent $1,400 on steroids for three shows. 

“I added it up, because Scott, who is married to my ex, when he was on that show, and he told you, when I got ready for the Arnold, the Ironman, the week later the Arnold, the week later San Francisco, the most I ever spent on three shows, my cycle cost me $1,400 for all three shows.

I just think these guys are overdoing it, taking too much, and making it more expensive than it has to be. You don’t need that much gear.” 

While Priest maintains he’s been honest about his steroid use, the fitness community raised questions about other bodybuilders. According to Joe Rogan and PED expert Derek of More Plates More Dates, old-school bodybuilders were deceptive about steroids and couldn’t admit they were on gear. 

Even with expected cost-of-living bumps, Priest believes steroid cycles can be affordable in 2026. He cautioned that even the world’s best bodybuilders are taking small amounts. 

RELATED: The Rock Shows Off New Downsized Physique at 53, Fans React: ‘Off the Gear’

Watch the full video from the Serious and Silliness Bodybuilding with John Livia YouTube channel below: 

Age is just a number for bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates. In a recent Instagram post shared on April 28, 2026, he showed off his shredded quads in retirement, highlighting his longevity at 64. 

Yates’ footprint in the IFBB Pro League was undeniable. He secured six Mr. Olympia titles from 1992 to 1997, defeating Open stars like Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, and Lee Priest. He implemented high-intensity training principles inspired by the late Arthur Jones and Mike Mentzer. They aimed to achieve failure rather than chasing a fixed number of reps or sets. 

The training approach helped Yates extend his Olympia reign, and even today, he still pushes himself. He admits training has become less hypertrophy-driven. He instead focuses on mobility and longevity, which have allowed him to bounce back quickly from injuries, including a right hip replacement. 

Surprisingly, Yates is only training with weights twice a week. In between those sessions, he sticks with Pilates, the assault bike, or yoga as his forms of cardio. His diet stays consistent year-round, eating only two meals a day: lunch and dinner. Given his progress and leg definition, this approach seems to be working just fine for him. 

6x Mr. Olympia Legend Dorian Yates Shares Photos of His Shredded Quads in Retirement 

In the Instagram post, Yates showed off his leg development and paid respect to bodybuilding, saying, ‘The love for the iron never leaves.’ 

“Little leg flexing here at Body Byrne in Dublin.🇮🇪 Taking me back and reminiscing of those days in the dungeon, some 30 years ago where I’d be posing every week for my own progress photos. The love for the iron never leaves… legs have still got it!” Dorian Yates posted. 

His fans swarmed his comment section to give their thoughts on the update: 

“Legs are still crazy, the shadow never fades”

“Without lifting regulary for years. DAMN.”

“What quality of legs!🔥”

“Inspirational picture sir… Would love to come to Marbella for a leg day 🙏” 

Yates isn’t the only retired bodybuilding Pro keeping his lower body on point. Bodybuilding icon Lee Labrada continues to showcase impressive conditioning in his legs, emphasizing that bodybuilding is the ‘closest thing we have to a fountain of youth.’

Despite injuries, Yates still boasts a clean bill of health in retirement. Though he’s stepped away from competing permanently, his passion for the sport is still going strong. 

RELATED: Dorian Yates’ Go-To Leg Day Warm-Up Drill To Fire Up the Quads, Hamstrings, and Glutes

Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger is taking another look at weight loss drugs. In his newsletter from April 28, 2026, he downplayed muscle loss from GLP-1s and argued they don’t significantly impact strength. 

“One of the biggest concerns people have about GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro is muscle loss. Body scans show people losing “lean mass” alongside fat, and that’s triggered fears of weakness and frailty. New research suggests the reality is more complicated and much less alarming.”

Having won the Mr. Olympia seven times, Arnold Schwarzenegger remains one of the most successful bodybuilders in the sport. While it’s been decades since he competed, “The Austrian Oak” uses his platform to offer lifters and gym enthusiasts tips. 

At 78, fat doesn’t melt off his physique as it did during his Olympia reign. However, Schwarzenegger still aims to stay athletic, so paying close attention to diet and exercise comes with the territory. Of late, GLP-1 drugs have grown in popularity, with many noting their potential for weight loss. They affect blood sugar, appetite, and digestion, leading Schwarzenegger to discuss how they’ve changed the fitness landscape. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals Muscle Loss from GLP-1s ‘Normal,’ Says Strength ‘Remains Stable’  

In Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter, Schwarzenegger revealed that it’s normal to lose muscle on GLP-1 medications. However, he noted that strength levels remain stable. 

“According to new research, GLP-1 medications cause modest — and normal — muscle loss, but strength appears to remain stable, and fat loss dramatically outpaces any muscle loss.”

In animal studies, GLP-1 medications reduced body weight by up to 35% over 2-4 weeks. In particular, muscle mass dropped by a modest 5-10%, whereas fat plunged to 41-73%. 

“A study published last month tested multiple GLP-1 drugs in obese mice and a pilot trial with 10 patients. We don’t usually focus on animal trials, but because there was a human aspect too, the results are worth your attention.”

“In mice, the medications reduced body weight by 22-35% over 2-4 weeks. Absolute muscle mass dropped only 5-10%, but fat mass plummeted 41-73%.”

Meanwhile, human trials showed that over 12 weeks, fat made up 70% of weight loss, with lean mass coming in at 30%. 

“The human trial followed 10 patients with obesity and diabetes on semaglutide for 12 weeks. Fat contributed 70% to weight loss, lean body mass 30%. This is consistent with what you typically see in non-GLP-1 studies with weight loss of 20 pounds or more.”

“The researchers also discovered something overlooked: body composition scans measure “lean mass,” which includes organs like the liver, not just muscle. In this study, the liver shrank more than muscle did, particularly as fatty liver resolved. That means the “muscle loss” numbers commonly cited may overstate what’s actually happening to skeletal muscle because they include changes in the liver.”

Schwarzenegger pointed out that these medications aren’t just suppressing appetite, but changing how muscle adapts to weight loss: 

“And an analysis of proteins in the body revealed GLP-1 medications increased mitochondrial proteins in muscle and altered metabolism differently than simple calorie restriction, suggesting these drugs aren’t just suppressing appetite — they may be changing how muscle adapts to weight loss.

The human trial was small and short (10 people, 12 weeks), so this isn’t the final word. But it adds to evidence from larger trials suggesting that muscle loss isn’t alarming and that functional capacity often improves as fat drops.”

Since these medications can decrease lean muscle mass, the bodybuilding legend highlighted that strength training is necessary to support the body throughout a weight-loss phase. 

“The real lesson: If you’re using GLP-1 medications — or losing a lot of weight by any method — strength training isn’t optional. You need to build strength and eat enough protein to support the changes occurring in your body.

But the idea that these drugs cause dangerous muscle wasting appears exaggerated. The muscle-to-bodyweight ratio may actually improve, making movement easier as excess fat disappears.”

In addition to Schwarzenegger, 1990s legend Lee Priest has shared his thoughts on GLP-1 drugs. He believes they should only be used for those who are morbidly obese. If weight loss is the primary goal, he explained that exercise and dieting are the more fulfilling options. 

GLP-1s have true merit, especially for those struggling with weight gain. Schwarzenegger deems it a tool that should always be coupled with resistance training. 

RELATED: Tracy Morgan Credits Ozempic For Recent Weight Loss: “It Cuts My Appetite In Half”

Discussions are picking up around the 2026 Mr. Olympia, scheduled for September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Taking to YouTube on April 26, 2026, bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler offered advice to Derek Lunsford ahead of the event. Cutler also broke down his ab training approach and showed off his shredded midsection. 

In 2023, Derek Lunsford made history, becoming the sport’s first-ever two-division Mr. Olympia champion. However, he was unable to mount a successful title defense in 2024. He lacked fullness and finished third, with Nigerian mass monster Samson Dauda securing gold. 

A year later, Lunsford won back the Sandow trophy, joining Jay Cutler as the second athlete ever to reclaim the honor. Though Lunsford reigns right now, Cutler warned that if his abs and legs aren’t up to par, bigger contenders like Dauda and Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea could catch him slipping. 

Jay Cutler Shares Ab Training Tip With Derek Lunsford, Lays Out His Path to Victory at the 2026 Mr. Olympia 

In the video, Cutler spoke on his ab training approach, revealing how it ultimately ties into stronger quarter turns and side poses. 

“I don’t think you should do weighted ever. I mean, I like rope crunches, but it’s all breathing and squeezing. You got to think about it, that’s all you practice, right? I think breathing and contracting.

You want to stretch the wall. The breathing is going to control you as you do your quarters, right? You do more of a vacuum on this shot [front  double], but quarter turns are important, and even with your side chest, just to make sure you have this detail, and the side tricep,” shared Jay Cutler. 

Check out Cutler’s abs at 52 below: 

According to Cutler, displaying full legs would play to Lunsford’s strengths and help against bigger contenders: 

“The way I would look at it, look, you’re dealing with big dudes, you can’t come bone-down. You need the fucking legs.

I think your legs look better at the Olympia than the Arnold because they had more oomph, and that makes your taper look better. It gives you more power because, to be honest, not everyone has that. They don’t have the density in the legs. When your legs are full, bro, it’s dangerous.” 

Cutler isn’t the only bodybuilding icon offering advice to top contenders. Former eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney recently shared words of wisdom with Dauda and Jacked. He urged both competitors to ‘stand tall and pose big’ when they make their way back to the 2026 Mr. Olympia. 

In the meantime, Lunsford is focused on the guest posing event in Pittsburgh. Fans will get a teaser of what’s to come at Mr. Olympia when the sport’s biggest stars clash from May 16-17. 

RELATED: Phil Heath Tells Andrew Jacked to ‘Impose His Will’ On Derek Lunsford at 2026 Mr. Olympia, Says He Has ‘Really Good Chance’ to Win

Watch the full video from the Derek Lunsford YouTube channel below: 

Bodybuilder Wesley Vissers is keeping his options open in the IFBB Pro League. In a YouTube video on April 26, 2026, he discussed a potential move to the Men’s Open class with former four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. 

For years, Wesley Vissers has been cutting his teeth in the Classic Physique circuit. Nicknamed ‘The Dutch Oak,’ many believe he shares a likeness to bodybuilding icon Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 2026, Vissers re-solidified himself as an Olympia contender, thanks to a dominant victory at the Arnold Classic. 

Vissers could have sat out to improve for Olympia, but wanted more reps onstage. He picked up another win at the Detroit Pro and battled Mike Sommerfeld at the 2026 Arnold Classic UK. Ultimately, Vissers settled for a silver medal, but plans to use the setback as fuel when he makes his way to Vegas. 

Wesley Vissers Talks Potential Men’s Open Move With Jay Cutler: ‘It’s Going to Happen’  

In the video, Cutler joked about Vissers jumping into the Fibo Championships. Vissers was receptive to a potential Open move, saying, “Maybe sooner than later, who knows?” 

“I’m disappointed, bro, you should have slid in the Open here [at the Fibo Pro]. I’m just waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting…” laughed Jay Cutler. 

“Yeah, Open… for sure, it’s going to happen. Maybe sooner than later, who knows? Let’s see how this Olympia goes. But I’m very excited for it, for sure.” 

Surprisingly, Vissers wouldn’t be the only rising Classic Physique star to make a switch. German sensation Urs Kalecinski decided to jump ship and test the Open waters last season. He found remarkable success, having laid claim to back-to-back victories at the Italy Pro and Europa Pro Championships. “The Miracle Bear” capped off the year with a 13th-place finish at the Mr. Olympia. 

In addition, reigning Classic Physique Olympia Ramon ‘Dino’ Queiroz has also teased a possible move to the Open. However, the Brazilian star made his bodybuilding goals clear: he wants to extend his reign atop Classic Physique for five years before mixing it up in the stacked Men’s Open class.

While Vissers and Queiroz have signaled interest in the Open, the same cannot be said for Mike Sommerfeld. The two-time Classic Physique Olympia runner-up didn’t mince words. He emphasized that he is Classic and will forever be Classic. He added that he’d only consider an Open show as a treat to fans and for his own self-fulfillment. 

Time will tell if Vissers makes the Men’s Open move. For now, his focus is solely on the 2026 Mr. Olympia, set for September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

RELATED: Sam Sulek Casts Doubt on Move to Men’s Open: “It’s Certainly Not the Plan”

Watch the full video from the Wesley Vissers YouTube channel below: 

Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler never skips leg day, even in retirement. In a recent YouTube video shared on April 27, 2026, he broke down his leg workout routine that focused on pre-exhaust techniques.  

Jay Cutler sits among bodybuilding royalty. His milestone moment came at the 2006 Mr. Olympia, when he dethroned former eight-time champ, Ronnie Coleman. Cutler lost the prestigious crown to Dexter Jackson in 2008, but this set the stage for his iconic comeback.

At the 2009 Mr. Olympia, Cutler showcased his quad stomp pose en route to gold. To this day, fans and bodybuilding legends regard him as having one of the strongest lower bodies of all time. While most top-tier IFBB Pros start falling off as they get older, that’s not the case for Cutler. 

Jay Cutler’s Leg Day Routine at 52 

Find his exercises from the video below: 

• Standing Leg Curl 
• Seated Hamstring Curl
• Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts 
• Lunges (In Place) 
• Lying Hamstring Curl 
• Leg Extension Machine 
• Leg Press Machine 
• Vertical Leg Press 
• Freedom Racks 
• Seated Leg Press 

Standing Leg Curl

No longer traveling, Cutler’s focus returned to his day-to-day fitness routine: 

“I’ve been hitting the gym, so I’ve gotten shoulders in, I’ve gotten arms in,” said Cutler. “I don’t think I did chest.” 

Seated Hamstring Curl

He believes the seated hamstring curl works best for his body because of his shorter quads and longer calves. 

“My favorite exercise is the seated hamstring curl. I think because of the length of my quads. I think I have shorter quads and longer calves so, this seems to work better in the seated position.” 

Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts

He moved on with stiff-legged deadlifts, noting why he prefers dumbbells over a barbell. He prioritized the pump and stretching the hamstrings. 

“Why do I prefer dumbbells? I prefer dumbbells because I don’t know, I feel a little bit of you’re not restricted with the bar hitting your shins or feet or whatever. What you’re trying to do here, remember, it’s about pumping the hamstring so you get that blood in there. Then, stretch the cords out.” 

Lunges (In Place)

With lunges, he maintained focus on his hamstrings but explained that it also worked his quads. 

“It is a little bit of a quad [movement] but I’m really putting emphasis on the hamstrings.” 

Lying Hamstring Curl

He kept weight moderate on hamstring curls, aiming for 8-12 reps. 

“In the beginning, I had a hard time feeling this movement. The pad is on a medium. We are going to do 110 and once again, 8-12 reps.” 

Leg Extension Machine

He used the leg extension as a pre-exhaust movement before more taxing compound lifts. 

“I always talk about pre-exhaust movements and how important that is. You usually get the blood going a little bit. Even though we have a lot of function in the quads with all the stuff we just did, we still want to get the knees warmed up.” 

Leg Press Machine

When pushing out reps on the leg press, Cutler kept his feet lower on the platform to bias the quads. 

“Feet lower on the platform, we’re hitting the quads.” 

Vertical Leg Press

For added stimulus, Jay switched to the vertical leg press, which he said can sometimes make him light-headed. 

“I still feel light-headed when I get off it. This exercise, when you stand up, the blood is going this way,” he said. “I just remember how much weight I used to do on this thing. I think it’s a great exercise.” 

Freedom Racks

He completed three sets of freedom racks for glute development. 

“Freedom rack, pretty much a Smith machine, but it’s on a slide, as you can see. We’re going to do three sets here. The only reason I squat is for my ass.” 

Seated Leg Press  

Lastly, he finished with 250 pounds on the seated leg press. 

“We’re going to do a little finisher here,” Cutler shared. “250. What I’m really trying to do, the foot position is going to be a little lower. I’m actually going to point my toes out a little bit. This is really, really good on the teardrops.” 

Cutler doesn’t just have practical tips for training the lower body. He recently outlined how to reap maximum benefits from arm workouts. He emphasized that on arm days, you should never rest for more than a minute or you risk gains. 

At 52, Cutler is proving he can still maintain a high work rate with grueling sessions. He believes pre-exhausting the muscles and focusing on the pump are non-negotiables for progress. 

RELATED: Bodybuilding Legend Jay Cutler Says Pull-Up Alternatives Are the Secret to a Wider Back

Watch the full video from the JayCutlerTV YouTube channel below: 

Bodybuilding legend Lou Ferrigno is still pushing the pace in retirement at 74. On April 27, 2026, he discussed his approach to longevity, sharing that he still trains four to five days a week. In addition, he warned against overindulging in vitamins, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs. 

Lou Ferrigno made his mark in the IFBB Pro League with unparalleled size. He stood at six feet and five inches, regularly weighing 285 pounds onstage. During his career, he pushed all-time greats, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, and Frank Zane. 

Beyond the bodybuilding stage, Ferrigno found massive success as an actor. He starred in the CBS hit TV series The Incredible Hulk (1978-1982) and remains active in the industry. From careful dieting to consistent workouts, he pulled back the curtain on how he’s kept himself in shape. 

Lou Ferrigno Reveals His ‘Simple’ Secret to Longevity at 74, Warns Against Taking Too Many Supplements  

In the Instagram reel, Ferrigno shared that he still trains four to five days a week and watches his diet closely. He warned against overindulgence, especially when it comes to vitamins, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs. 

“Be very consistent. I try to exercise four or five days a week. I watch what I eat. I do everything in moderation. I don’t overindulge in different things.

Sometimes people take too many vitamins, too many supplements, too many aspirins. It’s very simple like that. It’s all about listening to your body,” shared Lou Ferrigno. 

This wasn’t Ferrigno’s first time breaking down how he stays young in retirement. He recently warned against overindulgence and emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. 

“I don’t carry hate. I don’t stress myself out. I enjoy life. I don’t over-indulge and I like to do things. Like for example, I don’t do anything to hurt myself. I just have a good attitude. I like being positive. I like to enjoy every day because well, what I had to overcome in my life.”  

Ferrigno isn’t the only bodybuilding legend offering practical advice for mastering fitness. Schwarzenegger outlined three principles for gym success: stretching, proper form, and using a full range of motion during resistance training. 

“Roll out of bed and don’t think. The most important is don’t think, just do.” 

Well into his seventies, Ferrigno sports a ripped six-pack and impressive muscle density. He credits consistency for his success and, above all else, prioritizes careful moderation. 

RELATED: Bodybuilding Legend Lou Ferrigno Looks Back on Being Marvel’s Only Hulk Superhero Without CGI Muscles or a Costume

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man competition took place on April 23-26 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It featured a total of 25 athletes from 11 countries along with ten events in total, evenly divided across the qualifiers and the finals. Ultimately, Mitchell Hooper managed to claim his second title following a truly spectacular performance.

Mitchell Hooper’s performance at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man was a masterclass in consistency. Despite not winning a single event in the finals, he placed second in every one, proving he has no weaknesses across the various disciplines of the sport. This helped him beat Rayno Nel in one of the most intense duels ever seen at the WSM.

Mitchell Hooper’s 2026 World’s Strongest Man Performance

Qualifiers

• Carry & Climb: 9 in 39.64 s (Second-place)
• Circus Press Medley: 7 in 58.47 s (Second-place)
• Squat Lift: 12 reps (Second-place)
• Truck Pull: 33.02 s (First-place)
• Natural Stone Medley: 4 in 52.81 s (First-place)

Finals

Note: Mitchell Hooper started off his finals campaign with 10 points, which he earned based on his performance in the qualifiers.

• Flip & Carry: 27.44 s (Second-place)
• Deadlift: 4 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg (Second-place)
• Titan’s Toss: 8 in 35.00 s (Second-place)
• Max Log: 209-kg / 461-lb (Tied-Second)
• Atlas Stones: 4 in 28.67 s (Second-place)

Mitchell Hooper’s 2026 World’s Strongest Man performance was truly proof of his consistency, starting with the qualifiers. In the qualifying stage, Hooper won two events and secured an additional three second-place finishes. He was battling against the likes of Eddie Williams and Lucas Hatton but still managed to come out on top with ease.

The first day of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals was bittersweet for Mitchell Hooper. He placed second in all three events, which was incredible. On the other hand, his biggest rival, Rayno Nel, won all three events. Moreover, Hooper was not far behind on either event, especially the Flip & Carry where he was just 0.14 seconds slower than Nel.

Going into the second day of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals, Mitchell Hooper knew that he had to beat Rayno Nel on the Log Lift. He ended up doing so and even got in a tie for second place with Ondrej Fojtu, which gained him an extra 0.5 points. Consequently, he got within just one point of Rayno with one event left.

Mitchell Hooper was once again better than Rayno Nel on the Atlas Stones. As a result, he overtook Nel on the overall leaderboards and claimed his title in the final moments of the competition. Interestingly, Hooper finished with eight second-place event finishes and two event wins across both qualifiers and finals.

Mitchell Hooper’s resume now holds 29 international appearances, along with 18 impressive victories. He has practically won every major title in Strongman, with the WSM seemingly being the most difficult competition for him, having waited three years to reclaim his title. Hooper is now preparing for the 2026 Enhanced Games, where he will attempt to set a new Deadlift World Record.

2026 WSM Related Content

• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day Two Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day One Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Qualifiers
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers
• How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finalists Revealed — Tom Stoltman Eliminated

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man concluded on April 26 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with the second day of the Finals bringing the competition to a close. Ten athletes took on the final two events, pushing for every point in a tightly contested battle. It all came down to a tense final event, where Mitchell Hooper was ultimately crowned champion.

Rayno Nel was the standout athlete on day one of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals, having won all three events and gained a sizable advantage over the pack. Mitchell Hooper placed second in all three events as well, dropping minimal points and remaining in the battle for the title.

Day two of the finals kicked off with the Log Lift, which saw the entire field put up incredible performances. However, all eyes were on Hooper and Nel, as they continued to battle for the title. The Canadian Strongman ended up ranking higher, besting Rayno’s 200-kilogram (441-pound) Log Lift by 9 kilograms (19.8 pounds). Thereby, only one point separated the men going into the final event. Hooper ended up beating Rayno on the Atlas Stones and thus claimed his second title.

2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Finals Day Two 

1. Mitchell Hooper — 54 points
2. Rayno Nel — 52 points
3. Trey Mitchell — 36 points
4. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 31.5 points
5. Ondrej Fojtu — 31.5 points
6. Martins Licis — 30.5 points
7. Mathew Ragg — 29 points
8. Eddie Williams — 26 points
9. Nick Guardione — 21 points
10. Austin Andrade — 12.5 points (Withdrew)

Related: Luke Stoltman Withdraws From 2026 World’s and Europe’s Strongest Man After Breaking His Leg

Event Recap

Max Log

The penultimate event of the 2026 WSM was a Log Lift for max weight. The athletes had multiple attempts and were tasked with lifting a log off the floor and pressing it overhead. The Log Lift is one of the most iconic events in Strongman and one of the greatest tests of upper body strength. As such, it served a great purpose in determining who the World’s Strongest Man is.

Trey Mitchell came out on top in the Log Lift event with a lift of 213 kilograms (470 pounds). Trey seemed to be capable of lifting even more weight but ended up securing the top spot before reaching his limit.

Mitchell Hooper and Ondrej Fojtu tied for second place in the Log Lift since both men maxed out at 209 kilograms (461 pounds). It is worth pointing out that Fojtu attempted a 218-kilogram (480-pound) Log, which would have potentially put him ahead of Trey Mitchell. However, he was unsuccessful in doing so and had to settle for a tie in second place.

Rayno Nel nearly failed the 191-kilogram (421-pound) Log Lift, as he was unable to lock it out on the first attempt. However, he took a few seconds of rest and, despite all odds, managed to get the log above his head. Interestingly, he then successfully locked out 200 kilograms (441 pounds) a few minutes later.

• Trey Mitchell — 213-kg (470-lb)
• Ondrej Fojtu — 209-kg (461-lb)
• Mitchell Hooper — 209-kg (461-lb)
• Rayno Nel — 200-kg (441-lb)
• Mathew Ragg — 191-kg (421-lb)
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 191-kg (421-lb)
• Martins Licis — 191-kg (421-lb)
• Nick Guardione — 191-kg (421-lb)
• Eddie Williams — No Lift

Atlas Stones

Similar to previous years, the 2026 World’s Strongest Man concluded the Atlas Stones. Specifically, the athletes took on a series of five boulders with the aim of picking them up and loading them onto their respective platforms. The stone series was incredibly heavy, starting at 140 kilograms (308.6 pounds) and ending with a 210-kilogram (463-pound) implement. The time limit was set to 60 seconds.

Trey Mitchell was the only man to complete all five stones, as many struggled to get the final implement off the floor. This earned him a third-place finish overall, which is the highest he ever placed at the World’s Strongest Man.

Mitchell Hooper finished in second place, being the fastest out of multiple men who lifted four stones with a time of 28.67 seconds. On the other hand, Rayno Nel had a great start to the event, loading three stones faster than Hooper, but slowed down on the fourth one. In the end, despite being in the lead throughout the majority of the finals, Rayno had to settle for second place overall.

• Trey Mitchell — 5 in 42.10 s
• Mitchell Hooper — 4 in 28.67 s
• Martins Licis — 4 in 29.71 s
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 4 in 32.70 s
• Rayno Nel — 4 in 35.01 s
• Ondrej Fojtu — 4 in 42.07 s
• Nick Guardione — 3 in 22.15 s
• Mathew Ragg — 3 in 30.60 s
• Eddie Williams — 3 in 32.39 s

Related: 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man Results — Ondřej Fojtů Wins

Previous World’s Strongest Man Winners

• Bruce Wilhelm — 1977
• Bruce Wilhelm — 1978
• Don Reinhoudt — 1979
• Bill Kazmaier — 1980
• Bill Kazmaier — 1981
• Bill Kazmaier — 1982
• Geoff Capes — 1983
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1984
• Geoff Capes — 1985
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1986
• Not Held — 1987
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1988
• Jamie Reeves — 1989
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1990
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1991
• Ted van der Parre — 1992
• Gary Taylor — 1993
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1994
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1995
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1996
• Jouko Ahola — 1997
• Magnus Samuelsson — 1998
• Jouko Ahola — 1999
• Janne Virtanen — 2000
• Svend Karlsen — 2001
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2002
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2003
• Vasyl Virastyuk — 2004
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2005
• Phil Pfister — 2006
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2007
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2008
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2009
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2010
• Brian Shaw — 2011
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2012
• Brian Shaw — 2013
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2014
• Brian Shaw — 2015
• Brian Shaw — 2016
• Eddie Hall — 2017
• Hafthor Julius Bjornsson — 2018
• Martins Licis — 2019
• Oleksii Novikov — 2020
• Tom Stoltman — 2021
• Tom Stoltman — 2022
• Mitchell Hooper — 2023
• Tom Stoltman — 2024
• Rayno Nel — 2025

2026 WSM Related Content

• Mitchell Hooper Reclaims His Title at 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day One Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Qualifiers
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers
• How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finalists Revealed — Tom Stoltman Eliminated

Bodybuilding icon Dorian Yates is taking a look at two of the most common training intensifiers. On April 23, 2026, he revealed why he rarely used dropsets and supersets throughout his career, yet still found success at the highest level. 

“Dropsets and supersets…I often get asked my opinion on the above and if I ever did them. The answer is yes I did do both of them, but not that often to be honest.”

During Yates‘ Men’s Open tenure, he leveraged high-intensity training to build muscle. He adopted this training philosophy from legends Arthur Jones (the Nautilus machine founder) and Mike Mentzer. Above all else, they focused on achieving failure instead of pursuing a fixed number of reps or sets. 

For many, training plateaus can be incredibly hard to break through. One way to get the job done is with a dropset, where a lifter continues a set after reaching fatigue, typically with lighter weight. Supersets, meanwhile, are defined as performing two exercises back-to-back with no rest in between. However, Yates admits these were never essential to his progress as a bodybuilder. 

Dorian Yates Discusses Whether Dropsets and Supersets Are Necessary 

In the post, Yates shared that he only used a pre-exhaust superset on back day: 

“I didn’t feel the need to consistently perform them. As I showed you before from my earlier back workout from 1988, where I did perform a superset of pullovers, straight into a set of chins, both to failure.

This would be a pre-exhaust superset where its lat isolation with the pullovers and then bringing the biceps in with chins in that case. I do remember actually doing this same pre-exhaust superset with Mike Mentzer for back and biceps – but we did pullovers followed by underhand pulldowns.”

Instead of focusing on intensifiers, he aimed to stimulate the target muscle and go all-out with one hard set. 

“But like I said, I didn’t do them consistently, my game was to fully focus on the target muscle and give it everything in that one set. If you know in the back of your mind that you’ve got another exercise to follow straight after, it might be off putting to give this first exercise truly everything.”

Dropsets occasionally found their way into Yates’ routine, but only during shoulder training. 

“With dropsets, I did them occasionally but only really ever on dumbbell lateral raises as far aside can remember. I got 6-7 reps where I reach failure, the would drop by 20% and squeeze another few reps, usually up to 3-4 reps as it was still heavy.”

For his famous ‘Blood and Guts’ workouts, Yates didn’t use either method to build muscle. 

“I didn’t do any of these methods when we filmed Blood & Guts, I stopped doing both completely by then I believe.

I don’t really do them with clients either, the main mission is to go to failure, to true failure and unless we want to go past that for some reason, I don’t prescribe them,” shared Dorian Yates. 

While Yates wasn’t huge on intensifiers, that wasn’t the case for Arnold Schwarzenegger. Through the years, the former seven-time Mr. Olympia shared that he consistently used dropsets, supersets, and forced reps in his workouts to build muscle. 

There’s a time and place for just about every training method. For Yates, dropsets and supersets weren’t as critical to his rise in the Men’s Open. 

RELATED: Dorian Yates’ Go-To Leg Day Warm-Up Drill To Fire Up the Quads, Hamstrings, and Glutes

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man took place on April 23-26 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and is regarded as one of the most difficult Strongman competitions in the world. With four days of non-stop action and heavy weights in every event, the risk of injury is always present. Consequently, some athletes were forced to withdraw from the competition. 

2026 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals

Adam Bishop

Adam Bishop came into the 2026 WSM with the intention to make his tenth appearance. However, he was forced to withdraw at the start of the competition, completing only a single event. He crushed the Farmer’s Walk but seemed to struggle a bit on the Power Stairs. Minutes after the event, it was announced that Adam decided to withdraw from the WSM due to an injury, the details of which remain unknown for now.

Interestingly, Adam was the oldest athlete in the lineup at the age of 37 years old. However, his recent success at the 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man competition, where he placed third, indicated that he could put up another incredible performance at the WSM. While that was not the case, there is no doubt that Adam will come back from his injury even stronger than before.

Adam Bishop’s greatest success at the WSM remains his sixth-place finish from 2020. He has made it to the finals on three occasions over the years, consistently proving to be one of the strongest men in the world.

Since Adam Bishop withdrew during the first event, the organizers decided to allow Kevin Hazeleger to jump in, as he still had time to perform the event. As a result, 25 men remained in the 2026 WSM lineup.

Kevin Hazeleger

Adam Bishops’ replacement, Kevin Hazeleger, performed all three events on day one. However, he announced his own withdrawal from the 2026 World’s Strongest Man before day two of the competition started. The reasons behind his decision are unknown, but there is no doubt that Hazeleger would have continued competing if possible.

Bryce Johnson

Another athlete from group four withdrew and that man was Bryce Johnson. The US representative ended day one tied on points with Martis Licis and was definitely in contention for the qualifying spot. However, as his group started to perform the Truck Pull, his absence became clear and his withdrawal was announced. This practically meant that Ondrej Fojtu and Martins Licis qualified for the finals.

Austin Andrade

Austin Andrade was one of the best performers in the qualifying stage of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man and was a legitimate contender for the podium. However, during the first event of the finals, the Flip & Carry, Austin suffered a concussion. He went on to perform the Deadlift but underperformed in what was supposed to be one of his best events. Consequently, Andrade decided to withdraw from the competition in order to take care of his well-being. He did reveal that he feels good, which means that it shouldn’t keep him sidelined for too long.

Related: Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei Breaks Down Predictions for the 2026 World’s Strongest Man Qualifiers

Adam Bishop is not the only man who was forced to withdraw from the competition, as Luke Stoltman did so in the weeks leading up to the 2026 WSM. Stoltman broke his leg after jumping into the sea, as he expected the water to be deeper at that spot. Josh Patacca also withdrew days before the competition, and his spot was then given to Tristain Hoath.

2026 WSM Related Content

• Mitchell Hooper Reclaims His Title at 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day Two Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day One Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Qualifiers
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers
• How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finalists Revealed — Tom Stoltman Eliminated

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man took place from April 23 to 26 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, bringing together the top strength athletes from around the world. After two intense days of qualifying followed by two days of Finals, the winner was decided. In the end, Mitchell Hooper claimed his second World’s Strongest Man title after one of the most intense finishes in recent history.

The defending champion, Rayno Nel, had the best performance on day one of the 2026 WSM finals. He won the Flip & Carry, Deadlift, and Titan’s Toss events, beating the likes of Mitchell Hooper, Eddie Williams, and others across all three tests. Nel had some intense battles against Hooper but managed to slightly outperform him every time. On the other hand, Hooper secured three consecutive second-place finishes, which allowed him to remain within 2.5 points of Rayno going into day two.

The start of the second day at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals saw Hooper rank above Rayno Nel, chipping his lead down to just one point with a huge 209-kilogram (461-pound) Log Lift. Moreover, Hooper ranked higher than Rayno in the Atlas Stones as well, which moved him up to first place overall.

On the other hand, five athletes battled for the bronze, but Trey Mitchell managed to secure the final spot on the podium with a fantastic performance on the Atlas Stones.

2026 World’s Strongest Man Leaderboard

Related: 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man Results — Ondřej Fojtů Wins

Finals Recap — Day Two

Max Log

Following three long and exhausting days of action, the athletes were met with the Log Lift at the start of the last day. The format of the event required them to overhead press as much weight as possible, with each athlete being granted multiple attempts. As such, the event was a perfect test of static strength, ensuring that the competition truly crowns the World’s Strongest Man.

Trey Mitchell won the Log Lift and got closer to a podium spot. He performed multiple attempts, with his heaviest coming out to 213 kilograms (470 pounds). Trey was involved in a very tight battle for first place with Ondrej Fojtu. However, Fojtu decided to go for 218 kilograms (480 pounds) but was unsuccessful. In turn, his heaviest successful lift of 209 kilograms (461 pounds) earned him second place.

Mitchell Hooper managed to tie Fojtu for second, which helped reduce Rayno Nel’s overall lead to just one point going into the final event. Hooper locked out a 209-kilogram (461-pound) Log, which is one of his greatest overhead pressing achievements ever.

Rayno Nel’s overhead pressing strength has been one of his only ‘weaknesses’ in the past. However, his performance on the Log Lift proved that he has made a lot of progress, having locked out a 200-kilogram (441-pound) lift.

• Trey Mitchell — 213-kg (470-lb)
• Ondrej Fojtu — 209-kg (461-lb)
• Mitchell Hooper — 209-kg (461-lb)
• Rayno Nel — 200-kg (441-lb)
• Mathew Ragg — 191-kg (421-lb)
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 191-kg (421-lb)
• Martins Licis — 191-kg (421-lb)
• Nick Guardione — 191-kg (421-lb)
• Eddie Williams — No Lift

Atlas Stones

The World’s Strongest Man traditionally concluded with the Atlas Stones, and the 2026 edition of the competition was not an exception. The series consisted of five stones, ranging in weight from 140 kilograms (308.6 pounds) to 210 kilograms (463 pounds). This made it a very heavy set of implements, which was perfect for a competition of this caliber. The time limit was set to 60 seconds, but the athletes raced to finish the event as quickly as possible.

Trey Mitchell was the best performer on the Atlas Stones and was the only one who managed to get the final 210-kilogram (463-pound) stone onto the platform. Therefore, Trey moved up to third place overall, which was an incredible achievement following his relatively underwhelming start to the competition.

Mitchell Hooper performed well under pressure and secured second place on the Atlas Stones. He was the fastest to load four stones, doing so in a time of 28.67 seconds. As a result, Mitchell was crowned the 2026 World’s Strongest Man. Rayno Nel finished fifth on the Atlas Stones despite getting off to an incredible start.

• Trey Mitchell — 5 in 42.10 s
• Mitchell Hooper — 4 in 28.67 s
• Martins Licis — 4 in 29.71 s
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 4 in 32.70 s
• Rayno Nel — 4 in 35.01 s
• Ondrej Fojtu — 4 in 42.07 s
• Nick Guardione — 3 in 22.15 s
• Mathew Ragg — 3 in 30.60 s
• Eddie Williams — 3 in 32.39 s

Finals Recap — Day One

Flip & Carry

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals kicked off with the Flip & Carry event. For the first half of the event, the athletes had to flip a 520-kilogram (1,146.4-pound) box four times. Then, the athletes proceeded to the 454-kilogram (1,000.9-pound) Yoke, which they had to carry for a distance of 20 meters. Consequently, the goal was to complete the entire event in the shortest time possible.

Rayno Nel had an incredible start to his WSM finals campaign, winning the first event and catching up with Mitchell Hooper on the overall leaderboards. Nel’s speed helped him achieve a lot of success in his career, and his performance on the Flip & Carry was no exception. He moved rapidly across the field and was one of just two men to the event in under half a minute.

Mitchell Hooper had to settle for second place, being just 0.14 seconds slower than Rayno Nel. Hooper is also recognized as one of the quickest Strongmen in the world, which made for an incredible duel between him and the defending champion, resulting in a true photo finish. On the other hand, Pavlo Kordiyaka and Eddie Williams were involved in a battle of their own, with former Europe’s Strongest Man coming out on top with a time of 33.80 seconds.

• Rayno Nel — 27.30 seconds
• Mitchell Hooper — 27.44 seconds
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 33.80 seconds
• Eddie Williams — 34.74 seconds
• Ondrej Fojtu — 36.13 seconds
• Mathew Ragg — 37.24 seconds
• Martins Licis — 39.31 seconds
• Trey Mitchell — 40.43 seconds
• Austin Andrade — 40.57 seconds
• Nick Guardione — 43.86 seconds

Deadlift

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man competition would not be complete without a deadlift event, as it is often regarded as one of the ultimate tests of strength. In this case, the athletes were tasked with performing as many reps as possible with one of two barbells. Consequently, they got to choose between pulling 360 kilograms (793.7 pounds) or 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds). However, the athletes had to keep in mind that one rep with the heavier bar ranked higher than any number of reps with the lighter one.

The South African Strongman, Rayno Nel, continued dominating the field, having secured his second win of the day. He is known for immense deadlifting power, but many would still expect the likes of Hooper, Ragg, and perhaps some others to potentially beat him. However, that was not the case, as Nel ended up pulling 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds) for five reps.

Mitchell Hooper was one of the favorites to take the win in the event, especially since he is actively preparing for a World Record attempt at the upcoming 2026 Enhanced Games. His performance was spectacular, as he finished with four reps on the heavier barbell and one with the lighter one. Mathew Ragg achieved the exact same result, which put him in a tie with Hooper.

• Rayno Nel — 5 reps with 400-kg
• Mitchell Hooper — 4 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg
• Mathew Ragg — 4 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg
• Eddie Williams — 3 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg
• Martins Licis — 3 reps with 400-kg
• Trey Mitchell — 3 reps with 400-kg
• Ondrej Fojtu — 2 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg
• Austin Andrade — 1 rep with 400-kg
• Nick Guardione — 1 rep with 400-kg
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — No Lift

Titan’s Toss

The last event on day one of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals was the Titan’s Toss. Similar to last year, the athletes were tasked with tossing ten 14-kilogram (30.9-pound) implements over a beam. However, they started by standing 7 meters in front of the beam for the first implement and continued moving farther away, all the way until 12 meters for the final implement. If they failed to get one of the implements over the beam, they had to advance to the next one since they got one toss per implement.

Rayno Nel went three for three on the first day of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals, wrapping it up with a spectacular event win on the Titan’s Toss. He was the only man to complete nine successful throws, which made him the clear winner. He was very close to securing all ten, but narrowly missed one attempt.

Mitchell Hooper put up another spectacular performance but was once again bested by Rayno Nel. However, their rivalry continued, with Hooper ending the event with eight successful throws in 35 seconds. Nick Guardione also completed eight but was also eight seconds slower than Hooper. In turn, Hooper claimed third, while Guardione rounded out the top three.

• Rayno Nel — 9 in 39.23 s
• Mitchell Hooper — 8 in 35.00 s
• Nick Guardione — 8 in 43.09 s
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 6 in 21.78 s
• Mathew Ragg — 6 in 23.10 s
• Martins Licis — 6 in 26.78 s
• Trey Mitchell — 6 in 28.44 s
• Eddie Williams — 6 in 33.94 s
• Ondrej Fojtu — 3 in 17.84 s
• Austin Andrade — Withdrew

2026 World’s Strongest Man Qualifying Stage Leaderboard [Live Updates]

Qualifying Recap — Day Two

Event Four — Truck Pull

The second day of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man kicked off with the Truck Pull. In the event, the athletes had to pull a massive 25,000-kilogram (55,115-pound) vehicle for 25 meters. The goal was to reach the finish line quicker than the rest. The truck pull usually favors the larger athletes, but it still requires a high technical proficiency, along with immense power and determination.

Group One

• Rayno Nel — 35.03 seconds
• Nick Guardione — 37.69 seconds
• Luke Richardson — 38.91 seconds
• Ben Glasscock — 42.06 seconds
• Tristain Hoath — 43.00 seconds

Group Two

• Austin Andrade — 34.69 seconds
• Levi Strong — 34.84 seconds
• Tom Stoltman — 37.59 seconds
• Jaco Schoonwinkel — 37.94 seconds
• Mathew Ragg — 38.69 seconds

Group Three

• Mitchell Hooper — 33.02 seconds
• Matyáš Funiok — 35.22 seconds
• Lucas Hatton — 35.25 seconds
• Eddie Williams — 36.50 seconds
• Paddy Haynes — 38.34 seconds

Group Four

• Martins Licis — 36.09 seconds
• Ondrej Fojtu — 37.94 seconds
• James Jeffers — 38.28 seconds
• Bryce Johnson — Withdrew
• Kevin Hazeleger — Withdrew

Group Five

• Andrew Flynn — 35.78 seconds
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 37.66 seconds
• Trey Mitchell — 39.03 seconds
• Evans Nana — 39.16 seconds
• Evan Singleton — 39.97 seconds

Event Five — Natural Stone Medley

The fifth and last event of the 2026 WSM qualifiers was the Natural Stone Medley. It started with a 158-kilogram (348.3-pound) Stone-to-Shoulder, followed by a 177-kilogram (390.2-pound) Stone Carry for 16 meters. Once that was done, the athletes had to complete a Webster Stone Walk for 8 meters with implements that weighed 136 kilograms (299.8 pounds) and 113 kilograms (249.1 pounds). Lastly, the men were met with a 182-kilogram (401.2-pound) Stone that they had to load onto a platform.

Group One

• Rayno Nel — 4 in 43.70 s
• Nick Guardione — 4 in 71.38 s
• Tristain Hoath — 4 in 80.25 s
• Ben Glasscock — 4 in 107.82 s
• Luke Richardson — 2 + 6.10 m

Group Two

• Jaco Schoonwinkel — 4 in 60.65 s
• Austin Andrade — 4 in 101.41 s
• Tom Stoltman — 3 in 50.16 s
• Mathew Ragg — 3 in 82.35 s
• Levi Strong — 3 in 100.73 s

Group Three

• Mitchell Hooper — 4 in 52.81 s
• Eddie Williams — 4 in 55.03 s
• Matyáš Funiok — 4 in 58.81 s
• Paddy Haynes — 4 in 67.81 s
• Lucas Hatton — 1 in 27.50 s

Group Four

• Ondrej Fojtu — 4 in 80.83 s
• Martins Licis — 4 in 92.22 s
• James Jeffers — 3 in 84.67 s
• Kevin Hazeleger — Withdrew
• Bryce Johnson — Withdrew

Group Five

• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 4 in 67.00 s
• Trey Mitchell — 4 in 72.75 s
• Andrew Flynn — 4 in 97.66 s
• Evan Singleton — 1 + 13.40 m
• Evans Nana — No Lift

Qualifying Recap — Day One

Event One — Carry & Climb

The opening event of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man was a two-part challenge consisting of a Farmer’s Walk and Power Stairs. The Farmer’s implements weighed 140 kilograms (308.6 pounds) and had to be carried for a distance of 33 meters. On the other hand, the Power Stairs implement came out to 225 kilograms (496 pounds) and had to be carried up a flight of nine steps. The time limit was 75 seconds, but the goal was to finish the event in the shortest time possible.

Group One

• Rayno Nel — 37.06 seconds
• Nick Guardione — 43.91 seconds
• Tristain Hoath — 46.78 seconds
• Luke Richardson — 60.34 seconds
• Ben Glasscock — 65.68 seconds

Group Two

• Mathew Ragg — 38.29 seconds
• Jaco Schoonwinkel — 38.80 seconds
• Levi Strong — 51.84 seconds
• Austin Andrade — 53.85 seconds
• Tom Stoltman — 70.21 seconds

Group Three

• Eddie Williams — 37.88 seconds
• Mitchell Hooper — 39.64 seconds
• Paddy Haynes — 46.21 seconds
• Matyáš Funiok — 47.58 seconds
• Lucas Hatton — 50.16 seconds

Group Four

• Ondrej Fojtu — 38.22 seconds
• Bryce Johnson — 41.53 seconds
• James Jeffers — 43.91 seconds
• Kevin Hazeleger — 45.78 seconds
• Martins Licis — 46.08 seconds
• Adam Bishop — Withdrew

Group Five

• Evan Singleton — 38.58 seconds
• Andrew Flynn — 51.95 seconds
• Evans Nana — 54.62 seconds
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 6 in 74.05 seconds
• Trey Mitchell — 22 meters

Event Two — Circus Press Medley

The second event of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man was all about the overhead press. So, the athletes faced a series of three dumbbells, weighing 80-kg (176.4-lb), 90-kg (198.4-lb), and 100-kg (220.5-lb), respectively. That was not the end of the event, though, since the athletes then performed an AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) with a 159-kilogram (350.5-pound) barbell.

Group One

• Ben Glasscock — 6 in 62.78 s
• Nick Guardione — 5 in 44.50 s
• Luke Richardson — 5 in 53.29 s
• Rayno Nel — 4 in 26.11 s
• Tristain Hoath — 2 in 16.84 s

Group Two

• Austin Andrade — 6 in 59.33 s
• Tom Stoltman — 5 in 50.76 s
• Mathew Ragg — 5 in 61.15 s
• Levi Strong — 4 in 70.35 s
• Jaco Schoonwinkel — 3 in 42.16 s

Group Three

• Lucas Hatton — 8 in 74.60 s
• Mitchell Hooper — 7 in 58.47 s
• Eddie Williams — 5 in 55.47 s
• Matyáš Funiok — 5 in 61.38 s
• Paddy Haynes — 5 in 70.15 s

Group Four

• Ondrej Fojtu — 8 in 64.87 s
• Martins Licis — 6 in 63.21 s
• Bryce Johnson — 4 in 40.97 s
• James Jeffers — 4 in 44.52 s
• Kevin Hazeleger — 3 in 29.97 s

Group Five

• Trey Mitchell — 8 in 71.72 s
• Evan Singleton — 7 in 73.61 s
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 6 in 59.85 s
• Andrew Flynn — 6 in 63.56 s
• Evans Nana — 4 in 69.36 s

Event Three — Squat Lift

The squat has produced some memorable moments at the WSM in the past and it has found its place in this year’s edition of the competition. The weight was set to 320 kilograms (705.5 pounds) for everyone, giving them a task of locking out as many repetitions as possible. However, they had only 60 seconds to do so, leaving no time to rest between the reps.

Group One

• Luke Richardson — 16 reps
• Rayno Nel — 13 reps
• Ben Glasscock — 10 reps
• Tristain Hoath — 7 reps
• Nick Guardione — 6 reps

Group Two

• Austin Andrade — 16 reps
• Mathew Ragg — 15 reps
• Tom Stoltman — 12 reps
• Jaco Schoonwinkel — 10 reps
• Levi Strong — 5 reps

Group Three

• Lucas Hatton — 17 reps
• Mitchell Hooper — 12 reps
• Eddie Williams — 11 reps
• Matyáš Funiok — 7 reps
• Paddy Haynes — 6 reps

Group Four

• Martins Licis — 14 reps
• Ondrej Fojtu — 10 reps
• Bryce Johnson — 9 reps
• James Jeffers — 8 reps
• Kevin Hazeleger — 2 reps

Group Five

• Trey Mitchell — 15 reps
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 14 reps
• Evans Nana — 12 reps
• Andrew Flynn — 12 reps
• Evan Singleton — 8 reps

Related: Luke Stoltman Withdraws From 2026 World’s and Europe’s Strongest Man After Breaking His Leg

Previous World’s Strongest Man Winners

• Bruce Wilhelm — 1977
• Bruce Wilhelm — 1978
• Don Reinhoudt — 1979
• Bill Kazmaier — 1980
• Bill Kazmaier — 1981
• Bill Kazmaier — 1982
• Geoff Capes — 1983
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1984
• Geoff Capes — 1985
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1986
• Not Held — 1987
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1988
• Jamie Reeves — 1989
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1990
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1991
• Ted van der Parre — 1992
• Gary Taylor — 1993
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1994
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1995
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1996
• Jouko Ahola — 1997
• Magnus Samuelsson — 1998
• Jouko Ahola — 1999
• Janne Virtanen — 2000
• Svend Karlsen — 2001
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2002
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2003
• Vasyl Virastyuk — 2004
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2005
• Phil Pfister — 2006
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2007
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2008
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2009
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2010
• Brian Shaw — 2011
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2012
• Brian Shaw — 2013
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2014
• Brian Shaw — 2015
• Brian Shaw — 2016
• Eddie Hall — 2017
• Hafthor Julius Bjornsson — 2018
• Martins Licis — 2019
• Oleksii Novikov — 2020
• Tom Stoltman — 2021
• Tom Stoltman — 2022
• Mitchell Hooper — 2023
• Tom Stoltman — 2024
• Rayno Nel — 2025

FAQs

Who is the winningest athlete at the WSM?

Mariusz Pudzianowski holds the top spot as the athlete with the most wins in the history of the World’s Strongest Man competition. He stood on top of the podium five times, putting him above the likes of Brian Shaw and Zydrunas Savickas, both of whom won it four time.. When it comes to the 2026 World’s Strongest Man, Tom Stoltman is the standout athlete, as he is coming into the competition with three titles under his belt.

How to watch the 2026 World’s Strongest Man?

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man is not broadcast live on any platform but will instead be televised on CBS and CBS Sports Network in June and July for US-based fans and Channel 5 in December for fans from the UK. However, we are doing a full coverage of the WSM, including point standings, event recaps, potential injury updates, records, and everything related to the competition.

Who are the favorites for the 2026 World’s Strongest Man?

The lineup for the 2026 World’s Strongest Man is incredibly stacked and the group seedings have made the situation even more intense. However, the fan favorites are mainly the athletes who have already won the competition, which includes Rayno Nel, Tom Stoltman, and Mitchell Hooper.

2026 WSM Related Content

• Mitchell Hooper Reclaims His Title at 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day One Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Qualifiers
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers
• How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finalists Revealed — Tom Stoltman Eliminated

São Paulo, Brazil, hosted the highly anticipated 2026 Arnold Classic South America competition from April 24-26. Competitors from Men’s Open Bodybuilding, Classic Physique, and Men’s Wheelchair battled for Mr. Olympia qualifications.

In 2025, Ugolnikov “Good Vito” Vitalii clinched the Open crown at the Arnold Classic South America. He decided to sit out of the contest, leaving room for a new titleholder to stake their claim. This annual event, backed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, has seen high-profile bodybuilders win gold, including Brandon Curry and Rafael Brandao.

After prejudging and finals wrapped up, Leandro Sencini Peres emerged as the new Men’s Open champion. He brought a balanced and polished package to the stage, combining strong shape, improved conditioning, and enough size to hold off a dangerous lineup. Wellington Baptista finished second after pushing hard in the comparisons, while Blessing Awodibu rounded out the top three with his trademark size and stage presence.

In Classic Physique, Livingstone Livinho claimed gold with a sharp, aesthetic look that stood out among a deep field of Brazilian and international contenders. Rodrigo Cavalcanti secured second place, and Paulo Henrique completed the top three. Meanwhile, Josue Fabiano took home the Men’s Wheelchair title.

2026 Arnold Classic South America Winners 

• Men’s Open Bodybuilding: Leandro Sencini Peres
• Classic Physique: Livingstone Livinho
• Men’s Wheelchair: Josue Fabiano

Men’s Open Bodybuilding 

• Winner — Leandro Sencini Peres
• Second Place — Wellington Baptista
• Third Place — Blessing Awodibu
• Fourth Place — Trindade Alexandre
• Fifth Place — Jose William Junior
• Sixth Place — Andre Carlao
• Seventh Place — Sibusiso Kotelo
• Eighth Place — Davi Flex Jr
• Ninth Place — Alan Ramiro Bonadiman
• Tenth Place — David Adriano Justino Da Silva

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXkVVvADctN/

Classic Physique 

• Winner — Livingstone Livinho
• Second Place — Rodrigo Cavalcanti
• Third Place — Paulo Henrique
• Fourth Place — Kenny Moreira
• Fifth Place — Wanderson Chaves
• Sixth Place — Marco Gomes
• Seventh Place — Eiton Freitas Nascimento
• Eighth Place — Carlos Roberto Viking
• Ninth Place — Marcelo De Jesus
• Tenth Place — Eduardo Inacio Falcao

Men’s Wheelchair 

• Winner — Josue Fabiano

2026 Arnold Classic South America Scorecards 

MEN’S BODYBUILDING – OPEN
#	NAME	COUNTRY	JUDGING	FINALS	TOTAL	PLACE
9	Leandro Sencini Peres	Brazil	3	3	6	1
4	Wellington Baptista	Brazil	6	6	12	2
3	Blessing Awodibu	USA	9	9	18	3
2	Trindade Alexandre	Brazil	12	12	24	4
10	Jose William Junior	Brazil	15	15	30	5
5	Andre Carlao	Brazil	18	18	36	6
7	Sibusiso Kotelo	South Africa	21	21	42	7
6	Davi Flex Jr	Brazil	24	24	48	8
8	Alan Ramiro Bonadiman	Brazil	27	27	54	9
1	David Adriano Justino Da Silva	Brazil	30	30	60	10

---

MEN’S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE – OPEN
#	NAME	COUNTRY	JUDGING	FINALS	TOTAL	PLACE
20	Livingstone Livinho	Brazil	3		3	1
12	Rodrigo Cavalcanti	Brazil	6		6	2
19	Paulo Henrique	Portugal	9		9	3
21	Kenny Moreira	Brazil	12		12	4
13	Wanderson Chaves	Brazil	15		15	5
18	Marco Gomes	Brazil	18		18	6
22	Eiton Freitas Nascimento	Brazil	21		21	7
24	Carlos Roberto Viking	Brazil	24		24	8
15	Marcelo De Jesus	Brazil	27		27	9
17	Eduardo Inacio Falcao	Brazil	30		30	10
11	Lucas Almeida Rios Alves	Brazil	33		33	11
14	Rodrigo Coelho	Brazil	36		36	12
23	Sergio Santos	Brazil	39		39	13

---

MEN’S WHEELCHAIR – OPEN
#	NAME	COUNTRY	JUDGING	FINALS	TOTAL	PLACE
25	Josue Fabiano	Brazil	3		3	1

Our team at Fitness Volt congratulates the winners and all participants who made this year’s Arnold Classic South America extra special!  

The finals officially kicked off at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man on April 25th in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Ten of the best performers from the qualifying stage took on three events on the first day of finals, hoping to get involved in the title race as the competition nears its end. Rayno Nel got off to the best start, having taken the lead going into day two.

Rayno Nel made a huge step toward a title defense on day one, as he overtook Mitchell Hooper on the overall rankings at the end of day one. Nel had a perfect day, winning all three events and going 2.5 points clear at the top of the table going into the last day of the competition.

Mitchell Hooper placed second across all three events but remains hopeful for day two of the competition, considering that Rayno Nel has had some struggles with overhead pressing events in the past. Rayno has displayed great improvements already, but it still remains to be seen how well he can perform on the Log Lift.

2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Finals Day One 

1. Rayno Nel — 39 points
2. Mitchell Hooper — 36.5 points
3. Eddie Williams — 24 points
4. Mathew Ragg — 21.5 points
5. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 20 points
6. Martins Licis — 18 points
7. Ondrej Fojtu — 18 points
8. Trey Mitchell — 16 points
9. Nick Guardione — 12.5 points
10. Austin Andrade — 12.5 points (Withdrew)

Related: Luke Stoltman Withdraws From 2026 World’s and Europe’s Strongest Man After Breaking His Leg

Event One — Flip & Carry

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals kicked off with a two-part medley, which consisted of a 520-kilogram (1,146.4-pound) box flip and a 454-kilogram (1,000.9-pound) Yoke Carry. Athletes had to flip the box four times, while the Yoke carry distance was set to 20 meters. Both implements were exceptionally heavy, which emphasized the need for brute strength, speed, and endurance. It was a timed event, meaning that the athletes raced to cross the finish line first.

Mitchell Hooper was widely recognized as the unofficial ‘King of the Yoke’ due to his performances from previous years, but Rayno Nel proved to be a worthy challenger. The two performed the event side-by-side and locked in the quickest times by far. Moreover, it was unclear who won the event until the official times were announced. In the end, Nel managed to beat Hooper by 0.14 seconds, starting off his WSM finals appearance in the best way possible.

The battle for third place was also incredibly tight, as Pavlo Kordiyaka nad Eddie Williams finished within fractions of a second as well. The Ukrainian athlete prevailed, finishing with a time of 33.80 seconds and beating Eddie’s time of 34.74 seconds. The rest of the field was not far behind, showing just how incredibly stacked the lineup is this year.

• Rayno Nel — 27.30 seconds
• Mitchell Hooper — 27.44 seconds
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 33.80 seconds
• Eddie Williams — 34.74 seconds
• Ondrej Fojtu — 36.13 seconds
• Mathew Ragg — 37.24 seconds
• Martins Licis — 39.31 seconds
• Trey Mitchell — 40.43 seconds
• Austin Andrade — 40.57 seconds
• Nick Guardione — 43.86 seconds

Event Two — Deadlift

The qualifiers featured the squat, but the finals presented the deadlift. Specifically, the athletes had a choice between two weights, 360 kilograms (793.7 pounds) and 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds). Whichever they chose, the goal was the same: to perform as many repetitions as possible. However, the event was a ‘weight trumps reps’ format, meaning that just one rep with the heavier deadlift ranked higher than any number of reps with the lighter one.

Rayno Nel continued his winning streak, taking 20 points across the first two events of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man finals. Nel beat some of the greatest deadlifters in the world, having achieved a total of five reps within 75 seconds. He moved very quickly from the start and stopped at five reps once he realized that it was enough to take the win.

Mitchell Hooper placed second once again, having locked out one rep less than Rayno. He then went on to perform another rep on the 360-kilogram (793.7-pound) bar, with which he tied Mathew Ragg for second place. The Canadian Strongman tried to achieve another rep with the lighter bar to beat Ragg but was unsuccessful in doing so.

• Rayno Nel — 5 reps with 400-kg
• Mitchell Hooper — 4 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg
• Mathew Ragg — 4 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg
• Eddie Williams — 3 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg
• Martins Licis — 3 reps with 400-kg
• Trey Mitchell — 3 reps with 400-kg
• Ondrej Fojtu — 2 reps with 400-kg + 1 rep with 360-kg
• Austin Andrade — 1 rep with 400-kg
• Nick Guardione — 1 rep with 400-kg
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — No Lift

Event Three — Titan’s Toss

The Titan’s Toss was a repeat event from last year’s WSM and was a very unique variation of the implement toss. Namely, the athletes tossed ten 14-kilogram (30.9-pound) implements over a 3.65-meter-high beam. While the height and weight remained the same, the distance of the throws started at 7 meters and increased up to 12 meters on the final toss. Moreover, if the athletes failed a toss, they couldn’t re-attempt it, meaning that technique, trajectory, and composure were absolutely crucial elements of the event.

Multiple athletes struggled as they got farther away from the beam, but that wasn’t the case with Rayno Nel. He completed the perfect day one at the 2026 WSM finals, missing just one implement toss out of ten. Even in his one miss, Rayno did not seem to lack any power, but the trajectory of his throw seemed to be off.

Mitchell Hooper placed second for the third time in a row, finishing behind Rayno Nel once again. He was one of two men who successfully tossed eight implements but did so in a time of 35.00 seconds. On the other hand, Nick Guardione broke through into the top three on the Titan’s Toss following two last place finishes earlier in the day. Nick was eight seconds slower than Hooper.

• Rayno Nel — 9 in 39.23 s
• Mitchell Hooper — 8 in 35.00 s
• Nick Guardione — 8 in 43.09 s
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 6 in 21.78 s
• Mathew Ragg — 6 in 23.10 s
• Martins Licis — 6 in 26.78 s
• Trey Mitchell — 6 in 28.44 s
• Eddie Williams — 6 in 33.94 s
• Ondrej Fojtu — 3 in 17.84 s
• Austin Andrade — Withdrew

Related: 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man Results — Ondřej Fojtů Wins

Remaining WSM Schedule

Day Four — Sunday, April 26th

• 10:00 AM — Max Log
• 1:30 PM — Atlas Stones
• 2:45 PM — WSM Trophy Ceremony

Previous World’s Strongest Man Winners

• Bruce Wilhelm — 1977
• Bruce Wilhelm — 1978
• Don Reinhoudt — 1979
• Bill Kazmaier — 1980
• Bill Kazmaier — 1981
• Bill Kazmaier — 1982
• Geoff Capes — 1983
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1984
• Geoff Capes — 1985
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1986
• Not Held — 1987
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1988
• Jamie Reeves — 1989
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1990
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1991
• Ted van der Parre — 1992
• Gary Taylor — 1993
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1994
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1995
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1996
• Jouko Ahola — 1997
• Magnus Samuelsson — 1998
• Jouko Ahola — 1999
• Janne Virtanen — 2000
• Svend Karlsen — 2001
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2002
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2003
• Vasyl Virastyuk — 2004
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2005
• Phil Pfister — 2006
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2007
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2008
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2009
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2010
• Brian Shaw — 2011
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2012
• Brian Shaw — 2013
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2014
• Brian Shaw — 2015
• Brian Shaw — 2016
• Eddie Hall — 2017
• Hafthor Julius Bjornsson — 2018
• Martins Licis — 2019
• Oleksii Novikov — 2020
• Tom Stoltman — 2021
• Tom Stoltman — 2022
• Mitchell Hooper — 2023
• Tom Stoltman — 2024
• Rayno Nel — 2025

2026 WSM Related Content

• Mitchell Hooper Reclaims His Title at 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day Two Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Qualifiers
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers
• How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finalists Revealed — Tom Stoltman Eliminated

After four years away from the stage, Wellness star Yarishna Ayala is set for a comeback. On April 24, 2026, she joined Hany Rambod for an intense leg day workout ahead of the New York Pro. 

The Wellness category kicked off in 2021, and it’s quickly become one of the most popular bodybuilding divisions. Competitors walk a fine line onstage; they have to present enough fullness and conditioning without going overboard. 

Ayala has taken this into account ahead of her return, especially after her last few contests. She last competed in 2022, starting with a fifth-place finish at the Arnold Classic. To qualify for the Mr. Olympia, she secured gold at the Boston Pro. However, at the biggest show of the year, she settled for eighth place. Looking ahead, she has big plans and announced that she’ll also compete at the 2026 Pittsburgh Pro. 

Yarishna Ayala’s Leg Day Workout With Hany Rambod Ahead of 2026 New York Pro Return 

Find her exercises from the video below: 

• Hip Abductor Machine
• Leg Extension Machine (Lying Back) 
• Leg Press Machine
• Walking Dumbbell Lunges 

Hip Abductor Machine

Before getting to compound movements, Rambod had Ayala warm up her glutes with the hip abduction machine. 

“We’re going to activate a little glutes first, that way as we get ready to do any other compound movements that we already have blood in through the glutes and focused on glutes, everything is glute-dominant, especially with Wellness. It’s the only asymmetrical class.” 

“You want a bigger lower body than upper body.” 

Leg Extension Machine (Lying Variation)

Next, Ayala pushed through old-school lying leg extensions. Rambod explained that pointing the toes outward during reps can maximize tension on the upper thigh. 

“When you point your toes on any leg extension, you’ll feel a little bit more in the upper thigh, right there in the upper thigh.”

“We’re doing this lying leg extension old-school style. What we’re doing is, normally, you are upright, this old-school style one, you’re actually leaning back,” he said. “Controlling the eccentric is very important.” 

Leg Press Machine

Taking a narrow stance, she moved on with the leg press machine. 

“We went from abduction, glute, then to quad, now we’re getting a little combination. She really likes to do leg press, great exercise. We’re just using a neutral stance, nothing too crazy high or low. Just trying to continue to put blood in the quads and stimulate.” 

Walking Dumbbell Lunges  

As a finisher, Ayala burned out her quads and hamstrings with walking lunges. 

“We’re grabbing some dumbbells and doing some walking lunges just to really get a really good finisher. Round trip all the way down about 30 yards and back,” Rambod shared. “The key is to make sure you’re not going too fast.” 

Ayala hasn’t captured the Olympia title yet, but she has trained in the company of champions. She joined former Women’s Physique Olympia Dana Linn Bailey for a brutal seven-exercise glute workout, where the two practiced slower eccentric reps. 

Fans look forward to witnessing Yarishna Ayala’s return. Fitness Volt will have live coverage of the 2026 New York Pro, scheduled for May 8-9 in Teaneck, New Jersey. 

RELATED: Kai Greene Guides Rising Female Bodybuilders Through A Glute And Hamstrings Focused Workout

Watch the full video from the Hany Rambod YouTube channel below:

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man is taking place from April 23 to 26 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The first two days featured the Qualifying Stage, where 25 athletes competed across five events for a chance to advance. With only ten spots available in the Finals, the lineup is now officially set.

Similar to last year, the World’s Strongest Man has moved away from the traditional “clean slate” finals in favor of a weighted carryover system. That means that instead of all ten finalists starting from zero, their qualifying performances are evaluated, compared, and ranked. Consequently, those who performed better in the qualifiers enter the finals with more points. The scoring starts at 10 points for the best performer and incrementally decreases with each following position.

This rule ensures that the athletes are incentivized to maintain intensity in the qualifiers, even if they have qualified before the final event. In previous years, the athletes were able to coast and preserve energy for the finals, which some thought was unfair. Now, every second and every rep in the qualifying stage carry a massive advantage, as they could ultimately be the deciding factor in the battle for the title.

2026 World’s Strongest Man Finalists

• Mitchell Hooper (CAN) — 10 points
• Rayno Nel (RSA) — 9 points
• Austin Andrade (MEX) — 8 points
• Eddie Williams (AUS) — 7 points
• Ondrej Fojtu (CZE) — 6 points
• Pavlo Kordiyaka (UKR) — 5 points
• Martins Licis (LVA) — 3.5 points
• Trey Mitchell (USA) — 3.5 points
• Mathew Ragg (NZL) — 2 points
• Nick Guardione (USA) — 1 point

Related: Luke Stoltman Withdraws From 2026 World’s and Europe’s Strongest Man After Breaking His Leg

Finals Lineup Overview

The defending champion, Rayno Nel, has managed to win his group for the second year in a row, showing that he is determined to add to his legacy. His qualifying performance earned him nine points, but it is also important to note that the finals events seem to suit him well.

Mitchell Hooper had an incredible performance in the qualifying stage, placing top two across all five events. As a result, Hooper is coming into the finals with 10 points to his name, making him one of the favorites to take the title this year

Austin Andrade and Mathew Ragg were the top two finishers in group two. They had a difficult task to qualify but managed to beat the 3x World’s Strongest Man, Tom Stoltman, and pulled off the biggest surprise in recent years. That alone proves that they can beat anyone in the world, making them contenders for the title. Austin and Mathew have earned eight and two points, respectively.

Ondrej Fojtu has arguably been the most impressive athlete in the qualifying stage. He convincingly beat everyone in his group, despite the fact that he competed in and won 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man just two weeks prior. With five points to kick off his finals appearance, Ondrej is one of the biggest favorites for the podium spots. One of his biggest rivals will be Eddie Williams, who will have two points more from the get-go.

Martins ‘The Dragon’ Licis has continued his streak of making it to the finals, as he has made six appearances in the WSM so far and made it into the final ten every time. Nick Guardione also secured his spot in the finals following a very intense battle against Luke Richardson. This is his first time making it into the top 10, and he goes in with 1 point to his name.

Group five was insanely unpredictable as well, as three athletes were separated by just one point with one event to go. Ultimately, Pavlo Kordiyaka and Trey Mitchell made it to the finals once again.

Related: 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man Results — Ondřej Fojtů Wins

The group stage of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man featured a nail-biting finish and marked one of the most interesting qualifiers in recent years. Hopefully the finals will continue with the same momentum, as all ten athletes have earned their spot and proved that they are genuine podium threats.

2026 WSM Related Content

• Mitchell Hooper Reclaims His Title at 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day Two Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day One Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Qualifiers
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers
• How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals

Bikini star Lauralie Chapados is out to make a statement in her next contest. On April 24, 2026, she shared her higher-carb full day of eating just four weeks before the 2026 Pittsburgh Pro. 

Chapados is focused on bouncing back after missing the mark at the 2025 Mr. Olympia. She ended up in sixth place but was eager to offset the performance in Columbus, Ohio. When she made her way to the 2026 Arnold Classic, she came close to gold, narrowly losing to Aimee Delgado. 

She has the chance to re-cement herself as an Olympia title contender in her next outing. Having taken training tips from Hany Rambod, Chapados intends to bring a full, fresher physique to the stage. 

Lauralie Chapados’ Full Day of Eating 4 Weeks from the 2026 Pittsburgh Pro 

Find her meals from the video below: 

Meal 1 

• 50 grams oats 
• 100 grams blueberries 
• 1 whole egg 
• 125 grams of egg whites 

She started the day with oats and eggs and revealed that she gained a pound after her coach increased her carb intake. 

“My fats are pretty high, in my opinion, where it’s 61 grams of fat a day, which allows me to have a great, balanced, and healthy diet. He [my coach] ended up bumping up the carbs. More carbs, same protein, same amount of fats. I went a whole pound up this morning.” 

Meal 2: Pre-Workout 

• 5 oz of 93/7 ground beef 
• 5 ounces of rice 
• French green beans 
• 4 cherry tomatoes 

For her pre-workout meal, the Bikini contender ate beef with vegetables, providing her with ample protein and fats. 

“I’m very particular with my protein sources and the way I put vegetables together,” she shared. 

Meal 3 

• 4 ounces of banana
• 15 grams of honey
• 15 grams of cashew butter
• 1 scoop of Evogen Isoject 

She added glutamine to her protein-packed post-workout shake. 

“Sweeten it as you wish and will. This is the best texture ever. It’s so good. Also, I have five grams of glutamine in here but if I were you, I’d probably put a scoop of creatine in there.” 

Meal 4 

• 5.5 ounces of sweet potato 
• 4 ounces of chicken breast
• 57 grams of avocado 

Chapados admits she’s feeling some hunger pains at this stage of preparations: 

“It’s like half an avocado. Again, I’m starving.” 

Meal 5

• 5.5 ounces of Japanese sweet potato 
• 4 ounces of Norwegian salmon 
• cauliflower
• broccoli 
• avocado seasoning
• salt 
• pepper

As her final meal of the day, the former three-time Arnold Classic champ took down salmon with sweet potatoes and started winding down. 

“Right now, I’m trying to not look at anything. So, no more work, no more screens, no more nothing. Just eating and relaxing with Leo a little bit, and just winding down, cleaning things up or whatever I need to do. I also need to get myself ready for tomorrow.” 

In addition to working alongside Rambod, Chapados has trained with ‘The Godfather of Bodybuilding’ Charles Glass. She focused on building her back with a tailored training routine and took insight from Glass during each exercise. 

Chapados is just a few weeks away from her return. The 2026 Pittsburgh Pro is set for May 16-17 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

RELATED: Lauralie Chapados Shares Reason Why She Didn’t Compete at 2025 Arnold Classic, Hits Shoulder Workout With Hany Rambod

Watch the full video from the Lauralie Chapados YouTube channel below: 

The 2026 World’s Strongest Man continued on April 24th in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with Day Two of the qualifiers. So, 25 athletes had to perform two more events, the Truck Pull and Natural Stone Medley, before finding out who made it to the finals. It proved to be one of the most intense days ever seen at the WSM with epic battles and surprising results.

Day two of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man kicked off with some unfortunate news, revealing that Bryce Johnson and Kevin Hazeleger withdrew from the competition. This made Ondrej Fojtu’s and Martins Licis’s paths to the final much less complicated.

The biggest upset of the day happened in group two, where Tom Stoltman failed to qualify for the finals for the first time in eight years. Tom stood on the podium for the past six editions of the competition but unfortunately failed to make it into the top ten this year.

2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Point Standings 

Group One

• Rayno Nel — 21 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Nick Guardione — 17 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Luke Richardson — 14 points
• Ben Glasscock — 13 points
• Tristain Hoath — 10 points

Group Two

• Austin Andrade — 21 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Mathew Ragg — 15 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Jaco Schoonwinkel — 14 points
• Tom Stoltman — 14 points
• Levi Strong — 11 points

Group Three

• Mitchell Hooper — 22 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Eddie Williams —17 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Lucas Hatton — 15 points
• Matyáš Funiok — 13 points
• Paddy Haynes — 8 points

Group Four

• Ondrej Fojtu — 23 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Martins Licis — 19 points (Qualified for Finals)
• James Jeffers — 13 points
• Bryce Johnson — 10 points (Withdrew)
• Kevin Hazeleger — 4 points (Withdrew)
• Adam Bishop — Withdrew

Group Five

• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 18 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Trey Mitchell — 18 points (Qualified for Finals)
• Andrew Flynn — 16.5 points
• Evan Singleton — 13 points
• Evans Nana — 8.5 points

Related: Luke Stoltman Withdraws From 2026 World’s and Europe’s Strongest Man After Breaking His Leg

Event Recap — Day Two Qualifiers

Event Four — Truck Pull

The penultimate event of the qualifying stage at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man qualifiers was the Truck Pull. As the name suggests, the athletes had to pull a 25,000-kilogram (55,115-pound) truck for a distance of 25 meters. The time limit was set to 60 seconds, but the goal was to finish in the shortest time possible. The truck pull is always very unpredictable, as the weight alone does not show how heavy it will be. Instead, the surface friction can make the event much more difficult by increasing the grip of the tires.

Group One

Rayno Nel’s speed in moving events led him to his second event win at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man. He was convincingly the quickest man in his group to reach the finish line while pulling a massive truck, achieving a time of 35.03 seconds. With this, he extended his lead and continued on his path to win his group for the second year in a row.

Nick Guardione placed second with a time of 37.69 seconds, beating the third-place finisher, Luke Richardson, by 1.22 seconds. Nick was sitting one point behind Richardson going into the event, which means that they ended up in a tie going into the final event.

• Rayno Nel — 35.03 seconds
• Nick Guardione — 37.69 seconds
• Luke Richardson — 38.91 seconds
• Ben Glasscock — 42.06 seconds
• Tristain Hoath — 43.00 seconds

Group Two

Austin Andrade got the truck moving quickly and only kept speeding up until he reached the finish line. He locked in a time of 34.69 seconds and won his third consecutive event, proving to be quite a challenger for the title. Most importantly, Austin secured his spot in the finals.

Levi Strong sat in fifth place at the end of day one, but his truck-pull performance pulled him back into the battle for second place. Strong finished the event in 34.84 seconds to place second. Tom Stoltman’s third-place finish in the fourth event and the fact that he beat Mathew Ragg put him in a very good position following a turbulent day one at the 2026 WSM.

• Austin Andrade — 34.69 seconds
• Levi Strong — 34.84 seconds
• Tom Stoltman — 37.59 seconds
• Jaco Schoonwinkel — 37.94 seconds
• Mathew Ragg — 38.69 seconds

Group Three

Following three consecutive second place finishes on day one, Mitchell Hooper finally managed to get the event win in the Truck Pull. He maintained a relentless pace, not letting the truck slow down at all. His time came out to 33.02 seconds, which was not only impressive within the boundaries of his group but also across all athletes in the competition.

The 20-year-old Matyáš Funiok’s performance in the second-to-last event of the qualifiers proved that he is one of the biggest prospects that the sport has ever seen. He reached the finish line in 35.22 seconds, which was enough for a second-place finish. Lucas Hatton placed third, finishing just 0.03 seconds after Funiok. This put him one point ahead of his direct rival for the second qualifying spot in the group, Eddie Williams.

• Mitchell Hooper — 33.02 seconds
• Matyáš Funiok — 35.22 seconds
• Lucas Hatton — 35.25 seconds
• Eddie Williams — 36.50 seconds
• Paddy Haynes — 38.34 seconds

Group Four

Unfortunately, both Bryce Johnson and Kevin Hazeleger were forced to withdraw from the 2026 World’s Strongest Man prior to the start of event three. Consequently, Fojtu and Licis practically secured their spots in the finals.

Both Licis and Fojtu had to continue pushing hard, as the results from the qualifiers largely impact their starting position / points in the finals. Martins Licis turned out to be the quicker of the two with a time of 36.09 seconds. In turn, Ondrej Fojtu had to settle for second, having crossed the line nearly two seconds after Licis. James Jeffers was just 0.34 seconds slower than Fojtu as well.

• Martins Licis — 36.09 seconds
• Ondrej Fojtu — 37.94 seconds
• James Jeffers — 38.28 seconds
• Bryce Johnson — Withdrew
• Kevin Hazeleger — Withdrew

Group Five

The Truck Pull made the standings in group five even more complicated, as three athletes were separated by just one point overall with one event to go. When it comes to the event, Andrew Flynn put up the best performance by far, reaching the finish line in just 35.78 seconds.

Pavlo Kordiyaka placed second with a time of 37.66 seconds, which was absolutely crucial for him since he didn’t allow Flynn to extend his lead too much. Trey Mitchell placed third, beating Evans Nana by just 0.13 seconds.

• Andrew Flynn — 35.78 seconds
• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 37.66 seconds
• Trey Mitchell — 39.03 seconds
• Evans Nana — 39.16 seconds
• Evan Singleton — 39.97 seconds

Event Five — Natural Stone Medley

The Natural Stone Medley wrapped up the 2026 World’s Strongest Man qualifiers. It has troubled some athletes in the past, which went to show that it was an extremely difficult event. It consisted of four parts: the 158-kg (348.3-lb) Stone to Shoulder, the 177-kg (390.2-lb) Stone Carry, the 136-kg & 113-kg (299.8-lb & 249.1-lb) Webster Stone Walk, and finally, the 182-kg (401.2-lb) Stone Load. The athletes had two minutes to complete the event but aimed to do it quicker than that.

Group One

Rayno Nel left everyone in awe with his performance, completing all four parts of the event in just 43.70 seconds. That marked his third event win of the competition and one of the most incredible performances ever seen on the stones. As a result, Rayno won the first group and put himself in a very good position going into the finals.

Nick Guardione also put up one of the quickest times across all groups but was still almost half a minute slower than Rayno. With his effort, Guardione earned second place, both in the event and overall. As such, he qualified for the finals of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man. Tristain Hoath rounded out the top three in the event to cap off his performance.

• Rayno Nel — 4 in 43.70 s
• Nick Guardione — 4 in 71.38 s
• Tristain Hoath — 4 in 80.25 s
• Ben Glasscock — 4 in 107.82 s
• Luke Richardson — 2 + 6.10 m

Group Two

The Natural Stone Medley featured a stunning turn of events for the 2026 World’s Strongest Man, as Tom Stoltman failed to qualify for the finals of the competition. Jaco Schoonwinkel was the event winner, being the only man alongside Austin Andrade to reach the finish line. Jaco was 41 seconds quicker than Andrade.

Tom Stoltman placed third in the event, which was a respectable showing. However, he needed to gain two points on Mathew Ragg. Unfortunately for Stoltman, Ragg finished in fourth place right behind him.

• Jaco Schoonwinkel — 4 in 60.65 s
• Austin Andrade — 4 in 101.41 s
• Tom Stoltman — 3 in 50.16 s
• Mathew Ragg — 3 in 82.35 s
• Levi Strong — 3 in 100.73 s

Group Three

Mitchell Hooper won the Natural Stone Medley last year and repeated the feat at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man. He completed the event in 52.81 seconds and wrapped up an incredible performance in the qualifiers, with two wins and three second-place finishes.

Eddie Williams was just three seconds slower than Hooper and that was enough to grab the second qualifying spot for the finals. Matyáš Funiok also wrapped up an incredible debut at the WSM with a third-place finish and a time of 58.81 seconds.

• Mitchell Hooper — 4 in 52.81 s
• Eddie Williams — 4 in 55.03 s
• Matyáš Funiok — 4 in 58.81 s
• Paddy Haynes — 4 in 67.81 s
• Lucas Hatton — 1 in 27.50 s

Group Four

Group three was practically decided even before the final event due to the unfortunate withdrawals of Kevin Hazeleger and Bryce Johnson. However, the remaining athletes still performed to the best of their abilities. Ondrej Fojtu achieved his third event win of the qualifiers, finishing the event in 80.83 seconds.

All Martins Licis needed to do in order to mathematically qualify for the finals of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man was to lift the first stone. However, he proceeded to complete the entire event in 92.22 seconds. James Jeffers was unable to load the final stone.

• Ondrej Fojtu — 4 in 80.83 s
• Martins Licis — 4 in 92.22 s
• James Jeffers — 3 in 84.67 s
• Kevin Hazeleger — Withdrew
• Bryce Johnson — Withdrew

Group Five

The battle for the finals in the fifth group came down to the wire, with the Natural Stone Medley being the decider. Pavlo Kordiyaka won the event with a time of 67 seconds and thus claimed the first qualifying spot.

Although many wondered if Trey Mitchell would be able to get through the Webster Stone Walk, he managed to push through and take second place in both the event and the overall group standings as well. Andrew Flynn was 25 seconds slower than Trey, which brough his WSM campaign to a close.

• Pavlo Kordiyaka — 4 in 67.00 s
• Trey Mitchell — 4 in 72.75 s
• Andrew Flynn — 4 in 97.66 s
• Evan Singleton — 1 + 13.40 m
• Evans Nana — No Lift

Related: Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei Breaks Down Predictions for the 2026 World’s Strongest Man Qualifiers

Remaining WSM Schedule

Day Three — Saturday, April 25th

• 10:00 AM — Knaack® Monster Box® Flip & Carry
• 1:00 PM — Deadlift
• 3:00 PM — Titan’s Toss

Day Four — Sunday, April 26th

• 10:00 AM — Max Log
• 1:30 PM — Atlas Stones
• 2:45 PM — WSM Trophy Ceremony

Previous World’s Strongest Man Winners

• Bruce Wilhelm — 1977
• Bruce Wilhelm — 1978
• Don Reinhoudt — 1979
• Bill Kazmaier — 1980
• Bill Kazmaier — 1981
• Bill Kazmaier — 1982
• Geoff Capes — 1983
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1984
• Geoff Capes — 1985
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1986
• Not Held — 1987
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1988
• Jamie Reeves — 1989
• Jon Pall Sigmarsson — 1990
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1991
• Ted van der Parre — 1992
• Gary Taylor — 1993
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1994
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1995
• Magnus Ver Magnusson — 1996
• Jouko Ahola — 1997
• Magnus Samuelsson — 1998
• Jouko Ahola — 1999
• Janne Virtanen — 2000
• Svend Karlsen — 2001
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2002
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2003
• Vasyl Virastyuk — 2004
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2005
• Phil Pfister — 2006
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2007
• Mariusz Pudzianowski — 2008
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2009
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2010
• Brian Shaw — 2011
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2012
• Brian Shaw — 2013
• Zydrunas Savickas — 2014
• Brian Shaw — 2015
• Brian Shaw — 2016
• Eddie Hall — 2017
• Hafthor Julius Bjornsson — 2018
• Martins Licis — 2019
• Oleksii Novikov — 2020
• Tom Stoltman — 2021
• Tom Stoltman — 2022
• Mitchell Hooper — 2023
• Tom Stoltman — 2024
• Rayno Nel — 2025

2026 WSM Related Content

• Mitchell Hooper Reclaims His Title at 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day Two Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day One Results
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers
• How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals
• 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finalists Revealed — Tom Stoltman Eliminated