Eddie Williams is a school teacher Monday to Friday and a wedding singer on weekends. In his spare time, he lifted a huge weight as he competed to be the most powerful person in the world.

Some people think that weightlifters are “a lot of angry people who just like lifting weights.”

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Williams insisted that there is no contradiction between strength and love, and after a bastard, he drips sweat with sweat. His wife Hannah agreed.

"They are these gentle giants, they are so cute, so beautiful people, they cheer each other," she said.

They participated in the California capital of the “World’s Strongest Man” competition from Thursday to Sunday.

Human giants like Williams, with carved backs on their backs, muscular arms and thighs ripples, competing by lifting objects that weigh twice or more of themselves.

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Mitchell Hooper, a 29-year-old former champion with a master's degree in clinical exercise physiology, agrees that people have the wrong idea of ​​competitive weightlifters.

People think that “we have no education,” Canada’s 320 pound nickname is “Moose.”

But, he added: “A lot of people have higher education and we train to compete with strong competition because we just like to challenge ourselves.”

One person who obviously wants to undermine the stereotype is American Rob Kearney, who dyed his hair and beard for the game and called himself "the most powerful gay man in the world."

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Kearney, 33, a former competitor to the Sacramento event, said “breaking some stereotypes that (people) consider masculinity”.

“Strength is not just the weight we can hold deadlift,” he said. “Strength is all about how you as a person, how you keep yourself and how you support others.”

- Titan's Struggle -

The World's Most Powerful Man Competition was first held at Universal Studios in California in 1977.

The concept has remained the same, but over the years, the sport has won investors and enthusiasts and has become more professional: eight world records have been set here over the past 14 years.

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The names of the individual events – “Torture of Titans,” “Atlas Stones,” “Flintstone Barbell,” and “Hercules Hold” – convey the magnitude of the challenge.

In this kind of competition, 30-year-old Rayno Nel said nutrition is crucial to build the necessary tremendous strength.

Nel, who graduated from a degree in mechanical engineering, worked on the sport, long nights in the gym while following a complex diet schedule with the goal of giving him 6,000 calories in meat and vegetables every day.

It requires sacrifice, he said, while quickly adding: “I love it.”

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After the game, Nell plans to grab the burgers and beer.

But for these Samsons - 6 feet 6 (two meters) tall - it's not all about food and exercise.

Concentration and focus are also essential, said former competitor Odd Haugen, 75.

He said: "You have to be prepared because it's really heavy!"

- "Pain every day" -

Hooper breathed after throwing a 30-pound sandbag at a 12-foot bar, admitting to AFP that there are shortcomings in being one of the most powerful people in the world.

"You wake up in pain every day. You keep getting sore. You're not suitable for ordinary spots. You have to wear sleep apnea. You're always hot. You're always sweating."

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But, he added: “The rise is very cool.”

These include enthusiastic fans, friends and family, their favorite weightlifters will feat, or they will be happy if he suffers with him when he falls.

Weightlifting is a competitive subject, but obviously I feel the feeling of friendship on the stage.

Competitors watch their competitors attentively, cheer them up, and yell.

Kearney said this support is a perfect rebuttal of all stereotypes.

“When you see two people hugging each other and cheering each other and supporting each other, it really shows the meaning of strength,” he said.

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