By Paul Mouser
Our fifth and final rundown of America’s Strongest Man/Woman on 11/7 & 11/8 features the big boys, the men’s Pro Heavyweight division. Ten of America’s best are gunning for the coveted title, and each of them want to prove that they are the strongest man in the United States. Lest you be worried that the constantly changing roster at World’s Strongest Man (which takes place the same weekend cuz #2020) has been detrimental to the ASM lineup, allow me introduce you to this phenomenal cast of giants amd the events they will face:
1 – Circus Dumbbell Press for Reps – 240lbs (109kg)
2 – Sandbag Toss (over 15ft bar) – 50, 50, 55, 60lbs (23, 23, 25, 27kg)
3 – Basket Deadlift – 725lbs (329kg)
4 – Arm Over Arm Truck Pull
5 – Husafell Carry, Max Distance – 400lbs (181)
6 – Sandbag Carry and Load – 300, 330, 360, 400lbs (136, 150, 163, 181kg)
Eric Small – Eric “Easy E” Small had a hard road to pro status; he tore both patellar tendons at 2013 Nationals during a pressing a event, and it took him until 2017 to gain his pro card (behind some fella named Trey Mitchell you may have heard of).
Eric’s event to watch for – I expect something special from Eric on the Husafell. He’s good at odd object style events, and clearly has the mental toughness to endure the suffering necessary for a big score.
Jose Baez – Jose may have earned his pro card at 2019 Nationals, but he may be better known as the man that stopped Larry Wheels in his tracks at the All American Strength Challenge some 10 months prior. Baez played spoiler and won that show, and has been on everyone’s radar as a top prospect since.
Jose’s event to watch for: Jose is extremely strong at Arm Over Arm Pulls, and placed ahead of men like Gabe Pena and Tyler Cotton at the 2020 Arnold on this event.
Casey Garrison – Former winner of IHGF Stones of Strength and World’s Strongest Logger events, featuring ten challenges, don’t expect Casey to show any signs of wearing down with only 6 events over two days.
Casey’s event to watch for: do not count Garrison out of the Sandbag Toss. He has dominated similar events in the past.
Nate Goltry – Bronze medalist at 2018 Nationals and the 2019 Arnold, Goltry has wins over guys like Jose Baez and Anthony Fuhrman to his credit. Let’s see if Nate can add a few more names to his list at ASM!
Nate’s event to watch for: the Basket Deadlift is an event Goltry can thrive in. He is consistently dangerous on deadlift for reps events.
Marcus Crowder – Marcus is the 2018 National Champion, and after a brief run in powerlifting and a few injuries, Marcus is back and ready to conquer the pro strongman scene.
Marcus’s event to watch for: Circus Dumbbell Press. While some will struggle mightily to get any reps at all on this event, look for Crowder to take care of business here.
Michael Stroozas – Another World’s Strongest Logger winner, Stroozas is a guy that may not be well known, but is capable of taking down some big names at ASM.
Michael’s event to watch for: Stroozas is a stone man through and through, so he may step up big in the Husafell Carry.
Travis Ortmayer – This multi-time Arnold Pro and WSM competitor has been on the comeback trail after getting his life back together in recent years. Travis brings intensity, experience, and excitement to ASM 2020, and his return here is possibly the most buzzed about storyline of the show.
Travis’ event to watch for: they say quickness and explosion are the first to go with age, but any young bucks expecting the veteran Ortmayer to be anything less than amazing in the Sandbag Toss may be in for a rude awakening.
Tyler Cotton – Tyler is a Strongman Corp Pro and Strongman Champions League contender. He and his brother are right there with the Stoltman, Hadge, and Lalas brothers as some of the strongest brothers on Earth.
Tyler’s event to watch for: Circus Dumbbell all the way. This man can press, and he would love nothing more than a win on this event on such a big stage.
Spenser Remick – A pro for a handful of years now, Remick knows exactly how to prepare for a show of this magnitude. A little creeping on the ol’ social medias reveals that Remick is confident in himself and happy with his training cycle.
Spenser’s event to watch for: Remick can move well with heavy weight, so he may be one of few that thrives on the brutal Sandbag Carry and Load.
Josh Hatfield – Hatfield is fresh off a silver medal at 2020 Nationals, less than 2 points from the win. He had a blistering yoke run there to start the show; can he get strong start at ASM and keep the momentum going?
Josh’s event to watch for: this is a big guy that moves very well, and pushes his limits on every event. I think his abilities and mindset will come together on the Arm Over Arm Pull to produce an impressive performance.
When the last dumbbell has been lifted, the last truck has been pulled, and the last sandbag finally hits the ground, who will stand as America’s Strongest Man at this, the most exciting edition of the competition in recent memory? Strongman Corporation and our buddies over Iron Resurgence have done a terrific job putting together an outstanding roster of America’s best, and have a slew of incredible challenges that await them. Who will step up to the plate and claim the title in 2020?
Making an official prediction is never easy, especially since I’ve met most of the guys on this list. Since I chose to take on the task of writing the article however, I have thus chosen to bear the burden of announcing picks. I can’t stall any longer, so here we go: Spenser Remick in 3rd, Marcus Crowder in 2nd, and … Travis Ortmayer in 1st. Yes, I believe he’s still “got it”, and on November 7th and 8th we will all be lucky enough to see the next chapter in the best story of 2020 as the Texas Stone Man continues his comeback.
Check with Iron Resurgence and Strongman Corporation for details on the live stream (It will be available on their social media pages in some fashion) so you can watch all the action live!
Who do YOU think will be this year’s America’s Strongest Man?
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Become a supporting member for exclusive content and features
Sign up For Strongman Coaching or our Training Templates at just $20 per month
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