INCREDIBLE BULK
How UK’s Strongest Teen transformed from skinny kid to 22st beast able to deadlift 350kg by gorging 7,500 calories a day
THE UK's Strongest Teen underwent an incredible body transformation to reach the top of Strongman competition.
Joe Oliver was once a skinny adolescent but a six-year journey has taken him to the pinnacle of UK Strongman.
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He spent a large part of his secondary school years playing rugby, though admits a lot of his strength is inherited.
Speaking to SunSport, the 20-year-old said: "My main attribute in rugby was physical power and from a genetic standpoint my Dad has always been strong, he used to arm wrestle and he's lifted weight his whole life. My whole family is quite strong."
Rugby provided Oliver with a strong foundation and he tried his hand at Strongman during the first Covid lockdown, and practiced flipping big tyres and lifting firewood at his old rugby club.
Fast forward three years and 'The Animal' is rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest and best Strongmen in the country, including UK's Strongest Man 2022 Paul Smith.
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After winning UK's Strongest Teen and the UK Under-23s last year he qualified for UK's Strongest Man, becoming the youngest ever semi-finalist.
Oliver, 20, then finished sixth at England's Strongest Man as a part-time athlete, though he dedicates a huge amount of time and energy to working on his physique.
He added: "Strongman is a sport you can't really do part-time.
"It's a sport you have to live as a professional, everything you do has to be about Strongman.
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"In terms of training, it's really different to standard gym training because everything we do is so awkward. Other than a deadlift in Strongman nothing you do is like a barbell.
"It's all crazy we have atlas stones, logs, tyre flips, and farmer's walks.
"Monday to Friday is more basic gym stuff, really heavy with barbells, dumbbells that kind of thing.
"The weekend is Strongman specific stuff. Ahead of competition I have 12 weeks to build the weight and get my body used to lifting heavy.
"It's pretty ruthless in the way everything you do has to revolve around it."
Oliver consumes around 7,500 calories a day to maintain his strength, and he had bulked up to 22 stone despite being 6ft0, which he admits is short for a Strongman.
But it is paying off as the youngster can deadlift 350kg, yet that is one of of his weaker disciplines.
He made a name for himself in junior competition last year but is hoping to build on those performances by qualifying for UK's Strongest Man 2023 and leaving a lasting impression on the competition.
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