DOD employees flex muscles at German strength competitions

Photo By Aryn Lockhart | Holli Van Camp, an Armed Forces Recreation Center employee originally from Panama City, Fla., dead lifts an 88-pound log over her head during the strongwoman competition in Arendsee, Germany, July 20.  

ARENDSEE, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY

08.02.2013

Story by Aryn Lockhart 

George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies

ARENDSEE, Germany -- Traveling more than 450 miles, three Americans set out to lift monumental weight for the German Strongwoman Competition and the Arendsee Newcomer's Cup here July 20.

Aryn Lockhart, team lead for graphics at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies from Woodbridge, Va.; Lockhart’s spouse Matthias Martin, AAFES concessionaire; and Holli Van Camp, Edelweiss Lodge and Resort from Panama City, Fla., traveled from Garmisch and represented the American community as they competed with 27 of the top amateur strength athletes in Germany.

Eighteen men and nine women battled it out through four events, including a keg toss, tire flip, overhead log press, and frame dead lift.

Although it was her first competition, Van Camp took an impressive third place among the women; Lockhart finished 8th, while Martin took 16th place.

"This was an amazing competition," said Van Camp. "Everyone is out here to have a great time and move a lot of weight. All of the athletes are amazingly supportive of one another."

Alternating between the men and women, each event required unique strength. The keg toss for the women consisted of three kegs weighing 22 pounds and one keg weighing 26 pounds that had to be thrown to a height of about 10 feet.

The men's event included five kegs ranging from 22-33 pounds that had to be thrown over a 17.8-foot bar. Technique and explosive power were critical skills in this event.

Next up was the tire flip. The women's tire weighed approximately 353 pounds, while the men's weighed twice as much. Competitors were required to flip the tire six times.

During the log press, participants had one minute to press an 88-pound (women) and 198-pound (men) log over their heads as many times as possible.

The final event was the frame dead lift. The women began the competition with 220 pounds and increased 44 pounds with each successful lift. The men began their dead lifts at 440 pounds with a 44-pound increases.

“The field was extremely competitive and athletes battled the heat and temperatures close to 90 degrees to compete during the four-hour event,” Lockhart said.

"This sport has always been an underground favorite," said Martin, who has been competing for 17 years. "We're always hoping to find more competitors to welcome into this unique world. There really is nothing like it."

The event was sponsored by the German Federation of Strength Athletes.

• Date Taken: 08.02.2013
• Date Posted: 08.02.2013 03:00
• Story ID: 111237
• Location: ARENDSEE, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, DE
• Hometown: PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA, US
• Hometown: WOODBRIDGE, VIRGINIA, US