Strongman producer Colin Bryce has big plans for Strongman coverage and TV episodes.
Are you a fan of Strongman? Do you wish you had the strength of these outstanding athletes or just downright love watching the incredible feats these athletes are capable of? If so, you’ll want to join the latest Legend Of Iron podcast! Former British Strongman and Giants Live host, Colin Bryce, joined the LOI hosts Jon Anderson and Nick Best to talk about how he got his bearings in Strongman and how it led to the biggest broadcasting show in Strongman.
How It All Started
Colin Bryce credited Strongman coach Doug Edmunds for piquing his interest in Strongman. He wanted to do anything he could to get involved with the sport and started as an equipment guy, which led to competing. However, Bryce knew he wasn’t cut out to be a top competitor. Bryce stated:
“I realized I wasn’t going to be big enough…I couldn’t be committed enough to get that big and strong. So I gave it a go. And I learned enough out of out of competing that I feel I can just about bluff it. And then after doing uh, I don’t know maybe 10 competitions, I’m out and about 200 promoting big competitions…so I think my skills lay more in talking big than lifting big.”
Bryce said he also tried bobsledding, but Strongman is the best sport. Colin Bryce and the Legends Of Iron hosts talked about the beauty of the sport Strongman. And how it’s a great sport to bring camaraderie. Since the dawn of time, we’ve always been impressed with how strong a man is. Bryce noted that the best time to be alive for a Strongman would have been in ancient Greece.
Most Impressive Strongman Feat
Next, Jon Anderson asked Colin Bryce what’s the most impressive thing he’s seen in person in Strongman. Bryce reminisced on an event in South Africa in 2010 where a Strongman competitor ran with whiskey barrels. He had never seen a man run so fast carrying that weight.
The crew concurred that Strongman Eddie Hall’s 1100-pound deadlift was one of the most impressive lifts they had ever witnessed.
Producing the Biggest Fanbase Strongman Show
They then switched gears to discuss how Colin Bryce was able to produce the biggest fan base and viewership in Strongman productions through the show he hosts, Giants Live. Bryce then retells some of the best moments he’s had as a producer in the sport over the last couple of decades, including bringing the loudest roar of decibels from an audience in an arena in Britain where big concerts were played, such as Led Zeppelin.
Jon Anderson acknowledged that Colin Bryce has done the biggest things in Strongan productions but is just getting started. So he asked Bryce what the future holds. He said he would sound like a lunatic if he spoke about his goals. But Anderson nudged him the go-ahead after stating that if he doesn’t have people think his goals are crazy, they’re not big enough.
Bryce then started diving into some of his plans, which included more shows in America and going heavier on official Strongman episodes and producing more international shows. Bryce asserted:
“Everything that UFC has, everything that you know, um, bodybuilding has or had, just don’t let yourselves pull each other apart. That’s the number one thing is work together. Work together. I have a common vision. Try not to stab each other in the back, you know.”
Jon Anderson chimed in and said that strength sports shouldn’t try to steal a piece of the pie — and alluded to some powerlifting and Strongman incidents — which breaks it down. Instead, he said we should all be working together as a team.
Colin Bryce pointed out Giant Lives’ massive success with promoting Strongman. Bryce stated,
“Facebook’s NFL page had less views than us in 2021 by 300 million. We had 1.3 billion.”
Bryce said they went from having 30-50 million views to 1.3 billion views per year since the lockdown happened. For example, Eddie Hall’s deadlift record video is closing in on 400 million views at 395 million.
Colin Bryce then started talking about the grip strength of women and how close it is to men’s. And he mentioned that he has a daughter, and one direction he wants to go with filming Strongman episodes is showcasing female strength.
Closing Inquiries
To close things out, as Jon Anderson usually does with his hosts, he asked Colin Bryce what piece of advice he would give himself and when if he could go back in time. Bryce’s responded that he wouldn’t go back that far. He would go back to March or April 2020, where he said it was the first time he felt out of place when heading into his biggest show, controlled by the government. And he would tell himself:
“Colin, don’t worry, man. It’s okay. You can’t control everything. You’ll just have to roll with this one. It’s going to be fine in 18 months. Don’t worry, son. You’ll be alright. Chill, smile, and do a little more playing in the garden and be a kid like everyone else. It’s okay.”
Colin Bryce said you should set goals and be ambitious but enjoy the journey. Because if not, you’ll crash and burn from stressing over your goals.
Bryce then mirrored Jon Anderson and Nick Best with the same question. Jon Anderson said he wouldn’t change anything about his past, but he would tell himself that when his whole world seems to be crashing down, that’s usually when an opportunity is about to present itself — which he said he learned in his late 20s. Nick Best then followed up and said there was nothing he would change since everything he had gone through had gotten him to where he is today. But if there were something he would change, it was just how he handled stress. And would spend more time with loved ones.
Jon Anderson asked Colin Bryce what he wanted to be remembered for when it was all said and done. Bryce said someone who’s a good father and jokingly stated someone who’s also not unemployed (since that’s a big fear of his). Then again, Bryce turned the question around to ask Anderson and Best the same question — they both admitted he was the first person to follow up by asking them the final questions of the podcast episode.
Jon Anderson said he wants to be remembered for positively impacting the people around him. Nick Best said he wants to go down as a good father and influence others to follow their passion – it’s never too late! For example, Best acknowledged that he didn’t start competing in Strongman until his early 40s.
Wrap Up
This Legends Of Iron podcast is hosted by Strongman producer Colin Bryce. They discussed Bryce’s rise to creating the most-viewed Strongman television show and dove into its future. He has big plans for Strongman streaming and has been integral to Strongman’s massive growth over the years.
Tune into the latest episode of the Legends Of Iron if you love Strongman and strength sports! And check back in every other Thursday at the Generation Iron Fitness Network for more episodes!
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