Giants of Iceland indeed.

As a bodybuilder there’s no way that you can’t respect strength. For many athletes who endeavor to build muscle it’s all about hypertrophy. Strength usually comes second, but that doesn’t change the fact that performing feats of strength that most humans can’t is something that is surely appealing to a bodybuilder. If the average Joe looks on with awe as men perform superhuman acts of strength, then there’s no reason why a bodybuilder shouldn’t feel the same. Athletes who compete in strongman and other strength based competitions attain attributes no normal human can achieve and that in itself is something to be respected.

Sure, when it comes to strongmen and powerlifters they may not have the best physiques out there. But when you look at the amount of time, effort, dedication, and sacrifice it takes to be the best strongman in the world then you have no choice but to appreciate the journey these athletes travel. It’s easy to point and stare and call someone out of shape or fat, but if you understand the kind of work strongman put themselves through, not to mention all the feats they can perform, the prowess of these athletes become hard to deny.

Iceland is known for it’s tradition of producing powerful strongman athletes. You need simply look to Hafthor Bjornson to know that to be true. But the man who many refer to as The Mountain is just one amongst many strongman athletes from Iceland, each of them hulking giants with strength that you’re more likely to see in a comic book movie than in real life.

The Icelandic giants have a proud tradition and the video below from VICE highlights the world of strongman competition in Iceland.

Are you a fan of strongman competitions?

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Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter to keep up with his antics.