The Canadian Strongman Mitchell Hooper is arguably the biggest name in the sport at this moment in time. He earned this status despite only competing for a year and a few months, since he has already accumulated success that many weren’t able to achieve in over a decade of competing. He often methodically trains for competitions in which he plans to take part, which is also the case with his current preparation for the 2023 Shaw Classic. In order to perform at the highest level possible, Hooper has turned to bench press training, which has resulted in a new 210-kilogram (463-pound) three-rep personal record.
One of the events at the 2023 Shaw Classic will be the standing bench press. So, having not trained this exercise as frequently as needed beforehand, Mitchell Hooper is now pushing his limits in the hopes of making this a successful event for him. In turn, Hooper completed a training session with his coach Laurence “Big Loz” Shahlaei. During this, we saw him press 210 kilograms (463 pounds) for three reps with nothing but elbow sleeves to aid him. This marked the heaviest three-rep bench press that Mitchell has ever done, signaling that some improvement has been made.
“I’m probably the most nervous about this one (Bench Press) at the Shaw Classic. I don’t think I’m a good bench presser. I think a lot of my overhead strength comes from my legs.”
Mitchell Hooper’s coach noticed that his power on the bench press is great, but that his technique could get better. So, he advised him to create tension in the legs and the whole body. Another tip Big Loz gave to Hooper was to “squeeze” the arms rather than “punching” through the motion.
Watch the lift here:
Mitchell Hooper completed the lift at the 13:10 time mark in the YouTube video.
Related: 2023 WSM Mitchell Hooper Attempts Eddie Hall’s Infamous ‘Death By Deadlift’ Set
Mitchell Hooper recently competed at the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic, where he ended up taking third place. However, he was in the lead for the majority of the competition. Hooper now reflected on the performance and revealed that he is not satisfied, despite getting the bronze medal.
“The longer the third place sits with me, the longer I fu**ing hate it. Losing really doesn’t really sit right with me…”
Mitchell Hooper’s Full Workout
- Bench Press
- Log Lift
- Sandbag Throw
- Chest Press
Mitchell Hooper took part in 11 International competitions and won five of them. However, he is currently on a streak of ten consecutive podium finishes, proving that he is always a contender for the title.
Hooper’s greatest achievement so far was winning the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition. However, another notable mention was his victory at the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic.
Mitchell Hooper has been active on social media as well, revealing everything about his journey to becoming the World’s Strongest Man. This includes mental health struggles, a look into a day of his life, the supplements he uses, as well as some iconic strength challenges.
Related: 2023 WSM Mitchell Hooper Shares ‘Non-Negotiable’ Supplements, Alcohol & Sugar for Recovery
Mitchell Hooper was on a mind-blowing streak this year, winning three competitions in a row this year already. He will be looking to add some more titles to his name by the end of the year since he plans on making a few more appearances. His main focus currently is the 2023 Shaw Classic, which is evident by the fact that he set a new 210-kilogram (463-pound) bench press three-rep PR. This competition will take place on August 19-20, so just over a month remains.