The Ultimate Test: How Flexible Is The World's Strongest Man?

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Want to work on your flexibility? Check out my free guide to warm ups! moosecoaching.com/products/a-guide-to-warm-ups Check out our new Kettle Bell Navy Tshirt & LHBK Tote bag at www.lhbk.shop/collections/new-releases

[@LokificentsLair]

You need to collaborate with not your everyday ortho fellow Canadian chris Raynor

[@914Rocky]

Love seeing Silvana again. She rocks.

[@nothanks7919]

*furiously taking notes* I think I'll come back to this a lot.

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Good! I'm glad you're getting tips from this :)

[@LatimusChadimus]

Stretching before bed is ideal to relax the body and if you do correct breath work, you can relax the mind and get better sleep which will help you better the next day but of course stretching before exercise is very dangerous and can lead to injuries which is why it's better to warm up certain movements and maybe do a little bit of Mobility

[@hannibalb8276]

Wow finally some stuff I could beat Mitch at

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

I thought I did pretty good 🤔😂

[@bruuhhhh]

2:08 my favourite unphotoshopped picture of a natty vegan lifter

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

😂

[@GTiR23]

I think he was on creatine there though.

[@alfielikesbikes7617]

*Natty vegan crossfitter

[@najeejones5071]

Silvanna is so fly bro....the information and entertainment were also good in this vid. 5 ⭐

[@WillChallenges]

Love seeing people push themselves in other aspects they aren’t experts in!

[@SeyaDiakite7]

Your drawing is almost done Mitchell. You’ll love it :)

[@trevorgray4852]

Oh god I checked out your channel and saw some of your stuff. Hopefully your not stalking Hoop and going to waer his skin.

[@S1lv3rdo7]

@@trevorgray4852 Thank you for your interest. The position has already been filled. 😐

[@jeffwills]

Her flexibility and control is unreal!!

[@SomeYouTubeGuy]

I'm overweight right now (165kg/360lbs) when I had my knee injury and went to the emergency room the nice nurse was helping me figure out walking with crutches and I was losing my balance so she would go to catch me. She was maybe 60kg tops. I told her my weight and advised her to move well away if I started to fall. Thankfully I stayed upright, and we didn't have any nurse pancakes.

[@Hirooshii1]

Used to be nearly as flexible as her from martial arts training, but gave it up/put it to the side when i started doing powerlifting and bodybuilding... Now i had a masive adductor injury for past 6years and tight lower back into glutes and messed calves. Think i need to get back into stretching, my hips are insanely flexable naturaly but my left adductor is allways in pain, has been annoying, video made me remember i need to actualy work on it if i want to get it fixed... strengthen and flexibility for what your sport needs, maybe a bit over what you need for future comfort of life...

[@Hirooshii1]

Jujimufu claims he has no hip pain or those kinda lower body injuries or pain and discomfort, just anecdotal but its something.

[@houstin7866]

Neither do I, and I’m not nearly as flexible. That proves nothing.

[@spikeyspike79]

Pudzianowskim was doing full splits while winning WSM

[@palmarolavlklingholm9684]

Pudzianowski can not possibly be human. heheh.

[@margodphd]

​@@palmarolavlklingholm9684Of course not, he's Slavic 😂 He's still a big influence in my country.

[@Pythagoras1963]

Congrats on your Giants live win and records .....................I made a record lift at the gym 275 for 5 bench press (at 60 years old) and came home and saw your records and win nice work proud to have communicated with you thanks MH

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Amazing work!! I appreciate you!

[@johneich8306]

To see Mitch struggle with the warmup makes me feel better about my struggles in the warmup. Both of them are excellent teachers!

[@espenstoro]

I think you did pretty damn good... and yet, next to her, the difference becomes comical. That's absurdly effortless mobility and control. 🤯 I am way worse after living like a stiff board after multiple back surgeries. Working on it. (that's a lie, I'm totally neglecting my mobility 😂)

[@geoffreydavis6389]

Great Video Mitchell , I love the fact that you are always willing to learn more about your craft and are open to a change in opinion .

[@Marita-l9v]

Dude, your videos are awesome, keep it real

[@andrewsteenrod4796]

These two are awesome together they seem to push each other in a good way

[@onair392]

Nice videos brah. Hearing about these topics from an athlete at your level is very useful.

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Glad you like them!

[@erikdegeorge866]

My anecdotal experience was that DDP Yoga, which is a program that mostly involves a mix of yoga positions, stretching, and rehab movements, was an absolute lifesaver for me at one point. Nowadays I mostly focus on strength training, and the stretch I get from full ROM squats and other exercises definitely works well on it's own, but it's not everything. I find I need to remember to do a Yoga session at least every few weeks if I want to avoid issues and keep from falling into back pain.

[@TechHead03]

Sylvana is such a good coach and Mitchell cracks me up!

[@justyna2729]

What an awesome video! Great to see new exercises that will help me improve my hip mobility. Excited to try some of them during my next gym session. :D

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Glad you were able to take away something new to try!

[@simonrussell9238]

Awesome video, thought the straddle looked easy until I gave it a go

[@jamesbradshaw5897]

Mitchell, I only discovered your channel in the last month or two but you are one of the absolute best fitness personalities out there! Absolutely love your content! 🙏🏼🙌🏼

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@jtf2dan]

"If Thor stood in front of me the top of this kick would be at his BALLS!"....OMG....I almost DIED there!

[@adamalderson9883]

King of the Hill reference could have worked too. “That’s my purse!”

[@acatnamedqueenb7047]

Really interesting vid man lots of knowledge from both of you thanks for sharing

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Thanks for taking the time to watch!

[@rahimiparham]

Amazing video! def gonna add a few things in my routine!!

[@TearTheRoof0ff]

I think I'm with Mitch, but note that there's a difference between stretching out to alleviate extreme tightness from training, sitting at a desk all day etc., so as to prevent/rehab things like tendinopathies, and heavy stretching with a focus on improving flexibility (to prevent injury and improve strength by association). I have always been prescribed stretching as part of a rehab program for ailments such as piriformis syndrome and quad tendonitis from every physio, almost always with good results. The piriformis syndrome absolutely required it, as that is effectively the piriformis muscle aside the glute pressurising the sciatic nerve, causing sciatica. I had that shit for a year until I got a diagnosis and stretched it into oblivion. Still need to now, 15 years later, but it's easily managed. EDIT: I also note that I ALWAYS got benefit from static stretching after lifting, not before, even in the case of my piriformis. As I recall, loosening off the muscle prior just made things worse when I heavily contracted it again under load. I'll typically only stretch if I'm going to be sedentary for a while, best examples are just after workout and before bed. Sorry for the dissertation.

[@BurstingVeins1]

For a video subject like this, you should make the distinction between static and active stretching, and general muscle warm-up through increasing weights. Most studies look at static stretching, since active stretching is more like body weight level warm-up, or they don't make a stretching type distinction. Static stretching is useful for increasing mobility, but does reduce strength, so you'll need to spend more time at lower weights to increase your strength to support your mobility increases. Active stretching won't increase your mobility as fast, but also won't reduce strength, and acts more like a general warm-up.

[@coconutfabrication]

The comment at 20:45 was golden "Some people are totally paralyzed, you're doing really well!" 😂

[@etiennebrossard1263]

Great video, Moose! Always fun to watch you being silly and laughing!

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Thanks Etienne, I appreciate you watching!

[@GermainPoirier-b3j]

Moose you are unreal with your content. Great stuff.

[@mambutuomalley2260]

"That was pretty good" "It wasn't" "It wasn't" So much entertainment AND valuable information. And on top of that she's just so damn cool. What a collab!

[@ninatollefsen]

So fun to watch! 😂 you did well👏🏻

[@andrewzach1921]

I always felt stretching was a bit of a blind spot for you and I chalked it up to your youth. I am glad you are addressing the issue at least and trying to see if it will help you. I am glad you have an open mind to different training and it seems the discussion you had with Eddie about small percentages of increases will help a lot overall.

[@SergiuNw]

Your nervous laugh is so funny. Awesome video, it was fun. haha

[@TheEpicMMO]

Quite helpfull this is, been struggling with low back pains probably due to being waaaaay to stiff in the hips. These tips come at the perfec time to try and get rid of this before my PL meet in September

[@idk13539]

Mariuz pudzianowski could do the full side splits ( was very flexible ) and the 5× WSM . Enough said .

[@bruuhhhh]

Strongman was quite different in his day, much more mobility focussed than it is now, so that level of mobility may not be compatible with more modern strongman. That being said, I don't disagree that he is proof that high mobility and exceptionally high strength can be had simultaneously.

[@Ricky-Noll]

Also Dimitry Klokov. Seen him do chest to floor pike and pancake.

[@JeffO-]

Enough said, but you didn't say what that means? Is he stronger for it?

[@christopherp.8485]

Enjoyed this one. I feel this could be something to try and get into on my end

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Glad you enjoyed it! Definitely eye-opening for me as well.

[@JodySmith-u4r]

I was today years old when I finally learned what a moose dropping is and have been watching for over a year now 🤯

[@gob007]

Thanks, I will use some of these stretches

[@leebell7585]

That was superb. Fascinating to see someone with real mobility and balance, in comparison to someone with massive strength. Some of those drills looked excruciating. Can’t wait to try - ouch! 👌🏼

[@therocklau]

For a power athlete, you need maximum stability that's just duh, but only enough mobility for your moves, extra mobility as those "functional" training personals like to promote, not only isn't helpful is actually really bad for power output. By training over your range of motion in the actual move, if you do neurally adapt to that, you will expand the limit when your body stretch reflex kick in, stretch reflex strongly helps you fire way more muscle power to lift or to hold in the most optimal position, and it's really hard to get "the stiff" back. Sports is not about being healthy, is about being the best, and you always sacrifice some for it. With that being said, Mitch your mobility and stability on certain parts sucks, you can't even lift legs with hip flexors while braced, it's so bad even for a strongman, you have to have a collaboration with squatuniversity, that guy is the best.

[@nickgettins6606]

Always enjoy your colab videos.

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Thank you :) They're always fun to make

[@DavidWoods-p1t]

Excellent thanks all ❤.

[@LatimusChadimus]

I do a horse stance every single day, I also like to add in strength and conditioning exercises in combination

[@bruuhhhh]

20:50 got me cackling lmao

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Glad you could enjoy the struggle 😂

[@palmarolavlklingholm9684]

it may not be related, as I am no expert on this. Not by far. I mostly train my arms and my shoulders, because that is what i need. I don't know what it is called in English. But when I pull down a bar from above that is connected to a wire over a weel and down to the weights. My experience is that if I after doing reps with a heavy weight i immediatelly afterwards do 20-40 reps with a light weight, then I won't be so sore the day after. and I have excellent mobility in my shoulders.

[@dumichael4259]

i do have a bit of question: for strength, handling extreme loads in stretched position, not good, sure. but if we're talking about hypertrophy, moderate to challenging loads in the stretched position, also holding it in the stretched position, doesn't that in itself take care of stretching mobility (and increasing time under tension with stretch mediated hypertrophy has an argument for being better in terms of hypertrophy training). original idea: Eric Janicki He trains quite heavy loads under extended range of motion (for pure hypertrophy ofc) and says it has help a lot for being more mobile and keeps the joints healthy. Quite curious to what are your thoughts on this mitch.

[@theunknownsamurai7426]

loss of range of motion might also be due to, injures, weakness, imbalances and age. Muscle don't stretch. Don't stretch if really don't need to. Train mobility instead. I hurt my back by trying to gain more flexibility for Muay Thai & BJJ which ended my career. My suggestion is, if your over 30 and detrained, get an eval by a qualified therapist, before embarking on a stretching regime. 🥰

[@Scorpio77902]

Surprised on two accounts, the fact that the Big man here is as flexible as he is, and that Silvana is such a Great Teacher! Many people of her caliber can't teach, She's Great, AND Kind too. Big man passed on all of them I think Silvana, I mean some BARELY, lol, BUT He's huge, and still passed at least by 50%. GREAT Video - BC

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Thank you! Silvana is great 😊

[@jlogan2228]

Stretching is important for life outside of lifting. 10-20 minutes daily will do you so much good especially if you sit all day

[@CameronButler-fl8ke]

I love the mutual respect from both of you. "The crab stance" "Sure, we'll call it that" Love it!

[@Static-ash]

I quit stretching. I've got some hyper mobility issues anyway. Had a previous groin tear years ago. I was trying to do some of this and something popped in my groin! Never again. My mobility is just fine as is lol

[@TowhomdoIoweexcess]

I stretch every night- when I don’t- everything tightens up- mainly the knees and elbows- combined with the bicep to chest tightness, and joint mobility decreases if I don’t as well, around 10-20%, along with a stretched range in weight training, using 50-70% of 1rm weight 10-15 reps

[@michaels.2331]

When you look at a metadata article they usually say what the limitations of the studies they looked at have. It is very possible that some of the papers did experiments to agree with the results they wanted to find.

[@spunhead]

Still not sold on the stretching part but those movements that require muscles you don't normally use might have some benefit. Like the lifting your leg in the 9090 or the sat kettlebell drill might help

[@BJORN_oficial]

I really like the video, you are one of my heroes

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

🥹🥹 thank you!

[@ashe1317]

At a certain point, I started following along, and this felt pretty good! Not that I'm at her level lol but it's a nice mobility routine

[@drewsapunk]

She rocks. Keep it up Mitch

[@regharman1]

Hey Mitchell. Have you heard of Adrian Rollinson(20/25 years back)? He would often celebrate after an event with doing the splits. Quite a hefty guy too. I expect Colin could tell you about him.

[@Opincargymnastics25]

i was and elite Gymnast before i was a powerlifter i lost so much mobility but back pain in february ruined my strength gains so i have lost weight now i am stretching again

[@allanpeter7700]

Personally I think it is helpful, and in general bulletproofing everything would reduce injury risk

[@lloyd011721]

heres a question: how flexible SHOULD a worlds strongest man competitor be? i would think you should be pretty rigid for stability at super heavy weights?

[@seattlegrrlie]

😂 ... That last one was so hilarious. Good try!!!

[@KeRowKi]

this was fun to watch

[@vanessaruiz4705]

For sure more flexible than me, and I am a relatively young woman. Never been flexible, even as a child.

[@NaftaliTheFoodie]

I have no excuse to be as inflexible as I am, with not being half as strong as Mitchell. Is there anything to help with basic mobility for the shoulders? I cannot do a simple back squat due to painfully stiff shoulders. This type of video is not practical mobility, but hyper flexibility

[@jemclenachan]

I remember in my teens taking dance and being sooooo flexible and strong, now in my 60’s. Not. Great video .

[@yadaroni]

Stretching is good for just about everyone. Only about 20% of traditional martial arts movements are of any use to Hooper. If I was training him for combat, the entire process would need to be tailored to his very specific strengths and limitations. One example would be NO kicks ever above waist. These 2 can have fun in the gym, but most of what they need to do would be in diametric opposition.

[@kaepsele0711]

That was fun to watch

[@Bexar2204]

9:58 That comment made me want to cry in laughter🤣. If it was Brian, if would only hit min in this thighs, I think😂

[@michaelmeisterfeld4442]

So, Mitch isn‘t that bad at mobility but the comparison makes it look worse than it is. I like to keep my little bit of mobility and stretching separated from my strength training. Though some strength exercuses like reverse nordics actually do require some mobility. And i really think if you don‘t need to be extremely mobile you can divide it into tiny pieces spread over the day. Also, some little things can be surprisingly effective, like the primitive squat. I‘ve shown that to several young dudes over the last few years who hadn‘t the movility in the lower leg. Even simple stuff like that can help with a lot of things.

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

Great colab👑🦀

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

Thanks Andrew! 😊

[@elijahs4240]

I think you're onto something with the weighted stretching. Bigger guys need something to hold them in position if we don't have a friend doing it 😂 also any updates on the tattoo??

[@TotalDefiance]

Is that calf stretching article the same one Mike Israetel did a video on about 4 weeks ago? Had to do with gaining muscle from maximally stretching. Like really really painful stretching that they had people in boots for.

[@DreJr]

I enjoyed this video. Nice.

[@ElMountainMan]

That pulse move on the streets is called, the chun-li

[@dgthe3]

Anyone get reminded of that one Star Trek TNG episode at 12:27?

[@shootstraight91]

30:27 made me laugh so hard ''wah''

[@paleo747]

haha that was a great collab!

[@emilyfarr9897]

❤Awesome!

[@ShinjitsuKK]

Stretching was great into my 30s, even cold! Now im 43 with old Injuries, I stretch under pressure once a week. I train 5 and rest 2 for this reason.... But I also like a beer so need 2 days to recover 😂😂😜😜

[@Jack000222]

While I see where you are coming from absolute strength perspective, however I would disagree for the average person. I started training a year and a half ago and about a year of that was spent using your advice but was consistently having low back problems. I started stretching diligently for the last 6 months and I feel light years better. #LHBK

[@mitchellhooperstrongman]

I'm glad you feel much better!

[@cameronshackelford5551]

Soooo when are we getting a Juji crossover? Juji-moosu?

[@wayneeggleston2599]

This is an awesome video

[@NaftaliTheFoodie]

Can you do a training video with Dr. Mike?

[@frederickknapp5340]

Fail, due to not being straight up sitting, but yes at least 50% complete.

[@JeffO-]

21:34 "Slightly"

[@Frosty4Real]

the full stack on weighted sidekicks was too low so he got forced down tho, if it was 1 notch higher he wouldve done alot better i think ^^

[@DLC88]

How flexible is stoltman?

[@daviesugo7641]

I know Mitch's strongman brain wanted to go full stack on the side kick as soon as he saw it

[@h2egoalkeeper700]

As someone who’s played multiple sports and have been a decent athlete myself, stretching is most definitely important and could reduce risk of injury. There are people who can just get up and do exercises without needing to stretch but I believed majority of people would benefit from stretching before performing any physical activities. Think of it like prepping your muscles and joints for the aggressive movements you’re about to perform, increasing blood flow and getting everything loose & warm will prevent pain, as well as injuries.

[@spikethebulldoghackett70]

Stretching is good but not before training. You don't want to relax the muscles and nerves before training. Definitely after

[@DobroSC2]

19:25 Lol :) funny moment.

[@sergiokulan264]

60 percent

[@bennunyour4121]

Pass

[@SeyaDiakite7]

When I’m done with your art, I’ll dm it to you first. Are your DMs open?