World Strongman Fest
When: Aug. 23-24 Where: Poltava City, Ukraine
Team USA: Doug Madewell (Huber Heights), Andy Deck (Maryland), Dave Mihalov (Connecticut), Sean Demarinis (California).
7 events: Arm-over-arm; dumbbell, Sudan walk, log lift, tug of war, manhood stone, squat.
Madewell measurements: 5 feet, 11 inches; 240 pounds; 50-inch chest; 20-inch biceps; 36-inch waist.
Web site: madewellstrength.com.
HUBER HEIGHTS — It was love at first lift, push and pull for Doug Madewell.
“I saw the guys on TV and decided that I wanted to be a Strongest Man some day,” the former Wayne High School wrestling standout said.
“If I can do that, I’ll die happy.”
Madewell isn’t quite there yet, but he’s closer than ever. Still classified a lightweight professional Strongman (maximum of 231 pounds or 105 kilograms), he’ll be part of a four-man Team USA that will compete in the World Strongman Fest at Poltava City, Ukraine, today and Wednesday .
Team USA will be pitted against Team Ukraine in seven heavy-ended events. The competition also will feature a World’s Strongest Lady contest. Highlights of the event eventually will be shown on ESPN.
Madewell, 29, won a Strongman event in Xenia last May. He most recently was 15th out of 105 competitors in a Strongman competition in Las Vegas.
He estimated that he’ll have lost 35 pounds in about five weeks to make weight for the international fest.
“I’ve upped my cardio and I’m eating right,” he said. “I’m going to have to try and stay there because they’re going to start throwing bigger shows. In a couple years I’d like to go heavyweight so I won’t have to eat perfectly to stay (as a lightweight).”
Strongman events feature heavy lifting, often in unorthodox ways such as pulling a bus or heaving heavy stones over barriers. Points are accumulated by the distance an object was moved or repetitions, all within an allotted time.
Training is equally unusual. Madewell suffered a torn left biceps earlier this year, suffering the injury while lifting an axle bar. The bar had 400 additional pounds of weight attached.
“I trained around it with one hand,” he said of the injury.
“I lifted one-handed, pulled a car, I did everything just one-handed. It was tough. I didn’t go as heavy; I just maintained my strength.”
Madewell trains at House of Health2 in Beavercreek and at ChristStrength Gym in Xenia.
Winning at Xenia qualified Madewell for the U.S. team. After the Ukraine competition, he’ll compete for a heavyweight pro card in the North American Strongman National Championships at Tunica, Miss., in November.
“This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” he said, “ever since I was a boy.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2381 or mpendleton@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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