Big, strong men battle it out

The groans are so loud that the excruciating pain is not only audible but almost also tangible. They are emanating from Incredible Hulk-like men and, when considering they are lifting up to 370 kilos of kegs, they are justified.

The massive chunks of muscle are also growling to get into the spirit of the beastly sport and muster the strength to compete for the title of The World's Strongest Man, which is being held in Malta.

Before starting yesterday morning's superhuman challenge, the squat lifts, at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, they get strapped and psyched up. By the afternoon, they are geared up to lift a car and, on Thursday, they will embark on pulling a plane at the airport.

While some are happy to simply drive a vehicle, others opt to stand inside it, lift all 430kg of it and walk along a 25-metre course instead. Maybe it is about saving on fuel or they are just attempting the Car Walk competition, which looks like something out of the Flintstones.

And it has got its own rules of the road too: contestants have to stick to their lane and risk disqualification if they "damage the car on purpose through celebration or disappointment".

Dumbbell presses, not of the sort mere mortals attempt, truck and boat pulling, as well as keg tossing, are all in a week's workout for the 30 contestants from around the world.

"I have this sort of equipment for training back home," says one of the US competitors, Derek Poundstone, pointing at the mammoth lifting machine. He has just been squatting and lifting five barrels, weighing 280kg, with another six being progressively added to the back-breaking burden.

The idea is to do this in "good style" too and within a stipulated time limit of 75 seconds. According to the regulations, appropriate shoes are necessary during the lift and "ballet shoes are allowed".

Apart from the dripping sweat and a grimace that proves this is no walk in the park, the mission does not look impossible for the burly men. But Mr Poundstone says most missed the last lift, which gets rather heavy, especially after six squat repetitions.

Mr Poundstone, 28 today, is a policeman by day and his training - "a hobby I happen to do well" - is on the side, bringing along with it the fun perks of travelling for competitions. It must come in handy for a cop to be that scary size while being able to topple over a truck with his bare hands. Who needs the Civil Protection Department, cranes and fire engines, when you have a potential World's Strongest Man in your corps!

Nevertheless, not everyone fears Mr Poundstone and it is not enough for him to rely on his image to get criminals surrendering their arms.

Being humungous runs in the family, so it all feels quite natural to him. "I've been a big, strong guy all my life," he says, having spent half of it, since he was 13, training.

Nevertheless, big is not necessarily beautiful in his eyes. Despite his size, Mr Poundstone is on a "normal, healthy" diet, making it a point to consume 8,000 calories a day - on average, the recommended daily intake for men is 2,250.

"If I do not train every day, I feel like I am wasting something," he says. But there are also times when his body gets sore and aches.

The events are being held in seven locations, including Fort St Elmo, Golden Bay and Wied iż-Żurrieq, chosen to provide unique backdrops. Today's competitions are at the Vittoriosa Waterfront and the finals are scheduled for Saturday after the 30 competitors dwindle to 10.