Our last project of first year is self directed meaning that as long as the lecturers agree with what we propose we can pretty much document anything we like.
I have often had quite a strong opinion when it comes to body image, although i'm lucky enough to feel comfortable in my own skin and would say I have quite a laid back approach to body image no one, not even the most attractive people are completely free from having bad/ fat days. With summer coming up fast the gyms are filling up with people desperately trying to shape up for skimpy summer clothes, I'm not interested in these seasonal gym members but more those that are lost without it, obsessed with the buzz and infatuated by the physical change. So I propose to you 'Champions are created not born'
Title of Project: ‘Champions are created not born’
An insight into the hidden or unacknowledged
world of what it takes to become a champion in the eyes of ‘Strongman’.
In a generation practically run by body
image and what’s aesthetically pleasing, these men and women step beyond the
typical regime of gym users and even body builders, conditioning every aspect
of their bodies ‘ a strong man is about strength of muscles’, 'you are only as strong as your weakest link' it is not about creating
an aesthetically pleasing body that looks good in a t-shirt or on the beach.
I will be following a group of individual’s
physical preparation as they continue to live with the extreme conditions needed
to continue maintaining this kind of lifestyle, this will include following and
documenting not only their training sessions at Plymouth Performance gym but
also the lead up on competition day at ‘Kernow’s show of Strength’.
Research Plan
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Photographing ‘Kernow’s show of Strength’ –
Sunday 27th April
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Photographing a training session
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Following and photographing the preparation
of the athletes on the day
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My first shoot for this series involved a trip to Trispen to
photograph Kernow’s Show of Strength. I wasn’t really sure what to expect when the taxi pulled up at St
Erme Community Centre Trispen, ‘Strongman’ is something I know little about
(the main reason I choose this project, broadening my horizons and what not) I
had been talking to Ryan Hough the event’s organizer for a little while and was
allowed to roam the event freely, documenting every aspect of each category and
competitor.
I think when it comes to envisioning a ‘Strongman’ Competitor
we think of larger men, with strong biceps and bulging bellies however I was
surprised and delighted to see that the competitors who had travelled far and
wide to compete in Sundays event not only ranged it height but also in size (with
the bulging bellies not being that common, instead being replaced by toned
torsos)
I was a bit worried when I was shooting the event that the
images would be very similar, I mean there’s only so much versatility that
you can create from watching 20 odd men do the exact same thing, however due to
the freedom granted I was able to capture each and every competitors facial
expression and body language from different angles and perspectives, both as if
I was a competitor and an observer.What I find surprising about 'Strongman' was how unprotected these guys were, perhaps another thing related to it being a Mans man sport, were taking precautions apart from the regular knee or arm strapping is uncommon. Its clear from the onset that this kind of sport is only for the youngish and healthy, with a 'Strongmans' peak being around his 30's (something related to the decrease in testosterone) Despite this perhaps being a short lived sport I still find it alarming that any kind of athlete would put there physical well being on the line, risking not only joint problems but also the risk of dropping heavy equipment on body parts (I mean I don't think that Converse offer the best ankle support when your lifting 30kg of weights or running down a water ridden pitch carrying a 15st keg)
Despite this being a compertertive sport, the comradeship between not only the athletes who train together but also the ones who just bump into each other on the circuit, shows the level of community behind such as underground and less acknowledged sport, were despite every athlete wanting to win or achieve the most reps, they also want their friends and competitors to do there best as well.
What I think is so fascinating about this topic is not just the way in which these competitors have been able to condition their bodies to handle such heavy equipment, not an easy fleet I’m sure, but the way in which the audience/observers watch and document the event with such fascination. Emphasizing not only our generations obsession with technology and with it the idea of showing off what we or our partners can do but the whole idea of aesthetics and the man’s primal instinct to provide (I mean there is something attractive and perhaps heroic or God like about a man being able to deadlift a car (think of superman I’m sure he has no problems getting the girl) however with the observers staring in amazement and capturing the event so intensely it also kind of felt like these guys were parading themselves as if on show, something that was less common before our body obsessed generation.
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| Competitor Jesse Page, who was the smallest competitor by 14kg, competing in the Hammer Hold event (were each hammer ways between 8-9kg and the competitor is challenged to hold them at shoulder height for as long as possible), Jesse appears almost God like as the audience and event Marshall's watch on. Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| As with any professional or even semi professional athlete the 'Strongman' has to monitor what he eats, with dedicated contestants consuming up to 8,000 calories a day, as well as taking supplements and in some cases steroid use. Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 . |
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| A competitor competing in the 'Car Deadlift' a few seconds before he narrowly missed the framework dropping onto his foot, Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014  |
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| Plymouth Performance Gym's Kirk Simpson competing in 'Keg Loading' the last event of the day, where the competitor has to continuously lift a 15st keg over the yoke as many times as possible within 75 seconds. Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| Plymouth Performance Gym's Adam Domyslawki powering through in the 'Keg Loading' event. Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| A Man's sport the crew gathers round as the exhausted competitors partake in the last event of the day, Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| 22 year old Kieran Davies from Helston, competing in the 'Keg Loading' Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| Bristol Trojans' James Gregory and Welsh Sean Roberts leading the competition in the 'Keg Loading' event. Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| Sean Curran competing in the 'Car Deadlift' before his wrist strap broke, and the car plummeted to the floor, undisturbed by it, he was lent another strap and carried on as if it never happened. Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen,April 2014 |
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| Jesse page competing in the Car Deadlift.Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| Plymouth Performance Gym's Adam Domyslawki, competing in the 'Three Part Medley' in which the competitors have a certain amount of time to carry a loaded yoke, weighing 220kg and a 100kg keg across the water ridden track. Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| The Car Deadlift, Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
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| Kieran Davies competing in the 'Axle Overhead Press' with a total weight of 80kg, Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 , |
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| Dan Hubble the first competitor to successfully carry the 100kg Keg in the 'Three Part Medley' event. Kernow's Show of Strength, St Erme Community Centre, Trispen, April 2014 |
ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT ELLIE HETEBRIJ
