Rob Kearney, the openly gay professional strongman competitor, set the American record for the log press, hoisting 471 pounds this weekend at a competition in England.
“Did what I came here to do, I proved that I AM THE BEST LOG PRESSER IN AMERICA!! 214kg (471lbs) for a new American Record!” Kearney wrote on Twitter.
Kearney’s feat came at a Giants Live Strongman event in Leeds, England, and was witnessed by his husband, Joey Aleixo.
Log press is pretty much what it sounds like:
The log press is a unique event to strongman. While many of the other events are trained in the gym or used for general conditioning its rare that you’ll find a log presser that doesn’t have an interest in strongman. The idea is simple, get the log from the floor to overhead. Unlike a conventional barbell overhead lift the log is cumbersome, making it difficult to get into the correct position to press. On top of this a log requires a neutral grip, something that will seem unnatural to the uninitiated.
Kearney lifted 470 pounds in training this weekend, so he was in top form heading into the competition.
Kearney and Aleixo got a lot of deserved attention for their wedding last month in Australia and for how unabashedly out they are. I think it’s cool that one of the world’s strongest men is openly gay.
