In one corner of a massive convention hall, a 63-year-old man strains through a 340-pound bench press. Just a short walk away, a team of fire fighters hoists 250-pound fire hydrants onto a raised platform, racing the clock in a test of job-ready strength. Down another corridor, competitors with hands like steel clamps grip thick metal bars loaded with over 160 pounds, lifting using nothing but forearm power.
Nearby, behind a wall of security, a group of lifters gathers for something quieter—but no less powerful. Members of a global training community come together in person to chase personal records in the trap-bar deadlift after a rousing speech from Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.
“It’s not about where you start,” he tells them. “It’s about where you can go if you silence that voice telling you to quit. Motivation spreads. Together, we’re stronger.”
This is the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio—and it’s far more than a bodybuilding event.
A Global Festival of Strength
Founded in 1989, the Arnold was built to celebrate strength in all its forms. Now in its 36th year, the festival attracts more than 100,000 spectators and roughly 16,000 competitors across 25 different sports. Over several days, athletes compete in everything from powerlifting and strongman to martial arts, cheerleading, and adaptive sports.
The atmosphere is electric. The famous Animal Cage hosts jaw-dropping feats—1,000-pound deadlifts, massive circus dumbbell presses, and all-out performances that push human limits. Fans line up for photos with strength legends, influencers, and everyday athletes alike.
Schwarzenegger, now 77, is everywhere—congratulating competitors, shaking hands, and fueling the energy that defines the weekend.
“Training still gives my life color,” he says. “When I work out, I feel alive. That’s why I’m still here, lifting—just with lighter weights.”
For four days, that feeling is shared by everyone in the building.
Faces of Strength
Mitchell “Moose” Hooper
At 29, the Canadian strongman claimed his third consecutive Arnold Strongman title by dominating six grueling events, including shouldering a 402-pound stone. Standing 6’3” and weighing 320 pounds, Hooper holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology and works as a physical therapist—an edge he says helps him manage injury risk in a sport where muscle can literally tear from bone.
“There’s a deep bond among strongmen,” he explains. “We train alone, but at competitions we support each other. That said—I still want to win.”
Darryl Aldridge
A 37-year-old special education teacher from Virginia, Aldridge placed second in armlifting—one of the festival’s most punishing grip events. His performances included deadlifting 378 pounds on a thick bar, pinch-gripping 220 pounds, and completing 32 reps of a 165-pound lift in one minute.
He began training to lose weight and found belonging through strength sports. Competing here, he says, is the highlight of his year.
Sam Belliveau
The four-time Canada’s Strongest Woman set a world record with a 200-pound circus dumbbell press overhead—on her fifth attempt, no less.
“When the weight’s on my shoulder, I tell myself it’s already mine,” she says. “The crowd pushed me to keep going.”
Andrei “The Shark” Sharkevich
After switching from bodybuilding to arm wrestling a decade ago, Sharkevich finally captured the 220-pound left-handed title.
“This sport gives me freedom,” he says. “Less pressure, more fun.”
Frank Boniello
Based at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Boniello earned the title of World’s Strongest Firefighter by pressing a 275-pound ambulance axle, deadlifting 915 pounds, and placing five fire hydrants—up to 300 pounds—on platforms in just 26 seconds.
“Strongman training translates directly to my job,” he says. “But the best part is watching others succeed.”
Edward Lone Eagle
A member of the Red Lake Ojibwe Nation and a chef at an Indigenous restaurant in Minneapolis, Lone Eagle totaled big numbers in powerlifting: a 500-pound squat, 325-pound bench, and 525-pound deadlift.
“For me, lifting is medicine,” says the 41-year-old, who now focuses on mentoring Native athletes.
Michael George Ebanks Jr.
Competing in his third firefighter championship, Ebanks says the event sharpens his job performance and builds lifelong bonds.
“In this work, you carry people out of burning buildings,” he says. “Strength matters—but so does brotherhood.”
Ken “Gingercules” Cooper
After catastrophic knee injuries sidelined him for years, Cooper returned to pull over 900 pounds in front of a roaring crowd.
Later, he described the moment as one of rare clarity: a state where noise fades and purpose takes over.
Hafthor Björnsson
The former champion and world-record holder placed third this year after attempting—and narrowly missing—a historic 1,105-pound deadlift.
“At this stage of life, health and family come first,” says the 36-year-old. “But the competitor in me is still there.”
Stanislav Schastny
The Ukrainian powerlifter benched 515 pounds but fell short of his podium goal. Despite disappointment, he stayed to warm up teammates and cheer them on.
“We push for each other,” he says simply.
Strength Is Bigger Than Weight
The Arnold Sports Festival isn’t just about records or trophies. It’s about shared struggle, mutual respect, and the reminder that strength takes many forms—physical, mental, and communal.
From first-time lifters to seasoned champions, the message echoed throughout the halls: show up, support each other, and keep pushing forward.
Because when motivation spreads, everyone gets stronger.
