There’s been a shift in the world of Strongman recently. You might have noticed it? Some of the biggest names in the sport are slimming down and there’s a good reason for it. We spoke to Donna Moore, a three-time World’s Strongest Women winner about why she’s prioritising fitness over strength.

What is the Difference Between Strength and Fitness?

The words strong and fit are used interchangeably, but they don’t mean the same thing. Strength refers to the muscle’s ability to generate force. Being strong is about being able to lift the maximal amount of weight. Strength training activities include; Powerlifting, Olympic lifting and Strongman competitions where the aim is to lift as much weight as possible.

On the other hand, being physically fit is a more holistic approach to health and fitness. Fitness covers many aspects of health and performance, such as; cardiovascular health, endurance, strength and flexibility. It’s about having a well-rounded outlook in performance.

Both are important, however the balance of their importance depends on what your priorities are. That being said, although Strongman is a sport that primarily focuses on strength as the most important measure, more and more athletes are honing in on their fitness as a way to improve their performance both in the sport and in day-to-day living.

Donna Moore's Fitness Journey

Donna Moore is a prime example of this. Last year she took the decision to drop down from the open weight category to under 82kg in order to improve her fitness. It’s not just Donna who’s done this, other world-renowned strongmen such as Thor and Loz have been following suit, dropping weight and still getting insane results in competition.

Benefits of Dropping Weight

Dropping down to the 82 kg weight class has made Donna more competitive about her training and performance. In the open weight category, there were several opponents that weighed a considerable amount more, making it harder to compete in terms of strength (although she most certainly held her own). Now in this category, Donna has to work harder to compete against those at a similar weight to her.

However, for Donna it isn’t just about the competition. The most important thing is that it makes her feel better. At a lighter weight life becomes easier. Sometimes, it’s just the little things such as being able to buy clothes that fit well, wearing what she wants and still looking jacked.

Difficulties of Dropping Weight

One setback to dropping weight and choosing fitness is a decline in strength. Even if it’s only a small percentage, it can still be hard to deal with. Donna has managed to maintain similar weight in most lifts, with her Squat taking the biggest hit. However, it’s a price she’s willing to pay for a healthier lifestyle.

Another difficulty faced is the need to still bounce between weight categories and perform at your best throughout. In the official World’s Strongest Woman and Europe’s Strongest Woman competitions, Donna now competes in the under 82 kg category, but it’s still the open category for Britain’s Strongest Woman competition and Arnold Strongman Classic. For these events where it’s an open category, Donna adds 5 kg to bulk up and chips it back down after competition. Although manageable, it’s an added complication for training.

However, the hardest thing is watching her teammates eat what they want to bulk up whilst she’s following a strict diet to maintain her place in a lower weight category. To make sure her food is on point, Donna works with a nutritionist, taking some of the stress away from planning and prep.

A year on and Donna feels great. It’s not easy cutting weight and you really need a shift in mindset to adjust your goal from being as strong as possible to as fit as possible. But, feeling fitter faster and happier makes it worth it.

Feeling inspired? Find out more information about a popular hypertrophy training style in our blog: What is a Drop Set?

Written by guest author Eryn Barber.

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