Mitchell Hooper
Mitchell Hooper (born September 29, 1995) is a Canadian strongman competitor and exercise physiologist renowned for his dominance in the sport, including winning the 2023 World's Strongest Man title as the first Canadian to do so.[1][2][2] Standing at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and competing at around 320 pounds (145 kg), Hooper transitioned to strongman after a diverse athletic background that included ice hockey, golf, marathon running, American football at the University of Guelph, powerlifting, and men's physique competitions.[2][3] Born in Barrie, Ontario, he earned a bachelor's degree in human kinetics from the University of Guelph and a master's degree in clinical exercise physiology from the University of Sydney, and works as an exercise physiology clinician, applying his expertise to optimize training and recovery in elite strength sports.[4][2] Hooper's professional strongman career began in 2021, marked by a rapid rise with a world-record 475 kg (1,047 lb) deadlift that year and an eighth-place finish at the 2022 World's Strongest Man.[2][3] His 2023 breakthrough included victories at the Arnold Strongman Classic and World's Strongest Man, followed by a string of 24 consecutive podium finishes through 2024.[5] In 2024, he secured wins at the Strongest Man on Earth, Rogue Invitational, Arnold Strongman Classic (his second consecutive), and Giants Live Strongman Classic, setting multiple world records along the way.[6][7][8][9] Extending his Arnold streak to three in 2025, Hooper placed third at that year's World's Strongest Man and won the Rogue Invitational, solidifying his status as one of the sport's top athletes with exceptional technique, endurance, and versatility across events like log presses, deadlifts, and stone loading.[10][11][2]Early life and education
Upbringing and family
Mitchell Hooper was born on September 29, 1995, in the Barrie area of Ontario, Canada, and raised in the nearby community of Midhurst.[2][1][12] Hooper was raised in a supportive family household near Barrie, where his mother, an avid marathon runner, inspired his initial interest in physical endurance and outdoor activities.[1][12] Early exposure to sports came through local community programs and school teams; as a child, he excelled in hockey during elementary school at Forest Hill Public School, leading his low-level rep league team in points, goals, and penalty minutes.[1] His early hobbies also included golf, for which he trained under renowned coach Sean Foley, and transitioned into team sports like basketball and American football in high school, building a strong physical foundation through these pursuits.[1]Academic and early professional background
Hooper earned a bachelor's degree in human kinetics from the University of Guelph, graduating circa 2017 after participating in the university's varsity football program.[13][14] Following his undergraduate studies, he pursued a master's degree in clinical exercise physiology at the University of Sydney, which he completed in 2019.[15][16] His graduate work emphasized practical applications in exercise science, including methodologies for strength training and athlete development.[17] Upon returning to Canada, Hooper took on the role of head strength and conditioning coach for the KW Titans, a professional basketball team in the National Basketball League of Canada based in Kitchener-Waterloo.[14][18] In this position, he focused on enhancing player performance and injury prevention through tailored training programs. Later, he established Longevity Nexum, his own kinesiology clinic in Barrie, Ontario, specializing in injury rehabilitation, exercise prescription, and athlete training services.[19][20] Hooper's academic foundation in exercise physiology directly informed his innovative approaches to strongman training, emphasizing biomechanics and recovery strategies.[16]Athletic career before strongman
Endurance and bodybuilding pursuits
Prior to focusing on strength sports, Mitchell Hooper pursued endurance running in the mid-2010s, completing multiple full marathons as part of his effort to build cardiovascular fitness while managing his weight.[21] He ran his first marathon in Ottawa in 2016, achieving a personal best time of 3 hours and 24 minutes while weighing approximately 220 pounds, having progressed from 10K races to the full distance within six months.[22] This phase emphasized high-volume cardio training to enhance aerobic capacity and overall endurance, allowing him to consume more calories without excessive fat gain.[22] Hooper transitioned into bodybuilding around 2015, competing in a Men's Physique contest in Barrie, Ontario, to develop a lean, aesthetic physique.[21][2] At the time, his training regimen combined high-volume resistance exercises with continued cardio elements, maintaining a body weight between 220 and 240 pounds to support muscle growth and definition.[22] These pursuits were driven by Hooper's desire to cultivate discipline and comprehensive fitness, drawing from his academic background in exercise physiology, including a bachelor's in human kinetics from the University of Guelph.[21] His endurance foundation from this era later contributed to improved recovery capabilities in strength training.[22]Entry into powerlifting and strength sports
Hooper transitioned to powerlifting during his master's studies in clinical exercise physiology at the University of Sydney, where he relocated from Canada around 2018 to pursue the program.[2] Seeking to build maximal strength after years focused on endurance and aesthetics, he joined a local strength gym in Australia, marking the beginning of his competitive entry into the sport.[14] His first sanctioned powerlifting competition occurred on June 1, 2019, at the Australian Powerlifting Union's New South Wales State Championships in the open division superheavyweight class, where he achieved a raw total of 792.5 kg across the squat, bench press, and deadlift, securing first place.[23] This debut performance demonstrated his rapid adaptation to the demands of the sport, influenced by mentorship from local coaches such as Mitch Mayhew at the gym, who provided guidance on foundational lifting techniques.[24] Hooper applied insights from his academic research in exercise physiology to refine his approach, optimizing biomechanics for the squat, bench press, and deadlift through evidence-based adjustments in form, recovery, and programming.[16] By late 2019, Hooper progressed to the Australian Powerlifting Union National Championships on November 7, where he again totaled 830 kg raw and claimed the title, establishing himself as a regional standout.[23] Although he primarily competed raw during this period, his training incorporated elements that prepared him for more advanced federations. No equipped competitions are recorded in his early career, but his focus remained on building a strong base through consistent progression.[23] Parallel to his competitive gains, Hooper underwent a significant physical transformation, bulking from approximately 220 lb during his marathon running phase to over 280 lb (127 kg) by tailoring nutrition and hypertrophy protocols informed by his exercise physiology background, emphasizing sustainable calorie surpluses and resistance training volume.[22] This shift not only supported his powerlifting totals but also positioned the discipline as a foundational gateway to strongman events beginning in 2021.[2]Strongman career
Breakthrough and early competitions
Hooper transitioned to strongman competitions in 2021 while completing his master's degree in Australia, securing an early victory at New South Wales's Strongest Man with dominant performances in yoke and farmer's walk events.[2] His professional debut came in 2022, a year defined by rapid success on the international stage. Competing as a rookie, Hooper claimed wins at the Arnold Strongman Classic UK and the Giants Live World Tour Finals, while earning runner-up finishes at the Giants Live World Open and the Giants Live Strongman Classic, demonstrating exceptional consistency across multiple events.[25][26][27] At the 2022 World's Strongest Man, Hooper qualified for the finals and finished eighth overall, a strong showing that highlighted his potential against established competitors like Tom Stoltman and Oleksii Novikov.[28] The 2023 season marked Hooper's breakthrough, as he became the first Canadian to win the World's Strongest Man title at the event in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His victory was propelled by standout performances, including a top finish in the max deadlift where he lifted 472.5 kilograms (1,041.7 pounds) and strong showings in the log press, contributing to points leads in eight of twelve events.[29] Following his Australian studies, Hooper relocated to his home province of Ontario, Canada, to train under specialized strongman coaching at facilities like Athletic Kulture in Barrie, optimizing his preparation for elite competition.[20] This move coincided with key sponsorship deals, including a prominent partnership with Rogue Fitness, which supported his equipment needs and event participation. During this early phase, Hooper also set multiple world records in lifts such as the log press.[2]Major titles and world records
Mitchell Hooper has established himself as one of the premier strongmen of his era through a series of high-profile victories in elite competitions. He captured the Arnold Strongman Classic title in 2023, defeating a field that included defending champion Tom Stoltman, and repeated the feat in 2024 with a dominant performance that included a world-record axle press. In 2025, Hooper achieved a historic three-peat at the Arnold Strongman Classic, becoming only the third athlete to win the event three consecutive times, further solidifying his legacy with standout efforts in stone loading events that have become crowd favorites for their precision and power.[30][31] Beyond the Arnold series, Hooper's resume includes the 2023 World's Strongest Man crown, marking the first victory for a Canadian competitor in the competition's history and sparking increased interest in strongman sports across Canada. By the end of 2024, he had amassed 15 international wins out of 26 events entered, reflecting a career win rate of approximately 59%, alongside multiple Giants Live triumphs, including the 2022 World Tour Finals and a perfect 4-for-4 record in 2024 events such as the Strongman Classic and World Tour Finals.[2][32][29] Hooper's record-breaking lifts underscore his technical mastery and raw strength. In 2024, he set the all-time world record in the axle press with a lift of 218 kilograms (480 pounds) at the Strongman Classic, surpassing previous marks and demonstrating exceptional overhead pressing ability. His progression in the max log press has also been remarkable, culminating in a personal best of 213 kilograms (469.5 pounds) in training, contributing to his overall event dominance and influencing strategic approaches in subsequent competitions.[9][33]2024–present developments
In 2024, Mitchell Hooper achieved a runner-up finish at the World's Strongest Man competition, marking his second consecutive year in the top two after his 2023 victory.[32] He dominated the Giants Live World Tour, securing victories in all four events he entered, including the World Open, Strongman Classic, USA Strongman Championships, and World Tour Finals, with podium finishes in eight out of nine individual events across these contests.[34] These successes highlighted his versatility and consistency in high-profile international strongman competitions. The 2025 season brought a mix of triumphs and setbacks for Hooper. He claimed his third consecutive Arnold Strongman Classic title in March, solidifying his status as a dominant force in the event with a score of 52 out of 55 points and wins in three disciplines.[10] At the World's Strongest Man in May, he earned a bronze medal, finishing third overall with 43.5 points.[11] However, accumulated injuries led to his withdrawal from the Strongest Man on Earth and the broader Shaw Classic in July, events where he had previously excelled.[35] In mid-2025, Hooper announced his first extended career break, opting for a prolonged off-season after competing in 26 events over three years to prioritize recovery from ongoing physical strain.[36] This decision allowed him to focus on rehabilitation without the immediate pressure of competition schedules. He returned later in the year for the Rogue Invitational in November, where he won overall.[37] Concurrently, in March 2025, Hooper collaborated with engineers at the University of Texas at Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering, where biomechanical testing revealed his maximal power output was 2.5 times higher than previously recorded peaks, providing insights into his exceptional efficiency in strength movements.[38]Competitive and personal records
Competition achievements overview
Mitchell Hooper has competed in 27 international strongman competitions as of November 2025, achieving a win rate of 59.26% with 16 victories and a podium finish rate of 92.59% across 27 events.[39] These figures underscore his dominance in the sport since turning professional in 2021, with consistent top performances in elite contests.[30] A notable trend in Hooper's career is his podium streak of 25 consecutive contests from 2022 to May 2025, which concluded at the Giants Live Strongman Classic (7th place) due to injury-related performance issues.[39][40] This run highlights his reliability and positions him as one of the most consistent athletes in modern strongman. He followed with a 1st-place finish at the 2025 Rogue Invitational.[41] In comparative context, Hooper frequently rivals top competitors like Tom Stoltman, the 2022 and 2024 World's Strongest Man champion; for instance, Hooper finished second to Stoltman at the 2024 WSM while securing the top spot in 2023.[42]| Year | Key Events and Placements |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1st: Canada's Strongest Man[2] |
| 2022 | 1st: Canada's Strongest Man; 2nd: North America's Strongest Man; 3rd: Ultimate Strongman World Tour Finals[39] |
| 2023 | 1st: Arnold Strongman Classic; 1st: Europe's Strongest Man; 1st: World's Strongest Man[42][31] |
| 2024 | 1st: Arnold Strongman Classic; 1st: Rogue Invitational; 1st: Strongman Classic; 2nd: World's Strongest Man[35][42] |
| 2025 | 1st: Arnold Strongman Classic (three-peat); 3rd: World's Strongest Man; 7th: Giants Live Strongman Classic; Withdrew: Strongest Man on Earth; 1st: Rogue Invitational[31][11][40][43][41] |
Individual lift records
Mitchell Hooper's strength in individual lifts has evolved significantly from his powerlifting foundations to elite strongman performances, with verified personal bests established in official competitions and federations such as Giants Live and the International Powerlifting Federation. His early powerlifting records, achieved raw without supportive gear beyond wraps where noted, included a squat of 307.5 kg, a bench press of 177.5 kg, and a deadlift of 345 kg at the Australian National Powerlifting Championships.[23][44] These benchmarks provided a solid base, which he built upon in strongman, reaching a raw deadlift personal best of 475 kg at the Excalibur Maximum Deadlift Competition, recognized as one of the heaviest in strongman history by Giants Live.[2] In overhead pressing, Hooper has set world records using strongman implements. His axle press peak of 218 kg was achieved at the 2024 Strongman Classic, surpassing previous marks and verified by Giants Live as the heaviest ever.[45] For log press, he established a personal best of 213 kg in training ahead of Giants Live events, building on competition lifts like 210 kg at the 2023 World Tour Finals.[33] Hooper's prowess extends to dynamic events involving heavy implements. In yoke walks, he has demonstrated exceptional speed and load capacity, completing a 453.5 kg yoke over 15 meters as part of a medley world record at the 2022 Rogue Invitational, with times under 10 seconds for 20-meter courses at 453 kg loads in training and competition settings.[46] For Atlas stones, his series totals highlight efficiency with progressive weights up to 200+ kg, as seen in loading four stones in 31.02 seconds at the 2025 World's Strongest Man, though specific single-stone lifts remain tied to event formats rather than isolated maxima.[47] The following table summarizes Hooper's key verified personal bests in select lifts, drawn from official strongman and powerlifting records:| Lift Type | Weight (kg) | Details/Notes | Source Federation/Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift (raw) | 475 | Set in 2021; heaviest in strongman history | Giants Live / Excalibur Comp |
| Axle Press | 218 | World record, 2024 | Giants Live / Strongman Classic |
| Log Press | 213 | Training PB, 2024 | Giants Live preparation |
| Squat (raw w/ wraps) | 307.5 | Powerlifting base, early career | IPF / Australian Nationals |
| Bench Press (raw) | 210 (x3) | Training triple, evolved from 177.5 kg base | N/A (training, post-powerlifting) |
| Yoke Walk | 453.5 | 15m course, medley WR component, 2022 | Rogue Invitational |
| Atlas Stones Series | 4 stones | Loaded in 31.02s (up to 210 kg), 2025 | World's Strongest Man |