Bellrock teams up with Strongman Andy Conway
Why Bellrock wants to sponsor Andy
You might wonder what a strongman competitor and a business such as Bellrock have in common. The way that Andy plans and prepares in order to achieve maximum performance results is similar to the way as that of a successful businesses plan. The need to adapt to challenges such as injuries and managing to overcome problems is a great example to people in many other industries.
Andy is an athlete who has dedicated his life to his sport and to be able to compete for so many years at the highest level, he has been an inspiration to younger athletes, particularly in the northeast.
By sponsoring Andy, we can help to ensure that he continues to inspire even more future athletes and demonstrate to people how hard work and good planning forms the foundations for success.
Watch this space for more updates as Andy makes his way through his training and competitions to become the Elite Britian’s Strongest Man!
Andy’s Story
Even from an early age, Andy has been fascinated with strongman competitions, being inspired by watching legendary strongman Geoff Capes on the TV. Growing up, Andy found his way to the gym quite quickly and once he left high school at the age of 17, he already weighed 17 stone and measured 6 ft 3. Like any young man, Andy was considering his career path at this point and decided to get his NVQ in forklift repair. In the years following, he picked up a few more qualifications in air conditioning, gas and eventually became an electrician.
Working on his career never stopped Andy from getting his workouts in and during this time he also grew to 6 ft 5. Yet, it wasn’t until the age of 36 that he decided to participate in his first strongman competition in Newcastle. To his surprise he won the competition, which lit a fire in his belly and encouraged him to continue to pursue this passion, going on to win even more competitions across the Northeast.
No one can deny his dedication to being the best strongman he can be. Andy trains for two hours every day and doesn’t leave the gym until after 9 PM. His dedication doesn’t stop there; once he comes home from his gruelling workout regime, he has to devour two more meals before getting his night’s rest in. His commitment to fuelling his body in the best possible way by following strict diets highlights another massive part of Andy’s devotion to becoming the best strongman.
Andy’s Typical Diet
With the assistance of his nutritional coach, he has been able to gain a deeper understanding of his body and get tighter control over his nutrition, ensuring his body is performing at peak performance during competitions.
On a typical day, Andy consumes between 6,000 and 8,000 calories, with one of his most common meals being two entire chickens with a large bag of pasta. Such a large amount of food ensures he gets adequate protein and carbohydrates to maintain his muscle mass and stay fit. Before his nutritionist, Andy would consume around four pints of milk per day to help with his calcium intake and to improve the strength of his bones. However, at his nutritionist’s request, Andy has now cut out milk and sugar, with sugar being a particular struggle for Andy who has a self-proclaimed sweet tooth!
If you thought being a strongman is an affordable sport, you are wrong. Maintaining a diet fit for a competitive strongman doesn’t come cheap, knowing Andy has spent £15,000 on his food last year to reach 27 stone along the way. These expenses remove any possible excuse that could prevent Andy from winning, including following strict diets and hiring a professional nutrition coach. After all, Andy estimated that strongmen can become even 10-15% stronger with the right food.
Setbacks
Andy’s journey to becoming the UK’s best strongman hasn’t come without its difficulties. Like any other top sport, he places his body under a lot of strain during training and competitions. This comes with a number of potential risks for physical injury, which Andy is very familiar with. Two of his most recent injuries include a torn bicep and a ruptured windpipe, severe injuries that would test the resolve of any athlete.
Luckily, Andy has assured us that he is back and stronger than ever, ready to face the UK’s biggest competitions. He doesn’t plan on quitting until he has won all the major tournaments. His main goal in life is to one day sit back and reminisce about this journey knowing he gave it his all.
Competitions
The events that Andy participates in require him to keep to his strict diet. The next events he is due to compete in are:
- UK’s Strongest Man
- UK’s Strongest Master
- Elite Britain’s Strongest Man
The events include activities such as the Car Deadlift Hold, Atlas Stones and pushing an 8.5t truck. The Cerberus sack toss is another gruelling activity where participants must toss 15kg to 25kg sacks over a 4-metre tall bar. There is also a 115kg log lift for reps and 260kg axle deadlift for reps.
UK’s Strongest Master is a competition that is open to competitors aged over 40, so the approach to diet and training is even more crucial to being able to perform at these events, as athletes get into the older age category.
Why Bellrock wants to sponsor Andy
You might wonder what a strongman competitor and a business such as Bellrock have in common. The way that Andy plans and prepares in order to achieve maximum performance results is similar to the way as that of a successful businesses plan. The need to adapt to challenges such as injuries and managing to overcome problems is a great example to people in many other industries.
Andy is an athlete who has dedicated his life to his sport and to be able to compete for so many years at the highest level, he has been an inspiration to younger athletes, particularly in the northeast.
By sponsoring Andy, we can help to ensure that he continues to inspire even more future athletes and demonstrate to people how hard work and good planning forms the foundations for success.
Watch this space for more updates as Andy makes his way through his training and competitions to become the Elite Britian’s Strongest Man!
