Top British Strongman Mark Felix is 47 years old. Don’t tell Mark that he’s over the hill, as he truly believes that he is still climbing up it.
Over to Mark Felix..
Phil Burgess: How did you get involved in the sport of strongman?
Mark Felix: I was a natural bodybuilder, and one day I was asked to make up the numbers in a strongman competition. I’d only been in the UK for a couple of years and had never seen a competition before.
I came 3rd against the top British Strongmen, winning some of the event’s, then I was hooked and couldnt get enough of it. Hence to say I never competed as a bodybuilder again.
Phil Burgess: What is your best competition win or result?
Mark Felix: I came fourth at Worlds Strongest Man.
I have also had a couple of 2nds at Britain’s Strongest Man and Europe’s Strongest Man and the IFSA Britains strongest man in 05,
Phil Burgess:How many more years do you believe that you have left to keep competing at the top level, you are 47 now?
Mark Felix: I’m often asked this question, and I give the same answer every time, so long as Im improving, I’ll keep competing.
I dont think about my age.
Phil Burgess: How do you train now that you are older, in comparison to when you were younger in the sport?
Mark Felix: I was 37 when I started strongman, and my training hasn’t changed much.
If anything I do more cardio, and train almost everyday, either in the gym or practicing events.
Phil Burgess: What is the biggest lesson you have learnt from competing as a strong man?
Mark Felix: I tore my bicep in 2008 at Worlds Strongest Man, after a really busy competing season. I think the tell tales signs where there (the niggles and the aches), but I ignored them.
I think thats the biggest lesson as now I listen to my body and know its limits.
Phil Burgess: Where do you train, and do you train with any of the other top British Guys?
Mark Felix: “Top British Guys” are very far apart in the u.k.
We each have our own training camps with our own equipment and training partners, so we don’t tend to train together.
Phil Burgess: Is strongman getting more popular in the UK?
Mark Felix: I think strongman is getting increasingly popular everywhere, and I would love to see it as big in the UK as it is in Eastern Europe or the USA.
Phil Burgess: What is your best Deadlift, Squat and Log Press?
Mark Felix: It’s hard to say because there are so many different bars, heights of logs etc. in strongman.
One of my best lifts in the Squat (which we dont do very often) is 350kg.
I’ve done a 420kg deadlift and my best log lift is probably about 170kg.
Phil Burgess: What are your best and worst events?
Mark Felix: Farmers Walk , Frame Carry etc are my favourite because of my grip.
I don’t have a least favourite event, maybe new events we havent done before….
Phil Burgess: What do you love about being a top strongman, and what part don’t you enjoy?
Mark Felix: I love the travelling, Canada, USA, China, Siberia, Brazil, Carribean, most of Europe, I’ve been to places I never imagined I would..
I enjoy it all, you have to.
Phil Burgess: Are you a professional strongman or do you have another job? What do you do to relax?
Mark Felix: I’m a self-employed Plasterer , I work and compete and always have done.
Unless Strongman goes down the lines of UFC and WWF, I cant see it being any other way.
There’s only so much you can put your body through at the end of the day, Ive competed 4x this year overseas, and next week will be my 5th and its only April.
I have my wife and three sons, I dont think I ever relax.
Unless Strongman goes down the lines of UFC and WWF, I cant see it being any other way.
Phil Burgess: If you could improve the sport of Strongman, what would you do?
Mark Felix: Just get more backing, investors, that’s the only thing that’s lacking really.
Phil Burgess: Finally is there anything else you would like to share with the readers?
Mark Felix: I would encourage people to get the new Worlds Strongest Man iPhone App thats alot of fun.
Also Europe’s Strongest Man (televised qualifier for the Worlds Strongest Man) will be in Leeds, UK on the 23rd June.
We also organise strongman shows, and we will be at Bodypower running Novice, Open and Heavy strongman competitions for the 3rd year at the NEC, in Birmingham, UK.
Thanks Mark for your time, and I hope that we see you competing at the top, for another 10 years.
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