Inver Stone Lift from Scotland Trip

Hey guys,

When The USA team was in Scotland a few weeks ago for the Scotland vs. USA Challenge, we (McKim, Pockowski and myself) sought out the famous Inver Stone and the Dinnie Stones to lift. All three of us lifted the stone, which is egg shaped and 265lb. to shoulder level. Not being a stone lifter myself, and the day after a game, I found this to be pretty difficult, but made it. Mike made it pretty easy. Bill Kazmaier was said to have shouldered it, carried it across the street to the bar, in the mid 80's. I saw a large chip on the bar where he supposedly laid it down. Awesome experience, a cool part of Scottish and strength culture that I am now a part of. We all lifted the smaller Dinnie Stone as well (1 handed, 365lb. on a ring handle). Mike got both (the big one was 435lb.) (one in each hand) using a strap to hold on, but still a very strong feat. Mindy Pockoski lifted the larger Dinnie Stone with two hands (no straps), which weighting 165lb. is pretty impressive, one of the only women to have lifted it in history. Thought you guys might like to see it. We will have some more pics and videos up soon on the new forum, where we will be posting workouts, tips, and other cool stuff.

photo / forum

http://sorinexforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=61

video

http://fitspecs.com/sorinex/movie.html

Great lift and great experience Bert.  See you Friday evening!

This was the best part of the trip for me.  I hadn't planned on it, and it felt like an unexpected gift to be in the midst of strength-history. 

I was impressed at how hard it was to lift these stones, and at how hard we all had to work to get them up...

But I was most impressed with Mindy.  I can recall ever seeing her lift more than 165 in ANY lift.  We joke about how weak she is...  She was so frustrated and motivated by not being able to grip the Inver stone, that she made up her mind before we left the Inver hotel that she would lift the next stones because she knew they had handles... She didn't know how much they weighed until afterwards, she just decided that she would lift them no matter what...

She gave me a new perspective on determination.  She lifted it with willpower rather than any technique or strength, and i'm not sure I've ever pushed that hard.  The second dinnie stone weighed 435...over two and a half times her body weight...and she's just not strong enough to lift it with muscle.  Each lift was a slow, painful, ugly lift...and three times we made her do it to get the picture!

The whole experience was great - a memory to last a lifetime.  Next trip, we're takin' that rock to the bar!

...or video of me lifting the Dritvik stone...or video of me with my best carry of the Husefell stone. The lesson here?...don't let Dr. Marcus Whaleby video your lifts. He needs to stick with what he's good at...lifting stones!

Tattoo

"The Irish have the leprecauns, the Scandinavians have the trolls, and we have Erik..." Yeti speaks!

Yeah, I cheated and used straps...but I didn't know when I'd get the chance again so it was simple...either the stones were coming off the ground, or my arms were coming out of the socket...one or the other!

A great time either way...the Scots really take their stone lifting seriously and everyone we met treated us like royalty.

And yes...Bill is still the wind beneath my wings...

Wayne, the stone should weigh as close to 350 lbs as possible. Otherwise, it is a sprint with a small stone instead of a true test of strength.  And believe me, a crowd will be impressed when some people can't lift the stone and the best walk is a real effort to go a relatively short distance.  It's like farmers walk at some games with light implements that someone carries 600 feet.  That is not a true test of strength.

This is non-sense, but a true story.  Erik, Robert Troupe and I were doing deadlifts after a stonelifting session.  Robert deadlifts the bar and says "Hey Erik, come do some chin-ups."  Thus the nick-name Tattoo was born. 

Skullsplitter wrote: Wayne, the stone should weigh as close to 350 lbs as possible. Otherwise, it is a sprint with a small stone instead of a true test of strength.  And believe me, a crowd will be impressed when some people can't lift the stone and the best walk is a real effort to go a relatively short distance.

Bill, I took this advice from you in Maine, and the athletes and crowd loved the heavy stones. I believe the words you used were "Dont be a girl use heavy stones!"

Leroy

francis pressing the inver stone