Fierce competition in Helsinki prison – The guard was horrified: “How many people leave by ambulance”

A blood vessel bulges on his tattooed neck when a man serving a sentence in Helsinki prison lifts weights into the air with all his might.

– Breathe! One of the fellow competitors reminds me.

– Don’t take too long steps, another instructs.

The annual Sörka’s strongest man competition is underway, which the prison residents have been waiting for like the rising moon.

27 men brag about their superiority in the prison yard, while a hundred other prisoners are cheering on the competitors furiously.

You can’t give up now, even if you start to get a little dizzy. In the first sport of the day, the Conan bike, a few men are upside down after the performance. Everything is given.

– It was hard to even breathe there. Tukki kept pressing on his chest. I took a breath with every second step. When I finished, my eyes were standing in my head, having recorded a hard result in the under 90-kilo category Andres tells.

Andres reveals that he only registered for the race the day before.

– I haven’t prepared at all. We have only played “Copa”, that kind of soccer game. It’s like playing volleyball with your feet, the man says.

Tight Tights

Competitors push each other forward. The whole group is like one big team.

The dress code of the day also tells about it. All the strongmen are wearing a matching “racing shirt”, although the rest of the clothing is motley. Some have tight red leotards, others baggy college pants.

One of the men encourages his fellow competitor so that the snot flies. The mouthpiece must be wiped in between.

The cheering audience is treated to spectacular airings. One of the contestants sends the audience a flying kiss.

The second sport of the day is the kettlebell overhead press. It turns out to be quite a technical sport where practice clearly makes perfect.

Some of the competitors leave the game in favor of not turning the shoulder around. Miraculously, no one seems to get hurt worse, even when a 40-kilogram kettlebell is pulled up with gritted teeth.

– It’s horrible to watch. I don’t know how many people will be leaving here in an ambulance soon. This is a terrible game, warden Pass will update as he follows the competition.

However, one of the prisoners needs even more challenge in the sport.

– Shouldn’t it be lifted to the chest with one hand? He suggests.

The best performance of the day is marked as 12 repetitions per minute – from the ground to the chest, and from there to the straight arm.

Body building

One of the spectators gets so excited by the wild show of strength that he takes off his shirt in the stands and reveals his muscles.

Broad shoulders and trained hands can be seen in the prison yard. Inspired by the strongman competitions, there have been enough visitors at the punching hall.

– I have been training for eight months. Not so much the strength side, but bodybuilding and lately a little bit of these competitions, Alex tells.

However, prison food is not exactly what professional bodybuilders would eat.

– They say that you can gain mass here, but it’s hard to keep yourself in good shape. But you can get food here and it’s really good to eat, Aleksi praises.

The third sport is the throwing wall. The purpose is to throw 18- and 20-kilogram sacks over a three-meter wall.

The men push their bodies to the limit again when the stopwatch is started.

– My back really hurts. It already went in that vertical push-up. Had to take Burana halfway through to be able to pull to the end, Kim says.

– The bag throw rained. There would have been power, but the throw angle was bad, so it didn’t go over.

Mersu in the game

Spectators following the competition have sought additional excitement for the competition event with a small bet.

– After all, there has been betting here – dark and honest. We made bets in our own booth, and our favorites have done really well, says one of the spectators.

– Mersut and Bemarit have been pawned, says a friend next to him.

The crowd in the stands is delighted when they get to spend a relaxed day outside together. Even the rain clouds promised for the race day circle Helsinki prison just in time.

The grilled delicacies of the sausage shop are delicious, and there are also two different types of salad. In the audience, old friends are greeted with joy when they see them again after a long time.

– This is a day away from the normal daily life of the prison. It’s quite expected, participated in the race Saul says happily.

The last sport of the day is a combined competition, where two atlas stones are first lifted onto the platforms, and then one repetition of the deadlift is performed. Fastest time wins.

Expert guidance is given in the handling of atlas stones Mika Törröa strongman who also participated in the World’s Strongest Man competition.

Instructions are also heard from the audience again. The movement is known to start from the hips – so in this sport as well.

– Lift with your hips! Someone advise.

The finger disintegrated

Unfortunately, in the final race, a slightly worse wreck occurs. Competing in the over 90 kg category Rainer hurt his fingers with atlas stones. He arrives at the sausage stand with his hand dangling.

– Stupidly, I left my finger under the 110-kilogram rock. Then I couldn’t hold on to the rock anymore, Rainer says.

However, the muscle bundle is more affected by the knowledge that the performance was left unfinished.

– It’s a shame that I didn’t get to lift everything I should have. This doesn’t hurt. The soul hurts more than a finger.

When the last competition performance is done, the prize distribution will naturally follow. The top three in both weight categories will be awarded medals.

In addition, gift bags containing products to continue strength training will be handed out to the top men. The bags reveal, for example, protein drinks and lifting gloves.

The event ends with a speech of thanks, which one of the participants in the competition gives to the entire party audience.

– I would like to say thank you to mother and father. I wouldn’t be here without you.