What a fantastic conversation we had with Pawel Wencel for Episode 28! Pawel is a Stonelifting and sandbag enthusiast, a community builder, and someone who has established some of the most remarkable modern lifting stones in North America, by way of not only the stones themselves but the picturesque settings they inhabit. As the creator of the "Strength Stones Collective" instagram page, Pawel has done much to help highlight and celebrate not only the experiences and lifts of passionate Stonelifters from around the world, but also Stonelifting best practices and examples of proper lifting etiquette, such that newcomers to Stonelifting can learn and understand how to go about this incredible practice in a manner that respects the stones, the environments within which they reside, and their treasured histories!!!

It was a true honour to speak with Icelander and academic, Dr. Gísli Már Gíslason. A man who grew up around the legendary lifting stones of Latra, and both witnessed and heard firsthand tales of their use as tests of strength for the local fishing communities. Yes, that is correct, communities (plural) as contrary to our understanding, there was also a southern fishing village at Latra whose Fullsterkur testing stone has been lifted by many absent an understanding that it was in fact a "full strength" test! He also expands on the lore and stories of many other Icelandic lifting stones and shares his incredible passion for celebrating and preserving their history!!!

Nick Wintle is a strength athlete, 17-year military veteran (including multiple tours to the frontline), who was medically discharged after being wounded in combat resulting in severe mobility issues, is currently battling advanced liver cancer and nearly passed away last month due to complications of immunotherapy....

Fi Wintle-Star is a child development specialist and author (among many other things!), who had her dream of becoming a Firefigther crushed after a devastating leg break during a charity event, and then shortly after recovering from said injury suffered a debilitating stroke that robbed her (thankfully temporarily) of her ability to see, speak, and walk...

BUT these obstacles are not what defines them, it is the unbelievable grit, determination, and positivity, which helped them navigate and overcome said obstacles which exemplifies who they are.  Please listen in to hear more about these two incredible individuals including accounts of their “Stonelifting Honeymoon” where Fi lifted her first natural stone and Nick contended with the mighty Inver Stone!

What an outstanding discussion with Stonelifting phenomenon Liam Brown. In a little over two years, Liam has become an incredible lifter and one of the most impressive stone carriers on the planet, having carried the legendary Húsafell for nearly TWO full laps. A hugely impressive accomplishment for any human being, but being a sub 90kg body weight athlete, that is an otherworldy feat of strength (and we know he will get the full two laps (and further) soon). Another layer to Liam's awesomeness is how openly and enthusiastically he shares training and lifting tips with others as a means of helping other new lifters benefit from the learnings he has acquired over the years!!!

We are also very excited to introduce our new segment Community Corner, where we open up topics to input from the entire community in an effort to capture and share more stories directly from those that have experienced them (all of you!)!!! Together we rise!

It was an absolute pleasure to connect with strength athlete and author extraordinaire Alyssa Ages and have such an insightful and enlightening chat for Episode 24!

Alyssa is someone who jumped into the strength world with both feet and has found significant purpose in not only developing her own physical capabilities, but also in helping the broader public understand why so many of us find intense meaning and reward in our pursuit of strength.

In her book, "Secrets of Giants: A Journey to Uncover the True Meaning of Strength" (which we highly recommend you all check out!), Alyssa did a phenomenal job in conveying her own journey of self-discovery through strength while also shining a light on the incredibly kind and communal nature of the strength community, and highlighting the stories of many of the strongest competitors to have walked this Earth. She compassionately conveyed how, beneath the slabs of hard-earned mass and indominable exteriors, there are human beings that have sought to armour themselves with strength as a means of growing beyond periods of vulnerability in their lives, unmasking a relatability that is seldom showcased in the world of Strongman.

Alyssa has also been a fantastic advocate for Stonelifting, relaying both its rich history and the intensely rewarding experience of hoisting heavy rocks within her book, but also in broadening its viewership through authoring Stonelifting centric articles in world-class magazines and newspapers!

Thank you, Alyssa, for all you have done to help document and grow the incredible practice of Stonelifting and its community!

In this episode we had an awesome time talking with Tom "War Yoga" Billinge. A martial artist, author, and Stonelifter (among many other things), Tom has travelled the world seeking to obtain knowledge from historically rooted physical practices. He has a deep understanding of ancient Greece's culture of strength and competition, and has even rediscovered and placed his hands on a piece of Greece's Stonelifting past that is nearly 3,000 years old!!! Tom has also witnessed firsthand (and partaken in) the varied Stonelifting practices of South Asia, and more specifically Pakistan, where the feats of strength performed are so impressive many find them difficult to believe! It was an absolute pleasure talking with Tom who has a wealth of Knowledge and a knack for sharing it in a very very enthusiastic and entertaining way!!!

In this episode we had the honour of speaking with Stonelifter extraordinaire John Gibb. In just a handful of years, John has gone from someone who dreamed of lifting the Dinnie Stones to having lifted and WALKED the Dinnie Stones, Shouldered the Ardvorlich stone, and lapped the Húsafell Stone with ease (to name just a few). He has also put his lifting prowess on the line, having won multiple Stonelifting competitions including having won both Scotlands's Strongest AND Britain's Strongest Stonelifter in 2024. As proof that mental resolve, grit, and dedication can help you achieve incredible things in a relatively short period of time, John is a prime example for us all that success is earned and the worth are rewarded!!!l

In this episode we recap the incredible adventure we had in Iceland this summer where we both achieved the hard earned the title of Fullsterkur, with Dave even achieving Alsterkur status at Latra!!! A remarkable trip through one of the most rugged and breathtaking places in the world, where a rich history of strength meets incredibly challenging stones and absolutely breathtaking landscape. Iceland was all that we could have hoped for and more, so we want to give our thanks to our families for supporting us on this trip, and the researchers that helped to recover these incredible stones.

In this episode we had the great pleasure of speaking with world class strength athlete Sandra Bradley. Sandra has reached the pinnacle of the sport of Strongman and dedicated much of her life to it, but what holds an even greater piece of her heart is historical stone lifting and immersing herself in the incredible cultures and communities within which these stones are found. She has performed some of the most impressive stone lifts we have ever seen and in doing so has paved the way and shown what is possible for the many other remarkable women who participate in this historical practice. Not only that, she is a perfect representation for us all of how dedication, grit, and a no quit attitude can carry you incredibly far in both Stonelifting and in life.

An epic gathering RECORDED!!! Out now as a joint release on the Stones of Strength Podcast and the Stone Lore Podcast is an amazing episode recorded in collaboration with No Fame Games LLC and New England Stonelifting that captures a conversation between some of the world's most passionate stone lifters!!! A beautiful and candid conversation about what we all cherish about Stonelifting, its past, present, and how we are doing our best to build its future in our own unique ways!!!