Laine Snook
Encyclopedia
Laine Snook is a former athlete, and current strongman
and professional Highland Games
competitor. As an athlete he competed internationally but his career was cut short by injury. He went on to specialise in strength based sport and represented both England
and Great Britain
in various Highland Games and strength athletic events. He also became the world benchpress champion. He has gained international renown in strength sport for being one of the world's foremost exponents of grip strength.
became his coach.
and Andy Drzewiecki
) were platforms to Laine performing at international level. However, an operation on his spine forced him to abandon a career as an athlete. He therefore began concentrating on other strength sports such as bench pressing and grip strength.
As a bench presser he has won the British and European championships super-heavyweight division on numerous occasions. In 1997 and 1999 he was the winner of the World Bench Press Championships. He is also noted for having broken a number of records in bench pressing and in 1999 lifted and held for one minute Ian Wright
and the bench he was lying on, amounting to .
As a strength athlete he competed in national level events in the United Kingdom and was a finalist in both 2000 and 2001 in Britain's Strongest Man
.
He is also a successful Highland Games competitor and 2001 became the world caber-tossing champion.
In 2006 and began training rigorously once more, in his home gym six days a week for two hours a day. He began to develop the grip strength facet of strength sports and has since notched up numerous notable achievements. On 1 August 2006 he became the world record holder in the international recognised Rolling Thunder lift, deemed by Ironmind
as one of the ultimate tests of grip strength. This was done at Pullum Sports, Luton
Laine was then unable to attend the 2008 World Championships, won by Mark Felix
, due to injury. On 21 December 2008, at the Whey Power Challenge Laine Snook hoisted two Millennium Dumbbells, dumbbells with "handles as thick as a Coke can" weighting 230 lbs each. Commenting on this, Randall J. Strossen
noted that Laine Snook had first come to the attention of the grip strength world when he certified on the No. 3 Captains of Crush Gripper, officiated by Jamie Reeves
. Augmenting his reputation, his world record in the Rolling Thunder combined with the Millennium Dumbbell feat have led Strossen to say that Laine has started "to produce some marks that will astound the grip world".
Strength athlete
A strength athlete is a person who trains for or competes in events in which muscular strength and power play a primary role. Such events include weightlifting and powerlifting, strength athletics and strongman competitions, and arm wrestling, as well as the "heavy throws" of track and field:...
and professional Highland Games
Highland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
competitor. As an athlete he competed internationally but his career was cut short by injury. He went on to specialise in strength based sport and represented both England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in various Highland Games and strength athletic events. He also became the world benchpress champion. He has gained international renown in strength sport for being one of the world's foremost exponents of grip strength.
Early life
Laine's father ran a large transport company, something which Laine would go on to emulate in running Devon Fleet's Hereford Branch. By the age of 12 Laine was 6'2Geoff Capes
Geoffrey Lewis Capes is a former athlete, strongman and professional Highland Games competitor...
became his coach.
Sporting career
Winning such events as the AAA Midland Counties championship in 1994, (following in the footsteps of athletes such as Bill TancredBill Tancred
William Raymond "Bill" Tancred is a leading sports administrator, academic and former international athlete. He competed at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics in the discus and won a bronze and silver medals in successive Commonwealth Games from 1970 to 1974...
and Andy Drzewiecki
Andy Drzewiecki
Andy Drzewiecki is a former athlete, weightlifter and strongman from England. He won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1978 in the heavyweight class of the weightlifting. He also competed at the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow...
) were platforms to Laine performing at international level. However, an operation on his spine forced him to abandon a career as an athlete. He therefore began concentrating on other strength sports such as bench pressing and grip strength.
As a bench presser he has won the British and European championships super-heavyweight division on numerous occasions. In 1997 and 1999 he was the winner of the World Bench Press Championships. He is also noted for having broken a number of records in bench pressing and in 1999 lifted and held for one minute Ian Wright
Ian Wright
Ian Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...
and the bench he was lying on, amounting to .
As a strength athlete he competed in national level events in the United Kingdom and was a finalist in both 2000 and 2001 in Britain's Strongest Man
Britain's Strongest Man
Britain's Strongest Man is an annual strongman event held in the United Kingdom. Competitors qualify for the final through regional heats and the winner is awarded the title of "Britain's Strongest Man"...
.
He is also a successful Highland Games competitor and 2001 became the world caber-tossing champion.
In 2006 and began training rigorously once more, in his home gym six days a week for two hours a day. He began to develop the grip strength facet of strength sports and has since notched up numerous notable achievements. On 1 August 2006 he became the world record holder in the international recognised Rolling Thunder lift, deemed by Ironmind
IronMind
IronMind Enterprises, Inc. is a niche market business based in Nevada City, California, that specializes in “tools of the trade for serious strength athletes.” Though many of its products include strength-training equipment and accessories, IronMind also publishes books, DVDs and the quarterly...
as one of the ultimate tests of grip strength. This was done at Pullum Sports, Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
Laine was then unable to attend the 2008 World Championships, won by Mark Felix
Mark Felix
Mark Felix is a strongman competitor and regular entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition...
, due to injury. On 21 December 2008, at the Whey Power Challenge Laine Snook hoisted two Millennium Dumbbells, dumbbells with "handles as thick as a Coke can" weighting 230 lbs each. Commenting on this, Randall J. Strossen
Randall J. Strossen
Dr. Randall J. Strossen is the founder and president of IronMind Enterprises, Inc. and the editor-in-chief and publisher of MILO journal. He wrote a monthly column called "IronMind" in IRONMAN magazine for over 12 years, starting in 1988 and has authored several books on strength training...
noted that Laine Snook had first come to the attention of the grip strength world when he certified on the No. 3 Captains of Crush Gripper, officiated by Jamie Reeves
Jamie Reeves
Jamie Reeves is a former coal miner, strongman and professional wrestler. As a strongman, he won the 1989 World's Strongest Man, was World Muscle Power champion, and also had numerous other titles including Europe's Strongest Man and Britain's Strongest Man...
. Augmenting his reputation, his world record in the Rolling Thunder combined with the Millennium Dumbbell feat have led Strossen to say that Laine has started "to produce some marks that will astound the grip world".