Žydrūnas Savickas


Žydrūnas Savickas is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout a career which spanned nearly three decades, he competed in and won 79 international competitions, 5 international masters competitions and 36 national competitions. This included four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strongman World Championship's, six IFSA Grand Prix wins, three Europe's Strongest Man titles, a Fortissimus title, six Giants Live wins, seventeen Lithuania's Strongest Man titles, a record thirty four Strongman Champions League wins and a record eight Arnold Strongman Classic titles.
With 75 world records, particularly in events such as deadlift, squat, and overhead pressing, including a sixteen-year reign as the log lift world record holder and seven World Log Lift Championship titles, he is the most decorated strongman in history and is widely regarded as the greatest of all time.
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Career

Savickas first became interested in strength sports after watching a Lithuanian regional strongman contest on TV in 1989. Three years later, now aged 17, he took part in that same contest in 1992 and defeated several older and more experienced competitors, which prompted him to train powerlifting.

1995–1997

After 3 years of training equipped powerlifting, Savickas participated in 1995 Lithuanian national powerlifting championships in the +125kg weight class and won. In 1996 Lithuanian national powerlifting championships he broke Lithuanian junior national records in squat, bench press, deadlift and total.
At 1997 IPF World Juniors Powerlifting Championships, Savickas totaled in single ply equipment with a squat, bench press and a deadlift.

1998–2000

In 1998, Savickas won his first Lithuania's Strongest Man contest. He would later go on to win this contest a total of 17 times, with the latest coming in 2022. Savickas then competed at the 1998 and 2000 World's Strongest Man contests but failed to qualify for the finals on both occasions.
Savickas won the silver medal in the 2000 IPF World powerlifting championships in Japan under the super heavyweight category with a total of in single ply equipment, just behind Brad Gillingham. Savickas squatted, bench pressed and deadlifted at a bodyweight of.

2001–2002

In 2001, a contest in the Faroe Islands dealt Savickas a major setback, as he tore both patellar tendons during the Conan's Wheel event. Many believed that the extent of the injury meant that his career was over. However, nine months later, Savickas won the Lithuanian powerlifting championships and a short time later, he also won the 2002 Lithuania's Strongest Man contest. Savickas would go on to finish in 2nd place at the 2002 World's Strongest Man in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He would finish in 2nd place five more times in 2003, 2004, 2011, 2013 and 2015 and 1st place at the 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014 World's Strongest Man contests.

2003–2004

Savickas won the Arnold Strongman Classic six consecutive times starting from 2003 until 2008. In 2003 he also placed second at 2003 Strongman Super Series Holland Grand Prix.
In 2004 he came third to Hugo Girard and Vasyl Virastyuk at the 2004 World Muscle Power Classic and won 2004 CEKOL Cup presented by IFSA.
In 2004 Lithuanian national powerlifting championships, Savickas totaled in single ply equipment with a squat of, a bench press of and a deadlift of.

2005–2006

Savickas won the IFSA European Championships in 2005 which qualified him for the IFSA World Championships. In September 2005, he broke three world records and won the IFSA Strongman World Championships in Quebec, Canada. In December 2005, Savickas won the IFSA World Team Championships with Team Europe.
On October 24, 2005, Savickas represented Lithuania in a team competition with Vidas Blekaitis, Saulius Brusokas, and Vilius Petrauskas. Team Lithuania placed 5th overall at the IFSA World's Strongest Nation contest in Ukraine.
In 2005 Lithuanian national powerlifting championships, Savickas squatted a career best in single ply equipment.
In 2006 he won IFSA Dubai Grand Prix, IFSA World St.rongman Challenge, IFSA Holland Grand Prix, IFSA Latvia World Cup, United Strongman Series Lithuania and the IFSA World Championships for the 2nd time in 2006 in Reykjavík, Iceland.

2007–2008

In September 2007, Savickas finished in 3rd place at the last ever IFSA World Championships behind runner-up Mikhail Koklyaev and champion Vasyl Virastyuk in Geumsan, South Korea.
Savickas won 5 out of the 7 total contests during the inaugural 2008 Strongman Champions League season and won the 2008 overall title 58 points ahead of second-place finisher Ervin Katona.

2009–2010

In June 2009, Savickas won Fortissimus after finishing runner-up in 2008 behind Derek Poundstone. On October 3, 2009, Savickas won the 2009 World's Strongest Man competition ahead of defending champion and five-time winner Mariusz Pudzianowski. He had not competed at WSM since 2004.
On the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy on April 1, 2010, Savickas set a record of 70 meters for the longest distance carrying a 300 kg yoke. The record was part of the Italian TV series Lo Show dei Record. In June 2010, Savickas won the Europe's Strongest Man competition.
In September 2010, Savickas and Brian Shaw tied for points at the 2010 World's Strongest Man competition, but Savickas won the championship on countback. He also set a new world record for the Giant Wooden Log Lift by lifting.
Savickas also won the World Log Lift Championships in 2008, 2009, and 2011.

2011

In April 2011, Savickas set a new Guinness World Record by performing a 20-meter Farmer's Walk in 7.55 seconds with implements in each hand. The event was broadcast on the Guinness TV show in Europe.
Savickas won five Strongman Champions League events during the 2011/2012 season, in Finland in March 2011, Germany on April 16, 2011, the SCL Semi-finals in Canada in October 2011, Latvia in November 2011 and the SCL Finals in Sarajevo, Bosnia on February 7, 2012. Ervin Katona won the overall championships, with Savickas as the runner-up. During the SCL Finals in Sarajevo, Savickas set a new world record in the Log Lift with. This was his 7th consecutive world record in the Log Lift, not including his world record in the Giant Wooden Log Lift set at the 2010 World's Strongest Man contest.
In September 2011, Savickas lost his WSM crown to Brian Shaw at the 2011 World's Strongest Man contest at Wingate University, North Carolina, coming in second place for the fourth time.

2012

Savickas won the 2012 Europe's Strongest Man contest on June 23, 2012, his second ESM title after winning in 2010. Savickas also set a new world record in the Log Lift with a lift of. This was his 8th consecutive Log Lift world record.
Savickas won 11 of the 14 Strongman Champions League contests in the 2012 season and won the overall championships title. During the SCL Holland event, Savickas set another world record in the Log Lift with a lift of. This was Savickas' third Log Lift world record in 2012 and 9th consecutive Log Lift world record.
On October 1, 2012, Savickas regained the WSM crown by winning the 2012 World's Strongest Man contest in Los Angeles, California. This was Savickas' third WSM title, and became the fifth competitor in WSM history to win three or more WSM titles. Savickas also set a new Log Lift world record in the finals with a lift of 220 kg.
On October 7, 2012, Savickas won the 2012 World Log Lift Championships which was held at the same venue as the SCL Savickas Classic event. This was his fourth consecutive World Log Lift Championships title.

2013

Savickas won his inaugural 2013 contest, the Strongman Champions League Holland event held in Kalkar, Germany on June 22, 2013. Savickas also attempted a new Log Lift world record of, but failed to lockout the weight overhead. Savickas won seven SCL contests in the 2013 season and came second in the overall championships behind Krzysztof Radzikowski.
On June 29, 2013, Savickas won his third Europe's Strongest Man title. He also set a new Log Lift world record with a lift of.
In August 2013, Savickas finished second in the 2013 World's Strongest Man contest behind Brian Shaw.

2014

At the 2014 Força Bruta contest, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Savickas set a new world record in the Log Lift with, along with a record in the deadlift event, with for 10 repetitions.
The following month, at the Giants Live Poland contest held in Dolina Charlotty, Savickas again set a new world record in the Log Lift, becoming the first human to lift.
At the 2014 World's Strongest Man, he managed to win his fourth title with just half a point difference over the second-placed Hafthór Júlíus Björnsson and in so doing became the oldest WSM winner in history, at 38 years and 258 days. Zydrunas also set a world record in the giant barbell squat event by squatting for 15 repetitions.
Savickas also won the 2014 Arnold Strongman Classic, for the 7th time, defeating his long-time rival Brian Shaw. In addition to his victory, Savickas set new records in both the Austrian Oak, pressing for four repetitions and in the Hummer Tire Deadlift event with a lift of.

2015

Savickas secured second place behind Brian Shaw at the 2015 Arnold Strongman Classic, despite being hindered by back and hamstring injuries. He again set a world record in the Austrian Oak event, lifting for four repetitions. However, during the Bale Tote event, he sustained nerve damage to his neck; an injury that would trouble him for years following.
Later that year, at the 2015 World's Strongest Man competition, Savickas again finished as the runner-up to Shaw, once more competing through back and hamstring injuries. He claimed victory at the 2015 World Log Lift Championship.
At 2015 Força Bruta competition held in Rio de Janeiro, Savickas broke the log press world record with.

2016

Savickas again won the 2016 Arnold Strongman Classic, a record 8th time. He then emerged runner-up to Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson at the 2016 Arnold Australia and 2016 Arnold South America.
Savickas dropped from 2016 World's Strongest Man competition because of lingering back, neck, and hamstring injuries.

2017

In 2017, Savickas returned to the World's Strongest Man. While he made the finals, he was hampered by past injuries and finished in 9th place. This was the first time he placed lower than 2nd at WSM since the year 2000.
He also won 2017 Giants Live World Tour Finals and 2017 Burn Showdown.

2018

Savickas placed 4th in the 2018 Europe's Strongest Man, and 10th in the 2018, and his last World's Strongest Man finals. Savickas had to withdraw after the overhead press due to injuries to his biceps and Achilles.
In October, Savickas competed in the inaugural World's Ultimate Strongman which contained one of the most stacked lineups of all-time and ended up in tenth place out of twelve.

2019–2022

After winning 2020 Lithuania's Strongest Man and Pasaulio Taurė, he emerged twelfth at the 2021 Shaw Classic. After placing tenth at 2022 Shaw Classic and eleventh at 2022 Arnold UK, Savickas retired from open competitions and switched to masters divisions.

Personal records

Powerlifting

Done in official powerlifting competitions under IPF rules.

Strongman

  • Log press –
  • Log press/ Austrian Oak – for 4 reps
  • Apollon's Axle press –
  • Apollon's Axle press – × 2 reps
  • Apollon's Axle press – × 5 reps
  • Apollon's Wheels press – × 8 continental cleans and presses
  • Metal Block press –
  • Cyr Dumbbell press –
  • Cyr Dumbbell press – x 4 reps
  • Giant Barbell Squat – × 15 reps
  • Deadlift –
  • Deadlift for reps – x 2 reps
  • IronMind s-cubed bar Deadlift –
  • Rogue Elephant bar Deadlift –
  • Giant Barbell Deadlift – × 10
  • Hummer Tire Deadlift –
  • Cart wheel Deadlift – for 14 reps
  • Bavarian Stonelift – for 85 cm
  • Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone) – over 4 ft bar
  • Manhood Stone for reps – x 3 reps over 4 ft bar
  • Atlas Stones – 22.31 seconds
  • Atlas Stones in IFSA circle setup – 25.65 seconds
  • Natural stone lift to platform – 5 Rocks ranging from 102 to 159 kilograms in 19.44 seconds
  • Keg Toss – over, and over
  • Keg Toss – 8 kegs over 4.80 m bar in 15.71 seconds
  • Weight over bar – over
  • Medicine ball toss – for
  • Front hold – for 82.11 seconds
  • Fingal's Fingers – 5 fingers in 37.56 seconds
  • Fingal's Fingers – 5 fingers in 28.69 seconds
  • Power Stairs – 31.60 seconds, and 33.97 seconds
  • Power Stairs, 227 kg & 238 kg – 42.07 seconds
  • Tyre flip – x 8 flips in 24.24 seconds
  • Flip & drag – tyre x 4 flips and sled drag for 20 meters – 32.06 seconds
  • Super Yoke – for 4 meters in 3.87 seconds
  • Timber carry – with straps for 35 ft in 13.01 seconds
  • Sled pull – for 20-meter course in 21.66 seconds
  • Truck pull – for 30-meter course 'uphill' in 43.97 seconds
  • Truck pull – for 20-meter course 'extra uphill' in 38.58 seconds
  • Truck pull – for 20-meter course 'uphill' in 42.67 seconds
During training :
  • Squat – for 2 reps; for 3 reps; for 5 reps Raw with knee wraps
  • Bench press Raw –
  • Bench press Raw – for 3 reps
  • Deadlift – raw with straps on stiff Power bar
  • Deadlift – for 5 reps in preparation for Arnold Strongman Classic 2014 raw with straps on stiff Power bar
  • Standing Overhead Press – for 5 reps without leg drive
  • Log Lift – for 5 reps in preparation for Arnold Strongman Classic 2015 on steel IFSA log
  • Front Squat – for 3 reps, and for 5 reps Raw with knee wraps
  • 18-inch deadlift – for 1 rep in preparation for Arnold Strongman Classic 2014 ''Raw with straps on stiff Power bar ''

Competitive record

Placements: 115 x 1st places, 31 x 2nd places and 20 x 3rd places = 166 x podium finishes from 202 total competitions.
  • Winning percentage: 53.7% at International circuit & 65.5% at National circuit
  • Podium percentage: 79.6% at International circuit & 89.1% at National circuit
  • Top 5 percentage: 88.4% at International circuit & 94.5% at National circuit
1st2nd3rdPodium4th5thTop 56th7th8th9th10th11th12th24thTotal
International7922161179413024123221147
National36944912521255
Combined115312016610618234125221202

Legacy

In his career which spanned 25 years facing 3 generations of strongmen, Žydrūnas has competed in more competitions than anyone else and has won more international competitions than anyone else as well. His winning percentage of 54.5% is fourth only to Rayno Nel, Mariusz Pudzianowski and Mitchell Hooper. However, the winning streak and number of victories of Žydrūnas Savickas, as evidenced by nearly 250 trophies and 200 medals, may never be matched. During an interview with strongman analyst Laurence Shahlaei in 2020, Žydrūnas said that Mariusz Pudzianowski, Svend Karlsen, Derek Poundstone, Brian Shaw and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson are the 5 greatest strongmen he has competed against.
In brief, Žydrūnas has dominated the following competitions:

Political career

Savickas entered politics as a member of the Liberal and Centre Union and expressed interest to run for office since 2008. In 2012, he explained that participating in politics was a "pastime", as he saw his sporting career as his free time and didn't understand what sportsmen are "supposed to do all day".
In 2011, he joined the nonpartisan team of former Mayor of Vilnius, Artūras Zuokas, and won a seat in the Vilnius municipal council in the 2011 local elections. He stated that he does not have large political ambitions and will be an "observer". During his time in office, he led a councillor group on promoting culture and combating alcoholism.
He ran with Zuokas's political party YES in the Biržai-Kupiškis constituency in the 2012 parliamentary election, however, he did not get to the second round. After it merged with the Liberal and Centre Union to form the Lithuanian Freedom Union, he joined the Liberal Movement instead. He ran as their candidate in the Naujoji Vilnia constituency in the 2016 parliamentary election. Describing his political views as a candidate to the Seimas, he identified as a businessman as well as a sportsman, and expressed his desire to lower taxes and reduce the bureaucratic apparatus.
From 2020 onwards, he has been accused of spreading misinformation about George Soros, Antifa, and the COVID-19 vaccine. In 2020, it was reported that he was a moderator of a Lithuanian QAnon conspiracy theory group on Facebook. He was one of the leaders of an anti-restriction protest during the commemoration of the January Events in 2022 and described the pandemic controls of the Šimonytė Cabinet as a "dictatorship" and "anti-constitutional", which got members of the municipal council in his home town Biržai to propose revoking his honorary citizenship.
He switched to the Lithuanian Regions Party and was elected to the council of Molėtai District Municipality on their list in 2023.

Personal life

Savickas married his longtime girlfriend Jurgita Savickienė on July 24, 2010, in Lithuania.
At the end of September 2010, a biography entitled Žydrūnas Savickas – žmogus iš geležies was published in Lithuania.
Zydrunas Savickas has a YouTube channel where he talks on strongman related topics such as recovery, diet, and training habits. In June 2021, Žydrūnas and his wife Jurgita got divorced.
He got married for a second time on October 12, 2022, in Molėtai taking Brigita Lacytė to be his spouse.