2019 Global’s Most powerful Guy (WSM) champion Martin Licis is on a hiatus from aggressive strongman pageant because of knee, wrist, and elbow accidents. The Latvian-American strongman is the usage of his day off to chronicle power’s affect on cultures world wide in a YouTube collection titled “Power Unkown.”

After touring to Colombia, the Basque Nation, Georgia, China, and Mongolia, Licis visited Scotland at the Sep 11, 2023, episode of the “Power Unkown” to discover the historical past of stone lifting and take part in Donald Dinnie Day. Take a look at the video underneath, courtesy of Licis’ YouTube channel:

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Licis started his Scottish journey with Brett Nicol, the writer of the Nicol stones and the arena’s maximum a hit Dinnie Stones lifter — he’s lifted the mythical stones 497 instances. 

Loch Earn in upland Perthshire was once Licis’ first forestall, the place he joined different stone lifters to boost the Ardvorlich stone, which weighs 152 kilograms (335.1 kilos). Historically, to be a a hit carry, a lifter will have to stand with the stone above their hips.

Lifters in Licis’ consultation tried to shoulder the Ardvorlich stone, however few may just — Licis become most effective the 6th guy in historical past to succeed in the feat. Licis tried to press the stone overhead however was once unsuccessful. 

Licis made his option to the 600-year-old 127-kilogram (280-pound) Fianna stone. Even though quite small, this stone is dense and awkwardly formed, necessitating an exact stone-lifting method. The stone was once at first intended to be lifted 10 inches off the bottom, however Licis become the primary particular person to hoist it overhead. 

The Chieftains stone, often referred to as the Menzies stone, positioned outdoor of Fort Menzies, was once Licis’ 3rd stone carry of the day. The Menzies stone resembles an historic Atlas stone, weighing 114 kilograms (251.3 kilos). Licis effectively presses the Menzies stone overhead.

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The Donald Dinnie Day

Even though Licis didn’t strive lifting the Dinnie Stones on the 2023 Donald Dinnie Day, he cheered at the two-time WSM champ Tom Stoltman, 2021 Europe’s Most powerful Guy (ESM) Luke Stoltman, 2016 ESM Laurence Shahlaei, and Licis’ industry spouse Romark Weiss as they took turns at the coveted stones.

Shahlaei created historical past by way of strolling the Dinnie Stones for a distance of twenty-two toes and four inches, breaking the document of the mythical Donald Dinnie, who had carried his namesake stones for 17 toes and 1.5 inches — the width of the Potarch Bridge — in 1860.

The asymmetrical stones weigh a mixed 332.49 kilograms (733 kilos). The smaller stone pointers the scales at 144.47 kilograms (318.5 kilos), while the larger weighs 188 kilograms (414.5 kilos). 

Licis will go back to the aggressive strongman circuit on the 2023 Global’s Most powerful Country contest, scheduled for Nov. 18, 2023, in Liverpool, UK. He’ll captain Workforce USA in opposition to the Eddie Corridor-led Workforce UK. 

Featured symbol: @martinslicis on Instagram