Kent strongman Mick Ellender bids to regain his title of one of the world’s strongest men later this month.

He took silver in the European Masters powerlifting championships in the Czech Republic earlier this year, lifting a total of 580 kilos, but knows he will have to lift more if he’s to snatch the world title back.

“The training at the moment is intense and I hurt all the time, but if I can bring back the gold medal it will be worth it”, said Mick, who’s 66 and from Herne Bay.

“I’m already deadlifting heavier weights than I did at the European championships.”

He was originally a cyclist and used the old Post Office Gym in Canterbury to stay fit during the winter.

“It was basically a powerlifters’ gym and that’s what started me off,” he said.

“I moved from two wheels to barbells and I’ve now been powerlifting for more than thirty years.”

He took gold at the 2007 world championships and has also won gold at the European and British championships.

His training has been disrupted by the closure of the Herne Bay Pier gym where he’s trained for more than 15 years. It meant he and trainer Gary Hills had to move more than two tonnes of weights to his new training venue, Bodytech, in Whitstable.
“I’m training with the weights three nights a week and then swimming three times to help the recovery process. Basically each time you train with weights the muscles tear so you have to allow them time to recover and grow back.”

The 2011 World Championships take place in St Catherines in Canada from September 26 until October 3.

Powerlifting involves three separate disciplines, the bench press, the deadlift and the squat. The biggest individual lifts in each category are added together to give a combined total.