WHEN you think of strength and fitness you often think of a shredded six-pack and a lean physique.
But some of the strongest athletes in the world don't fit into that bracket with strongmen often sporting a larger belly when competing in events.
Those who win events such as the World's Strongest Man are lauded for their ability to shift huge weights and even tow aeroplanes.
And they do it with a physique that may not look like it is made for doing such incredible thing.
However their bodies are in fact tailor-made to pull off the astonishing weightlifting tasks that they set out to achieve.
What Ola and James Jordan really ate and did to shed 7st
Why do strongmen have bellies?
There are a number of reasons for the physique of strongmen and it starts with training.
Strongmen have to complete very specific tasks in their competitions and they ensure their training is suited to performing their best in those events.
Overall strength and power is preferred over a lean "six-pack" style body so they can excel at the tasks in hand.
Core strength is a vital part of strongman competitions too and a larger belly can offer more stability, support and strength when lifting and carrying heavy weights using the core.
Another reason is simply caloric intake - strongmen have to consume a lot of calories during their training as they try and build as much muscle as possible.
Former World's Strongest Man Eddie Hall previously admitted to eating an incredible 12,500 calories a day during training - this amount of calories can lead to increased body weight and belly size.
One final reason is genetics - many people naturally carry more weight around their midsection as a result of genetics.
Is it a bad thing?
Strongmen's larger bellies are not a negative thing whatsoever and are an important part of why they are so strong.
Despite the perception of a larger midriff meaning someone is in bad health that is not often the case with those competing for strongmen titles.
Competitors still possess huge amounts of muscle development throughout their bodies and their physique is intended to increase power and strength rather than showing definition.
I’m a fitness pro & everyone makes the same mistake when trying to lose weight