I recently travelled to Iceland to make Nest Of Giants, a VICE film about the world these strongmen inhabit. While we were there, we became well aware of the lineage at play. It stretches back generations, and has bred some of the strongest people who have ever lived.
The epicentre of the scene is a gym called Jakabol, which translates as "Nest Of The Giants". It's like no other gym you've ever been to, probably because its members are training to lift cars. There is no steam room, pilates classes, or cafeteria at Jakabol. While there are a smattering of treadmills and cross trainers about the place, there is only one goal here and that is the building of pure, unadulterated strength.
Looking more like a branch of Jewson than a Virgin Active, the place was designed by Ver Magnusson to be "as hardcore as possible". The main room is littered with objects that are usually used to keep ships in place, objects that are found on building sites, objects that you'll spend your whole life training just to get off the ground, objects that weigh twice as much as the average male but are designed to be lifted with one hand.