Wichitan expects big lift in Strongman competition

Nikita Ottosen barely experienced failure during her first year as a Strongman competitor.

She took up the sport after encouragement from a friend and affirmed that friend’s judgment by becoming one of the best in the United States.

Ottosen, a 27-year-old Wichitan, qualified for national and international competitions and earned a spot in the Arnold Classic, an annual bodybuilding, fitness and weightlifting competition held in Columbus, Ohio. Her events begin Friday and conclude with Sunday’s finals.

“The first year was definitely kind of a slap in the face,” Ottosen said. “A lot of unexpected events and accomplishments happened.”

The Arnold Classic didn’t go as well. Ottosen felt overwhelmed by the moment and did not find positive results.

Her second chance happens this weekend as Ottosen, an amateur middleweight, returns to Columbus for three events, all of which involve lifting and/or carrying heavy objects. Ottosen’s second try is the culmination of a year of knowing what to expect when she arrives in Ohio.

“There was a lot that I just didn’t know,” Ottosen said. “First of all, the amount of people there was just ridiculous. I spent a little bit of time living in India, and I kind of had some flashbacks of just people everywhere.

“The intensity of the Arnold Classic is by far the highest I’ve ever been to. I’ve been preparing myself in ways that I didn’t think – nutrition, sleep, making sure I wasn’t sick. I altered my diet a little bit, because with the Strongman, you’ve got to eat.”

Ottosen can earn professional status with high finishes in the 165-pound keg carry and press, the yoke run — in which she’ll carry 475 pounds with her arms and back — and the 375-pound axle bar deadlift.

Her most intense training began about six months ago and has been chronicled on Instagram, where Ottosen often posts photos and videos of her curls, deadlifts, jerks and squats.

Interest in Strongman was a progression of events for Ottosen, who also does CrossFit and has a background in Martial Arts.

“I was just at the gym one day and one of the fellow members was pressuring me into doing a local Strongman competition,” Ottosen said. “I had never done one before. I was hesitant at first and kind of resistant, but I ended up signing up. From there, it was like a snowball effect.”

Strongman has become Ottosen’s primary focus, though she said it hasn’t altered her training regimen much. It has changed her awareness and caution regarding the importance of nutrition, regular sleep and avoiding sickness.

Those factors, and the progression of last year’s Arnold Classic from a negative experience to a valuable one, have Ottosen feeling confident as competition begins. She still isn’t completely sure what to expect, though.

“I mostly compare myself from competition to competition, year to year, day to day,” Ottosen said. “Just making sure that I’m always constantly improving and trying to knock out any weakness that I have.

“If you go in comparing yourself to everyone else, I feel like I’m always going to fail. I go in with the mindset that I’m going to win but winning could be measured multiple factors. That mindset, I think, is important going into a high-level competition like the Arnold.”

This story was originally published March 2, 2017 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Wichitan expects big lift in Strongman competition."