Life
Terry Hollands is one of Britain’s best known and most successful strongmen. Born in Dartford, Kent in 1979, Terry’s first sporting success came on the rugby field, where he was part of the Harlequins Academy set-up, before gravitating towards strongman.
Terry had tremendous all-round strength and mobility for a man standing 2.00m (6’ 6.5”) and weighing in at around 195kg (430lb) at his peak. He was renowned for his prowess in truck pull and deadlift: at the 2011 World’s Strongest Man finals in Wingate, North Carolina, Terry successfully lifted 435kg (957lb) which at that time was a world record.
Career
After first appearing on the strongman scene in 2005, Terry rose to prominence quickly, thanks in no small part to his prestigious size and athleticism. He managed to qualify for World’s Strongest Man in his first season! The following year he qualified again, reaching the final, where he placed 7th.
The former rugby player captured the Britain’s Strongest Man title in 2007 and was runner-up the following year. In Anaheim, California, Hollands reached the podium at World’s Strongest Man, behind the Polish 1-2 of Sebastian Wenta and Mariusz Pudzianowski.
In 2008, Hollands relinquished his British title to Jimmy Marku and would never regain it, despite making the podium on many more occasions. In the next few years, Terry earned respectable finishes at World’s Strongest Man and managed his best finish at Europe’s Strongest Man, placing 2nd.
Despite tearing his biceps in 2010, Hollands recovered to finish 3rd at the 2011 World’s Strongest Man in Wingate, North Carolina. The following year, a recurrence of that injury saw him forced to withdraw from the WSM final.
In 2013 Hollands finished 7th at the WSM final and improved to 5th in 2014, and in doing so had achieved the feat of competing in 9 consecutive World’s Strongest Man finals. Hollands would not make the final again but made a further 5 appearances in the heats.
In the latter part of Holland’s career, he made a drastic reduction in his bodyweight which created a great deal of public interest. In 2017 a considerably leaner Hollands placed 3rd at Europe’s Strongest Man.
In 2019 Hollands completed his weight loss journey, turning down a place at WSM to compete at the 2Bros Pro Luke Sandoe Classic bodybuilding contest, where he placed 2nd overall and 1st in the beginner’s category. Terry stepped on stage at 132kg/298lb, some 60kg below his heaviest. Remarkably, that same year Terry won the Masters’ World’s Strongest Man title in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Best Title
Aside from his 2007 Britain’s Strongest Man title, Terry clinched the Masters’ World’s Strongest Man title in Daytona Beach, Florida in 2019. He defeated Ken McClelland (USA) by 7.5 points, taking event wins in the farmer’s walk, deadlift ladder and power stairs.
Terry is perhaps best known for his longevity; specifically, his record at World’s Strongest Man, where he qualified for the contest on 15 occasions between 2005 and 2021, coming through the difficult heats on 9 consecutive occasions.
Terry made it onto the podium twice, claiming bronze on two separate occasions in 2007 and 2011. He was the first Britain to feature on the podium since Wales’ Gary Taylor, who won the title in 1993, in Orange, France.
Competition Results
Personal Best Lifts
Competition Lifts
Training lifts
Retirement
Following his withdrawal from the 2021 World’s Strongest Man heats in Sacramento, California, due to him re-injuring an old biceps tear during the loading medley, Terry announced that he would be bringing to a close his long and highly successful strongman career.
With many other projects and commitments to pursue, Hollands felt that the time was right to step away and that he had achieved all that he could at the age of 42.
Present Day
Terry continues to pursue his online coaching, which is growing steadily, and his modelling work for Badrhino. He is currently preparing for a second bodybuilding contest, following his retirement from strongman competition.
Hollands is still heavily involved on the strongman scene, where he regularly attends competitions in his capacity of co-host and interviewer. Terry will be lending his considerable expertise to the Giants Live team throughout the 2022 season as an athlete interviewer.
Media
Terry co-presents and interviews for Giants Live’s World’s Strongest Man Arena Tour and can be seen as part of the live stream production, as well as the TV shows which will be shown on Channel 5 over the Christmas period.
Hollands has attracted a large following on social media, particularly on Instagram where he has 208k followers. He can be found on @terryhollandswsm and as Terry Hollands on Facebook, where he has 35k followers.
Did Terry Hollands win World’s Strongest Man?
Was Terry Hollands a rugby player?
Yes, Terry did play rugby in New Zealand and also in England for the Harlequins.
What is Terry Hollands doing now?
Terry Hollands is a bodybuilder, he wanted to lose weight so he went from 205kg to 135kg! He also now coaches online focussing on weight loss and strength. Terry also commentates at Giants Live shows.
Who did Terry Hollands play rugby for?
