WALES’ ULTIMATE POWER COUPLE
WHEN you think of power couples you probably think of Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Melinda Gates, or Jay-Z and Beyonce – powerful men and women who are very strong together.
Whatever the political, economic or showbusiness power of these people, they do not come close to the physical might of Wales’ ultimate power couple.
Nathan Szuchnik and Natalie Roberts, both 31, are stronger than any couple in Wales – because they are both national champions in strongman and woman competitions.
Nathan currently holds the title of Wales’ Strongest Man in his weight category of under 105kg.
Not to be upstaged, Natalie is currently Wales’ strongest woman for her weight bracket of under 63kg.
The pair, who live together in Rhoose, have been together for a year but share a much longer history.
“We were in primary school to- gether so we have known each other since we were nine years old in Rhoose,” said Nathan.
“She came along to one of my competitions and started doing it after that.”
It has been a rapid road to the top of strongman competition for Nathan.
“Strongman competition is exactly like what you used to see on television at Christmas,” said Nathan.
“I was a rugby player and I was putting my deadlifting videos on Facebook and got invited to Aberbargoed.
“There I met a guy called Nathan Llewellyn and he asked if I would be interested in doing strongman.
“So I started training and won the South Wales Strongman Challenge 2013.
“Back in April Strongest Man.” I won Wales’
But while vying for the title requires plenty of muscle power, it’s not just a case of lifting weights above your head, as with power lifting.
Nathan said: “When I won the Wales’ Strongest Man competition we had different events.
“First we had a max log press, where you have a huge steel log to press overhead and I won that event.
“The second event was a farmer’s walk and it is where you have to carry 150kg in each hand for 20m without dropping it – you get a minute to complete the event.
“Once you drop it once it starts ripping the skin off your hand. I managed to come second in that.
“Third was squats with a bar that weighed 233kg – the bar was bending.
“There was also a keg toss, where you had to throw kegs that weighed between 12 and 16kg.
“Of course there is also the atlas stones, that you would have seen on television, that go up to 160 kg.”
Being an international-standard strongman or woman doesn’t just happen overnight.
The pair are constantly training and sticking to rigid meal plans in order to stay competitive.
“We train three times a week in Hammer Strength gym in Barry Leisure Centre for about two hours a night and go to K2 in Bridgend for five hours,” said Nathan.
“With diet I don’t count calories, I just watch my weight.
“I get up in the morning and have eggs, protein shakes and muesli cereal.
“I normally have three meals during the day in the week, which is normally chicken and carbs. We both compete in weight categories so need to maintain a certain weight.
“I get back from work and go to the gym – then have another meal, which is usually chicken, steak or mince.”
It takes a lot of organisation to stick to this so Nathan and Natalie work together.
“She preps all the food and I buy it,” Nathan said.
“She is a better cook and does all our packed lunches. She keeps me on the straight and narrow, or I would end up at the chippy.”
Despite the best efforts of Natalie, who works for Howells Solicitors, Nathan is exposed to temptation at work.
“I work as a roofer with my brother and he loves a chippy, so when I am sitting there with my salad it is very hard,” said Nathan.
His work combined with working out takes its toll on Nathan.
“I am a roofer for United Welsh Housing Association,” he said.
“They have actually sponsored me. A roofer is a very physical job.
“I have a bad back because of the roofing and the knees are bad from rugby. I also have a metal ankle from playing rugby.
“When I first started competing I was still playing but I had to give that up.
“Because I started competing nationally and had my sponsors I couldn’t risk injury and had to stick with the one I am best at.”
Nathan also praised the sense of community among strongmen and women.
He said: “I train on a Sunday at K2 in Bridgend and there are 15 of us from all over South Wales.
“We come together every week to train and the gym has all the stones and a car that we can pick up.
“I just love the competition. I have met a lot of good friends and there is a lot of camaraderie.