Hooper’s rise into the world of strongmen was truly meteoric. In just a few years, he has gone from being an unknown when he competed at the Arnold Strongman Australia Championships in late 2020, to one of the sport’s key figures, earning titles and respect along the way.
However, his brute strength is not the only thing that sets him apart from ordinary people; it’s the message he built his career on: Lift Heavy. Be kind. Now Hooper is showing the world that true strength is judged not only by the pounds lifted, but also by the character of the person lifting.
A little background on Mitchell ‘Moose’ Hooper
Before Mitchell Hooper bent dumbbells, he was a kid from Midhurst, ON who couldn’t sit still. Growing up, he tried many sports: ice hockey, CrossFit, soccer, golf and even long-distance running. His curiosity for performance would define his career.
Hooper’s first passion was bodybuilding. He took the stage to challenge his discipline, sculpting muscles with the same focus he applies to the yoke and deadlift. But what started with bodybuilding quickly grew into a fascination with how the human body works.
He earned a degree in human kinetics from the University of Guelph and then moved to Australia to complete his master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology. There, Hooper began coaching and working as a kinesiologist, using biomechanics and exercise science to help athletes and general population clients move, lift and live better.
That foundation – both science and sweat – became his competitive advantage. When he entered the strongman arena, he wasn’t just strong; he was done.
His meteoric rise
In 2022, he made his World’s Strongest Man debut, winning his qualifying group and stunning fans by finishing eighth overall. A year later, he accomplished the unthinkable: Hooper won the World’s Strongest Man title in Myrtle Beach in 2023, becoming the first Canadian ever to claim the crown.
The momentum didn’t stop there. Hooper followed his historic win with three straight wins in the Arnold Strongman Classic (2023, 2024 and 2025) – a rare feat matched only by legends like Žydrūnas Savickas and Hafþór Björnsson. To date, he has finished on the podium in 23 consecutive events, including the recent Rogue World Invitational. And this Saturday, Hooper returns to the spotlight at a major strongman showcase event in Canada, bringing top-level competition back home. For the Moose, it’s a celebration of how far Canadian power has come and how far it plans to go. If you show up at his event, you can count on him wearing a Lift Heavy. Be kind shirt.
The Lift Heavy Be Kind brand
Behind Hooper’s world titles lies a philosophy that is as simple as it is powerful: Lift Heavy. Be kind. Those four words became more than a motto: they grew into a full-fledged exercise and lifestyle brand. Hooper founded LGBK to merge strength culture with compassion. What started as a T-shirt idea has grown into a fitness and apparel brand that is helping to reshape gym culture. The site offers high-quality gear (T-shirts, hoodies, hats, and tanks) designed for lifters who lift heavy while treating others kindly.
But LGBK is more than merchandise. It’s a mission. To date, the brand has donated more than $30,000 CAD from a portion of shirt sales to support local gyms and strength communities across Canada. Hooper extends that same ethos through Moose Coaching, its online training platform that provides personalized, science-based strength programs for athletes and everyday lifters. Together, LGBK and Moose Coaching form the backbone of Hooper’s mission: building a global community where strength and kindness go hand in hand.
There’s more to come
Mitchell Hooper’s story redefines what it means to be strong. From a small-town Canadian athlete to a three-time Arnold Strongman Classic champion and the world’s strongest man, Hooper has proven that intellect, discipline and kindness can coexist with world-class power.
Hooper’s acts of strength, as shown in the figures below, tell one part of the story; the other is how he behaves while achieving them. Watch this space for more to come from the Eland.
Mitchell Hooper’s best lifts (as of 2025):
- Deadlift: 475 kg. (Arnold Strongman classic)
- Squat (raw, competition): 365 kg / 804 lbs.
- Wood press: 213 kg / 470 lbs.
- Aspers: 190 kg / 419 lbs.
- Atlas Stone (up to 52-inch platform): 200 kg / 441 lbs.
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