Estonia’s strongest man, Ervin Toots, is preparing for the first stage of the Strongman Masters League, “Iceman”, which will take place in the harsh conditions of northern Finland. His goal is to become a world champion in the coming years. On his journey toward the title of the world’s strongest man, Ervin is supported this season by Nõo Lihatööstus, which supplies him weekly with a variety of meat products to help restore his energy.
Ervin Toots has worked as a prison officer at Tartu Prison for 13 years. He trains four times a week in the gym and twice a week performs specific strongman exercises. This year, he plans to compete in all stages of the Strongman Masters League.
He began preparing for the season at the end of last year and started focused training in mid-January for the “Iceman” competition in northern Finland. For this purpose, he has set up a fully equipped training base at his countryside home in Nõo.
Ervin’s training programme is impressive. Several times a week, he runs carrying a 400-kilogram yoke on his shoulders and throws 22–35 kg sandbags over a distance of four metres. One of the most demanding exercises is holding a 300-kilogram stone on a platform for as long as possible using only arm strength.
To withstand such physical demands, Toots consumes an average of 7,000 kilocalories per day—around 3.5 to 4 times more than a typical office worker.
“To be able to train and compete, I have to eat 7–8 times a day. The evening before, I prepare food to take with me to work. Every evening I cook several kilograms of meat in the oven and boil four bags of rice,” Toots explains.
“Nõo Lihatööstus supports me weekly with meat products. I eat meat 4–5 times a day, together with rice, pasta and sauces. Before competitions, I further increase portion sizes so my body can recover from training. Five days before a competition, I stop training altogether and focus solely on eating to store as much energy, calories and carbohydrates as possible.”
Simmo Kruustük, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Nõo Lihatööstus, adds:
“Ervin is an example to all of us with his determination and willpower. His achievements show how important a balanced mixed diet and high-quality meat are in providing the body with essential nutrients and helping us become stronger.”
