If you’ve ever trained for strongman or powerlifting in regular gym shorts, you know the frustration. They ride up during log presses. They’re too thin for heavy squats. They turn into a swamp after three sets of farmer’s carries.
Mainstream athletic apparel isn’t built for strength athletes. It’s designed for runners, basketball players, and casual gym-goers. When you’re pulling 700+ pounds off the ground or pressing a 300-pound log overhead, you need gear that can handle the specific demands of strength sports.
The Problem with Regular Gym Shorts
1. Wrong Material Thickness
Most gym shorts are either too thin (offering zero support) or too thick (causing overheating and restricted movement). Cheap neoprene becomes bulky and stiff, and so annoyingly squeaky. Standard compression shorts are too flimsy for heavy loading patterns.
What strongman athletes actually need: A material that provides compression without bulk—something around 1.5mm that’s soft to the touch but structurally strong enough to maintain its shape under strain.
2. Ventilation Issues (Swamp Butt City)
Ever notice how your shorts turn into a sauna during high-rep training? That’s because most compression shorts trap heat with zero airflow. When you’re doing multiple rounds of atlas stones or yoke walks, your shorts shouldn’t be making you more uncomfortable.
What strongman athletes actually need: Strategic ventilation where it matters most—gusset areas with breathable mesh that actually allows air circulation during intense training.
3. Wrong Cut and Fit
Strongman and powerlifting require a massive range of motion—deep squats, overhead pressing, picking atlas stones off the ground. Most shorts either ride up (too short), restrict movement (too tight in wrong areas), or look ridiculous (too long and baggy).
What strongman athletes actually need: An 8-inch inseam that stays put during movement. A cut that accommodates powerful legs without restricting hip mobility. Compression where you need it, room where you don’t.
4. They Fall Apart
How many pairs of cheap training shorts have you gone through? The stitching fails. The elastic stretches out. They start pilling after a few washes. When you’re training 5-6 days a week with heavy loads, your gear needs to last.
What strongman athletes actually need: Commercial-grade construction using 740gsm scuba fabric that can withstand daily abuse and countless wash cycles.
Why Strongman Training Demands Better
The Compression Question
Unlike bodybuilders who train with controlled movements on machines, strongman athletes deal with: - Unstable loads (stones, logs, kegs) - Full-body recruitment (most lifts are a total-body movement) - Dynamic movement patterns (carrying, pushing, pulling in multiple planes)
Your shorts need to provide muscular support without restricting these movement patterns. Too much compression and you can’t get deep enough in your squat. Too little and you’re getting zero support during heavy carries.
The Temperature Problem
Strongman events often happen outdoors in unpredictable weather. Training happens in unheated garages and warehouses. You need shorts that: - Keep you warm enough during rest periods - Ventilate effectively during high-output work - Don’t turn into a sweat sponge
The Durability Factor
When your training involves: - Scraping concrete for atlas stones - Fabric rubbing against rough logs and implements - Constant loading and unloading of heavy equipment - 4-6 hour training sessions multiple times per week
…you can’t afford gear that falls apart in three months.
What Makes Strongman Shorts Different
Real strongman shorts (like Odd Objects Sho Shorts) solve these problems:
1. Engineered Material Selection - 1.5mm 740gsm scuba neoprene that’s soft but structurally sound - Strong enough to maintain compression under load - Flexible enough for full range of motion - Won’t squeak or make noise during lifts
2. Strategic Ventilation Design - 3D Air Spacer Mesh in the gusset area - Prevents heat buildup where it matters most - Maintains compression while allowing breathability - No more “swamp butt” mid-training
3. Performance-Based Cut - 8-inch inseam (the ideal length for strength sports) - Doesn’t ride up during squats or deadlifts - Accommodates powerful leg development - Natural cut edges that won’t fray excessively
4. Built by Athletes, For Athletes The best strongman shorts aren’t designed in a corporate boardroom by people who’ve never pulled a deadlift. They also aren’t just some cheap junk that a company throws their logo on. They’re created by competitive strongman athletes who understand the specific demands of the sport.
The Real Cost of Bad Gear
Think about it: - Distracted during training because your shorts are riding up - Limited range of motion affecting your technique - Overheating and losing energy mid-session - Replacing cheap shorts every few months - Never feeling comfortable or confident in your gear
Bad gear costs you performance, money, and mental energy. When you’re pushing for a PR, the last thing you should be thinking about is whether your shorts can handle it.
What Top Athletes Use
Talk to competitive strongman athletes and powerlifters. They’re not wearing whatever’s cheapest on Amazon. They’re using gear that: - Stays put during max effort lifts - Provides consistent compression session after session - Handles the abuse of heavy training - Doesn’t need constant replacement
Many top-level strength athletes have switched to specialized strongman shorts because the performance difference is immediately noticeable. When you’re competing at a high level, every advantage matters.
Thor Bjornsson, Paddy Haynes, Shane Flowers, Chloe Brennan, and Pavlo Kordiyaka are just a few of the top Strongman athletes that have worn Sho Shorts, not to mention the u80kg World’s Strongest Man that created them, Tommy Lovell.
Making the Switch
If you’re still training in regular gym shorts, here’s what to look for in proper strongman gear:
Material: Look for mid-thickness neoprene (around 1.5mm) with high GSM rating (700+). Should feel soft but structured.
Ventilation: Check for mesh gusset or strategic ventilation panels. If there’s no breathability design, you’ll overheat.
Inseam: 8 inches is the sweet spot for strength sports. Long enough to stay put, short enough to not restrict movement.
Construction: Examine the stitching quality. If it looks cheap, it is cheap. Commercial-grade construction should be obvious.
Testing: Gear should be tested by actual strongman competitors, not just designed by a marketing team.
Bottom Line
You wouldn’t train with a cheap belt that stretches out. You wouldn’t use a bar that bends under load. So why train in shorts that aren’t built for what you’re doing?
Strongman and powerlifting demand specialized gear. The right shorts won’t make you stronger by themselves—but they’ll let you train harder, more comfortably, and more consistently. And that’s what builds strength over time.
About Odd Objects
Odd Objects was founded by Tommy Lovell, u80kg World’s Strongest Man, because mainstream gear kept failing strength athletes. Every product is designed and tested by competitive strongman athletes who understand what actually works in training and competition. No hype, no influencer marketing—just gear built by lifters, for lifters.
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