Strongman realises dream gym ambition
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Twenty-four stone Luke Stoltman is opening the base in a former tyre centre with business partner Stacey Brown, who is a women’s weight training coach.
The duo, who currently run classes out of Mr Stoltman’s garage gym at his home near the Kincraig House Hotel, have the backing of Luke’s training coach brother Tom (24), who is the UK’s and Scotland’s second strongest man.
The Easter Ross brothers train together and enter competitions where they drag lorries and cars, pulling up to 70 stones apiece.
Luke (33) was delighted this week when Highland Council granted planning permission for the new gym.
“This is going to be a bit of a niche and something a bit different for the town – and it’s something that we really want to do,” he said.
“We want to help to challenge people’s mind sets and show them what to do to stay healthy and in good shape.
“We know that some people are quite apprehensive about training with barbells and weights so we want to show them that it is such a brilliant way to train. It’s good fun flipping tyres and pulling sleds and carrying stones or sandbags on your back.
“There’s so many things that will cater for all strengths from beginner to intermediate right up to expert. We are staying away from machines.”
He added: “I like to think that I can inspire other people by demonstrating that you don’t have to be in it full time to be successful.
“I work offshore on the oil rigs and am away 70 per cent of the year.”
The new centre called Highland Strengthening and Conditioning will open in the High Street Industrial Estate.
Luke said it felt great to be opening his first High Street gym after coming from such humble beginnings.
He said: “My mum and dad were never into the gym.
“When I turned 16 I just felt like going, I wanted to have muscles and I wanted to be strong.
“So I was doing bodybuilding for about eight or 10 years and I never competed but that was my real interest. There was a local competition in the Forge Gym in Inverness, a dead lift, and I won that and ended up going onto other competitions. It was as simple as that really.”
And the offshore piping surveyor believes it was his well-rounded upbringing that inspired him to go for gold.
His father Bernhard (Ben) and his mother Sheila, who passed away in 2016 aged 56, were behind him and his brother every step of the way.
“I was always taught by mum that can’t isn’t a word, it’s ‘just another way of sugar-coating excuses’.
“I know mum would be very proud of us having our own gym.”
