The Idea
This event is fully organised by the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, North London, and our aim is to earn money for the Charity Organisation Children with Cancer UK. The idea rose after our Priests visited some hospitals where small children were treated for cancer. The Priests started researching for an Organisation which not only helps children with cancer, but also carries out research to fight the cancer before it appears. And so, they discovered Children with Cancer UK. This Charity is currently funding more than 50 research projects at centres of excellence around the UK. These projects are investigating a broad range of childhood cancers – helping us to better understand these diseases and to find more effective, less toxic ways of treating them.
Schedule & Fees
The event starts at 11:00am. The first and second phase (see below) will take place between 11:30am and 2:30pm. There will be a break until 5:00pm for rest and lunch. During this break, there will be an exhibition of food supplements, gym clothes, and other interesting exhibition stands. At 5.00pm the competition will resume with two shows: A bodybuilding guest-posing of the famous Greek Cypriot bodybuilder Dr. Zak Pallikaros and a leg-press show from Fr Savvas (see below). Competitors: The competition is open to anyone, regardless of age and sex. Each competitor will pay £20 fees with their application. They will need to download the Application Form, fill it out completely, sign and date it and send it to the Church’s address by the end of April 2017 (Sunday 30th April 2017) together with a cheque of £20 payable to the Greek Orthodox Community of Barnett (GOCB). They can also bring the completed form along with cash or cheque in the Church’s Offices, every day from 10am to 4pm. The competitors will receive a card with a unique number which will be their number at the day of the competition. This card will be their entry ticket to the Church’s Hall. They will not need to pay for any further entry. Guests: Everyone who wants to attend the event and to support Children with Cancer UK is more than welcome. There will be a £10 ticket which can be bought either from the Church at any day before the competition, or at the entrance on the day of the event. Everyone can donate more money for Children with Cancer UK, either via this website (Donate section) or at the day of the event in the special collection boxes around the area. The Priest
One of the two Priests of our Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, in Golders Green, Fr Savvas, used to train for strongman and powerlifting contests in Greece and other countries. He stopped training 6 years ago, when he joined the priesthood. He had an injury three years ago in the left knee during his work at the Church but underwent surgery last May and has since recovered. Currently, he started training again to try to increase his strength only for this purpose: to earn money for Children with Cancer UK. Come to meet him! Beat the Priest Team
One of the best known Bodybuilders in the UK and worldwide, Dr Zak Pallikaros, has offered to become Fr Savvas’ trainer and along with his gym, Pumping Iron Gym, is the main sponsor of the Event. Fr Savvas is training at the Pumping Iron Gym, and as he said, it’s the best and most professional gym in London. The awarded bodybuilder and trainer to almost all of the Professional Bodybuilders in Greece, Mr. Stavros Trioulidis, owner of the first gym where Fr Savvas used to train (Bodyshape Gym in Athens), offers his professional advise about nutrition and stamina to Fr Savvas and supports and encourages his trying. Fr Savvas’ current training partner is his twin brother Fr Pavlos. He serves in the Greek Church of St John the Baptist, in Harringay, North London. He managed to lose 45 kilos and is training to change his body shape, while also helping Fr Savvas to increase his bench. The Beat the Priest team will fight as much as possible to make this charity event a successful one. Their wish is for young people to come and participate or to attend the event. All together we can support Children with Cancer UK. The Event
Generally, the event is a bench press challenge. The target is to push the highest possible percentage over the 100% of your bodyweight. The three first places with the highest percentages over their bodyweight will win nice prizes and gifts.
The Rules
Due to the anatomical differences between the competitors' shoulders, and to avoid any injuries, it will not be obligatory to touch the chest with the barbell. The competitors must begin the pressing from around 7.5 cm over the chest. For this reason there will be a board (Yoga foam block) with this width, which, one of the spotters will hold on top of the competitor's chest. The competitor must touch this board with the barbell. Only then the start will be valid.
There will be two phases in this challenge. The first one is divided into two levels. In the first level of the first phase, which is the first filter, the competitors will get weighted (in Kilograms with a professional scale). Straight after, they will try to press a barbell in the horizontal bench, with the same weight as their own. If they manage, they will proceed to the next step. People weighing over 150kg will start from 150kg. This means that no matter how much heavier than 150kg one is, they will start pressing from 150kg. The second level of the first phase has four steps. The competitors must press their body weight plus a.5%, b.10%, c.15% and d.20% of their body weight. If they pass all the four steps, they can go to the finals, which are the third and the last phase. In this phase, the second one, they can avoid one or more steps from a, b and c, but they must press the d step to continue. If somebody is pretty sure that they can lift it, they can try. But if they fail in any of them, they cannot continue or try again*. For example, if somebody thinks that the 5% or 10% is a small addition to their bodyweight, they can avoid these steps and they can go straight to the 3rd step with the 15%. If they manage, they will try next the 20%. If they fail, their road to the finals will stop there*. In any of the steps, one fail means that the competitors’ maximum percentage was their previous successful try. It’s a good idea to keep the strength and stamina for the next phase, but only if you are sure that you can do it. The second and last phase is the finals. This phase isn’t just a strength competition but a battle of strategy as well. There are 4 steps. In the first one the competitors must press a bit more than the last step of the previous phase which was their body weight plus 20%. For example, if somebody weights 100kg, they lifted at the last step of the previous level 120kg. So they passed to the finals. In their first try to the finals they must press 120kg plus any weight they think they can press more, with a minimum limit of 0.5kg (two discs of 0.25kg). In every step they have to add some more weight, as much as they want. One fail means the end. Their last try, even if they failed in the next one, even if they did all the 4 steps, counts like their maximum percentage and score. In this phase each competitor, has the right to ask the judges what was their last successful percentage or what are the maximum percentages of the other competitors, and how many tries they have. So the competitors can think and decide how many more kilos they can add to their next tries, and what the risk they must take is.
*At the end, the judges short by ascending order all the last successful percentages of all the competitors from all the phases. The winners are the three competitors with the highest percentages. The highest of those three percentages is the first winner.
The Prizes
The winner of the first place will receive a really awesome statue-award and a gold-like medal. The second and third place winners will receive a silver-like and a copper-like medal respectively. There are three main prizes for the three first places, all donated from Dr. Zak’s Pumping Iron Gym: A one year subscription for the first winner, six months subscription for the second and three months subscription for the third winner. In addition, Dr. Zak will offer some very good food supplements, like protein, and other nice products.
