Mike Jenkins
- November 3, 1982
- November 28, 2013
- 31 years
- enlarged heart
About Mike Jenkins
Mike Jenkins, 31, American professional strongman, enlarged heart.
Explore other notable deaths in 2013 or deaths in November 2013.
The Deaths Archive presents
How well do you know Mike Jenkins?
Explore their life. Test your knowledge. Beat the challenge.
10 questions · One legacy · How much do you really know?
Challenge your friends
Play together in real-time.
Advertisement
Full Biography
|Mike Jenkins (November 3, 1982 – November 28, 2013) was an American professional strongman competitor from Westminster, Maryland. During his short pro career, Jenkins competed at the highest level of the sport. In 2012, Jenkins won the Arnold Strongman Classic, regarded as one of the most prestigious competitions in strongman.
Jenkins died at age 31 after only three years of pro-level competition.
Early life
Jenkins was a precocious athlete, reportedly weighing 225 pounds, squatting 400 pounds, and benching 315 pounds in sixth grade. He played college football, first at Kent State and later at James Madison University, where he was a starting offensive lineman for their 2004 FCS national championship.
After college, Jenkins briefly played for the arena football team the Georgia Force. After leaving football and throughout his strongman career, Jenkin worked as a high school athletics director at Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Jenkins began pursuing strongman as he felt "aimless" without participating in sports. His first competition was Maryland's Strongest Man contest in 2007. He won, qualifying him for the North American amateur national strongman championships later that year. There, he placed sixth against a field of approximately 100 competitors. He placed second in the North American nationals in 2009.
Strongman career
Jenkins competed in the inaugural Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships in 2010 and won that contest. This victory earned him his pro strongman card, as well as an invitation to the 2011 Arnold Strongman Classic. He competed in the 2010 America's Strongest Man later in the year and placed second behind 3-time champion Derek Poundstone.
He entered the 2011 Arnold Strongman Classic placing second overall ahead of the reigning World's Strongest Man, Zydrunas Savickas. Later that year, he qualified for the finals of the 2011 World's Strongest Man contest, where he won the first two events but ultimately finished in eighth place overall after withdrawing after suffering a back injury.
Jenkins won the 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic, finishing ahead of former champions Derek Poundstone, Zydrunas Savickas and Brian Shaw, and won the Giants Live event in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on March 17, 2012, which qualified him for the 2012 World's Strongest Man contest later in the year. He set a joint world record in the hip lift event with Nick Best with a lift of 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb). In the 2012 World's Strongest Man contest, Jenkins again reached the finals and finished in fifth place.
His final professional strongman competition was the 2013 World's Strongest Man contest, where he finished in fourth overall in the finals.
Mike Jenkins died on November 28, 2013, aged 31, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania from an enlarged heart, suspected to be caused by long-term steroid use.
Personal records
- Deadlift (on Stiff bar at a 1-inch deficit) – 400 kg (882 lb) (2013 World's Strongest Man)
- Hummer Tire Deadlift – 423 kg (933 lb) (2011 Arnold Strongman Classic)
- Hip lift – 1,150 kg (2,535 lb) (2012 Giants Live FitX Melbourne) (joint-world record)
- Log press – 210 kg (463 lb) (2012 World's Strongest Man) (Former American Record)
- Log press/ Austrian Oak (for reps) – 200 kg (441 lb) x 2 reps (2012 Arnold Strongman Classic)
- Circus Dumbbell press (for reps) – 116 kg (256 lb) x 7 reps (2012 Arnold Strongman Classic) (former world record)
- Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone) for reps – 243 kg (536 lb) x 2 reps over 4 ft bar (2011 Arnold Strongman Classic)
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Interactive
Test Your Knowledge – Trivia Challenge
How well do you know this person's life and legacy?
No account needed to play. Sign in to keep your score on the leaderboard.
Books & Media
Find books, audiobooks and films about Mike Jenkins on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Jenkins_(strongman)
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from Mike Jenkins's archived record and the sources above.
1.On what date was Mike Jenkins born?
- A.November 3, 1980
- B.November 3, 1982correct
- C.November 28, 2013
- D.November 28, 1982
Mike Jenkins was born on November 3, 1982.
Source: biographical header
2.In which state was Mike Jenkins born?
- A.Virginia
- B.Pennsylvania
- C.Delaware
- D.Marylandcorrect
Mike Jenkins was from Westminster, Maryland.
Source: biographical header
3.What sport did Mike Jenkins participate in professionally?
- A.Weightlifting
- B.Bodybuilding
- C.Strongmancorrect
- D.Powerlifting
Mike Jenkins was a professional strongman competitor.
Source: biographical header
4.Which specific competition did Mike Jenkins win in 2012?
- A.Strongman Champions League
- B.Giants Live
- C.Arnold Strongman Classiccorrect
- D.World's Strongest Man
In 2012, Mike Jenkins won the Arnold Strongman Classic.
Source: career highlights
5.What was the hometown of Mike Jenkins?
- A.Annapolis
- B.Westminstercorrect
- C.Baltimore
- D.Frederick
Mike Jenkins was from Westminster, Maryland.
Source: biographical header
6.How old was Mike Jenkins when he died?
- A.33
- B.28
- C.30
- D.31correct
Mike Jenkins died at age 31.
Source: death details
7.How long was the professional career of Mike Jenkins?
- A.Three yearscorrect
- B.One year
- C.Two years
- D.Five years
Mike Jenkins died after only three years of pro-level competition.
Source: career longevity
8.What date did Mike Jenkins pass away?
- A.November 28, 2013correct
- B.November 3, 2013
- C.December 28, 2013
- D.December 3, 2013
Mike Jenkins died on November 28, 2013.
Source: biographical header
9.What is the reputation of the Arnold Strongman Classic, according to the text?
- A.One of the most prestigious competitionscorrect
- B.The newest competition in the sport
- C.The most dangerous competition
- D.The least recognized competition
The Arnold Strongman Classic is regarded as one of the most prestigious competitions in strongman.
Source: career highlights
10.Where was Mike Jenkins based during his professional career?
- A.Baltimore, Maryland
- B.Annapolis, Maryland
- C.Westminster, Marylandcorrect
- D.Westminster, Pennsylvania
Mike Jenkins was from Westminster, Maryland.
Source: biographical header
11.Was Mike Jenkins considered an amateur competitor?
- A.He never competed in formal events
- B.He only competed in charity events
- C.Yes, he was an amateur
- D.No, he was a professionalcorrect
Mike Jenkins was an American professional strongman competitor.
Source: biographical header
12.What was the level of competition Mike Jenkins engaged in?
- A.Local level
- B.State level
- C.Highest levelcorrect
- D.Recreational level
During his short pro career, Mike Jenkins competed at the highest level of the sport.
Source: career description
13.How many years did Mike Jenkins spend in pro-level competition?
- A.Exactly three yearscorrect
- B.Over ten years
- C.Exactly four years
- D.Less than one year
Mike Jenkins died after only three years of pro-level competition.
Source: career longevity
14.Which of the following is true about Mike Jenkins' career?
- A.He competed for a decade
- B.He was a regional athlete
- C.He was a powerlifter
- D.He won the Arnold Strongman Classiccorrect
In 2012, Mike Jenkins won the Arnold Strongman Classic.
Source: career highlights
15.Was Mike Jenkins an American athlete?
- A.No, he was Australian
- B.No, he was British
- C.No, he was Canadian
- D.Yes, he was Americancorrect
Mike Jenkins was an American professional strongman competitor.
Source: biographical header
Explore the archive
People who died on November 28
Spotted an error?
Help us keep the archive accurate. Report a correction with a source.
Report an error for Mike Jenkins →Advertisement
