Muhammad Ali once said, “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses—behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”
Whether the event is a fight, game, or a strength contest, that truth still remains. Ali never set foot in Bobcat Fitness Center in Hinton, WV, but as you walk onto the floor in the weight room of this facility, the spirit of “The Greatest” definitely resides there. Just as the winter air could be felt outside that morning, the energy of the grind was felt throughout the space as Beckley, WV firefighter Zachary Mills was loading plate after plate onto a barbell for his opening exercise of the day.
“Working up to 655 (pounds) today,” Mills said calmly. Mills may be a firefighter by trade, but he is also a strongman competitor, and both of his passions have collided thanks to his victory at the 2025 America’s Strongest Firefighter competition. Mills took the 220-pound class title and now has his eyes set on an even bigger championship, the World’s Strongest Firefighter contest.
“The bigger the crowd, the more amped I get and the heavier stuff I can pick up.”
The WSFF will be held on the weekend of Mar. 6-7 at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, OH. What started as a fun way to raise money for California firefighters has become its own world-class strongman championship event. Many firefighters from around the world will be there with many more fans watching, cameras and lights on him, and challenging weights preparing to be lifted.
There will be coefficients to determine scoring, meaning that there are no weight classes separating the athletes. Men and women will be vying for the victory. That may appear to be a lot of pressure, but Mills confirmed that is the only way for the diamond to show itself. This contest wasn’t something he stumbled upon; it was a goal for him.
“I have been to the Arnold a few different years and watched it,” he shared. “When I became a firefighter, I decided to take a chance to do it.”
Zachary Mills
Early Lessons From the Firefighting Grind
The initial motivation for Mills may be a prestigious championship, but the real reason he puts in sweat equity at Bobcat Fitness Center is the job itself. He may not have desired to be a firefighter when he was a kid, but that changed after he personally suffered fourth degree burns on his legs and not only had to put out the fire himself but take himself to a hospital.
“I was able to recover from that, but I also was at a point in my life when I needed to find a career.”
Before Mills joined the fire department, he also caught Lyme’s disease shortly after recovering from the burns. It was at this point that he decided to start training. His initial connection to fitness came through Spartan races. The physical fitness test he had to take was more cardio-based, and his training paid off.
Mills later got into powerlifting and wanted to pursue the sport of strongman as well after seeing a meet held by promoter Paul Mouser in Morgantown, WV. Some of his fellow firefighters questioned why he focused on strength so much. They got their answer when they saw Mills put his power to good use. His ability to pick up heavy loads and move them quickly proved to be an asset that they could rely on in the event of an emergency.
“It all overlaps really well, whether it’s carrying someone out of a fire or dragging hose. The really useful strength carries over much better than the strength from a barbell.”
Zachary Mills
How Strongman Training Builds Real-World Strength
It wasn’t long after Mills began competing that he saw success. His first win came at the West Virginia State Championships in the Novice class. He then went to the Virginia State Championships as an Open competitor and claimed bronze. He then went north to Maryland and took their state title and also won the Viking Halloween contest.
His first road bump came at the 2023 National Championships, where he finished 28th. The following year, he moved all the way up to ninth. 2025 would be his breakout year. He not only won that year’s Strongman Moving Classic, but he took gold at the America’s Strongest Firefighter as a 100-kilogram competitor.
“The World’s Strongest Firefighter will be my next competition.”
Mills has not only gotten a lot of attention in his home state but on social media as well. People have been reaching out asking for advice, nutrition guidance, or just to say he inspires them. His inner circle and those around him at home and work have been rallying around him as well.
“It’s been a lot of encouragement,” he said proudly. “They even gave me equipment to train with at the fire department. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Mills may be the one under the lights, but he’s the first to admit he isn’t alone in this endeavor. Working under the guidance of coaches John and Heather Parker of Anomaly
Strength Systems, Mills has not only maintained his strengths but also improved in other aspects of his strongman game.
Many people have asked him for advice about training and whether they should consider strongman as a sport for them. Whether the goal is to compete or not, Mills explained that training in that style could be beneficial, and that’s why he’s an advocate fo rit.
“Just get started. Go find something that is awkward and heavy. Pick it up and walk with it. Any of that stuff will transfer over, and if you’re a firefighter, it could even help carry a victim out of a burning building. The stronger you are and easier you can pick up that person, the more likely you will save a life.”
Zachary Mills
Zachary Mills’ Strongman Firefighter Deadlift Workout
The workout that follows is one that Mills has been using during prep in the Mountain State for his big weekend in the Buckeye State. Weights and effort are based on Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE). Try this if strength is a priority for sport, work, or everyday living
- Banded Back Extension – 3 sets of 12 reps (RPE 6)
- Safety Squat Bar Seated Good Mornings – 2 sets of 20 reps (RPE 6)
- Deadlifts – 3 sets of 5 reps (RPE 7)
- Snatch Grip Rows (hands on or just outside power rings) – 3 sets of 8 reps (RPE 6)
- Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls – 3 sets of 15 reps (RPE 7)
- Clayborns – 3 sets of 10 reps (RPE 7)
*Rest as needed between sets.
You can follow Mills on Instagram @firebreathing_strongman.
