Weather didn't rain on body builders' parade as show of strength goes ahead at Bondi

IT takes more than a bit of rain to stop the Bondi Beach Bar Brutes demonstrating their feats of strength.

IT takes more than a bit of rain to stop the Bondi Beach Bar Brutes demonstrating their feats of strength.

The group held one of its monthly competitions at an overcast Bondi beach on Sunday, with competitors and spectators travelling from as far away as Melbourne and the Gold Coast.

Organiser Stan Veniaminov said about 80 people attended.

The Bondi resident, 30, said everyone was encouraged to get involved and compete in the various tests of strength, including the weighted chin-up competition. Almost half the attendees took up the challenge.

The group was set up last September as a way for a group of outdoor training enthusiasts to meet up and share training tips.

It has grown rapidly over the past few months, with nearly 2000 people "liking" their Facebook page.

Veniaminov said he believed both competitions and training will improve with more participation.

"We want to bring everyone together," he said. "We want to learn from teaching each others because everyone knows something different. People come from gymnastics, yoga, martial arts and bodybuilding backgrounds and share techniques and training tips.

"Now we meet every month and everyone can see what each other is doing, learn from each other and train better. It's a community social event."

Although competition is important, the Bondi Bar Brutes also aim to promote training outside the gym.

Veniaminov said the Bondi area was one of the best places to train in the country.

"We can see many people moving away from gyms to outdoor gyms," he said.

"People want to learn and are always asking questions about it. It's a different type of training and you're using your own body to achieve the same results."

RESULTS

• 10kg weighted chin up
• Under 70kg: Daniel Schwartz, 20 reps
• 70-80kg: Sam Harris and Marcus Bondi, 21 reps
• Over 80kg: Felix McKenna, 22 Reps