Joe Brown, 31, was recently crowned England's Strongest Man, while his partner Rosie Abercrombie, 31, has twice claimed the title of England's Strongest Woman. The couple, who live in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, with Rosie's nine-year-old daughter Ronnie, found love in 2022 after meeting at a gym where Rosie worked on reception.
From Gym Encounter to Power Couple
Their connection sparked over a shared passion for lifting heavy weights, including 500lb (35 stone) loads equivalent to a baby hippopotamus or grizzly bear. Rosie, who runs her own gym, Shelter of Strength, said: "I was never sporty at school and got into strongman by accident. After having a child in my 20s I was overweight and I started by doing crossfit training and it spiralled from there."
Joe, an electrical automotive engineer, initially pursued judo but transitioned to strongman to build strength. He said: "I was into Judo at first but I knew I had to get stronger as I was getting thrown all over the mat. So I went to the gym and found myself there more than on the mat."
Intense Training and Nutrition Regime
The couple consumes a combined 90,000 calories weekly, spending over £2,000 per month on groceries including 3kg of chicken, 2kg of mince, and 20-30 eggs. Rosie, who weighs 11 stone and can deadlift 220kg, said: "If we could get a supplement sponsorship that would be ideal because we spend an absolute fortune on supplements, proteins and creatines."
Joe, weighing 23 stone, eats around 8,000 calories daily, while Rosie consumes about 5,000. They train four days a week, with Joe training for three hours and Rosie for two. Rosie joked: "That's not because he does more, he's just slower than me."
Joe's Path to England's Strongest Man
Last month, Joe defeated 15 competitors in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, to win England's Strongest Man for the first time. Events included a 12-tonne truck pull, a Basque Stone lift, carrying a 400kg "super yoke," hoisting a 90kg "daddy dumbbell," and lifting Atlas stones. He said: "I was really surprised but I stayed consistent on the day and didn't leave the top 3 - it felt amazing. You spend eight months training for it to only do five minutes of competition as each event is only around 60 seconds long."
Joe had previously won Midlands Strongest Man in 2025 and placed eighth at England's Strongest Man that year.
Rosie's Rise in Strongwoman
Rosie began strongman after Joe encouraged her. She won England's Strongest Woman in the under-73kg category in 2023 and repeated the feat in the under-64kg class in 2025. Reflecting on her journey, she said: "It has been amazing. I took to it like a duck to water really and it has been my passion ever since."
She balances training with running her gym and coaching online, while Joe works full-time. Rosie said: "It's not just the time in the gym, it's our entire life really to some extent."
Family Life and Future Goals
Ronnie, Rosie's daughter, is not into weightlifting but stays active with gymnastics and dance. Joe has become a stepfather to her. The couple's daily meals include breakfasts of eggs, sourdough, and Greek yoghurt for Joe, and lunches of rice, chicken, and vegetables. Dinners often feature chili or spaghetti bolognese.
Both have their sights set on the Official Strongman Games in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in October. Rosie has already qualified, while Joe must complete an online qualifier. Joe said: "Hopefully we can both be on the podium there."
