Lifting Limits: How ADHD Fuels Alfie Poyser’s Strongman Success
Written by Caragh McMurtry. Subheadings added by the Neurodiverse Sport team to support readability.
Welcome to the very first blog on Neurodiverse Sport! And what better way to kick things off than with a conversation with Alfie Poyser – an 18-year-old Strongman from Essex who’s making serious waves in the world of heavy lifting… and even heavier self-awareness. I loved chatting to Alfie. He’s honest, thoughtful, and full of personality – the kind of person who makes you feel hopeful about the future of sport. His ADHD diagnosis may be relatively new, but his understanding of it – and his ability to turn challenge into drive – is something that can inspire athletes of all ages and abilities. Alfie is following in the footsteps of his strongwoman mum, Carly Poyser, and carving out a powerful identity in a sport that values strength in every sense of the word. Whether you’re a coach, a teammate, or a neurodivergent athlete yourself, we hope you take something valuable from Alfie’s story.
Alfie Poyser. Credit: Koice.Media
Following in Strongwoman Footsteps
Following in the footsteps of his strongwoman mother Carly Poyser, Alfie is training and competing as a strongman. At only 18 years old, he has already competed and medalled at multiple competitions in the beginner, amateur, and now open categories. Although I spoke to Alfie via video chat, I could tell by the size of his traps that he was big – 6 foot 1 and 120kg to be precise – and with a perfectly coiffed Essex haircut to top it off. And he says his brother's even bigger!
Dreams, Diagnosis and Determination
Alfie is currently studying Strength and Conditioning Rehabilitation at Anglia Ruskin University and dreams of opening his own strongman gym in the future. These aren't just idle fantasies – Alfie has well thought-out plans and contingencies, showing foresight and pragmatism beyond his years.
It may therefore surprise you to know that Alfie has ADHD. He readily admits he wasn’t very attentive at school, and it was this behaviour that led one of his sixth form teachers to suggest an ADHD assessment. Once assessed, Alfie was successfully diagnosed. This late diagnosis is something he attributes to his lack of traditional ADHD characteristics: Alfie has never been particularly hyperactive.
The Power of Hyperfocus
Although his diagnosis allowed him to gain a much greater understanding of his attention ‘issues’, Alfie had already learnt many lessons the hard way. Years of hard work and input from caring friends, family, teachers, and supporters taught Alfie not only how to manage his attention issues, but how to master them and use them to his advantage.
He attributes his extreme goal-driven mindset to the hyperfocus aspect of his ADHD. Yes, you read that correctly. Alfie does not experience physical hyperactivity, but instead experiences a sort of mental hyperactivity. He oscillates between his attention being everywhere at once and then intensely focused in one place. It doesn’t take much empathy to imagine what an emotional rollercoaster this must feel like.
Alfie Poyser. Credit: Koice Media
Strongman as a Neuroinclusive Space
Fortunately, Alfie found a way to channel both his attention and his emotions through sport. Strongman has provided him with a safe and consistent space to socialise among likeminded people and to receive the kind of recognition he wasn’t able to earn at school – recognition for his hard work, determination, and unusual yet impressive achievements.
And he’s not done achieving. Alfie wants to be a professional Strongman and compete on the world stage. After coming 6th in the men’s open category at the Arnolds in September (deadlifting 312kg and chucking 127.5kg over his head), he certainly looks set to achieve this ambitious target. Yes, the Arnolds are indeed part of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s competition series!
Listening to Alfie describe it, the Strongman world sounds absolutely riveting, and it seems to be growing in popularity. Although sponsors have been few and far between, and prize money barely adequate to cover the cost of competitors' food bills (which are far higher than average as you can imagine), people are really starting to notice how vibrant a community it is.
Alfie describes huge personalities such as his coach, idol, and 11-time World’s Strongest Man competitor Laurence Shahlaei, or Big Loz for short. It’s a community in which high-profile athletes wouldn’t bat an eyelid at lending a helping hand to their fellow competitors.
Tom Stoltman, World's Strongest Man. Credit: Joe Martinez
Tom talks about autism, depression and the power of sport here.
What Other Sports Can Learn
According to Alfie, the sport is as much about an athlete’s personality as their ability to lift or pull unusual and heavy objects. But when Alfie talks about personality, he isn’t referring to the clichéd, prefabricated and frankly grey personalities often seen in mainstream sport. He means the raw, fascinating, and uncensored personalities that seem to gravitate towards niche sports like Strongman.
It’s no surprise that many of the most unique personalities in Strongman – like Alfie – are neurodivergent. For example, 2x World’s Strongest Man Tom Stoltman is openly Autistic. Alfie’s ADHD may cause him to procrastinate between sets and become distracted when reading his programme, but he also attributes it to his strengths: his determination, pragmatism, and hyperfocus.
What is clear is that the Strongman ethos and environment have had a hugely positive influence on Alfie. The ethos is welcoming, the environment vibrant. People are free to be themselves, and ‘different’ is even encouraged. Athletes and coaches alike are understanding and willing to adapt their approaches, always with the long-term goal in sight. Perhaps other sports should be looking to Strongman for ideas on how to be more neuroinclusive.
Final Thoughts
A big thank you for reading, and an even bigger thank you to Alfie for being so open and honest – and a really great person to chat to. It makes advocating, designing websites, and writing blogs on a weekend worth it, and I will definitely be revisiting this athlete in the future!
If you want to know a bit more about Alfie and what he’s up to in the meantime, follow him on Instagram: @asg.strong - follow Alfie’s mum @shh_training, Big Loz @biglozwsm, and Tom Soltman @tomstoltmanofficial.
Lessons from Alfie’s Journey
For Neurodivergent Individuals:
Purpose Turns ADHD Into Power
→ When channelled into goals, ADHD can fuel exceptional drive and focus.
Sport Can Be a Safe Space
→ Sport can offer structure, community, and recognition in ways other spaces often can’t.
Diagnosis Is Clarifying, Not Limiting
→ Understanding your neurodivergence can be empowering — but success is possible with or without it.
For Peers, Supporters, and Parents:
See the Strengths Behind Struggles
→ What looks like a challenge might be hiding a unique and valuable skill.
Nurture Passion, Not Just Performance
→ Support diverse interests and celebrate different ways of achieving success.
Rethink the Stereotypes
→ Neurodivergence doesn’t always look the way you expect — stay curious and open.
For Coaches, Leaders, and Organisations:
Value Personality Over Perfection
→ Strongman shows how authenticity and individuality can drive performance.
Make Space for Difference
→ Create environments where athletes feel safe to be themselves and do their best.
Inclusion Is a Culture, Not a Checklist
→ True neuroinclusion means adapting together — not just ticking boxes.
This blog post was written by Caragh McMurtry. Subheadings were added by the Neurodiverse Sport team to support readability.
