LIFT 5 - 151KG ‘TRAFALGAR STONE’ TO CHEST
The fifth challenge in the Gauntlet is the 151 kg Trafalgar Stone, named after one of the defining moments in London Stone Lifting's history.
In 2024, London Stone Lifting founder Ben Waters lifted this very stone continuously for three hours in Trafalgar Square, beneath Nelson's Column, as the finale to a demonstration of ancient feats of strength celebrating the National Portrait Gallery's 200th anniversary. It was an unforgettable display of endurance, resilience and traditional strength in the heart of London, making the stone's name an easy choice.
The Trafalgar Stone also marks an important milestone within the Gauntlet.
For many stone lifters, 150 kg is a benchmark. It's the point where natural stones stop feeling merely heavy and start demanding genuine mastery. Crossing that threshold is a badge of honour, and the Trafalgar Stone is your first opportunity to prove you belong there.
Unlike some stones that present a single obvious challenge, the Trafalgar Stone asks several questions at once.
Its sheer width is often the first obstacle. Wrapping your arms around it requires commitment from the very start, and finding a balanced grip can be surprisingly difficult. Most lifters manage to secure one solid handhold, only to find the other hand searching for something that simply isn't there.
Fortunately, once it's on the lap, the stone begins to reveal its strengths. Its relatively narrow profile creates good opportunities to re-grip and chest the stone, provided you've earned the chance to get there. But that opportunity comes with a warning. Like many large, narrow stones, the Trafalgar has a habit of suddenly rolling or flipping as you transition it upwards. Just when you think you've found control, it reminds you that natural stones always have the final say.
Then there's the surface.
The Trafalgar Stone is exceptionally rough. Every repetition leaves its mark, and every successful lift costs a little skin. It's the kind of stone that teaches commitment because hesitation only makes the experience longer and more painful. Anyone who's spent a training session working with it will know exactly what it feels like to leave part of themselves behind.
Despite its reputation, the Trafalgar Stone is one of the best teachers in the gym. There isn't a single correct way to lift it. Different lifters solve the puzzle in different ways, adapting their grip, body position and timing to suit their strengths. That's part of what makes it such an important benchmark. Success isn't about finding the perfect technique—it's about finding your technique.
The Trafalgar Stone represents more than just another 151 kg lift. It marks your entry into a level of stone lifting where experience begins to matter more than raw strength, where technique becomes instinct, and where every successful chest has truly been earned.