Martins Licis: Height, Weight, Wife & Net Worth Revealed

Few athletes bring as much joy to a competition as Martins Licis. Nicknamed “The Dragon,” this Latvian-American strongman has built a career on a rare mix of raw power, consistency, and an infectiously good-natured personality. Best known for winning the 2019 World’s Strongest Man title, Martins Licis has spent more than a decade establishing himself as one of the most respected names in strength sports. Here’s a closer look at his life, career, and the details fans search for most.

Early Life and Family Background

Martins Licis was born on September 28, 1990, in Riga, Latvia. When he was four years old, his family moved to Amherst, Massachusetts, so his mother could pursue a degree in architecture. Even after settling in New England, Licis kept a close connection to his roots, spending summers back in Latvia on his grandfather’s farm.

It was there that his grandfather, Imants Līcis — a sculptor and former Olympic weightlifter — first introduced him to stone lifting, an experience that quietly planted the seeds for his future career. Licis’s path wasn’t without struggle, though. At age 12, he was bullied while waiting for a school bus, an experience that pushed him toward the gym. He’s said he wanted to become strong enough that nobody could touch him. That mindset carried him through high school wrestling and into his very first strongman competitions as a teenager.

Building a Career Under Odd Haugen

Shortly after turning 20, Martins Licis moved to Los Angeles, working as a personal trainer while chasing a bigger goal. It was there he connected with Odd Haugen, a Norwegian-American strongman legend who took him under his wing at his gym, The Training Hall. That partnership became the turning point of his career. In 2015, Licis won the Odd Haugen All-American Strength Classic, earning his professional strongman card and officially kicking off his competitive journey.

The Road to World’s Strongest Man

Martins Licis made his World’s Strongest Man debut in 2016, placing sixth in the finals. He returned in both 2017 and 2018, finishing fourth each time — agonizingly close to the podium but not quite there yet.

Everything came together in 2019. Martins Licis won the World’s Strongest Man title outright, edging out reigning champion Hafþór Björnsson and Poland’s Mateusz Kieliszkowski. That same year, he also set a world record in the Steinborn squat, lifting an incredible 257 kg (567 lb) from a standing start — a record that still stands as one of his signature achievements.

Injury, Comeback, and a Career Peak

Licis’s momentum hit a roadblock in 2020, when he was struck by a car while cycling, leading to a string of injuries that slowed him down. Rather than derailing his career, the setback set the stage for one of his strongest stretches yet. In 2021, Martins Licis won the inaugural Rogue Invitational strongman event and broke the Thor’s Hammer world record with a massive 300 lb lift.

The following year brought even more hardware. In 2022, Licis captured the Arnold Strongman Classic for the first time, becoming just the fourth strongman in history to win both the Arnold Classic and World’s Strongest Man. He closed out the year with a runner-up finish at WSM, behind eventual champion Tom Stoltman.

Representing Two Countries

One of the more unique threads in Martins Licis’s story is his dual citizenship. Holding both Latvian and American passports, he’s one of the few strongmen to have competed internationally under two different national flags over the course of his career — a detail that helps explain why he has such a devoted following in both countries.

Recent Career Highlights

Martins Licis has stayed active well beyond his Arnold Classic win. In 2023, he was named a team captain for World’s Strongest Nation. In 2024, he was forced to withdraw from that year’s World’s Strongest Man competition due to sciatica, taking time away to recover. By 2025, he was back in action — pulling a replica of the 16-ton Viking ship Myklebust, competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the ADCC Open, earning a blue belt promotion, and even stepping into the ring for the “Strongest Arm on Earth” arm-wrestling exhibition.

Outside of competition, Licis runs a popular YouTube channel with more than 300,000 subscribers, where he shares training footage and behind-the-scenes glimpses of life as a professional strongman.

Martins Licis Height and Weight

Martins Licis height and Martins Licis weight are two of the most searched — and most consistent — stats in his profile. He stands at an imposing 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm) tall, and his weight typically falls somewhere between 330 and 360 pounds (roughly 150 to 163 kg), shifting a bit depending on where he is in a competition cycle. That combination of size and genuine athleticism is part of what makes him such a dynamic competitor to watch.

Martins Licis Wife and Girlfriend

Given his public profile, it’s no surprise that Martins Licis wife and Martins Licis girlfriend are among the most searched terms tied to his personal life. The truth is simpler than the search volume suggests: Licis has kept his romantic life largely private, and no verified, credible source has confirmed a current spouse or partner. Until he shares those details himself, it’s best to treat any specific claims about a wife or girlfriend as unconfirmed.

Martins Licis Net Worth

As for his finances, Martins Licis net worth is generally estimated to be in the low millions by various online sources, though he hasn’t confirmed an exact figure publicly. His income comes from a mix of competition prize money, sponsorships, and his YouTube channel — all of which have grown steadily alongside his profile as one of strongman’s most recognizable faces.