Previously:
Powerlifter in the USAPL and USPFCurrently: Strongman, Squash
Camping in the summer, watching all types of sports on TV and in person,
BBQ's, eating and drinking (haha!).
While living in Corvallis, OR, I was talking to Odd Haugen at a powerlifting
meet in Portland. He told me that he was putting on a Strongman contest
in Honolulu, HI called the Beauty and the Beast World Strongman Challenge.
He wanted to invite me over and said that he would waive off the $100 entry fee
since I was coming from the mainland. I have known Odd from when I lived in
Hawaii and figured with my powerlifting background that I would do ok at this event.
I just figured that it would be a local contest for some of the Hawaiian
residents. Little did I know that Magnus Ver Magnusson, Mark Phillipi, Regin
Vagadal and Joe Onosai would be competing! I was shocked because I had seen
these guys on ESPN and had no clue how difficult these events would be. What
a humbling experience!
The Beauty and the Beast World Strongman Challenge, June, 1998.
I usually train alone at the gym. This is pretty hard for me sometimes. I may be tired from work, but I have to get psyched up to do a log lift. Fortunately, I have a lot of support from co-workers and gym members that help sponsor me for my contests. I have a steel log, a pair of farmer's walk implements, Apollon's Axl, and some loaded kegs at the gym I work at. My '89 Honda Accord has a truck full of 100 feet of Manila rope, a Draft Horse pulling harness, and a pony keg for keg tossing. My wife gets mad at me for being such a pack rat with my car!
Once a week, I get together with a few friends and practice lifting the Atlas Stones onto some platforms. I have my stones and platforms stored at a moving company's warehouse in Kent, WA. It's really close to my home. The platforms are 72", 68", 64", 60" and 56". I'm glad I had these made because with my height, I really have to throw the stone onto the first two platforms. It helps storing these items at the warehouse since it enables us to train indoors during the winter months.
My wife also helps me so much by videotaping my performances at the contests that I enter.
I always hear her voice cheering me on in the crowd! She is my greatest help!
Once in a while, I'll hook up with Mike Kromer, Jesse Marunde and Corey St. Clair to do a
"weekend workout". This helps us get motivated by yelling at each other through a gut-buster
event. We are able to critique each other and give opinions about what may help another
guy do better at an event. Then, we eat like crazy! It's great camaraderie!
That's tough, but I'm especially proud of beating Odd Haugen at the car hold for time.
This was at the 2000 Hawaii's Strongest Man. I held it for 1 minute, 26 seconds.
I'm proud of it because Odd has a phenomenal grip!
Jouko Ahola. The first time I met him in 1999, I couldn't believe his upper and lower
back structure! He had an unbelievable back! Plus, he weighed only 278 lbs at that
contest and pretty much killed the stone loading and walked the yoke with ease. He is so
technically sound and will surprise you with his strength.
I tell myself not to get too excited and hyperventilate. It's a controlled aggression and
you really have to suck it up when you start to get tired. In Strongman, every inch and rep
counts to possibly making the finals of the contest you are competing in.