Daily Archives: August 15, 2012

Kevin Nee

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

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May 2008

This strong man has youth on his side

Kevin Nee: A fierce competitor!

Only the strong survive.  If you are a competitor in the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Competition, this statement can’t be truer. Kevin Nee is not only a competitor, but at 19, he was the youngest to enter the WSM competition.

Born in Hopeville, Mass., Nee first became interested in building his muscles at The Body Shop, a local gym in Milford, Mass. At 13, Nee learned as much as he could from the weightlifters around him and with a great deal of determination and commitment, he became much bigger and stronger in just a few years. “I tried to learn as much as I could and it paid off,” Nee says. “Soon after, I met a local strongman, Bruce Tessier, who had me lifting tires and atlas stones.” Both feats are part of the WSM competitions which air on ESPN.

Now 23, Nee competes about eight times a year around in the U.S. and abroad, including events in Poland, England, Ireland and China. He has been featured in Men’s Fitness in “The Top 25 Fittest Men.” In between competing, Nee managed to finish college at ArizonaStateUniversity and earned a BA in logistics management. But Nee has a goal in mind somewhat different from being a logistician. “I want to be the world’s strongest man,” Nee says. Nee finished in second place behind the the World’s Strongest Man, Mariusz Pudzianowski, in competitions at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut in 2007. Pudzianowski has referred to Nee as “The Next,” because he is bound to take the WSM title some day. The average age of competitors is 30, which gives Nee plenty of time to perfect his competitions and achieve his goal.

At 6-feet-1 and 275 pounds, Nee trains two to three hours a night, six nights a week. His training includes power lifting, bodybuilding and speed lifting. He can dead lift 870 pounds. Training like this can’t be done on an empty stomach though. Nee packs in between 5,000 to 7,000 calories a day eating steak, eggs, pasta, burgers, chicken, and he always leaves room for desserts such as ice cream. Maintaining this type of discipline is certainly tough for a young guy who, at times, would rather be out with his girlfriend, playing poker, fishing or listening to the Allman Brothers. But his discipline has sure paid off, as the WSM events are no picnics. The events include:

  • Log Press—Lifting a metal log (approx. 255 pounds) overhead
  • Atlas Stones—Carrying stones, each weighing between 300 to 500 pounds, to a designated finish line
  • Farmer’s Walk—Carrying two items, such as anvils, in separate hands (approx. 275 to 375 pounds) at maximum speed to a designated finish line
  • Yoke—Usually consists of carrying refrigerators on a crossbar across the shoulders.

Nee’s favorite competition is the Deadlift. “It’s just something I have always been good at. It’s my best competing event,” Nee says. Deadlifts usually include lifting cars, though some of the more unusual items he had to lift include slot machines and a truck filled with bikini-clad women. When it comes to his least favorite competitions, “The Fingal’s Fingers,” Nee explains, “I’m not that good at it; and when it’s done wrong it can be horribly ugly.” The Fingal’s Fingers involves flipping five poles in ascending order at 180 degrees. The competitor to flip all five poles first wins. Another area where Nee feels he needs improvement is his speed because many of the events require carrying items to a goal at the fastest speed. Nee admires Pudzianowski because he is so well-rounded in all the events. “He has it all,” Nee says. “He is an all-around athlete. He has boxed, played rugby, has speed and excellent stamina…he’s a machine.”

With such fierce competition and extraordinary events, the fear of injury is always there for Nee. “I hurt my back and tore some biceps fibers in VeniceBeach, but overall I’ve been very lucky as far as injuries,” Nee says. Nee’s family also worries about him being injured, but are supportive of his goal to be the strongest man and attend events when they can.

Out of the places where Nee enjoys competing, Mohegan Sun is his favorite. “It’s just a beautiful place and a great atmosphere to compete,” he says. He also enjoys taking in a little poker while he is there. In addition to his dream of being the strongest man, Nee has opened his own gym called Strengthworks in Tempe, Ariz. “I want to show people what a real gym should look like,” he says, “not just a place to jump on a treadmill.” As far as other aspirations, “I would love to settle down and raise a family someday,” Nee says. Considering the goals he has accomplished in his life so far, this goal should be within his reach too.

Fighting Globesity

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Health and Fitness

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March 2008

“We are warriors in the battle against a sedentary lifestyle,” says Roy “Les” Mills in his instructors’ creed for the Les Mills gyms based in Auckland, New Zealand. Mills’ son, Phillip, has expanded the family business into a thriving company bringing popular workout programs to more than 11,000 facilities in 73 countries. Out of this business, he and his wife, Jackie, a general medical practitioner and obstetrician, gained unique insight into the obesity epidemic threatening the world. Their book, Fighting Globesity: A Practical Guide to Personal Health and Global Sustainability (Random House, 2007) describes current relationships between personal fitness, national health systems and global sustainability. The World Health Organization (WHO) first used the term globesity during a summit in 2004 to provide awareness of the obesity pandemic. Phillip and Jackie Mills encourage individuals to take a look at their own personal health as a first step in taking action on these issues.

The book is comprised of three parts. Part one, “Energy Out,” focuses on setting personal goals to “become someone,” like a professional tennis player. Even if you don’t reach this goal, you may be surprised by how far you actually go. Part one also discusses preparing yourself mentally for a new workout regimen; learning the importance of being part of a team; and choosing a personal trainer.

In a more concrete connection between the energy you personally expend and the environment you live in, the Mills suggest that riding a bike to work can reduce carbon dioxide emissions. These man-made toxic emissions are a key contributor to global warming, the book claims. Also listed in this section are 23 reasons why you should exercise, such as, reducing the chances of getting certain types of cancer, type II diabetes and heart disease. Thus, regular exercise may become a long-term solution to high healthcare costs for the infirm elderly, who account for 75 percent of healthcare costs and are typically less active, with obesity-related illnesses.

Part two, “Energy In,” is dedicated to making wiser choices about what we eat and drink. It emphasizes deflating the “supersize” mentality and concentrating on eating smaller portions, healthier snacks, and cutting out sugar-filled sodas and juice drinks. They stress proper vitamin intake from fish, fruits, vegetables and legumes, and cutting down on saturated and trans fats. It is also noted that since organic foods are not doused with chemicals and pesticides, in this way, what you choose to eat impacts the environment and your health.

Part two also encourages readers to eat less meat, citing that livestock are fed growth hormones and are raised in such overcrowded conditions that they are subject to illnesses that are often treated with antibiotics. Meat consumption, which has increased 500 percent since 1950, impacts the environment in many ways: sections of the rainforest have been replaced by farmland (to grow soyfeed) and cattle produce high methane emissions (a greenhouse gas).

Part 3 of Fighting Globesity, “Global Energy,” presents alternatives to the current types of energy consumption. The book tells a brief history of our energy choices, from the use of the first water wheels through nuclear energy, and it invites us to explore alternative ways of producing energy, such as wind and solar power that can save our future on Earth. In the meantime, conservation is encouraged: turn off equipment at the end of the workday, switch to a green energy supplier, use compact florescent light bulbs and insulate homes to lower heating costs.

Fighting Globesity may not have everyone’s vote. There are scientists who assert that global warming is a normal cycle on Earth and some won’t agree with the authors’ holistic way of treating ailments. But there is no denying that many of the points made in this groundbreaking book are authentic, and the obesity epidemic is undeniable.

Fighting Globesity is a must–read and a good educational reference to pass on to others. As the book states, “Sustainability starts with your own body. Fit body. Fit planet next!”