Local to the San Gabriel Valley, Tortelvis is still a rockin’

January 2011

Tortelvis leads the band that has spanned 2 decades

Penny Marshall’s character on the classic TV show Laverne & Shirley use to enjoy a refreshing combo of milk and Pepsi. Yum! Or how about the combination of baseball and basketball in the movie BASEketball? Some combinations are not fondly remembered, but one that has stood the test of time is the combo of Led Zeppelin classics to the tune of Reggae music, with a sprinkle of Elvis Presley style to top it off. What you get is Dread Zeppelin.

In 2009, the band, (Tortelvis, Butt-Boy, Spice, Bob Knarley, Ziggy Knarley and Charlie Haj) celebrated their 20^th anniversary. They have local ties to the area, but have seen the world while performing material from 15 albums including Un-Lead-Ed released in 1990 and their latest Bar Coda, a take on Led Zeppelin’s Coda. They have also released a greatest hits collection from their IRS years which includes fan favorites such as “Black Dog” and “Your Time is Gonna Come.”

I had a chance to talk to front man and Elvis impersonator Greg Tortell (Tortelvis) about the band’s success.

KM: Dread Zeppelin has been together with various members for over 20 years now. What are your feelings on that, and is it something you envisioned back in ’89 when the band formed?

Tortelvis: Someone said “Dread Zeppelin” Wow, what a moment! We all started as friends getting together in a garage and messing with Zeppelin songs and Reggae. I tried to sing like Robert Plant, but too high. So I went with the Tortelvis persona, but without the outrageous costume, and hot dang, it fit. Zeppelin, Elvis, Reggae.It was always about friendship. Still to this day. You lose some members along the way due to various reasons. But it’s just the way. We’ve had pretty much the same core guys playing in the band for the last 15 years.

KM: What has kept the band going for so long?

Tortelvis: It’s all about friendship and musicianship. These guys are like my family and killer players (with the exception of myself of course). It’s a goofy idea that caught on and even spawned other similar groups, but without the great playing, it could not have lasted this long.

KM: Tell me how Tortelvis came about. Were you performing as an impersonator before Dread Zeppelin?

Tortelvis: I performed as Tortelvis in another band a few years before Dread Zeppelin was created called “Pete The Butcher.”Our motto was “we suck, but were fun to watch.” At least we got one of those right. I had two names back then, Tortelvis, and Gregelbert Torteldink. Pete the Butcher still plays now and then. Torteldink still gets to put on his graduation gown and fake beard and play Partridge Family songs until they just can’t take it anymore.

KM: Robert Plant was quoted as saying that Dread Zeppelin was “one of his favorite bands” and that you guys did a better job on “Your Time is Gonna Come” than Led Zeppelin did. What are your thoughts on that and has the band had the chance to meet original Led Zeppelin members? If so, how did that go?

Tortelvis: It was surely a great endorsement from Robert Plant, as there were a lot of diehard Zep fans who thought we were making fun of Led Zeppelin. I was a bit worried that the Elvis fans would be a bit ticked. But no, come to find out that some Zeppelin fans didn’t have much of a sense of humor about it. But Robert Plant got it! It quieted up some of the dissenting voices, that’s fer sure. We met Jimmy Page in England in 1990. I don’t think he knew who the heck we were. And I had a chance to speak with Robert Plant on a Rockline interview in 1991. I was so nervous to speak to him my low Elvis drawl sounded more like a twelve year old Justin Bieber [voice]. Robert thanked me for giving him “months of entertainment.”

KM: Any comments from Pricilla or Lisa Marie Presley on Dread Zeppelin?

Tortelvis: We met, or should I say saw Lisa Marie in a dressing room in the early ’90s as her husbands’ band was opening for us at the UC Irvine Auditorium. She was probably used to all the goofy impersonators so didn’t pay much attention to us. Until we rocked the Zeppelin and Reggae!

KM: Are you surprised by the success of the band and having the chance to play, not just in your home town, but across America and the world?

Tortelvis: Surprised yes. Once we started playing in other countries we started seeing that the reactions were the same no matter where we went. Japan, Europe, South America. Wild nutty fans. What the hack man? Maybe it’s the Elvis…or the Zeppelin…Or the Reggae.

KM: Many of the members are right from the Pasadena/Sierra Madre area. Where did you attend high school? Give me some thoughts on how you feel about this area and why you stay.

Tortelvis: I attended Arcadia Schools, and have lived in Sierra Madre for over 10 years. Sierra Madre is just a great town for friends, family and kids. Plus it’s home to Graceland West, an exact replica of Graceland here in town where I live, which also houses the man who hands me my water and towels on stage…Mr. Charlie Haj! (don’t mind me if I slip in and out of character).

KM: Tell me about the Annual Fund Show at Sierra Madre School. What will the proceeds go to? What is the importance of the event? Are you looking forward to seeing some of the local school talent that will be performing as an opening act?

Tortelvis: This is year three of the event for us and we just love doing it. Benefits go to Sierra Madre Elementary. And when you play to screaming 3^rd graders, it almost sounds like a Beatles concert. Except in a Reggae style.

KM: What is coming up next for Dread Zeppelin?

Tortelvis: A new CD this year and two days at Zep Fest in Washington D.C. in May. Some shows planned for the Midwest this year. And a local show at T. Boyles tavern on February 19^th. Let’s get it on!

KM: What advice can you give to local kids who are playing in their parent’s garage and hoping to make it big someday?

Tortelvis: Put towels on the drums or your mom is gonna come running out and shut it down! But seriously folks… Keep on singing and strumming. Do it every day. Learn from the great musicians but don’t copy them. Think outside the box. Practice, practice, practice. Slap on those sideburns and wiggle them hips. Sing it baby, sing it! P.S. Remember to wear earplugs.

Still chalking up the losses

September 2010

The Biggest Loser on NBC, Now in its 10th Season is still going strong and Jillian—even stronger.

She has been on the forefront of the fitness/gaming craze with her release of “Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Ultimatum 2010” for the Nintendo Wii system. In addition, Jillian launched her own TV show in June 2010, Losing It With Jillian, where she moves in with a family and not only motivates them to get in shape, but to make difficult lifestyle changes as well. Jillian influences families on what to buy, what to get rid of and yes, invades their refrigerators too. Not an easy task. Says the world’s toughest trainer, “It’s intense. Seriously intense. Honestly, it’s impossible to describe. You have to see it with your own eyes.” In one episode, Jillian has her adopted family working out on a football field and later clearing out their cluttered home of junk that they seem determined not to part with—but it’s all part of a lifestyle change.

Accepting the Truth and Willing to Change

Jillian has experienced situations time and again where persons have had multiple failed attempts at weight loss. “They lack self-esteem and they are uninformed about the facts [regarding] weight loss,” says Jillian. Changing eating habits for many is a tough pill to swallow and is different in each scenario. There are many factors to consider: Metabolism varies from person to person, as well as blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels. Each diet plan has to take these (and other) factors into consideration. Yet some people seem to eat anything they want and not gain an ounce. “[It’s] because of genetics,” Jillian explains. “While some of us are predisposed to gain weight, it doesn’t mean it’s a sentence. Genetics are static, not dynamic, so if we eat right and exercise regularly we can maintain a healthy body weight.”

In Jillian’s experience she has worked with some tough clients including persons with hormonal disorders such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and lipodema, which causes people to be heavier from the waste down to the ankles. When it’s unclear why clients are overweight, or when they are holding back from revealing their true reasons for overeating, Jillian finds a different approach to get them to open up. “I ask a series of questions when they are fatigued from exercise and their defenses are down,” she says. “I help them uncover the roots of their self-destructive behaviors.”

Mind Over Matter

Lack of motivation can be a major issue when it comes to breaking old habits and starting new, healthy ones, but Jillian points out another prime factor—willpower. “Willpower is like a muscle. It can be built and it can also be fatigued,” she says. “You can build willpower by shifting the part of your brain you use to think. You can literally go from impulse to reason, by stopping and asking yourself a series of questions before each choice you make.” Jillian believes this is a good way for clients to rethink their food choices. “So the next time your client wants to reach for the donut, tell them to think the whole choice through. They eat the donut—then how do they feel 10 minutes after? What is it going to do to their body? How is that going to make them feel? And so on.”

Smart Eating

Speaking of food choices, the typical approaches to weight loss include portion control and calorie counting. For many, it just doesn’t work. Jillian believes in calorie counting in conjunction with exercise. “The truth is that weight loss is an energy equation [and] you have to exercise to utilize stored energy—a.k.a. fat,” she says. As for Jillian’s own diet? “Ezekial English muffin with almond butter for breakfast, grilled fish tacos on corn tortillas with black beans, apple with raw nuts…grilled fish and greens for dinner,” she says. But is there room in the toughest trainer’s diet for a snack? “Only between lunch and dinner,” Jillian clarifies. “Snacking throughout the day is terrible for weight loss and weight management. My snack is about 15 percent of my calorie allowance. I will have [a] protein and carb combo like fruit and raw nuts or hummus and veggies. Baked chips and salsa with yogurt instead of sour cream.”

Success Doesn’t Come Easy

Jillian’s own success took a lot of motivation and willpower on her own part. She was overweight as a teen, about 50 pounds, and was motivated by her mother to take up martial arts, then on to working with her own personal trainers. So who trained the trainer? “I fell into fitness training at 17 while training for my black belt. People would see me training in the gym and they approached me to train them. Fate took its course.” And training doesn’t stop now that Jillian has found success. “I have many trainers. I believe a good teacher is a good student,” she says. “I work with an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and kettlebell guy named Steve Lee in L.A., a Capoira guy named Brett Hoebel in N.Y., and a yoga woman named Heidi Rhoades in L.A.”

But being where she is today wasn’t always Jillian’s dream. She says, “I fell into it and loved it. I switched careers at [age] 24 to 27 and went to work as an agent in Hollywood. I hated it. Then I went to work at a sports medicine facility as a PT aid. Fell back in love with this type of work and the rest is history.” So for the trainer who pushes people to be the best they can be and find that inner strength that drives them, what drives her? “I am driven by my own feelings of helplessness. I wrestle with those emotions by trying to help other people. It makes me feel less helpless.” Hard to believe while watching Jillian’s tough as nails exterior on TV, that she is indeed only as human as the rest of us.

March 2010

Motivating the online masses to Tone It Up!

When it comes to being fitness professionals, keeping abreast of the latest and greatest trends is of vital importance. Performing the same old routines, in the same old way just doesn’t cut it in this business. Clients want new and exiting programs, featuring the latest in fitness apparatus, apparel and techniques. In this age of instant information, if you snooze, you loose. AFAA member Katrina Hodgson has not missed a beat with her own series of very popular video shorts along with her counterpart, Karena Dawn, on the video sharing phenomenon known as YouTube.

Fitness became a huge part of Hodgson’s life at a young age. “When I was 12, I was overweight and was teased by the other kids,” she said. “I became serious about sports and fitness in high school…and would put together fun routines for myself.” Hodgson then went off to study exercise science at Keene State College in New Hampshire and became certified through AFAA, which made visits to the campus. Soon after, she was teaching her “Abs and Core” classes at the school gym. After college she moved on to the Boston Sports Club as a master trainer and group fitness instructor. “I taught classes of over 40 and loved every minute of them,” said Hodgson. “I was able to learn so much about different people, what motivates them and take that knowledge to my videos.”

Multi-media—A New Direction

Karena Dawn and Katrina Hodgson

In the summer of 2008, Hodgson moved to California and joined the team at Equinox Fitness. It was there she met Karena Dawn. The two found they had a lot in common and had both done their share of sports modeling, fitness product work and DVD production. They both felt they needed a new direction in their careers, so they partnered up and created their Web site http://toneitup.com/ “We both recognized that we were a great dynamic and complemented each other’s goals and backgrounds,” Hodgson said. “We started filming videos together in February [2009]. Our first video was on the beach with the little HD camera. Little did we know what the future would hold for us. We now film videos regularly for three channels: fitness, healthy cooking and lifestyle.”

But has the advent of YouTube hurt the fitness industry? Hodgson does not see this as the case. “I think YouTube actually helps instructors and fitness professionals,” she said. “I am huge on visualization. I have to picture things before I do them…especially if it is out of my ‘comfort box.’ If you see it…it will happen. If you can’t see it, then you probably won’t end up doing it.” Being a YouTube instructor hasn’t hampered Hodgson’s career. In fact, she is in more demand than she ever was. She is recognized as receiving more views on YouTube than any other certified or degreed trainer, receiving over 13 million views. “If no one was talking about fitness, showing workouts online, or putting together fitness DVDs, then fitness classes would probably go down in business. The more people see fitness, the more they can imagine themselves doing it. The next time they pass a health club they will feel comfortable going in because it is not foreign to them anymore,” said Hodgson.

A Senior Fitness Boom

In one area of her expertise, senior fitness, Hodgson explained the importance of having a fitness assessment every six weeks. “Ask them to take your blood pressure, resting heart rate, to do a squat assessment, a strength assessment, and some kind of walking or cardiovascular test,” Hodgson said. “If you can’t work with a trainer regularly, then just ask them to meet you every month or so to do a program. This way you will be able to see measurable results and it will motivate you to keep it up.”   Hodgson encourages seniors to make fitness fun and try new things. She emphasizes that going to the gym is not the only option. “Sign up for salsa classes once a week or get outside. I have seen people in their 70s go from needing eight medications, barely being able to get out of a chair without assisting themselves up, to jogging five miles, ditching the medications, and looking and feeling like they did 20 years prior,” she said. “I always tell people…‘You will never regret a workout.’ Get dressed, get outside and get moving. Let yourself be fit and healthy. It is the best thing you can do for your family, too.”

On the other end of the spectrum, with the current childhood obesity epidemic, Hodgson recommends that parents use the right approach and make exercise and eating right fun, and not hard work. “Kids need more programs based on sports, fun games and activities,” she said. “They don’t want to do sit-ups. They also don’t want to eat ‘healthy food.’ I notice that if I set out wheat pitas, chopped veggies, cheese and colorful toppings, kids will actually make their own pizza and choose more toppings than if I made it for them. It is hard to get children to eat healthy…especially with all of the garbage [advertised] on TV.” But Hodgson feels that the government needs to do their part also. “We spend over 100 billion dollars on obesity issues each year when we could actually prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes,” Hogdson pointed out. “Imagine if every state received 20 million dollars a year to put toward PE programs in schools, build parks, farms for fresh produce and education for parents. I like the idea of taxing junk food. That would equal up to more than 10 billion dollars a year to help with health programs,” she said.

Tone it Up with a Sound Eating Plan

Speaking of nutrition, Hodgson and Dawn are always creating healthy recipes in their videos. After taking nutrition courses in college, Hodgson stopped consuming foods that are sugar-filled and use chemical additives, and chose more healthy alternatives for snacking. “It is better to have a hand full of almonds, than to have a diet [soda],” said Hodgson. “The less ingredients the better…especially if you can pronounce them.” Hodgson creates her own healthy snacks that include ingredients such as peanut butter, dried fruit, agave and oats. For a great pre-workout meal, Hodgson suggests a banana, flaxseed muffin or dried fruits, and a good bit of water. “I drink water all day…always more than 80 ounces, especially if I’m training for a race,” Hodgson said.

As motivation is the hardest thing to attain when beginning a workout routine, Hodgson believes you have to dig deep into how clients feel to find their motivation. “My usual quotes are ‘This is 30 minutes of your life…make it count’ and ‘Push harder and show me WHY you are here.’” Hodgson believes clients need to visualize where they want to be in four weeks and push themselves as they are the only ones, and no one else, that can control their health and bodies.

What the Future Will Bring

As far as her own motivation, Hodgson is inspired by the way workouts make her feel and also by the success stories of her clients and fans. She receives cards thanking her for motivating them and family members to get up and get moving. In the future, Hodgson would love for Tone It Up to take off and reach more of the masses and to get more involved in educating people on health topics and to do more charity work. “We recently did a triathlon to raise money for ovarian cancer. We would like to do more events to educate about heart disease, cancers and diabetes,” she said. But, for now, be sure to catch Katrina on her Web site or on YouTube. Just key in “Tone It Up” in the search engine and you’ll find her—motivated and ready to motivate you!

March 2009

Anne Mahlum motivates homeless to run and overcome

Philadelphia is called “The City of Brotherly Love” and is known as the home of the  Liberty Bell, signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the cheesesteak. But with high statistics of murder and crime reported daily on local news, it is tough to notice the people working hard to make a positive difference in this historic city. Anne Mahlum has emerged to bring the feeling of “brotherly love” back to Philadelphia and is expanding that sentiment nationally.

A native of Bismarck, N.D., Mahlum moved to Philadelphia four years ago. An athlete for as long as she can remember, Mahlum frequently hit the streets at 5:30 a.m. for her daily run. “I have always found running to be a stress reliever,” she said. “Each step reminds me that there are no unachievable dreams or unsolvable problems.” Along her route she would pass homeless people standing outside a shelter, and as the days went by, Mahlum developed a good rapport with them. “They would smile and wave, as they became comfortable with me passing by. I started wondering why I was passing them.” One day, Mahlum decided to take a chance and went into the shelter with the idea to get homeless people involved in running. “They thought I was crazy at first,” she said. But when the director at the shelter proposed the idea, nine people were on board and “Back on My Feet” (BOMF) was born. Wearing new donated shoes and clothing, the original nine, along with Mahlum and volunteers, ran their first mile through the streets of Philadelphia.

Following the motto, “Moving the homeless forward one step at a time,” BOMF members have since completed numerous marathons, including the Philadelphia 8K. BOMF has motivated more than 80 homeless people from five shelters to try and better their lives.

How does running motivate? “Running helps build confidence and self-esteem,” Mahlum said. “When we run, we are a team…a family. This helps them get back on a positive road in their lives. But it doesn’t happen overnight—it takes dedication and hard work.” As BOMF has expanded, so has the interest. With more than 400 volunteers (some also participating runners), BOMF has made national news and is sponsored by Nike, which donates running shoes and clothing to the cause of this nonprofit organization. “We have all different kinds of people participating in our marathons,” said Mahlum. “Running is the great equalizer. You can’t tell who is a doctor and who is homeless when we’re out there running together.” Those who stick with the program have the chance to win $1,000 in a contest.

But, BOMF is not about running only. The program has included bowling nights, practice with the Philadelphia 76ers on the basketball court and the BOMF bashes, which feature inspirational speeches and dinner. The success that has come from BOMF includes stories of nine homeless persons who have found employment and a new place to live. Individual stories, such as Vernon’s—who overcame drug addiction, now has a full-time job and has reconnected with his family—are what fuels motivation for others to do the same. “People need to understand that addiction can cause someone to lose everything including their home and families,” said Mahlum.

As for her own life: “I feel more alive than ever,” Mahlum said. “I have found my purpose in life.” Mahlum’s personal goal is to run in a marathon on every continent by the time she is 30. At 27, she only has two more to go—Australia and Antarctica. On the national level, Mahlum has received great exposure on ABC and CNN, where she was featured as one of the top 10 “Heroes of the Year,” in 2008 (out of 4,000 entries), a title which Mahlum is grateful for, but humble about. “It is a little overwhelming,” she said. “I feel they [the homeless] are the real heroes.” When it comes to goals for BOMF, Mahlum hopes interest will continue to grow and programs will expand nationwide. “I really believe there is a hunger for human decency,” she says.

Sidebar: Getting involved

You can make donations to Back on My Feet through the United Way at their Web site http://www.backonmyfeet.org. Those in the Philadelphia area interested in becoming a member or attending an event, can take part in an orientation held on the first and third Wednesday of each month. For more information, visit http://www.backonmyfeet.com

July 2008

Showing the true meaning of running for your life

Many of us have faced difficult challenges in our lives and may have found ourselves running away from them. After a few years down that same road, Toby Estler found that running can be a great way to help bring renewed focus to one’s life and motivate us to handle our problems in a more positive manner—changing “running from” life to “running to” life.

Born in England, Estler spent a lot of time running from various situations in his life. Defending causes he believed strongly about, he found himself running from the police. Estler would run ahead of fox hunters on their horses trying to throw off the scent of their prey. But, he also ran away from himself, his responsibilities and his life. Estler battled drugs, alcohol and smoking addictions and had a marriage that was falling apart. Then a big turning point came when he found himself behind bars at London’s infamous Wormwood Scrubs prison for a demonstration he participated in. During his three-month stay there, Estler crammed his head against the bars of the prison window to see the park beyond the prison wall. “I imagined myself free from my drab cell and out in that park running,” Estler says. “I knew it was time for a change in my life and I said to myself, ‘When I get out of here, I want to put my head on my pillow…knowing I have made the very most of that day that I could.’”

Months after his release in 1994, Estler immigrated to America and started anew in Long Beach, Calif. He wanted to keep his promise for a life change, but found that as a former 60-cigarette-a-day smoker and former addict, it would be difficult for him even to run a mile. Estler then found inspiration in the runner’s philosopher, Dr. George Sheehan, who wrote Going the Distance: One Man’s Journey to the End of His Life (Villard, 1996). Estler ran that mile and then he ran 5 miles, then 10—soon he was running his first marathon. “I found that I was no longer running from something, but I was running to something. I was running to the life I wanted,” says Estler, who was also able to salvage his broken marriage. “Addictions, broken promises, missed opportunities and bad habits have all been washed away in the sweat of a good run,” says Estler.

Now 43, Estler hopes his book, (Running Home: 35 Moving Meditations for Runners (Robert D. Reed Publishers, 2007), will inspire others to make positive life changes. Where does meditation come into play when it comes to running? Eslter explains, “Runners tend to relate to running faster or farther. With meditation you experience running deeper. It helps push through the emotional pain you might be experiencing and open up an inner experience.” Estler says that exercise in general is a great way to help channel energy and can also help those fighting addiction problems. “It is no secret. Numerous studies show that exercise stimulates neurotransmitters which elevate mood and reduce depression and anxiety. Get enough of them and you’ll experience what is known as a runner’s high,” Estler says.

Though he shares some intimate experiences and his book has a spiritual tone to it at times, Estler says anyone can benefit from it, even those who are not religious or not into running. “For some it may be walking, dancing, Rollerblading^®, kayaking, yoga or even lawn bowling. Whatever your preference, a regular commitment to physical exercise offers a foundation for life transformation,” says Estler.

In addition to writing his book and running marathons, Estler also works as a personal coach for runners, a small business coach, and has made several appearances as a motivational public speaker. He is also involved in many fundraising efforts. In March, Estler ran in the Los Angeles Marathon and helped to raise $650,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and worked as a writer in a fundraising capacity for the UCLA Neuro-Oncology Unit to raise money for medical resources to help detect, treat and cure brain cancer.

As far as future ventures, Estler may challenge an ultramarathon but wants to continue to motivate others, spend quality time with his wife and daughter, and continue running to be the very best he can be.                                                                                   

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.