Train To Gain: Power Training Human Forklift

/4??,??s your background? I’m 36 years old and live in Brownsburg, Indiana. I’ve been married to my wife, Erica, for 10 years. We have three kids: Steel, eight; Becca, seven; and Stone, five. I’ve been a middle-school science teacher for 14 years and have coached football, wrestling and track. My wife and I own Mastiff Strength Equipment, which sells strength implements to pro, college and high school teams. Our Web site is www.mastiffstrength.com. I also go to churches, sports camps and schools to discuss my personal relationship with Jesus.

2) What’s your athletic experience? I wrestled and played football in high school and was a bodybuilder until age 26. I placed fourth in the NPC Teen USA. I became a powerlifter after that and won the Indiana Bench Press Championships. I then began competing in the Highland Games, winning state meets in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and Oklahoma. From there I went into strongman competition and took second in the Extreme Strength Challenge, third in the Strongest Man Alive and first in the ’99 United States Championships. I began competing in the World’s Strongest Man event in ’99, but I tore my biceps tendon, and I’ve spent the past year healing. In February 2000 I placed seventh in the Northwest Challenge against a field of top American and European athletes. I’m now training for the American Hercules event.

3) How did you get involved in strength competitions? My hero was Paul Anderson. I always loved weightlifting and strength, especially after seeing Bill Kazmaier in the World’s Strongest Man.

4) What are your best lifts? Bench press, 630; squat, 650; deadlift, 650. I’ve also done 14 reps with 320 pounds on the Viking press in competition and a 350-pound log press.

5) What type of routine do you do? My program is created by Chad Coy, the director of research and development for MD Labs. We train two days a week at Power House Gym in Kokomo, an incredible facility. We work the whole body with an intense, fast-paced workout, doing competition lifts, like the log press, first. We superset a lot of exercises and do two or three sets, going all out on every exercise. We try to take less than three hours to train, and because we’re drug-free, we take more days off. Our bodies won’t allow us to train six days a week and still recover. We train the preliminary events of an upcoming contest on Wednesday and the finals events on Saturday.

6) What kind of supplements do you take? I only use Human Development Technology products. HDT is my sponsor. I take Five-Plus-One protein once a day and Pro Blend 55 protein twice a day. I also take HDT creatine and glutamine twice a day and 12 to 15 HDT branched-chain amino acid capsules with every meal.

‘Bruce Citerman Editor’s note: In addition to conducting seminars, Bryan works as an announcer for strength competitions. To contact him, call (317) 403-4158.