Q&A with World's Strongest Man competitor Travis Ortmayer

[str8flexed]

We are lucky enough to a have a top strongman posting in our section. Travis Ortmayer's qualifying round was one of the most impressive displays of strength I've seen since I have watched strongman. His performance in the keg toss and atlas stones was absolutely unbelievable. I figured that this would be a great place for people to ask Travis questions and get answers from a real top strongman!

[PumpinPaddy]

first - this is awesome

although i cant think of a Q ...

[str8flexed]

I have one for Travis. You look pretty intense when you lift. some guys are quiet, some guys get real vocal and animated... personally I act like a nutjob when I lift, that's just what gets me pumped and how I have fun.

What is your favorite way to get psyched up for a big lift?

[Arlecchino]

What was your secret for destroying everyone else in the keg toss?

What has consistently been the most difficult event for you? Why?

What is your favorite event? Why?

If you could change one thing about your early training to better prepare yourself for what you were doing now, what would it be?

Why did you choose strongman as opposed to PL'ing or OL'ing? Do your genetics play a role in your choice?

Biggest difference in the two feds comp wise? (I could care less about politics or bull****, this is purely an event/training question).

Any injuries, and have they hindered your performance?

Do you use any special techniques for restoration or relaxation, such as meditation, massage, etc.?

And can you imagine how annoying I was a kid?

[cupcakekid]

^^^ not fair you ask every question.

who do you credit for your rise to the WSM comp?

Who do you model yourself after?

How did your parents/friends view your strongman aspirations? has your success changed their perception at all?

What does powerlifting as a sport have to do to become so publicly recognized as strongman is?

[burningNun]

Since all the serious questions are gone,

Why the nipple rings Travis? Why? WHY?

[Code_B]

Perhaps the most important question of all: Denny's or Ihop?

[Arlecchino]

Damn I can think of a bunch more questions. I just thought I would cut him some slack.

[Riskity]

Can't wait for him to answer!

[John Doe X]

What are your goals before you retire?

Which competitor, if any, do you most fear?

Which competitor do you have the most respect for?

How do you get on with your fellow competitors?

Do you have any private duels with a particular competitor in any specific event? If so who and in what event?

What element of the IFSA competitions do you miss when competing in the WSM series? Which element would you like to see incorporated into WSM competitions i.e. timber lift etc?

Who do you consider to be the greatest strongman ever?

I read on wikipedia that you received delivery of a 600lb Atlas Stone, the heaviest in existence. "The stone was made by professional stone maker Steve Slater in Lancaster, Ohio. It has a 300lb lead core and is inscripted with "King of Stones" in German." On wikipedia it also states that your pb in the atlas stone is 520lb. Do you ever think that you will be able to lift the 600lb stone?

[BigDerek]

What are your goals before you retire?

Which competitor, if any, do you most fear?

Which competitor do you have the most respect for?

How do you get on with your fellow competitors?

Do you have any private duels with a particular competitor in any specific event? If so who and in what event?

What element of the IFSA competitions do you miss when competing in the WSM series? Which element would you like to see incorporated into WSM competitions i.e. timber lift etc?

Who do you consider to be the greatest strongman ever?

I read on wikipedia that you received delivery of a 600lb Atlas Stone, the heaviest in existence. "The stone was made by professional stone maker Steve Slater in Lancaster, Ohio. It has a 300lb lead core and is inscripted with "King of Stones" in German." On wikipedia it also states that your pb in the atlas stone is 520lb. Do you ever think that you will be able to lift the 600lb stone?

I do believe he has broke it from the ground.....Travis correct me if I am wrong.

[81Ort]

First off, this is awesome. Thanks for all the responses guys!

I have one for Travis. You look pretty intense when you lift. some guys are quiet, some guys get real vocal and animated... personally I act like a nutjob when I lift, that's just what gets me pumped and how I have fun.

What is your favorite way to get psyched up for a big lift?

This is a tough question to start out with because it's not always the same. Sometimes it's a calm focus and sometimes I pace back and forth like a caged lion stalking some spectator tapping on the bars...
I guess I usually just start with my feet, or my hands... What I mean is that I start thinking about one extremity and then travel throughout my body mentally visualizing every muscle and feeling them turn on. Then I hold my focus inward keeping my eyes open but not seeing anything more than what is just in front of me. Just before I am about to lift I let the adrenaline start flowing and the hairs on the back of my neck shoot straight up. Then, if I need a huge rush, I get someone to slap me on the traps three times with each slap harder than the last. This sends me into another dimension!!! I have had some huge lifts using this method!

[81Ort]

1. What was your secret for destroying everyone else in the keg toss?

2.What has consistently been the most difficult event for you? Why?

3.What is your favorite event? Why?

4.If you could change one thing about your early training to better prepare yourself for what you were doing now, what would it be?

5.Why did you choose strongman as opposed to PL'ing or OL'ing? Do your genetics play a role in your choice?

6.Biggest difference in the two feds comp wise? (I could care less about politics or bull****, this is purely an event/training question).

7.Any injuries, and have they hindered your performance?

8.Do you use any special techniques for restoration or relaxation, such as meditation, massage, etc.?

9.And can you imagine how annoying I was a kid?

1. See above post about getting psyched up for a big lift. Only it was more intense. If I could get into that zone before every event no one would have even half a chance. The rest of the world dissapeared and all I could see was my hands grabbing the handles then the launch. After the first 2 kegs, I got my trajectory right and never looked back... literally. If I didn't hear a "bang" from the kegs hitting the barrier then I went to the next, and so on.


2. I would say the most difficult event has been any kind of clean and press event. But those are now pretty good events for me so I would have to say that power stairs are rough since I still don't really have a good way to train for them.


3. All the events are my favorite events!! But I may be a bit partial to stones...


4. I would not have listened to my weight training class coach in high school. He was a great football coach (I guess, not sure since I didn't play) but he didn't know crap about weightlifting. I tore my knees up squatting wrong and didn't squat again until I was almost 18. I wish I had someone to teach me proper form and weight training theory right from the beginning. I am now starting a program for highschool kids so that I can make sure they learn things correctly from the start.


5. I didn't choose Strongman, it chose me! I actually started out bodybuilding, then I tried powerlifting, but I didn't know much about Olympic lifting so I never tried. The guy I was training with, Marshall White (you'll see this name more and more often!) always wanted to do a Strongman competition and when he found one I was definitely going to go up with him and give him my support. The night before the contest I decided to give it a try. I called the promoter and he let me in. I ended up taking 5th and never looked back. I dreamed of Strongman every night for the next 6 months! The bug bit and it bit hard!


6. I am assuming that you are referring to IFSA and Super-Series... Now that IFSA is no longer around I guess we can say that the two main fed's are Champions League and Super-Series.
If we take a step back to 2005 I would say that the main difference was that IFSA was just stronger. They had all the top guys and Super-Series had a lot of new talent. In 2007 the Super-Series athletes had all come a long way and I think everyone was impressed with the performances they had. Now, we can look at last year, 2008, and it is obvious that Super-Series contests were heavier than ever with the best talent shown yet (ie: 8 guys pulling well over 800 lbs at MSG). Champions League also had some very tough contests with extremely heavy weights (ie: 1,050 lb yoke in Latvia) so I would say that the two feds are pretty even when it comes to overall toughness, talent, and quality of competition.


7. I have had two major injuries and one injury that was sort of bad but had terrible after effects during my Strongman career. At American Nationals in 2006 I got hit in the back of the head by the bar on a car squat apparatus that weighed about 850. It affected my vision that night enough that I needed the judge to tell me where the finish lines were on the 3-part medley that was just after. Anyway, over the next few months I had a lot of trouble sleeping (at worst it was 2 days asleep and 5 days awake) and I lost 35 lbs. I lost all my bodyfat too, which looked good but I was all show and no go! This was all just before IFSA World's too and my performance there sucked.
The other 2 bad, yet simple, injuries were a pec tear and a back injury. The pec tear (half the upper pec came off the bone) was only a few weeks before Madison Square Garden but I made it through that ok (1st) and the back injury was from the deadlift at the Arnold 2007. It started as a severe strain but I went back to training too soon and I caught an axle clean on my shoulders wrong which jammed my lumbar vertebrae so hard that it pinched the nerves and sent fire down my legs. That one was really not fun!


8. My favorite thing for recovery and relaxation is cryotherapy. In the winter I get into my pool after every training session! I wish I could do this year round but it just gets too hot here in Houston. Right now, January 7th, it's about 45 degrees in the water.

9. YES!

[babyslayer]

What do you think are some basic numbers you need to be competitive in the WSM?

lifts being squat, push press, deadlift and what ever other lifts you think are important for WSM.

[ShutUpAndSquat]

What training do you do for deadlift events? Do you follow a powerlifting routine, or does your program place an emphasis moreso on endurance now, is it a hybrid of both, etc.

[Arlecchino]

BTW, his journal:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=371946

Do not go in there and **** it up. He has kept the same journal for four years.

[81Ort]

^^^ not fair you ask every question.

1. who do you credit for your rise to the WSM comp?

2. Who do you model yourself after?

3. How did your parents/friends view your strongman aspirations? has your success changed their perception at all?

4. What does powerlifting as a sport have to do to become so publicly recognized as strongman is?

1. My mentor, Jim Glassman, played a major role in getting me where I am now. I met him at my second competition and realized he lived near me so we started training together. He had been a pro back in '98 and '99 so he really knew what he was talking about and I listened. He is a great teacher and although he now lives in California we are still good friends. Actually, his daughter was the flower girl in my wedding.


2. I can't really say that I model myself after anyone. My physique is very different from other guys I have competed with so I have had to just learn how to do things the way my body best does them.


3. When I was younger and I would train in my garage every day (bodybuilding days...) I had a lot of friends who would try and get me to take the day off and do other things. I heard "missing one day won't kill you" a lot! I knew one missed day wouldn't kill me but I didn't want to miss the workout. I was doing what I really loved to do! My family has always been very supportive. Well, my mom wasn't ever happy about giving up half the garage so I could have my "home gym" but she put up with it, and my dad was just happy I had found something to be passionate about when so many other kids my age were wasting their lives playing video games or taking drugs, or both!


4. Move the bar on more than one plane of motion! Powerlifting is a sport for the purists and as being such only the hardcore fans can truly appreciate what is being done on the platform.

[81Ort]

Since all the serious questions are gone,

Why the nipple rings Travis? Why? WHY?

I pierced them myself when I was 15. I just haven't had the balls to take them out yet...

[81Ort]

Perhaps the most important question of all: Denny's or Ihop?

IHOP all the way baby!!

[81Ort]

1. What are your goals before you retire?

2. Which competitor, if any, do you most fear?

3. Which competitor do you have the most respect for?

4. How do you get on with your fellow competitors?

5. Do you have any private duels with a particular competitor in any specific event? If so who and in what event?

6. What element of the IFSA competitions do you miss when competing in the WSM series? Which element would you like to see incorporated into WSM competitions i.e. timber lift etc?

7. Who do you consider to be the greatest strongman ever?

8. I read on wikipedia that you received delivery of a 600lb Atlas Stone, the heaviest in existence. "The stone was made by professional stone maker Steve Slater in Lancaster, Ohio. It has a 300lb lead core and is inscripted with "King of Stones" in German." On wikipedia it also states that your pb in the atlas stone is 520lb. Do you ever think that you will be able to lift the 600lb stone?

1. Win WSM 8 times!! I fugure if I can even meet half that goal then I will be satisfied.

2. I fear all competitors. You never know when someone will have the competition of his life.

3. Anyone who pushes himself to the absolute limit.

4. I think of my fellow competitors as my best friends. It is sad when the competition is over and we all have to go our seperate ways. Strongman is a brotherhood and these are my brothers!

5. I had a great rivalry with the late Jesse Marunde. He was a great man. Now, Derek Poundcake and I have a pretty good rivalry going on.

6. I sort of miss the brutality of the IFSA comps. 8 events in the finals over two days with those kind of weights is tough! I also miss having Magnus ver Magnusson as the head judge. He was strict and you couldn't sneak anything by him.

7. This is a tough one. There are so many who were so good in their time that it's hard to really narrow the field. I would say that Zydrunas Savickas is the strongest man to have ever lived though. He can lift anything and I have never seen a 400 lb. man move so fast!

8. Konig der Stein!! YES I will lift it. I was the first man to load a stone over 500 lbs and I will be the first to lift a stone over 600 as well!
Big Derek is right, I have lifted the stone to the bottom of my knees several times.

[81Ort]

What do you think are some basic numbers you need to be competitive in the WSM?

lifts being squat, push press, deadlift and what ever other lifts you think are important for WSM.

To be competitive in the finals you need to be able to do:

Deadlift- ~850
Squat- ~800+
Axle clean and press- 375
Log-380
Be able to load a ~450 lb Atlas Stone
Carry a 400 lb. rock 250' (depending on it's shape)
Handle a 900 lb yoke
Handle a 375 farmer's walk
Be able to move your damn feet!

[81Ort]

What training do you do for deadlift events? Do you follow a powerlifting routine, or does your program place an emphasis moreso on endurance now, is it a hybrid of both, etc.

I use the (Benni) Magnusson/Ortmayer routine.

70% of projected max for 4 sets of 4 reps
80-90% for 2 sets of 2
70% for 8+ reps
if you get 8 or more move up 10 lbs next week.
On week 1 and 2 I then pull that same 70% off a 4" block trying to get 8 reps.

I do this for 3 weeks then take a week off from deadlifting.

Week 1: I do 80% for the 2 sets of 2
Week 2: I do 1 set at 80% then 1 set at 90%
Week 3: I do this again but hopefully with more weight.
I always do the 4x4 at 70% to start the workout.
If you miss a lift anywhere in the workout then DON'T move up the next week.

[Johnbodybuilder]

edited nvm

[PotKettleBlack]

Hello man, ive been training 1 year 2 months bodybuilding style, Btw i work much better with lower reps but havent been doing so.
anyway. Im 6"5 210lbs, i squat 95kg
deadlift 160-170kg
bench 75kg and ive never done and strength training really, apart from now which im starting to do becuase im gona do a powerlifting meet. anyway, my gym instructer who powerlifts said i have a lot of potential when im older and i could even do wsm, do you think i sound like i have potential or no?
( i wont mind if you say no)

Do you have potential? Oh lawd.

[str8flexed]

Hello man, ive been training 1 year 2 months bodybuilding style, Btw i work much better with lower reps but havent been doing so.
anyway. Im 6"5 210lbs, i squat 95kg
deadlift 160-170kg
bench 75kg and ive never done and strength training really, apart from now which im starting to do becuase im gona do a powerlifting meet. anyway, my gym instructer who powerlifts said i have a lot of potential when im older and i could even do wsm, do you think i sound like i have potential or no?
( i wont mind if you say no)

how could anyone make any conclusions based on that limited information. That's like saying "doc my nose is runny and my stomach hurts... what do I have" for a diagnosis.

[viperman5000]

who was your role model growing up? who did you look up to?

and what kind of music do you like listening to in the gym?

[PotKettleBlack]

how could anyone make any conclusions based on that limited information. That's like saying "doc my nose is runny and my stomach hurts... what do I have" for a diagnosis.

I think you have a runny nose, and a stomach ache.

[John Doe X]

5. I had a great rivalry with the late Jesse Marunde. He was a great man. Now, Derek Poundcake and I have a pretty good rivalry going on.

7. This is a tough one. There are so many who were so good in their time that it's hard to really narrow the field. I would say that Zydrunas Savickas is the strongest man to have ever lived though. He can lift anything and I have never seen a 400 lb. man move so fast!

Derek Poundcake

Thanks for replying, I hope you reach your goals.


a few more to throw your way!



1. How long do you usually rest for after the various competitions?

2. Are the athletes asked for their input on the events in upcoming competitions or for feedback at the close of the competition?

3. Who would be your tip for the WSM 2009?

4. I tried checking on the internet to see who the best stone lifter is. You said that you were the first to lift over 500lbs, who since has joined you?

5. Which one event in either the IFSA or WSM do you consider to be the ultimate true test of strength?

[Isolatorweg]

Hi Travis,

1. Who would you say the nicest guys in strongman are, and if you are prepared to say, who are the biggest a-holes?

2. Whatever happened to Raymonds Bergmanis? He was one of my faves. A great deadlifter.

3. Would you say Arild Haugen is your biggest stonelifting rival?

4. Do you work at all, or is strongman your full time career. If so, do you get a regular wage from a fed or rely on invites/appearance fees/prize money.

5. With IFSA gone, are we gonna see big Z at WSM next year?

[Blarnee_92]

Hey Travis I just got one question:

When did you start training, and how has your training changed over the years?