As a young competitor in the strength sports, Travis Ortmayer set many world records, becoming known as the Texas Stoneman because of his facility with the Atlas Stones. Then his life crumbled as he became addicted first to painkillers, then addicted to crystal meth. Travis lost his family, lost his career and was on the brink of taking his own life. In this episode of Legends of Iron Travis takes us on a journey from darkness into light. He digs deep into his life story, reliving his lowest moments, through his resurrection and return to strongman. Travis explains how focusing on gratitude saved him, and along the way tells many interesting and inspiring stories of rebirth and rebuilding, some surprisingly humorous! This is an inspiring story, one you don’t want to miss. It’s the quintessential rebirth story, from losing everything to hit rock bottom and learning from your mistakes, to rebuilding a life and getting a second chance to be great!

You've never met anyone like NDO Champ. Known today for his energetic positivity and humorous viral videos, NDO (No Days Off) Champ, aka Robert Wilmote, struggled with gang life in his younger days and ended up in prison. At his absolute bottom, Champ realized he was meant for greater things. Inspired by faith and bodybuilding he began to transform, not only his own body and life, but the lives of those around him in jail. Champ blows the Legends of Iron crew away as he tells story after story of positivity in the face of challenges, from the time he was shot in the leg while working as a bouncer at a club and still competed in a bodybuilding contest three weeks later, to how he came up with his signature walk and his very popular social media "skits". NDO and the guys talk about discipline, the necessity of fitness in mind and body, the decision that changed his life, his passion to empower others to succeed, the origin of his pseudoynm and so much more. There is no one who can generate more positive energy than NDO Champ. This is a powerful and uplifting episode of Legends of Iron you do not want to miss. You will learn about NDO the man and hear his real life story. He holds nothing back. There are truly No Days Off with NDO Champ.

2X Strongman World Champ Anthony (La Flama Blanca) Fuhrman is a monster of a man who has been through a lot. On this episode of Legends of Iron we talk about some of the crazy things he has seen in his 12-year active military career, including having to carry a huge machine gun that is supposed to be mounted on the back of a truck. Now a recruiter for the military, he is enjoying his freedom. We talk about his transition to strongman, including the time he tried lifting his first 300 pound stone with ease. He talks about how his first competitive loss lit a fire under him to become the best and how he creates his stage persona, La Flama Blanca. He compares the most difficult things he had to endure in the military with the most difficult things in strongmen competitions. We also talk about the Strengthlete Collective, a digital program service for strength athletes designed to help everyone from beginners to pros at a price that real people can afford. Anthony also reveals his plans of a return to 105Kg Strongman. His goal is to take the title from Nicolas Cambi by going head to head to win the Championship and bring it back home! La Flama Blanca is back!! Anthony Fuhrman Clash of Strongman Pro Series

Award-Winning Worldwide Bodybuilder/Fitness Writer Roger (Rock) Lockridge is the author of many articles featuring the strength community. You’ve probably read his work in Mens Healths, Barbend Strength Sport News, Muscle and Fitness, Muscle and Strength and, Stack Sports, just to name a few. As one of the most prolific freelance writers in the strength sports, he has interviewed some of the greats in the sports of strength and bodybuilding. We talk about some of his greatest and craziest interviews and behind-the-scenes stories of writing articles with the likes Ronnie Coleman and Branch Warren. We touch upon his personal life. He opens up about his early life experiences with alcoholic and abusive parents that led to transforming his body and then eventually a career in writing, which has opened the door to becoming part of a community he loves of fitness, strength, strongman and, bodybuilding. We talk about how long it takes to craft his articles and what it takes to be successful at anything. When someone loves their job you can tell the passion they have by the way they work and how hard they work at their job. Roger Lockridge is a perfect example of a man who channeled pain into passion and success.

There is nothing small about Craig Golias and his huge lifestyle. On this episode of Legends of Iron, Craig and the LOI crew talk big houses and high end cars. They talk about Craig’s training methods and favorite exercises as well as the unbelievable fact that he has never had an injury! Learn about his bulking diet and why Craig avoids alcohol. From personal training, and personal coaching to his own brand of clothing and join us on the podcast us as we discuss how Craig Golias made it huge!

2X Highland games World Champion, HVIII Brand, Habit Coffee, and UMSO Podcast. Matt Vincent was an elite athlete who went from a 2X Highland games World Champion to walking with a cane. That and the death of his father caused him to reevaluate his entire life. Thus began his journey into the world of mind expanding substances like psilocybin. Matt talks with the Legend of Iron crew about how those experiences have shaped his life post-competition. We talk with Matt about such topics as: Avoiding opiates and using psychedelics, mushrooms and micro dosing to help with pain management and recovery. His struggles with loss and addiction. The creation of his brand HVIII and what it means. What pain teaches and the power of decision. Overcoming his knee injury and setting his sights on a new goal of training for a 20 Mile trail run.

Žydrūnas Savickas is widely considered by many to be the greatest strength athlete of all time A Lithuanian powerlifter and professional strongman, he has had multiple wins in all the major international strongman competitions. His longevity in the sport, as well as his prowess is truly legendary. The Crew sits down with the G.O.A.T, Big Z! From starting at 16 in his first competition in strongman to his most recent victory, to big injuries and comebacks, setting world records and making an impact like no other in this sport of Strongman, Big Z has done it all. With over 400 plus competition and 300 First place victories with more to come his is a legendary career still in the making. Big Z’s home is Lithuania and being so close to the Ukraine, we start with the current political situation in his part of the world and how his people are dealing with so much happening so close to home.  If ever there was a Legend of Iron, Žydrūnas Savickas is it!

Pull up to the table and join the crew of Legends of Iron as we talk about the 40 year career (so far!) of the great Mike O’ Hearn, the triple threat powerlifter, bodybuilder and cover model.   Born into a large family with 10 kids, he learned to be self sufficient early on. At 15 Mike started hitting the gym, training with big name powerlifters. At 20 he got a call from Joe Weider and a contract. That was the start of Mike O’Hearn’s journey in the fitness world. O’Hearn hits upon many topics in this episode, including: Growing up and training with incredibly competitive brothers…and sisters! Training leg day with workout partner Tom Platz. How he keeps a positive chip on his shoulder. The importance of protecting tendon and ligament strength. Healthy eating strategies. Nick brings up that one time Mike beat him in a competition but never let it happen again! Mike also tells us about the time he fell 6 feet of the stage while posing, some of the best strength battles of his life, the problems with these kids today and what it’s been like to finally be a father.

Derek Poundstone is a former Arnold Strongman Classic Champion, World's Strongest Man and one of the top strongmen of all time. This episode goes deep behind the scenes and tells the story of the wild days of competing overseas with a crazy group of elite athletes. Derek talks about why he retired and his success after strongman, most recently becoming a coach of the up-and-coming strongman Rob Kearney. He talks about rival competitor Mike Jenkins’ passing and how it affected him. Derek explains his unique and groundbreaking philosophy of training. We even get story right out of what could be an episode of COPS Live on TV! So tune in for this exciting episode of LOI! This episode of Legends of Iron is dedicated to Coleen Poundstone, Derek’s mother, who passed away shortly after this recording was made.

Rob Kearney is the only openly gay Professional Strongman in the world. He started his strongman career at 17 years old and, though much smaller than most other strongmen, has won Strongman competitions and Arnold Strongman Classics around the world. Rob is now known as both “The World’s Strongest Gay” and “The Pound for Pound Strongest Man”. The LOI crew talk with him about the origin of his coming out and his relationship with his husband. Rob explains how he patterned his athletic style by closely watching other strongmen and how he convinced coach Derek Poundstone to coach him. He talks about the difficulties of his training, including pulling a firetruck full of water, and gives advice for other smaller guys who want to be strongmen competitors. Most importantly, Rob talks about his position as a positive role model for kids who may be struggling with coming out themselves. “None of this ever held me back and I want people to see that.” Rob tells many funny, touching and inspiring stories from his 13 year strongman career, including how he deals with ignorant people online and in person. He explains about one particular nasty spectator talking shit to him during a competition. Tune into this episode of Legends of Iron to hear how Kearney quickly put that guy in his place!

Laurence Shahlaei (Big Loz) is Europe’s Strongest Man 2016, 2X Britain’s Strongest Man, 11X Strongest Man Athlete and has the best beard game in the sport! This OG Strongman and strength sports Champion has a wealth of knowledge that he shares with the Legends of iron crew, including reminiscences of World’s Strongest man competitions he shared with co-host Nick Best. • Coming back from inevitable injuries • How he challenges himself today • His favorite world records and least favorite events • How he gets ideas for his popular YouTube channel • The importance of patience in strongman for longevity • How he has dealt with problems with painkillers • What he learned from his difficult relationship with his father • His goal to help the sport of strongman out there, more popular and on bigger stages.

Bodybuilder Jon De La Rosa has been to hell and back. After a very public divorce he retreated from the bodybuilding spotlight. Devastated, questioning everything about his life, Jon moved to Florida and began a several year battle with his inner demons of self doubt, depression and suicidal ideation. On this episode of Legends of Iron Jon De La Rosa talks openly about his struggles and how he overcame adversity with the help of faith. Included in this episode: • Jon’s time spent at Oxygen Gym in Kuwait and if it was it a good fit or not • His experience with the Building A Brotherhood Program and how that enhanced his life • Teaming up with with 7X 212 Mr. Olympia Flex Lewis • Building his own gym himself by hand with his partner • His relationship with his father during the time that his dad went to jail • Jon also describes being awake for hernia surgery and actually watching it happen! This is a touching, emotional and ultimately inspiring episode that you do not want to miss.