Gym owner hosts 'Strongman' competition in Ft. Pierce

FT. PIERCE, Fla. - Seven months ago former marine Tony Montgomery decided to open his own gym in Port St. Lucie.

"I always played football and never really had a place to train and I figured why not start something up on the Treasure Coast it’s what I’m passionate about, it’s what I love to do," he says.

But one look around the Samson Strength and Conditioning gym, and you'll see,  this is not your typical fitness center.

You’ll find people swinging hammers, lifting two hundred pound chains, and pulling themselves up on ropes.

"It builds mental toughness and makes them more physically prepared by strengthening up the core, the back, the stuff you’re not going to hit mostly in the gym," he says.

It’s all part of the "Strongman" training.

You've seen the car flipping, log lifting contests on ESPN.

Now college athletes, like University of Delaware football player Matt Marcorelle, and even regular Joe’s are using the techniques to try and achieve a new level of fitness.

"This is real functional strength training and it really helps you and you know it’s sport specific," said Marcorelle.

Marcorelle demonstrates the log press, lifting a simulated metal log over his head as many times as he can in 60 seconds.

Then there's the Atlas lift, in which competitors heave 240-350 pound concrete balls

"The concrete tends to want to rip your skin off so you just gotta grip through it and pick it up," says Montgomery.

And the unbelievable tire flip. Competitors lift and flip tires that weigh in up to 1000 pounds.

Saturday Montgomery will host an amateur "Strongman" competition in Ft. Pierce that will attract some of the toughest competitors from across the country..

"We have a 13 year old kid competing all the way up to a 48 year old masters class," he says.

The event begins at noon Saturday at Cowboy's BBQ on Okeechobee Rd. in Ft. Pierce.