Travis Ortmayer

Early life

Ortmayer was born in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. His strongman training facility was called "The Unit"; his father Roger also trained with him. He was supported by his mother, Sonja and his late sister Tara.

Strength sports

Ortmayer started out training in bodybuilding in his early teens and eventually decided to train and compete in powerlifting. He met Marshall White, who introduced him to the Strongman sport. In 2002, Marshall and Ortmayer formed "the Unit" strongman training grounds in Cypress, Texas. "The Unit" was also joined by World's Strongest Man competitor Josh Thigpen and professional strongman Jim Glassman. Ortmayer earned his American Strongman Corporation (ASC) Professional Strongman card by winning the 2004 NAS US Amateur National Championships.

The International Federation of Strength Athletes (IFSA) split from the TWI (Trans World International) World's Strongest Man (WSM) contest in 2005. IFSA held the first and only Pan-American Championship in 2005 at São Paulo, Brazil, as a qualifier for the 2005 IFSA Strongman World Championships. Ortmayer competed in this qualifier and placed 2nd overall behind 2006 WSM winner Phil Pfister. Ortmayer also set a World Record for the Atlas Stones: Light Set strength event. His placement qualified him to compete in the inaugural 2005 IFSA Strongman World Championships being held in Quebec City, Canada. During the World Championship, Ortmayer set another World Record in the Atlas Stones, this time with the Heavy Set. Ortmayer ultimately placed 10th overall in the World Championships.

In 2006 Ortmayer eventually won his first international competition in Cyprus at the IFSA Cyprus Grand Prix. This was one week after attaining a pectoralis injury at the 2006 World Strongman Challenge in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ortmayer went on to win all three National Championship Qualifiers.

At the 2006 America's Strongest Man, Ortmayer was 1.5 points away from victory, but took home 3rd place overall. His performance, however, earned him an invite by strength sport historian Terry Todd to compete in his contest, the Arnold Strongman Classic contest, 2007, in Columbus, Ohio. Ortmayer also qualified to compete in the 2006 IFSA World Championship being held in Reykjavík, Iceland.

Ortmayer suffered a shoulder injury, and lost 25 lbs. He competed in the 2006 IFSA World Championships. He maintained his Atlas Stone: Light Set world record, but lost his Heavy Set world record to the 2006 Champion Žydrūnas Savickas. Ortmayer placed 10th overall.

Ortmayer then went on to compete in the exclusive 2007 Arnold Strongman Classic competition. During the Timber Frame Carry, he injured his right foot; the timber frame dropped on his foot when his heel made contact with the apparatus. During the Hummer Tire Deadlift, Ortmayer also injured his back, and was waived out of the competition by the attending doctor. Ortmayer did come back to compete in the final event, the Circus Dumbbell press, but was unable to complete the event due to his previous injuries. He placed 10th overall.

Ortmayer went on to compete in the 2007 Fresno Pro-Am (USA National Championship Qualifier). He won this contest, which qualified him to compete in the 2007 America's Strongest Man (USA National Championship). During the USA National Championship, Ortmayer re-injured his back on the second event, the Tire Deadlift, and pulled out of the competition.

Ortmayer has since gone on to compete in two team contests. The USA vs. World contest put on by Al Thompson in June 2007 in Philadelphia, US, was his first. Ortmayer and his team (Derek Poundstone, Van Hatfield, Nick Best and Walt Gogola) pulled out a victory against the three of the top five European strongmen in the World, (Žydrūnas Savickas, Vasyl Virastyuk and Andrus Murumets. The contest was a tie going into the final event, the Atlas Stones. Team USA pulled out a victory in Ortmayer's signature event to capture the win overall. His next team contest was the World's Strongest Nation, held in Ukraine in August 2007. This time Team USA consisted of Ortmayer along with Derek Poundstone, Tom McClure and Brian Shaw. Team USA placed 2nd overall.

Ortmayer competed in the 2007 IFSA Strongamn World Championships in Geumsan, South Korea. The qualifying heats consisted of four events, and the top two from each heat of four athletes would go on to the finals. Ortmayer finished third overall in his heat and failed to qualify for the finals.

Ortmayer and his father Roger Ortmayer opened the elite personal training gym Athletic Nation in 2007. Ortmayer worked the microphone at the Arnold Strongman contest in March 2008.

Ortmayer took some time during late 2007 to let his body recover and to build up base strength levels. He achieved his goal of an 800 lb deadlift on December 1, 2007, in a powerlifting meet. Since then he has gone on to win every contest he has competed in, as of March 15, 2008. In doing so, he has qualified for the World's Strongest Man Super Series 2008 and America's Strongest Man 2008. Ortmayer was invited to compete in the Fortissimus – Decathlon of Strength competition held in Canada the last weekend of June.

Ortmayer competed in the Strongman Champions League 2008 Latvia contest and finished a close second behind Žydrūnas Savickas. He beat out champion competitors including Mikhail Koklyaev, Andrus Murumets, and Oleksandr Pekanov.

On April 2, 2008, Ortmayer signed on to compete against Derek Poundstone at the Madison Square Garden Super Series on June 21, 2008. He won the Madison Square Garden Super Series by defeating Derek Poundstone into second place.

Ortmayer competed in the 2008 World's Strongest Man competition, his first time in the contest. During the qualifiers, Ortmayer took first overall in his qualifying group. Ortmayer still finished in fifth place overall in the finals. Ortmayer would go on to finish fifth at both the 2009 World's Strongest Man and 2010 World's Strongest Man contests in the finals. Ortmayer suffered an injury during the qualifying heats of the 2011 World's Strongest Man contest, was forced to withdraw from the contest, and did not make the finals.

In 2021, Ortmayer returned to the World's Strongest Man competition after 10 years, but failed to make the final.

Personal records

Strongman

• Deadlift – 395 kg (2008 Madison Square Garden Grand Prix)
• Log press – 170 kg (2009 Viking Power Challenge)
• Log press (for reps) – 136 kg × 13 reps (2009 All American Challenge (Fit Expo))
• Axle press – 186 kg (2009 Giants Live Mohegan Sun)
• Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone) – 243 kg over 4 ft (48 in) bar (2011 Arnold Strongman Classic)
• Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone) – 242 kg × 3 reps over 4 ft (48 in) bar (2010 Arnold Strongman Classic)
• Atlas stones – 5 stones weighing 120-160 kg in 15.42 seconds (2006 United Strongman Series Cyprus) (World Record)
• Atlas stones – 5 stones weighing 125-215 kg in 26.18 seconds (2009 Giants Live Mohegan Sun) (World Record)
• Atlas stones (IFSA circle setup) – 5 stones weighing 120-170 kg in 19.20 seconds (2006 IFSA World Championships, group 3) (World Record)
• Medley – 408.5 kg tire flip × 4 into 172.5 kg per hand farmers walk for 15m course in 21.44 seconds (2008 Strongman Super Series Madison Square Garden Grand Prix) (World Record)

Powerlifting (USAPL, Raw)

• Squat – 341 kg (2007 Cypress Texas games)
• Bench Press – 215 kg (2007 Cypress Texas games)
• Squat – 364 kg (2007 Cypress Texas games)
• Total – 921 kg (2007 Cypress Texas games)

Achievements

Professional competitive record – 1st (13), 2nd (6), 3rd (8) – out of total (39)

Performance metric – .909 [American – .943, International – .875]

Completed contests

• SER Strongman Champions League – Serbia – Serbia – 2nd place (7/14/2018)
• USA America's Strongest Man (USA National Championship) Morgantown, West Virginia USA – 2nd place (7/25-26/2009
• CAN Fortissimus – Louis Cyr Strength Challenge -Montmagny, Quebec, Canada – 4th place (6/27-28/2009
• NOR Viking Power Challenge (Giants Live WSM Qualifier) – Stavanger, Norway – Winner (6/6/2009)
• USA Mohegan Sun Grand Prix (Giants Live WSM Qualifier) – Uncasville, Connecticut, US – 2nd place (5/17/2009)
• SER Strongman Champions League – Serbia – Subotica, Serbia – 2nd place (tie) (5/9/2009)
• GER FIBO Strongman Classic – Essen, Germany – Winner (4/25/2009)
• USA **American Strongman – Show of Champions – ** – Orlando, Florida, US – Winner (4/17-18/2009)
• USA Arnold's Strongest Man – Columbus, Ohio, US – 3rd place (3/6-7/2009)
• USA All American Strongman Challenge / Fit Expo (World's Strongest Man Super Series Qualifier) – Los Angeles, California, US – 3rd place (1/24-25/2009)
• USA World's Strongest Man – Charleston, West Virginia, US – 5th place (9/12-14/2008)
• USA World's Strongest Man Qualifying Round – Charleston, West Virginia, US – Winner group 5 (9/9/2008)
• UKR World's Strongest Nation Team Competition – Crimea, Ukraine – 4th place (8/6-8/2008)
• CAN Fortissimus – Louis Cyr Strength Challenge – Notre-Dame-Du-Rosaire, Quebec, Canada – 5th place (6/28-29/2008)
• USA Madison Square Garden Super Series (World's Strongest Man Qualifier) – New York, US – Winner (6/21/2008)
• South Holland Strongman Champions League – Holland – Varsseveld, Holland – 3rd place (6/1/2008)
• LAT Strongman Champions League – Latvia – Riga, Latvia – 2nd place (3/22/2008)
• USA St. Patrick's Strongman (USA National Championship Qualifier) – Columbia, South Carolina, US – Winner (3/15/2008)
• USA Nutrition Depot Strongman Expo – Cypress, Texas, US – Winner (3/8/2008)
• USA All American Challenge / Fit Expo (World's Strongest Man Super Series Qualifier) – Los Angeles, California, US – Winner (2/17/2008)
• KOR IFSA World Championships-Qualifiers – Geumsan, South Korea – 3rd in heat (9/12/2007)
• KOR IFSA World Open Championship – Geumsan, South Korea – Winner (9/10/2007)
• UKR World's Strongest Nation Team Competition – Ukraine – 2nd place (8/6/2007)
• USA USA vs. World Team Competition – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US – Winner (7/1/2007)
• USA America's Strongest Man (USA National Championship) – Charlotte, North Carolina, US – injured (5/26/2007)
• USA Clovis/Fresno Pro-Am (USA National Championship Qualifier) – Fresno, California, US – Winner (4/21/2007)
• USA Arnold's Strongest Man – Columbus, Ohio, US – 10th place (3/4/2007)
• UKR Ukraine Strongman Contest – Ukraine – 6th place (2006)
• ISL IFSA World Championship – Reykjavik, Iceland – 10th place (11/25/2006)
• LTU USA vs. Lithuania Team Competition – Lithuania – 2nd place (10/20/2006)
• LTU Lithuania Grand Prix – Marijampole, Lithuania – 8th place (8/19/2006)
• UKR World's Strongest Nation Team Competition – Kyiv, Ukraine – 3rd place (8/3/2006)
• USA America's Strongest Man (USA National Championship) – Charlotte, North Carolina, US – 3rd place (7/22/2006)
• USA Liberty City Strongman Classic (USA Nationals Qualifier) – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US – Winner (7/1/2006)
• USA Utah's Strongest Man (USA National Championship Qualifier) – Utah, US – Winner (6/10/2006)
• HUN Hungary Grand Prix – Eger, Hungary – 3rd place (6/5/2006)
• CYP Cyprus Grand Prix – Island of Cyprus – Winner (5/28/2006)
• USA World Strongman Challenge (USA Grand Prix) – Tulsa, Oklahoma, US – injured (5/21/2006)
• UAE Dubai Grand Prix – Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 4th place (4/25/2006)
• USA St. Patrick's Strongman (USA National Championship Qualifier) – Columbia, South Carolina, US – Winner (3/18/2006)
• USA Iron Man Fit Expo Strongman Championship – Pasadena, California, US – Winner (2/19/2006)
• Netherlands Antilles IFSA World Team Championships – St. Maarten Island – 2nd place (12/10/2005)
• UKR World's Strongest Nation Team Competition – Sevestopol, Ukraine – 3rd place (10/21/2005)
• CAN IFSA World Championship – Quebec, Canada – 10th place (9/24/2005)
• BRA Pan-American Championship – São Paulo, Brazil – 2nd place (8/20/2005)
• USA Utah's Strongest Man – Mapleton, Utah, US – Winner (7/23/2005)
• USA Liberty City Strongman Classic – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US 3rd place (7/2/2005)
• USA Hawaii's Strongest Man – Honolulu, Hawaii, US – 3rd place (4/17/2005)
• USA Kansas City Pro-Am – Kansas City, Missouri, US – Winner (2/26/2005)
• USA The Fit Expo Strongman Championship – Pasadena, California, US – 2nd place (2/19/2005)

Amateur competitive record – 1st (7), 2nd (1), 3rd (2) – out of total (12)]

Performance metric – .941

• USA USA Amateur National Championship – Heavyweight Division (NAS) (Amateur Platinum Plus Level Competition) – winner (10/10/2004) earned ASC Professional Strongman Card
• USA Midwest Open (Amateur Platinum Level Competition) – Missouri, US – 1st place tie (7/31/2004)
• USA Strongman Record Breakers (Amateur Platinum Level Competition) – Illinois, US – winner (7/03/2004)
• USA Music City Strongman (Amateur Platinum Level Competition) – Tennessee, US – winner (6/12/2004)
• USA Show Me Pro-Am (Amateur Platinum Plus Level Competition) – St. Louis, Missouri, US – 3rd place (5/08/2004)
• USA Monster's of the Midwest (Amateur Platinum Level Competition) – Missouri, US – 3rd place (12/6/2003)
• USA USA Amateur National Championship – HW Division (Amateur Platinum Level Competition) – 12th place (10/4/2003)
• USA South Carolina's Strongest Man (Amateur Gold Level Competition) – South Carolina, US – winner (8/16/2003)
• USA Texas's Strongest Man (Amateur Gold Level Competition) – Texas, US – winner (7/12/2003)
• USA Texas's Summer Strongman (Amateur Gold Level Competition) – Texas, US – 2nd place tie (5/10/2003)
• USA Pure Power Strongman Contest (Amateur Gold Level Competition) – winner (4/26/2003)
• USA Texas's Strongest Man (Amateur Gold Level Competition) – Texas, US – 5th place (8/03/2002)

References

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