My Day At The Aaahhnald

WOW! What a display! I've been to my share of trade shows, exhibits, conventions and sporting events and I've got to tell you, I've NEVER seen anything to rival The Arnold Fitness Expo.

On the good side; I saw and met more world class athletes in one place than even I could've imagined, and I can imagine quite a bit. Witnessed some amazing feats of strength, skill and ability and had the best time ever immersing myself in all things athletic.

On the not so good side; I saw more sprayed on tans, plastic boobs, shaved body parts that shouldn't be, men who looked like women and women who looked like men, unnecessarily damaged skin, steroidal freaks (no, really), and some of the weirdest hair, not all female, that I've ever seen, ever. We'll talk more about the unending rows of "dietary supplement" booths later.

I had a great time.

I got to the convention center a few minutes after the expo hall opened at 11. Parking was surprisingly easy and only $.50 a half hour a block up the street. Expo tickets were10 bucks. Wandered into the exhibit hall as I passed the archery demo, which looked very cool. I was immediately bombarded by sound and lights not unlike a rock show. Turned out to the the EAS/Body for Life booth, easily the largest in the hall and the most visited. As I moved through the already tight crowd I passed the MetRx booths and to what to my wondering eyes should appear but -
-2005 World's Strongest Man 2nd Place finisher Jesse Marunde. There were a couple guys just walking away when I saw him so I walked up and and said "Hi, Jesse..."


A great guy, we chatted for a minute about the WSM and China, I got my autographed pic and moved on, my day already complete. What a set of mitts! It was like shaking hands with with a pot roast.

Across the aisle at the other half of the MetRx booth -


Wade Gillingham was putting all comers thru the Grip Gaunlet. Lots of guys trying and not getting it for the free t-shirt. 212# on the Rolling Thunder handle, the 50# Blob -the cut off head of a York 100# globe style dumbbell-and a Captains of Crush #3 gripper. Successful on all three got you a $100 gift card at GNC.

Nearby-

-The Iceman cometh. Chuck Liddell UFC Light Heavyweight World Champion looking uncharacteristically freindly. I still didn't get too close.

And of course-

-the corps de ballet of any fitness show. I offered to buy them a sandwich but no takers. One girl actually said "Oh, no thanks, I ate yesterday (giggle and hair flip)."

As I wandered around I was truly aghast at the percentage of the booths dedicated to "supplementation". Fake food, wonder drinks, pills and capsules to give you that "extra edge", various wraps and pads and cushions, ad naseum. If half the money people spent on this crap were spent on whole food and the time they spend "researching" were spent on actually, you know, training they'd be better off. I find it sad, tragic, really, that so much of the focus of the expo portion of the show was on bodybuilding. I'd have liked to see Dragon Door, an Ironmind booth, an O lifting demo area for spectators, maybe aCF area though I know that defeats some of the magic. Oh, well...

Then I said "Hi, Bill..."Bill Kazmeier, 3 Time World's Strongest Man and perenniel ESPN commentator of the same. One of my heroes. I asked him if he might compete again. He said he was fooling around a few years ago with some 150# dumbbells and hurt his shoulders and has "no cartilage left" in them. Drag. I think he'd still kick ass. Check out those paws.

I post some pics of the strongman contest in another post.