jones said. As an architecture student you her second option, a 139-seat expansion. SEE DESIGN ON PAGE 3A
To view photos of student architecture projects visit kansan.com/photogalleries
INDEX
Classifieds...4B
Crossword...4A
Cryptoquips...4A
Opinion...5A
Sports...10A
Sudoku...4A
TODAY'S WEATHER
Sunny
87 61
SATURDAY
Isolated T-Storms
85 66
Chris Neal/KANSAN
weather.com
All contents, unless stated otherwise.
© 2010 The University Daily Kansan
Chris Neal/KANSAT
Tiffany Lau, a senior from Wichita, jumps over a wall as she trains for the Next Level Games competition this Saturday. Lau is one of a few KU students competing in the competition that consists of an obstacle course, a strong man portion and a prowler challenge.
FITNESS
Students to compete in 'Strongman' games
BY GARTH SEARS
gsears@kansan.com
Need a tow truck? For Skyler Farley, a junior from Lawrence, pulling a truck with his bare hands isn't a big deal.
That's why he'll be at Watson Park on Saturday, participating in the 2nd Annual Next Level Games, which include the "Strongman Challenge," the "Prowler Challenge" and an obstacle course. The competition will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The "Strongman Challenge" involves pulling a truck, flipping a 450-pound tractor tire end-over-end and a "farmer's walk" of hauling heavy items through a course.
Farley said he participated in an internship at the University of South Florida during the summer, where he worked out with a group of people training for "strong man" events. Now he incorporates it into his regular workouts, and said it helped him with normal weightlifting.
"It's like, 'Oh, I just pushed a truck or I flipped this tire,' Farley
said. "Everything seems easier after that."
While he said the truck pull didn't require much attention to mechanics or timing — "it's pure effort" — the tire flip does.
"Your time can be completely screwed up if you keep putting your hands in the wrong spot," he said.
With the technical complexity of simply flipping a tractor tire, it isn't surprising that there are "strong man" classes offered locally.
Chris Dellasega, a second-year graduate student from Pittsburg, is a strength coach for Next Level Fitness — the company hosting the competition — and has instructed a "strongman" group. He'll be helping run the event Saturday.
He said that it could be difficult to train for a "strongman" event because many weightlifting techniques pinpoint one thing, while tire flips and truck pulls use multiple muscle groups in different ways.
To put it differently, flipping a tire is a three-dimensional effort, compared with bench pressing
something up and down.
Dellasega suggests mimicking the event as closely as possible in training.
"One of the best ways of getting good at flipping a tractor tire is to flip a tractor tire," he said.
Although the "Strongman Challenge" is the most unusual part of the Next Level Games, the two other stages are designed to give the competition some balance.
The "Prowler Challenge" requires competitors to push a weighted sled, similar to what a football team uses for practice, and an obstacle course that focuses on agility.
"We're not just looking for big, bulky people or bodybuilders who aren't functional," said Laura Richards, who co-owns Next Level Fitness with her husband.
She said about 40 people had signed up so far this year, compared with about 50 last year.
A team of three University of Kansas track athletes will also be competing Saturday, despite not
New coach will create stability
SFESTRONG ON PAGE 3A
JUDO | 6A The club appointed a coach who is familiar with the club and will help to move them in the right direction.
KU student to appear in court
CRIME | 3A Teen accused of rape begins legal process and will learn the date for his first hearing.
4.