Travis Ortmayer

Travis Ortmayer is a professional strongman from Cypress, Texas who has won several American and international competitions in his career. He also competed in the 2007 Arnold Strongman Contest, but was on the stage as the event’s emcee when he returned in March 2008. Now recovered from a variety of injuries, Ortmayer will return to Columbus in March to try and win his first Arnold Strongman title.

Arnold Sports Festival News sat down with Travis late this summer as he was readying for yet another competition.

ASF News: You have been a professional strongman since 2004. How did you get interested in the sport?

Ortmayer: I played baseball, soccer and basketball as a kid, but I always enjoyed lifting weights. I never played football, but I wish that I had because I would have been good at it. I was kind of the black sheep in the family. I did my own thing, which was going into the garage and lifting weights.

ASF News: Have you always competed in strongman, or did you do other events, too?

Ortmayer: When I started out, I wanted to be a bodybuilder. Arnold was my idol. But when you see today’s bodybuilders, I think it has gone too far. I wanted to look like Arnold, not today’s guys.

ASF News: When did you compete in your first strongman contest?

Ortmayer: In 2002. I had met Marshall White and was training with him. I was living in Texas, and he was going to a contest the next day. The night before I decided to go with him and give it a shot. The promoter let me in, I beat my friend (Marshall) and finished fifth. It was the Texas State Championships in Denison, Texas.

I had flipped a tire before just for fun, but I had so much fun at that show. I was more than hooked. I decided then that I wanted to go to World’s Strongest Man. I then competed again on April 26, 2003, and won. I also met my mentor, Jim Glassman, and we started to train together.

ASF News: You’ve now been a pro for almost six years. How is it going?

Ortmayer: I’d say it is going pretty good. I have won competitions around the country and have gone to the world championships.

ASF News: I know you have a special affinity for Columbus because of something that happened off the stage.

Ortmayer: Yes, I met my wife Lucy here in 2006. She was here working for a magazine. I was an alternate that year, but I met here backstage in a hallway (at Veterans Memorial). I introduced myself and then couldn’t stop talking to her. She worked as a flight attendant, and I started to chase her around the world. Our second date was in Dubai. Our first six dates were in six different countries.