Coach Rob Powell SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS - NEWS

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SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS - NEWS June 19, 2003 FRONT PAGE



The following was taken from the San Antonio Express - News, interview.

''ONE SOLID BODY OF WORK

ROB POWELL LIVES UP TO BEING THE 2 TIME GUINNESS WORLD RECORD HOLDER AND 2 TIME WORLD FITNESS CHAMPION

POWELL WANTS TO GET AMERICA IN SHAPE

Calling it torture wouldn't really quantify Rob Powell's idea of a day's work.

The Teacher/Coach earned the title as The 2 Time Guinness World Record Holder, and 2 Time World Fitness Champion, the past 2 years, by performing this list, 2 Mile Swim, 12 Mile Run, 12 Mile Hike, 1,250 Push-Ups, 1,250 Leg Lifts, 1,250 Jumping Jacks, 110 Mile Cycle, 20 Mile Row, 20 Mile Elliptical, 3,250 Crunches, and Lifting 300,000 Pounds of Weights, (upper body only).

Rob Powell's World Record now stands at 19 Hours, 17 Minutes and 38 Seconds, beating his own record by 3 hours.

'I am a very determined man, and I am blessed to come from some very mentally strong people,' said Powell, a former College Decathlete, and Professional Triathlete. 'You make a plan, visualize it, then you go for it, that's all there is to it.'

Besides the 9 Guinness Certified Officials, and 9 signed affidavits, and dozens of witnesses, Powell sent 3 rolls of film, and videotaped it all.

'He broke the World Records here, at Olympic Gym', (in Waco), said Chip Marlin, owner of Olympic Gym, 'you could look at him and see he lost a few pounds, but he just focused and got through it all. It was sheer motivation and desire, nothing else.'

Powell has now developed and trademarked, a new sport, The World Fitness Championships.

The WFC as he calls it will consist of, a 2 Mile Swim, 10 Mile Run, 10 Mile Hike, 500 Pop-Ups, 500 Hanging Leg Lifts, 100 Mile Cycle, 20 Mile Row, 20 Mile Elliptical, 3,000 Crunches, and 300,000 Pounds of Weights, using Bench Press, Lat Pulls, Seated Row, Triceps Extension, and Curls.

It is based off of the events from his previous World Records, but simplified to encourage participation, Powell says, 'it is The Ultimate Extreme Sport'.

To promote fitness and The World Fitness Championships, Powell is riding a bike, 500 Miles, across the State of Texas. He began earlier this month, in Corpus Christi, and will finish at The Red River, cycling at least 100 Miles per day.

His toughness was tested at Mile 70 on the Tour, when he experienced a 40 mph, hit and run accident. Powell suffered a level 2 concussion, a separated shoulder, a separated right hip, a blood tumor on the left hip, torn groin and abdominal muscles, 3 cracked ribs, a bruised spleen, 4 stitches below his left eye, and a multitude of scrapes and bruises. He rested to stop the bleeding for what he said seemed to be an hour, but manager Beau Brabbin said it was only 15 minutes, before continuing the trek to San Antonio.

Rob Powell hopes the WFC, will motivate people to become more active, and physically fit. He said, 'hopefully people will watch the sport, and say to themselves, these guys are doing 10 events, they all have to do with fitness. Rob Powell says to make 1 of the 24 hours in a day just for you to be fit, so why not try one of the events, maybe 2 of them. Hopefully then, a fitness trend will develop, and America will begin to shape up'.''