My Short Strength History

I’m Andrew Durniat and this is my short story. I grew up in Perrysburg, Ohio just south of Toledo. Started my strength training career like many, in my best friends basement with his older brother who played football. I laid down on the bench, unracked the bar, lowered it and that is where it stayed. They said to push and I said I was. So there I was, stuck under 45lbs. in my first experience of lifting weights in the 8^th grade. From then on all I wanted to do was get big and strong like Jeff. Needless to say, all of my training revolved around the thoughts of the Muscle Media and Muscle & Fitness magazines. The body building type workouts continued through high school while playing ice hockey. College lifting was not much different while having an All-American lacrosse career at Ohio Wesleyan University.

In 2005, while an assistant lacrosse coach at the College of Wooster, I went in search for something better, something to take my strength and conditioning to a new level. It was then that I found kettlebells and what they had to offer. Unfortunately it wasn’t until 2006 when I was able to meet up with Steve Cotter did I get to start training with the bells. After a couple of weekends with Steve, he influenced me to join him and others with Valery Fedorenko to Latvia for the 2006 World Championships. Watching professional GS athletes in action totally changed my views on what the human body is capable of accomplishing. I completed 42 jerks and 92 total snatches with the 32s on that trip. More work was needed, I was a lacrosse All-American and felt that I was in good shape for anything. I’m also highly competitive and want to be the best. Lorraine Patton told me to, “get with Valery and he will double your numbers in a year.”

I attended Valery’s first certification in January 2007 where he taught myself and others the ways of a world champion kettlebell lifter. We listened and 1 year later at the 2007 World Championships in Miami, FL I completed 79 jerks and 147 snatches with the 32s, Lorraine was right. Its now 2008 and I see over 100 jerks and 200 snatches on the horizon.

As I said before, kettlebell training opened my eyes to what the human body can accomplish. Since starting what I call my true strength career in 2005 I have educated myself with some of the best strength athletes and minds in the game. This knowledge has influenced my training and allowed me to win 2 strongman competitions, complete some highly sought after grip feats and a World Record double overhand axle deadlift of 210kg (462lbs.), finish two 100 mile mountain bike races and the LA triathlon, not to mention become one of the best kettlebell lifters in the US. I continue to rewrite the books on what can be accomplished by integrating; kettlebells, powerlifting, Olympic lifting and strongman training together to create the compete athlete.