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The Mighty Ray Gun began its life many years ago as a simple place for a geek to play with 'the' web, HTML as it was back before the day. Over the years it bumbled around, lost in the digital ether, an idea, a place holder in the mind for something bigger than geek. Slingshot 15 years and a man with a passion for images, for sport, for challenge and the outdoors came to Geek with a desire to take his message to the masses. He wanted to make his mark in history, to etch his images into the retinas of the world. His weapon a digital camera, a light ray capture arsenal, the most Mighty Ray Gun. But this was not a project born of silver spoon. Nor was it the tale of Beethovian genius. The success was hard won. Tens of thousands of pushes on those hallowed shutter buttons. Hundreds of hours of trudging up mountains. Every shot missed was one closer to success. And success came. He got good. He got great. He stayed eccentric. The story became a guideline for dispossesd middle aged sportsmen. Those who had neither time nor resource to vanquish trails or trials with resources alone. Riders, runners, climbers, surfers...... fighters... Competitiors all with familys, with overdrafts, with jobs, frustrated that performance was always deemed to be a bigger cheque book away. But not in our world. Not for the MRG shiny toys, not for the MRG form over function. We carved our confidence onto the face of clothing, we raced with the pure performance of heart over sense. We would not except the purchase of sports status by the ownership of items. 'If you haven't done it, don't wear it'..... It is said that all good things come to an end, and the most Mighty Ray Gunner argued his last suddenly in 2013. Not before over 2.5 million mouse buttons had been clicked on his digital cathedral of sports images, and not before the concept of determination over dollars that was so M.R.G. became the grail of many. For this the MRG magazine snatchs the batton from its photgraphing muskateer. It stares doggedly at a digital horizon daring it to stay still to be caught. We will stay in the ether, where we belong. We will challenge the staus quo. We will celebrate heart, we will worship soul. World records aren't important. Personal records are. And like trees who choose to make no noise falling in unpopulated woodlands, we know that success is sweeter when shared.
Welcome to the M.R.G.
B足SX aff
Britainsstrongestathlete..............inoneofthestrongestmenintheWorld!LadiesandGentlemenMrLaurenceShahlaei.
he van is loaded to breaking point as we begin our journey to Pro Strength and Fitness Gym in the heart of Swindon. Its a typically gloomy morning stuck on the M4 in commuter hell but for once it doesn’t mater. The journey is whiled away planning and discussing what angles, what camera shots, what to expect once we arrive and are confronted with our giant strongman.
Finally we arrive, drag all the equipment from the van and with heavy breaths make our way into the gym. The first thought that came to mind was “Holy Sh*t”!! Pro Strength and Fitness gym is a throw back to the good old days where men were men, iron was rusty and no Lycra in sight. There’s our man, there’s Loz, he turns and walks towards us, ground shaking and my bladder about to pop with fear due to the shear size of the man. As he approaches I stand there feeling like i'm on a blind date wondering what to say ?? then I see a big grin and an extended hand, thank F**k! He’s not going to eat me !
The ice is broken, the pleasantries commenced before its onto business. The plan is to let Laurence do what he does, lift ridiculous weights and we will be flies on the wall, looking admiring, wishing we could do the same...
First up were squats, using a shoulder bar grip to put more stress on the legs than conventional bars. Loz explains he will conduct a few sets to warm up, 60kg, 100kg,140kg,180kg before the work commences. Our photographers scatter like roaches, climbing walls and hiding under weight stacks to get the best shots. After the warm ups( warm ups ! Lol ) Loz gets to work loading more plates than a Greek restaurant. Its quiet like a church before the iron clanks as Loz lifts it from the rack, down, up, down, up, down, up and rest, 250kg made to look easy. “I'm not going too heavy today guys, still recovering” ! I couldn't figure out if he was taking the P*ss but either way its very impressive.
Onto the machine squat. I'm eager to see the number of plates that will be embarrassed on this exercise. Clank, clank,clank and I loose count. I'm guessing more than a cow less than an elephant. Im eager to find out the total weight. Great minds think a like there as I see spiderman (the photographer) climbing on the hack squat and hanging off the apparatus flashing away like he's paid per click. Loz completes five ever increasing sets of deep, heavy ass squats. Exercise two, done. No frills, no complications just a machine. Quick swig of water ( from a BSX) bottle and he strolls to the corner of the gym that time forgot.
This side of the gym is a shrine to strongman training, Hercules hold, atlas stones, huge dumbbell and a farmers walk frame. “ What’s next Mate ?( he,he ) “ Im told its the farmers walk, now I know the event but have you ever seen farmer carrying a metal H frame weighing 400+kg ? No me neither ! Still I get it but I'm renaming the event, Daaaaaaam Mate your nuts walk !
Loz hunches under the bar powering up before running down the 20m lane, running mind ! The weights are increased lap after lap as Loz powers up and down the course. A perfect demonstration of total focus, total effort and total strength. Boom, Clank, aggghhhh “I'm done”. It took a few seconds of dilemma, thinking should I run away before I realised that event training was complete and it wasn’t the constant bright flashes that caused the outburst.
Its the last exercise, leg extensions to finish with a pump. The camera toting whippits and I have a quick confab. Running out of places to hide I get into the Boss role and direct simple shots from the front. Its a great end to the session plus I'm getting dizzy trying to follow them round the gym.
Loz steps in to the machine, curl, groan, curl, groan, its taking its toll now but he doesn’t let up on the intensity and does not stop until he's reached his reps. Quick rest, quick set, one last blinding flash and we are all ready to collapse.
What a great day spent with a gentle giant who demonstrated true intensity, true grit and true strength.
Check out www.bodyshox.com to see what supplements Britains strongest man uses and for some great gallery pictures of this day.