Written: Danielle and Andrew Livelsberger
Photography/Video: Andrew Livelsberger
Enjoy the slideshow which showcases images and video coverage of Bodybuilding events, Strongman competitions and the Induction of some great athletes into the International Sports Hall of Fame. This is the first part of a 3 part series that will cover the various aspects of the 4 day expo.
Background:
Most people's first impression of the Arnold Fitness Expo is that it is only an International Federation of Body Builders event. While it is true that the IFBB competitions are a large part of the Expo, there is so much more to it than that. There are actually 50+ sports spotlighted during the 4 days. We at VisualOhio hope to share with you some of the other events and sports present during the long weekend that make this one of the premiere fitness events in the world!
This edition will cover our experiences at the Expo in general as well as highlighting the body building preliminaries, the first round of the Arnold Strongman competition on the Expo Stage and the ceremony to celebrate the 2015 inductees into the International Sports Hall of Fame.
This edition will cover our experiences at the Expo in general as well as highlighting the body building preliminaries, the first round of the Arnold Strongman competition on the Expo Stage and the ceremony to celebrate the 2015 inductees into the International Sports Hall of Fame.
Impression:
Arnold Fitness Expo
The Convention Center was amassed with people and busy as it always has been. All of the big players in the fitness, supplement, and gear industries are there as well as some relatively new vendors. There are lines everywhere, people looking for their next supplement or trying out some new and exciting gear or fitness method.
The Expo stage has some great events as well like the amateur bodybuilding, physique, and Strongman competitions as well as arm wrestling.
IFBB Amateurs
The IFBB amateurs were there and most are looking for their next big break into the professional ranks. A win here could mean sponsorship and preparation to go pro. Whether amateur or pro, these athletes show the hard work and dedication of years of training.
With almost godly feets of strength, these powerful men from all over the world do things that most of us only dream about - lifting 1100 + pounds of timbers and running them up an incline in only seconds, or powering a 450 pound log from the floor to overhead not once, but multiple times!! I find myself mesmerized by the sheer power these men are capable of harnessing and the explosive athleticism. Definitely a must see event!!
International Sports Hall of Fame
While a private ceremony, this is a very important place for athletes to not only be recognized for their achievement in sports but also for their success off their stage of fame and see them in a different light. These are the ones that go above and beyond the sport and give back to the community through charity and individual works. We as fans do not always get to know these people beyond what we see on TV or hear in the media. It was such a great experience to see them outside of that and for what they truly are - normal people that show how having a dream and working hard for it can pay off. Each of the inductees were chosen not only based on their success and awards, but because each of them have used their success to give back and to inspire others.
