Mick Cottrell lifts more than just the lid at an extreme sports event on Saturday, September 19, at Bay Bodyfit, where he'll pull a three tonne truck 15 metres.


Mick Cottrell shows ambitious weight lifters how to push, pull and lift weights beyond their usual limits at The Mount's Bay Bodyfit open day this weekend.

The Kiwi strongman says anyone can give truck pulling a go at Bay Bodyfit's open day. His entrée into heavy weight lifting was 10 years ago at a Christchurch strongman event where he placed fourth out of six entrants.
'I've been lifting heavy things since I was 18 and got into lifting weights when worked in Australia where there was a gym at work.”
This weekend's 3.2 tonne truck is relatively light for Mick, who once pulled a 15 tonne truck for 25 metres and, in New South Wales this year, held 125 kilograms in each hand for 50 metres.
'Anyone can have a go this weekend's truck pull. Just sign your life away on a waiver, then go for it at 12.45pm on Saturday,” says Mick, who came third in the Big Boys' Toys last year in Auckland and has several Australian events scheduled for the rest of 2009.
The most challenging weights to lift are stones – try getting a grip on something heavy and round. The biggest challenge, though, is focussing the mind.
'Anger helps but as I'm getting older I'm mellowing out. I've got to focus more now. In competitions, the crowd amps me up and music with a bit of a beat helps too - and having my personal trainer yell at me.”
www.baybodyfit.co.nz