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He drinks a blend of boiled chicken breasts and water and is a full-time policeman you don't want to catch you speeding… he may be a gentle giant, but at 154kg of pure muscle; he’s a still a giant in a police uniform.
The aptly named Derek Poundstone (30) is known across the US as America’s Strongest Man after winning five strongman titles including The Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, The World’s Strongest Man Super Series and America’s Strongest Man. Out of the 26 strongman competitions he’s entered he has come in the top three a staggering 21 times.
However, Poundstone is not just a bodybuilder; he’s a fulltime policeman in his hometown of Naugatuck in the state of Connecticut where he’s known as The World’s Strongest Cop. He’s also a motivational speaker and a spokesman for Solae sports nutrition.
Health24 caught up with him on his visit to Cape Town where he talked about his career as a bodybuilder, his passion for all things healthy.
Watch this video of his interview and witness his sheer strength as he rolls a frying pan into a pancake, push-presses a waitress and rips the Yellow Pages in two.
15 hours exercise a week
To keep in shape Poundstone follows a rigorous exercise routine in which he exercises three hours a day and a diet in which he takes in a staggering 33 600kJ a day.
"The portions I eat aren't that big, but I still take in a lot more kilojoules than the average man. I also take in 500 grams of protein. Your average man takes in 50g."
The obvious question – what about steroids?
Given his size and build, it’s clear that many write him off as yet another bodybuilder on steroids. However, he is adamant this is not the case and says his physique is purely down to diet and exercise.
“I try to live by example and being a police officer that means no drugs. I don’t get offended when people ask if I use steroids though,” he said.
As a spokesman for Solae he is also contractually bound to random drug tests, so steroid use is really not an option for him.
If you can't access the video check out the gallery of his amazing lifts here.
(Amy Froneman, Health24, September 2010)
