Marc Wells used to train in a bodybuilding fashion with his dad John - but even as a kid, he has always been interested in straight up brute strength - STRONGMAN
Marc's dad has been on strength forums for some years and happened to stumble across a strongman competition that was being held in Lismore, early 2008.
John saw the events and weights that needed to be shifted, and thought that Marc would be able to shift the weights easily. Especially as Marc was one of, if not the strongest guy in the gym.
Wrong.
Marc struggled, a lot.
He finished 2nd last. .
After his performance, Marc felt defeated, wrecked.
It was "a bit shock to the system" he said. He was probably the strongest guy in his gym, but couldn't stack it up with australia's best.
Due to Marc's competitive nature, this didn't deter him.
After a bit of digging around, Marc realised that the promoter of oz strongman, the lived a short distance from his house.
Marc hooked up with him and started doing weekly strongman sessions, and picked the sport up really quick.
Next on the horizon for Marc was the October 2008 oz strongman nationals, where he got 6th place. A much better result 2nd time round.
After that, a string of strong competitions were to follow as Marc climbed his was to the top end of Strongman in Australia.
In 2009, Marc won Brisbane's strongest man, flew down to NSW to win Sydney's strongest man, then to finish up the year, he won the oz strongman amature nationals and as a prize, won him an invite to the Arnold classic in America. His first international competition.
In 2010 Marc placed 2nd at the Australian highlander challenge, Then in March went to America to compete in the Arnold classic world championship.
After returning from the Arnold, he went on to place 2nd at Australia's strongest man, and won yet another invite to the Arnold classic in 2011.
In 2011 Marc went back to America and competed in the Arnold classic, and returned home to place 3rd at Australia's strongest man.
2012 The big year.
One morning Marc woke up to an email from a promoter in the the World Natural Strongman Federation.
The email was a personal invitation to compete in a competition in Abu Dhabi - All expenses paid. This was it, Marc had been noticed on an international level, and is now competing - Professionally.
WNSF then held an international competition in Australia, the Melbourne Grand Prix, Marc earned 2nd place, the prize, another professional invite - The strongman olympics in London. Marc placed 5th in London.
After returning from London, Marc decided to do Australia's strongest man - which he earned 3rd place while carrying a busted rid an injured TFL.
Marc's thoughts on our training facility?
Training at PTC has helped greatly.
I've been able to store some of my equipment there which is very important for my training. I can even get people to look at my form on lifts and have expert feedback...... Something you can't really do in a commercial gym.
It's an environment where everyone is training for goals be it strength or just general fitness conditioning, and not just a social gathering to get that pump in the biceps.
Quality equipment, awesome people, hardcore environment. It's the perfect ingrediant to bring out the best in any serious lifter. Where else are you going to train that has national and world record holders that are training from open till close?
Marc has now trained out of PTC Brisbane 3-4 times a week since mid 2011 and is currently training for Giants Live, the official Worlds Strongest Man qualifier.