Strongman does feats of strengths for charity
For the next three Fridays, strongman Dave Gonzales will be demonstrating his muscle, weight lifting and power feats all in the name of charity on Fort Myers Beach. Billed as the Mighty Gonzales, he will perform at Hammerhead Beach Gym at 3051 Estero Blvd. free to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 19, 26, and April 2.
After each performance, Tiffany Kersten, the owner of the gym will make a donation to an area charity. Gonzales is donating his time and talent to the gym to raise awareness of his own physical fitness and the importance of being in shape – all while helping raise money for the community.
“I will be attempting many different strong man feats which will be personal bests for me during those shows,” he said. “I love this area and I really think the Hammerhead Beach Gym is a first class facility run by top notch people. I’ve been here before and the enthusiasm of everyone here is truly infectious.”
Gonzales’s feats of strength have been featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in the past and according to Tim O’Brien, Ripley’s VP of Communications, Gonzales is a unique performer. “We are proud to help sponsor Dave’s display of strength whenever possible. He uniquely combines his strength skills with sideshow stunts such as performing on broken glass. That’s what makes him a true Believe It or Not!”
During the three Friday performances, he will attempt various feats of danger and strength, including:
Most push-ups in one hour with feet elevated and hands on piles of broken glass.
Push-ups with his hands on broken glass while someone sits on his back.
1,000 consecutive stomach crunches while lying on glass.
Curls for a continuous hour, with a 50-pound dumbbell.
Sit-ups with 220 pounds on his chest while holding two 50-pound dumbbells – on broken glass.
Bench presses totaling 50 tons in 1 hour on broken glass.
Continuous pull-ups for 30 minutes while wearing a 40-pound backpack.
Push-ups between 2 chairs with a 40-pound back pack.
Attempt to do 800 sit-ups with 50-pound weight on his chest in 30 minutes.
Since the late 1990s, Gonzalez has been performing various feats of strength and has been featured throughout the country on both national and local television. During those years, he has exhibited his strength in numerous ways, including the pulling of a 20-ton truck down the street, ripping phone books in half, having concrete blocks smashed over his head, and tearing license plates into pieces with his bare hands.