HEAVY LIFTING—Simi resident Jon Eklund, above, gives ihis all to pull a pickup truck with his bare arms during the California's Strongest Man Competition in San Diego in December. Eklund, at right, has fought his way back from serious injury to become a contender in the sport, which pits competitors against one another in series of tests of strengthJon Eklund tried pulling the 2-ton pickup truck with all his might.

Nothing. It didn't budge.

With veins popping from his neck and his face contorted, the fierce competitor used all the strength he could summon to pull a length of rope attached to the truck, hoping to move the vehicle, even a few inches.

He imagined he was pulling a house. He pretended his skin turned green and that he had transformed into the Incredible Hulk.

Still nothing.

"I just thought, 'I'm going to lose this event,'" Eklund said.

As the 20-year-old Simi Valley resident prepared to fail emphatically in the California's Strongest Man Competition in San Diego in December, the judges looked inside the truck. What they found changed Eklund's outlook completely.

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers The parking brake was on.

Given a second chance, he took third place in the truck pull and fourth overall at the competition. The gaff, something Eklund can laugh about now, is a metaphor for a life marked by overcoming adversity.

He joined the U.S. Air Force in 2007 after graduating from Royal High School. Not long after enlisting, Eklund discovered he had chondromalacia patellae, more commonly known as runner's knee. Three months later, he was discharged.

Fresh off that setback, the young man had to overcome a serious injury in December of that same year.

While squat lifting 400 pounds at a Simi Valley gym, Eklund lost his footing on a slick floor and fell on his back.

He suffered a bulging disc in his lower spine. Doctors told him he would never lift weights again.

"I was pretty much devastated," Eklund said. "I didn't know what I was going to do."

His dreams of being a firefighter and earning the title of the World's Strongest Man were dashed, but only temporarily.

Eklund spent six months away from the gym after his back injury. Around that point, he changed his outlook on fitness.

"I stop goofing off when I'm training," he said "I take it really serious."

With the help of trainer Odd Haugen, a former Norwegian strongman champion, Eklund has improved the strength in his knee and back while enjoying strong performances at tournaments around the country.

Two or three times a week, Eklund will train at Haugen's home in what's called Valhalla: West Gate. In Viking mythology, Valhalla is a heaven for warriors who died in battle.

Eklund has been training for strongman competitions since September. Although he's a novice in the sport, he's already showed signs of future success.

"I've been into fitness my whole life," Eklund said.

The young strongman comes from a family of athletes. His parents, Larry and Mary Eklund, were amateur bodybuilders. His older sister Nicole, 27, recently completed a triathlon.

Eklund said one of his heroes is California's very own bodybuilding governor.

"Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of my big idols," he said. "It's not because of his wins but the goals he set out and how he achieved those goals. He was an immigrant coming to this country who had little to nothing, but he had three goals. He set out to be the best bodybuilder; he wanted to be a movie star, and he wanted to be high up in politics."

Eklund had a circuitous journey from bodybuilding to participating in strongest man competitions.

After watching several bodybuilding competitions, Eklund saw an ugly side of the sport.

"A lot of guys in bodybuilding are juiced on steroids," he said. "I'm 100 percent against steroid use, and I knew I would have no chance at winning any bodybuilding contests."

In 2005, Eklund went to the Los Angeles Fitness Expo, and was intrigued with strongman competition.

"I can do this," he thought.

At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Eklund is one of the smallest competitors on the strongman circuit. That doesn't slow him down a bit.

"He's very enthusiastic," said Haugen, who lives in Newbury Park. "He's not afraid to try new things. He's not afraid to push the envelope."

Haugen said Eklund has exceptional natural grip, adding that "if he can lift it, he can usually hold on to it." Eklund credits Haugen with teaching him proper weightlifting techniques

Eklund excels when pushed to compete.

"You know how young boys say, 'I can pick up that stone and throw it farther than you'? Well, I never really got out of that phase. What drives me is that competition. It's all mind over matter. A lot of it has to do with strength but also, how badly do you want to win," he said.

Eklund competed in the Minnesota Winter Strongman Challenge on Jan. 11, nabbing firstplace honors in the novice division.

Eklund, who is taking a class at Oxnard College on being an emergency medical technician, has been training for California's Strongest Man contest in Huntington Beach in March. He also has his eyes set on the Golden State Strongman competition in Fresno in April.

In five to 10 years, Eklund wants to not only compete in the World's Strongest Man competition but be in the running to win the title.

Larry Eklund is happy his son has found his niche.

"I'm glad he's found something he enjoys doing," he said. "I think he will be able to (succeed) as long as he continues to focus on gradual steps and not try to rush it too quickly."

One thing that strength competitions have already taught the young man: Don't forget to release the parking brake.