SLIPPERY ROCK — Whether it's logs, tires or stone, Alex Truman has lifted his way to the top.

And the 2009 Butler graduate — now a freshman elementary education major at Slippery Rock University — plans to stay there.

Truman won the lightweight division of the 2009 North American Strongman Teen Championships in Everett, Mass,. in early August and has his sights set on turning professional in the sport.

"I'm leaning toward turning pro sometime in 2010," the 5-foot-10, 225-pound Truman said. "I'll pick up three or four more shows, one or two more big shows, before I do."

Truman plans to compete in a Strongman competition in Harrisburg at the end of October. Another major competition is slated for Dover, Del., Oct. 17.

He's participated in about 10 Strongman shows since breaking into the sport last year. He's won his division in all but one of them.

"I finished third at a show when I was still in wrestling," the former Golden Tornado said. "I couldn't train very much for it."

Truman was 22-18 with 13 pins as a senior wrestler at Butler. He qualified for the WPIAL Tournament by placing fourth in his section meet.

SRU doesn't have a wrestling team these days. If it did, Truman likely wouldn't take part in it.

Strongman competition is his only game now.

"His intensity is incredible when he trains because he loves it so much," said SRU senior and Truman's friend Nick Marts. "He likes to lift, and that's how I met him. I ran a Strongman show at The Rock last year and he competed.

"Alex offered to help me out with this year's competition and we put on quite a show."

Marts and Truman put together a Strongman show Sept. 19 at SRU that attracted 45 participants. Last year's show had 27.

"Alex and I traveled to different areas to get the word out for this one," Marts said. "He wants to promote the sport as much as thrive in it."

The national Strongman competition was broken into five events. Truman had to clean and press a 170-pound log, carry a 200-pound keg for 50 feet and turn, flip a 450-pound tire, execute a 100-foot farmer's walk while carrying 190 pounds with no turns, and perform the Atlas Stone over Bar with the bar height at 44 feet and the stone weighing 200 pounds.

Once he completes his education, Truman hopes to get a job at a school and to build a strength and conditioning program there.

In the meantime, he can turn pro in Strongman by either accumulating enough points through national-plus shows, which are few and spread throughout the country, or by winning open nationals.

"The state chairperson for Strongman is a sponsor of mine and we're trying to figure out my best course of action," Truman said.

He's also hoping to land another major Strongman event in this area.

"We should have a national event somewhere in this region," Truman said. "Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and New Jersey are four of the states producing the most competitors right now."

Either way, Marts predicts ample success for Truman as a pro.

"He's not afraid of hard work and he's as intense as anyone I've ever seen," Marts said. "He follows advice and asks questions. He's hungry to succeed and has the body and training ethic to get it done."