Jim Manion has been promoting bodybuilding competitions in the Pittsburgh area for more than 50 years. But in his time as the president of the National Physique Committee and the International Federation of Body Builders Professional League, he’s never put on an event quite as big as the Pittsburgh Power and Fitness Festival.
The event, which will take place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday, is in its first year of expansion. Along with its traditional bodybuilding competitions, the Pittsburgh Pro and the Pittsburgh Natural Pro Qualifier, Jim Manion and his grandson, Tyler Manion, are incorporating everything from arm wrestling, Zumba and fencing to an American Ninja Warrior experience.
“It’s extremely a lot of work,” Jim Manion said, “extremely a lot.”
“We have a lot more booths coming in to set up … and then we have the strongman exhibition going on there. We have powerlifting … martial arts, jujitsu competitions and things like that going on in the expo. So, it’s very big.”
The push to expand the event came from Tyler Manion, who, in Jim Manion’s words, wanted to keep the tradition of his grandfather’s name alive.
“The sport (of bodybuilding) is growing so fast, and my grandson, Tyler, who’s kind of taking over for me … he wanted to keep the tradition going of Jim Manion’s name … and start the big expo.” Jim Manion said.
While the centerpiece of the event remains the physique contests — highlighted by the Pittsburgh Pro, which offers a total cash prize of $410,000 across seven professional divisions and serves as a qualifier for Mr. Olympia — other attractions, such as the strongman competitions, promise to be exciting as well.
One of those strongmen, Jordan Frame, will be attempting to break the United States amateur axle press record of 400 pounds during the Pittsburgh Record Breakers event Sunday.
Frame, a Valley graduate who trains at the Power Mill Gym in New Kensington, was introduced to the strongman scene by his uncle and has been competing over the past six years. He was not originally sold on attending the festival, but an attempt at a national record wasn’t something he could pass up.
“I didn’t want to do the full show because I didn’t like some of the events,” Frame said. “But then I’d seen the record breakers and I’m like, ‘Man, I love actuals, so I got to do it,’ and that’s how I signed up.”
Jim Manion hopes that there will be others like Frame who find something of interest, even if it isn’t bodybuilding.
“It’s not just all about bodybuilding,” Jim Manion said. “It’s going to be a whole bunch of other different things happening. So hopefully we get a lot of support from just the general public who are interested in fitness, not just hardcore bodybuilding.”
The difference in scale from the Pittsburgh Body Building Championships that Jim Manion promoted in the 1980s to the fitness expo he is overseeing in 2025 is immeasurable. He feels confident and grateful, though, that his grandson Tyler is ready to carry on his legacy with the Pittsburgh Power and Fitness Festival.
“I feel very fortunate to have someone carry on my work and my legacy just like I’ve been trying to do for (Joe and Ben Weider),” Jim Manion said.
“It’s nice to be able to have someone you know that can do a good job of doing it and carrying on in my name. … Yeah, it’s pretty amazing, pretty amazing. It gets me very emotional actually. It’s a very good thing. It’s a beautiful thing.”
The doors to the festival will open at 9 a.m. Saturday. The first event will be the Pittsburgh Natural Pro Qualifier.
Brennan Valladares is a TribLive contributing writer.
