Good Sports: Man with Fresno ties vying to be Men's Health 'Ultimate Guy'

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The search for Men's Health magazine's "Ultimate Guy" is on, and whoever gets the most votes, will become its next cover star.

A man with Fresno ties is currently in third place with 5,300 votes. He is hoping to make a difference in the lives of others by encouraging them to reach their highest potential.

Videos posted on his Facebook page show Craig Gierish goes from one workout to the next with ease. But it wasn't always this way for the 26-year-old fitness trainer.

"I decided, you know, I don't want to just be big and strong," said Gierish. "I want to be athletic. I want to be able to play sports, and basically I train for overall athleticism."

And now, he is representing Fresno in the top three in a national contest for Men's Health fitness magazine, in his words, because of the connections he's made with clients. Gierish says he's been athletic his whole life, and after seeing success through his own workouts decided to share what he learned with others. Through his Facebook page and website, he provides training and nutritional tips for his clients all over the country.

"I put the personal time into them so they put the personal time back into me," said Gierish. "I think that's important especially when trying to help someone reach their goals, they wanna have that personal connection."

Gierish lived in Fresno for a short time two years ago, but now calls Arizona home. He returns to the Central Valley every other month to visit family and promote his business, while pursuing a modeling career. He says he is thankful for all of the support he's received for the magazine's contest, and the biggest payoff is knowing he's influencing his clients' lives for the better.

"Every single day I wake up to a message saying 'you inspire me,'" said Gierish.

A good sport through his virtual and personal connections.

And it's easy to vote! All you need to do is go to the website for Men's Health, or click here, click on his name and then select the "vote" button above his photo. Voting ends June 21.

Click here to visit Craig Gierish's Facebook page.

Action News producer Christine Brown contributed to this report.