California Strength Blog, Olympic Weight Lifting Technique, Videos, Interviews, Instruction, Workouts » 2009

Training is much more than getting stronger, faster,and more explosive. Its more than getting bigger and better at weightlifting or any sport you are training for. Weightlifting is a test of guts, courage and the discipline to keep pushing on. Weightlifting will test you as a person, it is the ultimate report card on what kind of person you are. Are you going to fight? When you get knocked down are you going to get up? When you are being bullied by the weights are you going to run away and hide? When your body says no, will your mind back down and surrender, or will your mind step up to the plate and keep training? Will you quit when times get hard? My mom always taught me that when you get hit , you hit back. So I ask, When a weight hits you and destroys you and your self esteem, will you stand up tall, and try the weight again? Miss or make at least you had the pride to try again. Weightlifting will help every aspect of your life, if its your job, your relationships, your fears, or getting to know yourself, weightlifting is the ultimate life coach. I don’t consider myself a strength coach, I consider myself a life coach, especially to these kids that come into California strength. I teach strength in so many more ways than with a bar or weights, I teach these kids how to fight for what they want in life. I teach these kids that nothing in life is easy, and that you have to work hard at anything you set your mind to. I teach these kids that when you set your mind to something that you can achieve your dream, whether its a job interview or making the varsity football team, I teach these kids how to become life fighters. I teach these kids work ethic, I teach these kids that 200 kilo’s is always going to be 200 kilo’s, and its up to them whether or not they are going to move it. I tell these kids, these small soldiers, that moving 200 kilo’s is the same as graduating from school and getting your dream job, you half to work hard to move that weight, no one is going to move it for you, like no one is going to give you a diploma. The structure, the work ethic and the discipline that weightlifting provides and demands has made me into a man and has changed my life for the best, so I want to give back to these young kids what weightlifting has given me, and give them the tools they need to succeed in life. 2012