Sharing doesn't just mean sharing your snacks. Sidenote: anyone that knows me knows that Amber loves her some snacks. If I ask you if you want some of my food, you, my friend, just ascended to the next level of friendship. If you share a snack with me, watch out because I might bite your hand off as I go to take it. Dirty D and the Fat Rabbit below are my spirit animals.
As I've gotten older, I realize sharing also means sharing your experiences and your story. I can't attribute this nugget of wisdom to the barbell alone but being able to tell my story through the barbell has allowed me to grow exponentially as a person. The barbell is the ultimate acknowledger of your breakdowns and your breakthroughs. I have many videos of me jumping high in the air or squealing after a PR but I have even more videos of me swearing at the bar and roaring. In my best breakdown caught on film, I literally shoved the barbell across the room and followed it as dirty slurs flew from my mouth. This was after I slung a PVC pipe the length of the gym.
Every time I have a new client or I go to a gym to coach trainers, I tell my story. I tell the good, the bad, and the ugly. The records, the championships, my athlete's accomplishments but I also tell of the injuries, the setbacks, the shoulders, and the eating disorder. Nothing is too personal. By sharing my story it helps open the doors for others to share theirs. Even if they never speak about it to me, I know it lessens the stigma of talking about it to others. Sometimes people put you on a pedestal but no one is perfect. Except maybe Donny Shankle but that's here nor there.
I make it a point to list off the names of every coach and mentor I've learned from too. I make it a point to say that you never stop learning. Learn from me in this session and take all the knowledge bombs I've accumulated over the years and make your own. Share my story, share my cues, share my mentors!
Why do I share? Because my mentors shared with me. I'm not anywhere near their expertise yet but by traveling and meeting new lifters, coaches, and programmers, I can be one day. And it's all because they were open to share with me. Don't be afraid to ask for help or advice. Just make sure that you share what you learned with others. That's why anytime someone comes to me with a genuine thirst for knowledge, I help them any way I can. There's a difference between asking for help and wasting my time because you're too lazy to find an answer yourself. I took one of our young MSWLC lifters under my wing and he is starting to shadow coach with us with the caveat that he has to find an article every week to discuss with us. We all share and grow from the experience. Foster relationships and share everything you learn.
I had one of the best compliments of my lifting career the other day. As I was leaving a facility, my athlete called me Sensei. I thought back to all of the Senseis, mentors, lifters and those in the weightlifting/powerlifting community that helped mold me. So here's a short list for you guys. Seek them all out in some or fashion. You won't be disappointed.
ROLL CALL!
Our mutual Sensei, accomplished lifter and coach, Justin Thacker (call him today for a ABC seminar; thelabgym.com)
Thacker's grasshopper Pat Mahoney
Current USAW Nat'l Champ and business extraordnaire Samantha Zimmerman
Jason Poeth
MDUSA's very own Rebecca "BexxMixx" Gerdon
Matt Bruce
Gayle Hatch
CJ Stockel
Kim Treggo
Wendi Crotts
Mississippi Weightlifting Club
Chris Lachney
Richard and Kimmy Trowbridge
Chris Spealler
Danielle Hudes
Mike Taylor
Ellen Underwood
Dex Hopkins
Liberty Barbell Club
Cal Strength and the countless hours of YouTube rabbit holes I've been down
Without them, Amber wouldn't be able to travel around on weekends doing this:
Thank you to every one I've run across on this journey so far.
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