Attitude Nation

Yellow Brick Road

2012-03-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

The highs and lows of this yellow brick road is something I haven’t seemed to figure out or grasp yet. The ups and downs of this sport are on the same level as trying to figure out a math problem. You have no idea where to start and how to find the solution. They tell me the solution is train times train equals win.....but sometimes the answer doesn’t come out the right way. I let you down and myself, and for that I am sorry. What happened? I jerked the bar above my head with everything I had. The wining lift was there for a split second before it came crashing down right in front of my eyes. As the weight hit the platform an earthquake took place, I felt my whole world tumbling around me. As the bar was over my head I remembered thinking to myself that I did it, I remember how happy I was for that half second....that was a great half second. But then my smile turned to dirt and dust as the bar fell in front of my face in slow motion like a piece of paper being dropped from a high building. The bar dropping reminded me of the end of a movie, as it fell it erased the audience into black, it killed my vision, it destroyed my fans.

Can we make a deal? I promise you I will train harder than ever if you don’t leave me. Will you stay if I keep fighting? I can’t promise you I will win every meet, but I can promise you I will be at everyone giving it my all, and fighting for myself and the Attitude Nation. I hope I don’t lose you, I love writing to you and chatting with you throughout this crazy journey of weightlifting. This blog is the only thing that keeps me sane, without it my training would suffer. I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart; you have no idea how bad I feel. I have let you all down, and I am struggling to get back on the horse and find my identity again. I havnt slept in days, and my mind is being very hard on me. My tears have fallen and my hands hurt from wall punching. The "if only's” are attacking me, and I can’t seem to get away from the hell they are putting me in. I have a few pretty good excuses that I tell myself so I can feel better, but those are just cop outs. My forehead is bruised from knocking my head back and forth against the wall. And the talking to myself is getting much worse; I am sometimes worried I am losing it. If you stay with me it would mean the world to me, and shit, if you want the bronzes and the silver I will still send them to you.

The road continues, and the witches will always be out there, but I must keep training. I must keep competing. I will still be in the corner of my gym leashed to the platform training for whatever meet is around the corner. I am there when you need me, and there to do what I love, I am there always ready to put myself on the line and go for Gold. I am a weightlifter, win, lose, tie, Olympics or no Olympics, I lift weights over my head and I love doing it. I will not give up; I will not let this depression take me down like the Titanic. I am a fighter not a quitter, we are winners, and winning is what we will do. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but some day, some time I will win again and stand tall. I have always said that weightlifting is like dating, it’s a numbers game. If you ask 100 girls out, one will say yes. Same with weightlifting, I will be at every fucken meet there is, I am bound to win a few more! I refuse to let a medal tell me who I am. We wake up every day and we attack life, no matter what. We are not Rob Adel, we won’t quite, and I will never walk out on you.

Brian Drescher is my role model; I hope I can be like him when I get older. I truly admire his outlook on life. I will still be lifting weights doing what I love with a proud smile on my face like Brian. His swagger is awesome, his bravery to be what he wants is motivational, and he helps me when I get down, so thank you Brian.

I have wanted to write to you the last few days, but I couldn’t get the courage to talk to you with the state of mind I have been in. Depression is an understatement, and the prison my mind has locked me in wont seem to let me out. I was to depressed and worried about what you now think of me. Time is a great cure though, and I started to realize that we are like family, and family is always there for each other, so thank you.

You guys should have seen all the Attitude soldiers that were there at nationals. Everywhere I went handshakes, salutes, pictures, and autographs. There was USA weightlifting and then us slowly taking over. Even after the meet was over and the Bronze and Silver were around my neck, you were all still there. We are growing and fast. I was shocked at how many people saluted. A top weightlifter was sitting next to me seeing this happen, and he looked over at me and said "shit North, this is almost getting scary". lol, I said scary no, fucken awesome, yes.
I will be writing daily again about training for the Pan Am Championships in Mexico in 6 months. The journey will continue, and the Olympics are still in my reach. I just need to come out of my depression and figure out the math problem. Train times Train equals slam bars. talk to you tomorrow my friend.

Pan Am Championships 2012

Get back on the horse 2012

Attitude Nation 2012

PS: Thank you to the guy that was helping loading my weight in the back room. I never got a chance to shake your hand and tell you thank or even get your name. So thank you.

Shaky Hands and Cross Kissing

2012-02-29T12:24:00.002-08:00

I wasn't going to write again tell after Nationals, but I just couldn’t stay away from chatting with you. Coffee is just not the same without talking to the Attitude Nation. Writing has become a big part of my life; I didn’t realize this Intel the other day when my hands were twitching for the key board. Writing is my therapy, without it I feel claustrophobic, uptight, and lonely....yes lonely is a great word to explain what I go through without writing to you, and lonely is never good. So I hear I am, back with you one more time before Nationals, grab some coffee, put on a Piano guys song, put on your phantom mask with the dark cape, and let’s sing together in our dark symphony while the world shuns us!

The Taper bug has finally left, thank the Lord. The last week I have been tired, weak, slow, and unmotivated. I have been sleeping like a new born baby, too lazy to even play video games. Just enough energy to sit in the hot tub and stare at a swaying tree for about 30 minutes. This always happens to me before a big meet. I call it the Taper bug. The Taper bug is when you start to back off the training and rest the body. The volume goes way down, the squat workouts get easier, the length of training gets cut in half, and the overall intensity lowers with each workout. You become more sore, achy, slow, and even weaker the more the taper bug enters your body. Why? I have no idea. You would think it would be the exact opposite. It’s like your body finally gets some rest and takes full advantage of it. Your body shuts down, like a bear for the winter, a big Donny shankle bear. Lol, sorry I don’t know why I just said that, but the image is pretty funny. Months and months of hell training, months and months of beating it down, months of kicking it every time it tries to get up. Now when you let it stand, it doesn’t just jump up and say "let’s go"! No no, the body slowly gets on one knee first, and then the right hand helps support your body, and after a few days of trying to stand up it does, slowly but surely. But my friends.....It doesn’t just stand...no, it grows 90 feet tall and smashes everything in front of it. "Green Monster” my old blog explains this perfectly.

I have been in depression the last week. The taper bug got to my head a little bit, and the taper cloud over my head really brought me down. Even coffee didn’t help. Weight after weight being missed, twitching legs while a sleep, and low energy levels, haaaa! NO MORE!! I have smashed the bug and grabbed my gun. I have reunited with the Nation and we will attack. Snap out of it Champ, you have a title to defend. You have a medal to send around the world, no time for pity. No time for” what ifs”, no time for the weight to feel heavy, just lift and win. And after they put the medal around your neck, salute the Nation with pride boy.

Yes that all sounds good, but a minute later my hands start to sweat again, my heart rate goes up, and my mind starts playing tricks on me again. The opener keeps me up at night, the opener haunts me. Sometimes I feel like running, running to a small town and hiding in a bar. Forgetting that I am 4 months sober and drinking my worries away night after night. Yes, this sounds great, no more pressure, just a white flag and my vodka. Every sip of that Vodka would warm my soul and make me feel good again. No more pain and hype, no more hateful comments towards me, no more long days training in the gym, no more letting people down if I do bad. But then again I would be letting many people down if I ran away. Then again I would not have you. I would no longer be a part of the Attitude Nation. Being a part of this Nation is everything to me, I take pride in it. Vodka is a nation of destruction and failure. Vodka is a friend who will smile to my face and then stab me in the back.

Fuck, this blog is all over the place, I am sorry, this is why I haven’t wrote in a few days, I knew this would happen. I haven’t been myself the last few weeks, and my mind is only on Nationals, everything else is scattered with holes in it. But I am glad I wrote this blog today, I feel its centering me and putting me back in a place of comfort and confidence. So thank you.

Someone call the small town bar and tell them I won’t be making it in, I have a title to defend. Tell Vodka I am sorry for no showing, and not to wait up for me. Remind him that I am with the Nation still, and I will never leave them.

Smash the Taper bug and Win Nationals 2012

Smash Sir Vodka and keep marching with the Nation 2012

Olympics 2012

Serenity

2012-02-28T16:41:00.000-08:00

Quiet before the storm.

2012

Road Trip

2012-02-22T18:51:00.002-08:00

The green jungle is bright green this afternoon. There are animals everywhere grazing in the sun. I am under a tree that is giving me partial shade, while the rest are small spots of sun hitting me like a high School dance. O boy she looks good today, and she tastes even better. She is light brown from the sun, and her ice is like a turning disco ball that takes me back to my very first slow dance in middle school. She is extra strong today from the two shots that were injected in her. If coffee was a sport, than she would test positive for steroids. Before I started writing I was in a great people watching zone. It’s such a beautiful day to sit back, take kisses from your coffee, and watch all the different kind of people out walking around. Smell is everything, the smell that is floating around puts you in a good mood. It takes you back to playing basketball back in your hometown during the summer. It makes you think of all the old friends you have lost over the years....I wonder how they are all doing. A hot day but a perfect day because of the small gusts of wind that hit you every once and a while.....it’s like ranch with your pizza, it makes a world of difference.

I want to say thank you to all of you who e mailed me about the Gold Medal Tour. I have read and keep reading every single e mail you have wrote me. I have written down all of your names, addresses and phone numbers. I have received over 100 e mails so far! And they are still coming! I can’t wait to get this started and watch all the cool places the medal will go. I can’t thank all of you enough, it means the world to me.

My blog views have gone through the roof lately, wow, this nation is growing. It’s like fight club with a weightlifting twist. I think it’s because of the technique talk and videos I have been putting out lately. Well here I go again; back to talking about God knows what, and more coffee talk, meaning the views will probably go back down. I really do feel that getting away from weightlifting and training helps an athlete’s mind and body recover from the mental game that takes a toll on a weightlifter. Stepping away and finding something to do is a great way to hit a PR the next day. I choose writing to you, what do you guys do? It’s funny, I don’t know one weightlifter that has a hobby, or an activity he or she likes to do when not performing the art of weightlifting. It’s like we are all obsessed, we are chasing our own tails, we are hungry dogs that only want one thing, and this is to kill and eat. This is what makes us champions; this is what makes us...well, us. This is the hardest sport in the world, so we must be the hardest people in the world. We are one of a kind, we are truly warriors. We get a high when we make a lift, and when we miss. Missing only means one thing, and that is to make it. Make it, miss it, make it and hopefully make it again. This is our high, this is how we gamble, and this is what we do on the weekends. Pretty much this is really all we talk about. This is our Las Vegas.

After this year’s Olympics I am planning a Cal Strength/Attitude tour. I am buying a bus camper thing, whatever you call them, and I am going to travel to every state and train with you guys. It’s still a few months away, but it’s going to happen. I will stay in touch with you about this American tour. It’s time to stop talking through this blog, it’s time to stop watching videos, and time to train together in person. If you want me to stop by your gym and get a workout in or even do a seminar let me know, and I will be there. It’s going to be called the Attitude Nation tour, and I am going to paint that on the side of the bus so everyone can see it. Our medal will be traveling the world and I will be traveling the United Sates. This is happening, this is real, and I am pumped out of my mind. We together are going to take weightlifting to a whole other level; it’s going to be bigger than boxing. We are the future. While USA weightlifting sits on their ass and tells just a few lifters that they are God (I won’t mention any names) we will take over. If they are not going to grow this sport then fuck em, we will. They raise their nose to us; they could care less about you and me. If you are not an 18 year kid who has a coach that is connected with some old guy in the weightlifting organization than you are nobody. I will stop at that....I need to go train now before I get to worked up. talk to you tomorrow! Salute!

PS: Hey USA weightlifting what ever happened to my interview after I won Nationals last year? Every other weight class winner got one. What happened to my pictures and story line after the 2011 Pan Am Games? What ever happened to my 2010 Pan Am championships videos? I guess I was left out of that one as well. I lift for this great Country, Cal Strength, Attitude Nation, myself, my family, my wife and my coach….NOT YOU.

American tour 2012 coming soon

Traveling Medal

2012-02-21T14:13:00.000-08:00

Over and over the opener flashes in my head, keeping my eyes wide open at night as I stare at the ceiling fan. The "what-ifs" are thrown around the room with each turn of the fan, and they bounce off the walls and hit me directly in my gut while I lay half-asleep like a zombie. Questions that I don't know the answer to turn me into a mad scientist trying to figure them out. The drool drips form my mouth as I rock back and forth in my favorite wooden chair. I keep staring at the empty table like I am trying to figure out the winning word in scrabble. I can hear the talk outside my door - the bets, the who will win, opinions, cold remarks, and the positive motivation from the people in my corner. Letting the nation down is my biggest fear. The pressure is heavy, much heavier than the bar. I want to win for the kid who trains in his garage. I want to win for the unspoken for, the hidden soldiers that train just as hard or harder than I do. The kid who gets bullied, the young kid who is crying outside his math class because he is to scared to enter the room. I want to win for you, my second family, the family of the dark orchestra. The family who visits me here in a world of black buttons and white screens. You keep me going. I am glad I have you to talk to, so the least I can do is win, and bring us home the gold. Most importantly my coach, Coach Pendlay is the man I want to see smile after I win; the happiness that one smile alone would bring me is something I can't express through this key board.

Adrenaline please be in my corner. I sometimes miss my openers because I don't finish enough. The reason for this is because the pull feels so light from the adrenaline rushing through my body that I get under too early. The Arched Angel needs to be with me in my opener; I need her to guide me to victory. I keep telling myself over and over to finish like someone has a gun to my mom's head, no matter how light the super man pull is. Fucking finish Jon, and then stand the fuck up. Fight for your life and your family's life as well. Fight for the Attitude Nation. Fight and win.

I am going into Nationals like it's another training day. This is the mindset I have decided to take going into battle. There is nothing different besides the lights, the people and the stage...just lift.

I rub my hands together after I take a drink from her dark brown body, realizing that I have training soon. Its very hard to train right now, just because I am so focused on competing at nationals. I am ready now, there is no more time for training... lets get this show on the road already. Do you have this same problem? My body and mind have their shields, war paint, and swords ready for kill time, ready for gold medal time, and bar slamming in the faces of many time. The people who hate me out there are going to hate me more when I win. What a great way to give someone the middle finger. Evert time I smile it must destroy them. Every time you root for me, they must lose sleep. Good! Let's kill 'em with kindness by winning!!!

Please give me your address, I want to send OUR gold medal to every Attitude soldier all over the world. Wear it for a few days, take a picture and share it with the Nation, and then send it off to someone else. I am dead serious. I want the world to see that big gold medal. I want the haters to see it it everywhere they go. THE HATER CAN RUN, BUT HE CAN'T HIDE! Please e-mail me at jnorth@californiastrength.com with your name, address and phone number. When you are done wearing it for two days, then send it off to another person. I know all the Attitude soldiers can afford shipping because we are all motivated hustlers. The goal is to have the medal travel the world for one year and then back to me. Let's do this every year. Please e-mail me, please.....let's take over the world.

Now its time to train. I will do everything in my power to get you that medal. We will win. We will concur. Slam your bars and turn your AC up with the windows down during a hot day. Salute my friends. Now go lift!

Gold Medal Tour 2012 and forever

14 Days Out

2012-02-19T23:16:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for Nationals the Attitude Nation way !! Compete, compete, compete, fight, fight, fight, win, win, win and then slam the bar! (Repeat)

Weightlifter Rich

2012-02-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

Some call it Hood Rich, I call it Weightlifter Rich. Here are the top ten reasons that make you Weightlifter Rich.

1. Everything is in your Parents name.

2. Zero dollars in your bank account - Four Thousand dollars rolled in a rubber band under the spare tire of your trunk.

3. Car payment is more than house payment.

4. New black on black Audi with the gas light on 24-7. When you do get gas you only put in ten bucks at a time.

5. You live in the nicest apartment in your city with no furniture. Only a blow up matteress in the bedroom and the PlayStation in the living room.

6. The only plastic in your wallet are Starbuck cards.

7. Late on rent because you just bought the newest weightlifting shoe.

8. Your sponsor put you up at the Super 8 Motel for Nationals.

9. You go to a five star restaurant and ask for the Dollar menu.

10. Reebok sponsors CrossFit.......LA Gear sponsors Weightlifting.

Training never sleeps 2012

Freak

2012-02-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

Socially not eccepted, outcasts that reak of freak. Our home is the gym, the world has shuned us. We dont bench press so we cant be strong. If we are not powerlifters than we are not weightlifters. No curls no girls. We are the red head step child who eats in the adich. We are the miss understood. The suits and ties give me change as a wait for my coffee with my ripped up cloths and chalky hands. Teachers say "he could have really been something....only if he applied himself". Too bad he became a gym rat. Too bad he didnt follow in his fathers foot steps.  No money.....so why do you do this sport?   You should go back to school, you should figure out your life plan. What are you going to do after weight....power training..?

The NFL guys watch us like we are a half time show. They smile, shrug there shoulders, give a little clap and then go back to there grown up table. They lift weights, they run on the track, they play football.  The weightlifter stays in one place as the bar grins with complete power.

We are freaks with tree trunk legs, over sized asses, pot belly's, long sharp traps like a rino with his horn, used for protection and survial from joe next door. You dont understand us, good... then leave us alone. We dont understand you eaither.  Throw your rocks, thats fine, we are strong, we can take it. Trust me joe, if you can be a weightlifter you can be anything. Consist missed lifts and bomb outs is only the start of what I weightlifter can endur. Trust me joe, your rocks dont hurt. Hey Joe, dont move, I am just going to pick up this really big rock and drop it straight on your head. Actually no I am not, I will take the high road, I am in battle everyday, I dont have the energy to battle with you. Go back to your desk job as I bleed 5 colorfull rings.

Weightlifting is dark, but beautifull. A place full of purple cats and tea party's.  The cold bar is our warm fire, a nation of crying eyes and smiling faces. screw the rest of the world outside the gym, we are family, we can do anything with eachother. But even though this palace can get cold at night, and sometimes no one can hear you yelling "anybody home"? Training is always there for you, and will always respond by saying "yes sweetie, how was your day"?   Everything seems to be ok when training. Weightlifting seems to make everything else in life fall in place. No matter what stresses or plroblems you are having in life, you know for sure that training starts at two. Training loves you. Its a great feeling knowing that when the world gets cold, training is always there ready to hold you in her arms and sing you hush little baby.

I know you think we are all freaks Joe, but fuck you, the Attitude Nation is family, weightlifting is family, and all we need is eachother.

Freak 2012

The Soldier Of Strength

2012-02-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

An Attitude Nation Production. The trailer for the new Cal Strength Movie. coming soon!

Salute!

The Arched Angel

2012-02-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

The way she bends makes you want to get under her...and fast. Her black wings open wide and her body stretches out as if she was being raised by God himself. A sudden pause in the gym occurs. A half second pause of beauty. A gust of wind hits the wide eyed watchers as they gazed upon her remarkable bent shaped arch. She rises higher and higher onto her toes as her hips come through like a 3D movie. Her shoulders are so far back that a cup could balance on her chest without spilling. Somehow her eyes are still staring straight ahead, even though her body would tell you different. What a remarkable position, what a great athlete. A site that is kind on the eye, and would make a grown man cry from the beauty it holds. She is the Michael Jordan of weightlifting; her finish is greater than Lance Armstrong finishing his race. Her arch is more famous than the golden arch.

Her wings are now black from the hell she has been through, before weightlifting they were diamond white. Before weightlifting she could fly, now her back hurts so she only leaves the platform for a split second. Some call this (Ali Feet), and others say imprisonment. Every time the angel tries to fly home, the weight pulls her back down. Like the Godfather trying to get out, they keep pulling him back in.

We need her; the Attitude Nation must have her to succeed. We need her in this sport to achieve greatness. One day she can fly home, but not yet. First the Attitude Nation needs to make the Olympics; we need her grace and her beauty to guide us to the “finish”. We need her strength and her confidence to catch the bar perfectly. Her name is the Arched Angel, and she is in all of us. She will lift you to greatness and carry you to the land of Pr's. She is that half second of peace in your life before she drops you off at the land down under called the “catch”. Her black wings are your black wings as she turns you into a weightlifting God for that split second. The Arched Angel is not the fastest, nor the strongest, but the smoothest and most talented. Getting on your toes in the finish with 166kg takes a guardian with wings. Sometimes she will help you; sometimes she is on her lunch break.

If you haven’t seen her yet, then you are probably seeing the scare crow. The scare crow is mean and unforgiving. He will make you miss everything in front, and the word slow is his middle name. I call him the evil V, V for vertical. He has no idea what explosive means, he has no clue how to put on the Ali boxing gloves. V is also very old. He was used way back in the day when a weightlifter wasn’t allowed to have any bar body contact. Yes the V works great for that, but the sport has changed, and the Arched Angel has arrived.

PS- I am sorry for taking a few days off from my blog, I blame coach Pendlay for the hell he has casted upon me and my team mates. I have been crawling out of bed in the morning reaching for the bath tub knob to draw my hot bath like Frodo for the ring. So tired that typing would have been near impossible. So beat down that drinking coffee has been a workout. We have a meet this weekend, so the training has let up slightly. It feels good to be back with you in our orchestra of hell. Let’s all hold hands as the pain creeps up our legs into our head. It really doesn’t hurt as bad when we all feel the same.

Arched Angel 2012

Don

2012-02-09T16:55:00.000-08:00

That day I ordered a number one like I usually do. Instead of the drink I got a strawberry shake, and instead of the double-double I had to upgrade to a tripple- tripple. I couldn’t let Donny see me with a small meal. I wanted my first impression to be good; I wanted him to like me. My fingers were like drum sticks against the white table as my head kept turning side to side, trying to see if I could see the man himself walking towards the building. Saying I was nervous doesn’t explain how nervous I really was. Not just the fact that I was about to eat lunch and train with my role model I have never met before, but the fact that I was in an unknown city by myself, just gave my college councilor my drop out forum, and just told 24 hour fitness I quit. So there I sat at the front door of my new life, hoping someone would open the door and take me in. I put everything on red, and then closed my eyes as the ball rang around the wood wheel.

I ordered Donny the same thing I got. My dad taught me well, I bought.... respect is everything. I was raised watching the Godfather's and listening to lecture’s from my father on how to go about social situations. Hours among hours of "what to do" and "why to do it". The man was brilliant and still is. I keep trying to convince him to write a book, trust me....it would sell. This man’s life is a book; Dave North is a genius with people. With just one look and a touch of the shoulder, he would make you melt in his hands, and he knows it. My parents are divorced, and let’s just say that my mom and dad don’t talk. But the best way I can explain my dad is something my mom says about him. She says "that man could have been President of the United states”. When she says that it gives me goose bumps. Pulling strings is an understatement with him. He would give me a lecture as a child and then perform it without anyone knowing what he was doing. It would work every time, to this day I am still baffled at what his mind can do. I will never forget the smell of his work suits and the presence he carried with him. He always made the coffee drive through people smile, and please stomp your shoes outside before getting in his baby (aka) Lexus. Being the vice-president of Nextel on the whole west coast….well let’s just say he ran things like a boss! As a young man I emulated him. He was after all, my father. One day I realized that my father was not me, and I am not my father. As my father chose the direction to take his life, I chose my own direction. So I became jumping Jonathan North, a soldier of the Attitude Nation, nothing more, nothing less. It feels great just being myself. I still use many of my dad’s teachings every day, and I am lucky to have a dad that let me into his mind and help me through many of my problems. Thank you Dad for everything you have taught me, without it who knows where I would be today. If we ever talk again, I would tell him to please write a book. I beg you. I Love you dad, I always will.

As I sat there with all these random thoughts racing through my head, I then wondered if Donny knew that I am his biggest fan. I would sit front row at every meet he lifted in, and cheer like the Cowboys were playing in the Super bowl again. His YouTube videos were my motivation, and California Strength was the Harvard of weightlifting. Hopefully I get in, and maybe someday I will graduate with my Olympics rings…. if I play my cards right and train hard.

He walked in like he owned the building, better yet… the city. I stood up and shook his hand, and then we sat and ate in almost complete silence. He didn’t talk a lot, so I didn’t either. There was an understanding at the table between us both, and after a few minutes I knew this was going to be my new home.

We trained hard that day. I met the Don (Dave Spitz) and that went well. I will never forget what Donny said to me in the middle of practice. He said, "I am going to break you down boy". And O boy did he. I was about to drive back home to Sacramento when the Don changed my life with just one line. "Come back tomorrow and train again". I drove home with a smile ear to ear the whole hour and half home. No music, just a replay in my mind of everything that happened. I did it, I impressed them, they liked me, I just might be a Cal Strength soldier.

After three weeks of hell, and hours and hours of driving there and back, the Don had a sit down with me. The little ball hit red. Babe call the Uhal place, we are moving. The End

Shankle-Don-Cal strength-Dave North 2012

Hole In One

2012-02-07T16:58:00.000-08:00

I grabbed my Pendlay bar for this 130kg drive. Swung it back and cracked it. The swing was long and powerful. I followed through the finish as if I was Tiger Woods posing for Golf Digest. A swoosh followed by a whack, followed by the whistling wind slapping my kakis like a flag outside a school yard. The wind died down as complete silence took over this beautiful green landscape. What I sight....watching what your body created. Now I understand how the mad scientist must have felt when he created Frankenstein. I lifted my hand above my eyes, trying to block out the sun from watching my little white ball fly across the course. I slammed my club down against the short hard grass as I gave myself a fist pump and a loud roar! Hole in one! I didn't shank it but I definitely shankled it! I didn’t just lower my hand down from my forehead; I gave it a fast and violent ATTITUDE NATION SALUTE! My Golf buddy filmed it, check it out below!!

Mark Haz

2012-02-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

Good morning soldiers of the attitude. It's a great day to kick your body deeper down into hell. It’s a beautiful day to train and hug life with a smile. Call your mom and tell her you love her, and then go back to slamming more bars. Drink coffee to your favorite song as you stand on top of the back room table swinging your arms in the air like a bald eagle. USA salute, God for inventing this great sport called weightlifting salute and everyone that we have in our lives that is special to us salute.

My last few postings have been too much about weightlifting and my crazy views on technique. So now I am going to ramble about whatever this coffee has on her mind. Balancing coaching and training is hard, but I love being able to do both. I sometimes get excited for the day I retire so I can coach full time, but then again I am excited to be an athlete and make this Olympic team some day. Knowing what you are and what you want to do in your life is a beautiful thing, thank you Lord for blessing me with weightlifting. Thank you Lord for giving me the courage to drop out of school and meet Donny Shankle at the In-and-Out four years ago. Thank you for letting me walk my own path and not what society wanted me to do. Thank you mom for trusting my decision to give this weightlifting thing a shot. Thank you for reading this blog and being a part of this great nation called the attitude. I am so happy to have you.

I hope my videos of the superman pull have been helping some, and my arm bend article as well, even though that one was a little controversial. Boy I love lifting off the high boards, they will get your back freaky strong. Talk about having to finish like a champ, the high boards will force you to move like no other. And the pull....the pull takes three days to complete! Why are Mondays always so hard? Maybe it’s your mind telling your body, "hey body it’s the beginning of another week of hell." And then your body throws a hissy-fit.

Mark Haz just sat down next to me, love this sexy beast. This dude is 52 years old and trains everyday hard in the paint. Snatch clean and jerk squat to max daily. He never seems to get hurt or take a day off....what a champ. His best lifts would crown him the world champion in the masters division if he would ever go. I think he is next year. I am his biggest fan. Mark Haz you are a bad ass, keep up the great work. It’s an honor to be your team mate and your friend.

Time to get ready for our second Practice. I posted a video that I wrote this blog to, with my new favorite band called The Piano Guys. I am hoping to see them in concert in San Fran soon.

Mark Haz 2012

Row Your Boat

2012-02-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

I am a big believer in the arm bend. I call it “rowing the boat". Here are a few reasons why bending your arms will help you lift big weights: First of all, rowing the bar into your hips creates much more force and explosion at the finish of the pull. Secondly it tightens up that superman pull, allowing you to stay in better positions. It also allows you to stay over the bar much longer. If your hips hurt from striking the bar low on your hip, then the arm bend will help you clear the “ouch bone”! If you need more bar speed in your lifts, then please go to the store and buy some arm bend, because it will put the bar in 6th gear!

As the bar gets closer to the hips, the bend in your arms should slightly increase. Once the superman pull is over and he has stopped fighting crime, it’s time to row your boat to the finish line! How hard you row the bar into your hips determines how much hang-time the bar will have in order for you to get under and win the Olympics!

Every athlete will be different. Some will do better with straighter arms, and some will do better with more arm bend like myself. I hope this helps some people, I know this has helped many of my athletes, including myself. Do what works for you.

Attitude Nation Salute! Arm Bend 2012

Hit and Catch Drill Part II

2012-02-02T23:45:00.001-08:00

Cello

2012-02-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

It’s been a hard day of training, and it feels great to be home. Protein...check. Meal...check. Hot bath...check. Writing a beautiful blog, in my quiet living room, with my dog sitting next to me....priceless. I turned off every light in the house besides the small lamp on the corner of my desk. I am sipping a hot cup of gorgeous brown eyed coffee. I am listening to a peaceful song that has me so relaxed. The pain in my legs and shoulders are slowly leaving my body as a write this sweet calm blog. It feels so nice to not lift weights; it feels so great to chat with you again. The song I am listening to is called a Sad Cello Melody. It doesn’t say who the artist is on YouTube. The older I get the more my taste in music changes. I love the cello, the sound is heaven.

My blogs scare my mom at times, but I tell her I love her and that its all good in the hood mom, I am happy. I don’t know why I wrote Alice, people thought I was crazy for telling that chapter of my life. I won’t lie, there were a few times I thought the same as I laid awake in bed. I don’t want to hide my life journey from people; I want my life to be an open book. That’s why I write. I am not ashamed about Alice, if anything I would do it over. I think it made me a better person. I think it will make me a better parent. My hand has touched the hot stove, I know it burns, I know how it feels, so now I will never be tempted to touch it again. I guess that’s the way I look at it. Who knows, maybe I helped some kid not do drugs from my writing, which would be great.

Sometimes I wish I started this sport earlier in life, I think I would be lifting much more weight. It would have been fun to be a junior and go on all the trips and have more weightlifting experience under my belt. But then again, I am glad that I started when I was 22 and walked in different worlds. It’s like I was on a long tour through the jungle. I saw the football animals, I saw the night owls, I saw the college bears, the body building gorillas and much more. And most importantly, I met my wife throughout the whole thing; so yes, I am glad I started late. I am glad I get to write to you about my ups and downs, my secrets, training, life stories, and my journey through life and weightlifting. Thank you for visiting my blog; it’s really the only reason why I keep writing. Well that and the fact it’s not weightlifting. I don’t want to come across negative about weightlifting, I am not. It just feels great to get away from it at times. That’s why I don’t write about training a lot, even though I do deeply love the sport. Do your shoulders ever hurt? Well mine do, and right now they ache so bad. I have to keep getting up and walk around because my legs will cramp up from sitting too long.

Why is it that I keep opening the frig looking for food when there is nothing in there? Do you ever do that? It’s crazy. I have been doing it my whole life. I will look, see nothing, and then look again in ten minutes. I guess I am hoping that a steak with horse radish will magically be there the more I open the frig door. Well thanks for hanging with me, it’s late and I have to play call of duty with Jared Enderton online soon. I won’t forget about you, if you don’t forget about me. I will be back tomorrow to chat more about life and training. Good night. Cello 2012

Alice

2012-01-30T17:30:00.000-08:00

Hey, it’s good to see you. Do you have everything? I am glad you could make it. Are you sure you want to take this tour? Hold my hand in case it gets too dark. Remember you are just in my memories; this is not your reality. The time machine portal opens in 5 minutes, so make sure you are prepared to enter. There is no turning back once the smell and smoke hit your face. Here we go.

We got in later than I thought. It’s three AM and the orange light in the white room is swaying back and forth from the bass of the music creating a strobe light of shadows on the wall. See…. in this world sleep doesn’t exist. People’s eyes are much too wide open to shut, and the black part in the middle is how much energy is left in that individual. If you are hungry, there is some wheat bread and some mayo in the frig, just don’t eat the cheese. Find a cup that doesn’t have cigarettes in it, wash it out no matter what, and you can get some water from the fosit. I am sorry about the smell; I agree with you, it does have a sense of thick sticky mill steam that seeps out of everyone’s skin like sweat after a night of drinking. If you are feeling claustrophobic in this small room with all of these people, then we can go outside and get some fresh air. But you won’t because your body is tired from the nightly activities, and the nothing you have been doing for two nights straight. So you will just sit here like everyone else, itching your head and waiting your turn for the next time the glass choo choo train comes around to you.

Your mind is racing a million miles an hour as you sit on a baby’s red trike in the corner of the room. Your mind wants to be active and outgoing, but your body is weak, fragile, and shaky from the smoke that has made you skinny and pale white. Not only pale, but now you are getting red sores on your face, and they itch…bad. No matter how attractive the opposite sex is that enters the room, no one looks or cares. There is nothing more sexy than the glass train. There is no better feeling than the thick cloud of smoke entering your lungs and taking you to a faraway galaxy. Your smile is so big that it starts to hurt your face. You have so many ideas and emotions that you just start crying, then laughing while the stranger next to you rubs your head and tells you everything will be alright. Your legs won’t move but your hands will, and your hands are the ones that are ripping out your hair from the scratching that is taking place. You can’t stop because it feels so good. You have no idea what time it is as you wait for your turn to talk. Everyone is talking over each other, no one is really listening. Your teeth start to feel loose, only because they are. The white smoke is now a part of you. You are a cloud with no name, a dream that has no chance to accomplish, so you sit and wait for nothing.

You are in a room full of strangers, including yourself. The light seeps through the window shades as people duck for cover. A brave blank face gets up and covers the window with a black blanket. A movie starts to play, and you watch their black eyes watch, wondering if they realize that what they are watching is reality outside the black blanket. I guess the movie to them is make believe, and the world is really a place full of living-room skeletons that suck the blood from one another as the sun rises and sets. The smoke is thick and bright white, so dense you could make it a meal. You feel alive even though you are dead. The talking never stops. Their chatter toward each other is intense, almost tricking you to believe they are going to put down the glass train and walk the walk in the real world. But no, it’s just talk.

The high is beautiful, the high is fantastic....and that’s how it traps you. The smoke that dances around the junky house might as well be guards not letting you leave. You forget how it feels to go to the bathroom because you stopped eating days ago. Your conscience makes your stomach turn when your phone blinks from an outside caller. Like an alien from another world just made contact with you for the first time. It wakes you up for a split second, and you are shocked at what you see. You are shocked to find that you are a fly on the wall, nothing more. Your reflection from the mirror makes you look away fast. You then proceed to beg someone for another hit, because you have no money. You are taken over by the smoke, and you will do anything to forget where and what you are. There are no names or faces, just who can offer what, and who knows someone who knows someone else who can get what you need. It’s like a bad pyramid scheme, and you don’t want to be at the bottom.

It’s time to go.....I know you want to stay; please don’t fight me. We need to leave and get back to reality. Remember this is not really happening; you are just in my memories of the past. I left this world with only a few scars. I am just glad you can leave clean and untouched. Grab my hand, the portal leaves in 2 minutes, you have already seen too much. Say goodbye to the land of Meth, and don’t look back. Attitude Nation 2012

Road Trip On 4 Blocks

2012-01-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

Hit and Catch

2012-01-27T20:42:00.000-08:00

Johnny Cash

2012-01-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

Today it’s Red Bull, I left Monster for tomorrow. Three iced coffees in the morning, a shot of chalk for training, and now I am typing with wings. Johnny Cash in my ear piece, is it a coincidence that I am dressed in all black? I put my middle finger to the world, as I march with the Nation of attitude. I have been driving with no license for 5 years now, no insurance, don’t wear a seatbelt, and don’t tell me what to do government. If I hit someone I will pay it out of my own pocket, I don’t need you telling me to give my money to a company that will take my money in the first place and spend it on "in case shit happens". Seat belts.......am I putting any body in harm by not wearing one besides myself? I feel that’s my choice. Life is a game, and I play it well. Attitude Nation is growing by the day, my e mail is about to make my computer explode from people who march with me, who do what they want with training and life, who take life by the horns and slam the bulls head into the dirt. Make money young soldier, love your mom son, and train ‘til you piss blood. I peed blood for the first four months of training with Coach Pendlay......boy I hit that bar hard. My goal is to break it before I retire. Tyson hips would be an understatement.

Shanlke thank you for this song. My wings flap to the beat of Cash walking down the open dirt road. I admire Cash’s outlook on life, and the way he lived it. All of the NFL and College football players are training at Cal Strength now. I looked up at all of them with my finger waving in the air and I said, "Shankle is the captain on this ship of weights, and you better respect him or I will break your knee caps." Me, well I am just the soldier that does what the Don says. But right when I exit the door, two people that were waiting outside with their back against the wall immediately link to each side of me like magnets. The further I walk the more join in to the march. I don’t walk I March, and I don’t drink coffee, I chug coffee. No one walks in front or behind, only side to side. All black clothes, with white hands from the chalk. Blood drips as we walk, the ground shakes as we stomp, liberals call the cops from the confidence we carry. "Ok Mr. North would you like to deposite this check or cash it"? Always cash ma’am, cash is motivation and I need to feel it in my hands throughout the day. And I love listening to him as I cut off one of those bikers who rides right down the middle of the road. I’ll run your ass over, move.

I like to smoke cigarettes with all my medals around my neck with no shirt on. It’s awesome, comfortable, so I do it. Usually this only happens when I am between training sessions, and I am on my third iced coffee. I listen to Norah Jones a lot while I drive to practice in the morning, she has a beautiful voice. But I must say that my new favorite is Adele. That girl can sing, and I love her music. Sometimes I lay in my king size bed and count cash while I drink my grapefruit juice through a straw while the Office is playing. It’s one of my favorite things to do. My wife sits next to me with three computers on her lap as she is running jonnorthattitude, putting together more videos, working, working working, all the time. She is the General of the Attitude Nation, she never stops! Babe put down the computer and lets go hot tub!!! Johnny Cash 2012

Insanity

2012-01-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

The definition of insanity is snatch clean and jerk. Everyday is dejavu, where hell is like Heaven. I cried today in training.  The tears started falling down my face, like the sweat from my forehead. By looking at me you probably couldn't see the difference between the salt and the river of emotion. I have no idea why I was crying. The tears came with no warning, no invite, no reason at all. Maybe because today was one of the hardest training days of my life. It's been a week straight of maxing out twice a day....with no end in sight. Maybe my body wanted to shut down and rest. Maybe the devil in the red dress wanted to trap me in her room. I pushed through and finished the lashing that coach put on my back.  Not because it sounds motivational, or because I am trying to show people I can, or because it makes me sound bad ass. I pushed through and finished because I have no other option in life. I am a one trick pony. I am the old show that keeps playing over and over 'til people get sick of it and leave. I pushed through because that's just what I do. Welcome to my roller coaster of insanity. I live in the never ending story that is filled with hurt shoulders and a future of hip replacements and walkers. ik

You think I am cocky and confident......you have no idea. I am the exact opposite. Between reps I sometimes sit and watch the others train, forgeting that I am on the team. I watch with amazement as monsters lift weight. I am the biggest Cal strength fan there is. I clap when the giants who stand 15 feet tall lift weights. I am like a little kid whose dad brought him to watch his first football game...wow. But then all the eyes turn to me. The cameras red light blinding me as it rudely waits for what I am going to do next. Who am I?  Let me check......o wow I can snatch 166, I am a national champion.......and good lord I am more crazy than all these guys. This guy is nuts, and I guess that makes me nuts. The pressure makes it hard to sleep. I find myself talking to myself throughout the day to take my mind off the hype, and that damn bar that sits high above me. How many more minutes do we have in this therapy session? 10, ok perfect. I sometimes catch myself laughing in training when training gets hard, thinking about a funny movie I saw, what my dog did the other day, the joke my wife made, JON YOUR UP! Sorry Coach here I go.

Home sick, that's the feeling I had today. I felt like I was on a school trip away from home and I miss my mom. It's like playing video games by yourself late at night, you lose a sense of reality which brings your stomach a creepy pain. I hug myself and wish I didnt have to lift another weight. My body and mind don't see eye to eye, as they fight with each other everyday. If they could just get along, we as a team could lift more weight. There was a moment where I saw the outside light peeking through the door. My body said run! My mind said stay. When coach is not looking I am running for freedom! Sorry mind but I am with body on this one! Green fields and small town America sounds like a different kind of heaven. I should have been a biker, so I could see the landscape and breath the fresh air. Weightlifters only see the bench, barbell and weight. But in reality there is nothing outide the gym. In the gym is a never ending story of lifting. I am really just a kid who yells a lot, because that's what a person does when you have a concusion and you have no idea where you are.   Its 3 AM in the morning and I am still up playing this video game.

Weightlifting is like The Shining. Snatch Clean and Jerk Snatch Clean and Jerk Snatch Clean and Jerk Snatch Clean and Jerk Snatch Clean and Jerk Snatch Clean and Jerk Snatch Clean and Jerk Snatch Clean and Jerk

Home sick 2012

"Over the Years", A Video From My Wife For My Birthday, Thank You Sweetie, I Love You

2012-01-22T23:52:00.000-08:00

Hooters

2012-01-21T21:12:00.000-08:00

How many wings from hooters do you think you can eat? Do you think you can beat Donny Shankle? If eating is a sport, then I guess Donny is a pro at two things! When you train hard you need to eat, and eating is what we all did, or some of us tried to do. We all have never been the same after this battle took place. I still have nightmares of fallen soldiers. I still will not eat around Donny, and not a day goes by where that brown owl doesn't haunt me.

It was a Tuesday afternoon here at California Strength, and all the weightlifting soldiers and coaching captions battled hard all day. On this heroic day Coach Glenn Pendlay coached well and
hard, Donny Shankle hit big weight, Caleb Ward moved fast, and I yelled out some bad ass phrases before I lifted my bar full of red Kilo plates.

After practice was over, everybody agreed how hungry they were and how we should all go out and eat. We all had a big meet that we were getting ready for, so eating was very important. There was silence in the big gym, as we all looked at each other back and forth waiting for someone to speak up about where we should go eat. Finally, Coach Pendlay made a suggestion, only if we knew how much this suggestion would change our lives for the best, or worse, I haven’t figured that one out yet. “Hooters has all you can eat wings today,” Coach Pendlay said with a little smile on his face, like a kid getting ready to enter a candy shop. Without any hesitation, we all said “ok” and started off to the land of boobs, wings, and more wings, and even more boobs, but mostly wings!   We all rode in coach Pendlay’s big Texas truck, with the Captain Pendlay driving, the team leader Donny in the front seat and
the two soldiers Caleb and I in the back. I remember the whole Texas truck ride over like it was yesterday. It was dead silent as if we were heading into war, and the truck was our tank. This was not lunch, this was a mission. Donny and coach Pendlay take their food very seriously, like it’s a job, like it’s a sport, like its game time baby. I on the other hand, view and approach food with much less intensity, and I eat just because I have to; but these guys are on a whole different level. I tried to spark up a few conversations in the car but was quickly shut down by coach and Donny, “Jon no time for talking, just preparation,” Donny said in his deep southern voice, as if he was saying his most famous
line, “Kids these days” hahaha I love it. I soon came to the realization that this was not just a fun team lunch, instead this was a battle, and I was caught right in the middle! I found myself scared and nervous like maybe I should have just went and got lunch by myself! I took a deep breath and thought to myself, “come on Jon, its only hooters”!   And boy was I wrong.

When we walked into Hooters two very big-boobed girls greeted us at the front door ready to seat us, but Coach Pendlay and Donny pushed them to the side, knocking them both down while keeping their focus completely on the task at hand. Coach Pendlay started looking around in circles, with his arms out to the side like he was being surrounded by a group of ninjas. In a panicky manner, Coach finally found the table he was destined to find. Coach and Donny sat down like knights at the Round Table, while Caleb and I just sat down like normal people wanting to eat lunch. Caleb and I had a great little conversation while Donny and coach stared at each other from across the table. Their four heads were already sweating, their napkins tucked in their shirt, their hot sauce just inches from their hands as if they were cowboys ready to draw at any moment. The innocent happy little waitress came skipping over, as if it was her first day. Let me skip forward by telling you that after we left the war zone of Hooters, that little innocent happy skipping waitress on her first day, was no longer innocent, happy, or skipping and that first day was probably her last.

The hot wings started coming out in trays one after another. Waitresses where running around the restaurant like the building was just hit by those North Korean commies. Donny and coach never took a breath. Their hot sauce never left their hands, while each wings soul rode the grooved tracks to their final destination into the abyss. Both of these crazed men never took there eyes off each other. Both of these men were in another world, and each of these magnificent creatures refused to be beaten by the other. Wings kept piling up as if they were building a fort of bones to live in. Kids were crying and women were running for safety as Caleb and I could only sit back and watch this massacre. Donny was approaching 80 wings when Coach finally had to throw in the towel at a very impressive 87 wings, not because he was full and couldn’t eat anymore, but he was late for a meeting he could not miss. While coach stood up to leave, Donny’s eyes followed. There were no words spoken, coach just left.

Donny was at 93 wings, and at this point the whole restaurant was watching in amazement as Donny kept fighting those chickens one after another. His goal was to eat one hundred, and he could already taste victory. At 96 wings the most amazing thing I have ever seen happened, he stopped eating and spoke. The whole place went quiet and Donny said, “I am full” as he looked over at me like he needed help or even a hug. He quit at 96 wings, but I refused to see my team mate lose; a soldier was down and I needed to pick him back up, that’s what team mates are for. So I leaned across the wing grave yard, and
looked at him right in the eyes and said, “don’t you quit on me Donny, don’t you even think about stopping when you are this close, you pick up those last few wings and you eat them with everything you have boy”!! This California Strength soldier finished those last 4 wings, stood up with pride and we walked out of that restaurant like he owned the place. That day changed my life, and I will never forget it. We never did see Coach Pendlay again, some say that after his defeat on that sunny Tuesday afternoon at Hooters, he packed up his stuff, bought a pair of board shorts and joined a Crossfit gym near a retirement community in Miami Beach.    100 wings 2012

The end

Attitude Nation

2012-01-20T15:54:00.000-08:00

The glossy fire in my eyes is a reflection of the burning gym that is slowly being put to its knees. The flames of the fire slowly rise above me, casting a black shadow over an army called the Attitude Nation. I will burn your gym down and take your athletes with me. I am not brain washed by the puppet masters of this sport. I throw up my hands and take on the whole dictatorship that has coaches and athletes caged in there castle. We are not robots! The kids will be set free! Your castle will be burned down.

People always ask me what my favorite lift is, and my answer is I hate them both. I should have been a fighter; I should have made a million by now. Fucken concussions, you are the one who moved my chess piece to check mate. Either bomb out or go for the PR. That’s my weightlifting program. The ups and downs of a weightlifter will get the average Joe Sea sick just by standing next to me.

Back in the gym again today after being sick. Maxed out and missed almost all my lifts, fuck it, I’ll try again at two. Local meet on Sunday, max out again and cross my fingers. Nationals a month out, see you all there with a big beard, a chip on my shoulder, a stronger jerk, and some crazy high openers to win my gold again.

I drive my car like I am skiing, a lift weights like Ali, and I will be the first to tell someone to get out of my gym. I must be miserable at all times so I can adapt to misery. Tie me to the post and whip me tell I can’t feel anymore. Spider Sylvia where you at? I want to fight you. 20 plus streets fights and still undefeated. It’s been a while because now I am mature and responsible. I still have it, I know it. I have been jumped once, and I deserved it. Actually that was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Getting my head kicked around made me grow up.

Saw one of my teachers the other day who always told me I was a piece of shit, and then I saw him driving a piece of shit. Sorry buddy but I have no change for you, and yes I dropped out of college. And yes my account has an extra zero in it than yours. Sorry councilor, I went my own way. Stay with me, I know my writing is taking you all over the place..... But let’s keep going. The song writes the blog, I am just the puppet. Donny gave me a crazy song that has taken my fingers over like my coffee has to my mind. Shall we move on?

Interviews are hard for me, because I have nothing to say, there is nothing to talk about. It’s hard, it’s a bitch, leave me the fuck alone. Take your sissy training program out of my gym buddy; this is Cal strength, where only the strong survive. Has my blog offended you? Good, don’t read it again. Three fingers means three back to back Pan Ams, two fingers mean two back to back National titles, and one finger means I am the Johnny Cash of weightlifting. Sorry to the old crows in the sport, I know I am evil and the anti-Christ of weightlifting, but fuck you too. I will not be scared of the gang that runs this sport. The behind the certain chatter bugs and brain washers, who pull the strings of the young weightlifters and coaches who are molded into their beliefs and ways. I am rising up to stop you from the control you have cast over this sport. I will teach my way, I will lift my way, and I will express my emotions as an athlete any way I please. I am the robin hood of weightlifting. I will save the youth from there ball and chains. I will rip the roof off this sport and give the green vine more room to grow higher. Climb kids climb! Let this sport grow! We are free from the 1920's way of lifting now! Slam your bar and show the world how you feel!

JonNorthattitude.com is going to start sponsoring young athletes. Soon enough I will grow an army to take back this sport and give it to the people. Let the weightlifter be a weightlifter, and not a caged puppet that has his hands tied and his mouth sewed shut! Coaches rebel from the norm, and let you’re coaching beliefs grow into a wave that crashes over the zombies! Spread the Attitude Nation to become bigger than Crossfit. Crossfit is now on ESPN! We as weightlifters must fight to have more freedom in this sport. Throw your USA weightlifting handbook out, and write your own. Attitude Nation 2012

South Park and Pizza

2012-01-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

I feel good enough to write today. I woke up this morning to my lab top staring at me like a puppy wanting food. My left leg was hanging out over the bed, while my body was completely sideways. The covers and sheets looked as if there was a break dance competition that took place in my bed. I smiled at the thought of someone seeing me like this, but then again, is there any other way to sleep when you are sick? I thought the rule book stated that you can sleep as long as you wanted, any way you wanted. Playing the sick card allows you to eat pizza while watching South Park in the middle of the day without making you feel like a loser. I am sicker than sick and I don’t know how or where it came from. It’s funny how much writing can suck the life right out of you. All that emotion racing through your body can build up quite the workout. I’m not saying that’s how a got sick, but then again I’m not saying that’s how I didn’t get sick. Who knows, maybe it’s been the hard training that Coach Pendlay has been cooking up for me lately. Or the extremely cold weather outside that makes you feel you are in an alternative rock video as you walk down the side walk.

It’s weird writing this blog in my bed with no coffee. I am so use to my green jungle that my chi is all messed up. Tomorrow I must write again, and try to make sense of my next blog, because this one is all over the place. Boy, being sick not only shuts the body down, but the mind as well. Tomorrow everything should be back to normal.

I have been sober now for 3 months, and I love it. It’s been hard to stop, but I am on the right path. I have put alcohol back on its sail boat, and pushed him back out to sea. Goodbye alcohol, travel safe and far from me. When nights get lonely and long I will miss you and remember the fun times we had. But you have done much more harm to me than good, and for that I must let you go. Goodbye my old friend, safe sails as you enter back into the foggy waters, looking for another young kid to make friends with.

I could go into the alcohol thing much more, but I don’t want to waste your time while I play my violin. Everyone has their skeletons, so I will move on from this topic that has hurt many people throughout my life. I do want to say sorry to everyone who I have hurt throughout my days with alcohol. I will stop at that. Words through a key board don’t do enough justice.

The PWA meet in San Fran is this weekend and I am very excited. Kevin Doherty and Hassle free always puts on great meets at Lincoln High. Paul Doherty does the same up in Sacramento at Sac High. Both of these brothers are the weightlifting Godfathers. We need more of them in this sport and in life in general. They have been there for me from the very start, so I want to take time out of this blog and say thank you to both of them.

Even though I have been sick for the last three days, I am going to put my head down and lift anyways. I am more excited to see a few of my athletes compete, for a few of them it’s there first time. Let’s go Tim and Jake!!

I saw the Machinist last night with Christian bail. Amazing movie and it reminded me how much I like Bail as an actor. So much he might even be on my top 10 favorite actors list. Here it is. See you guys tomorrow.

Top ten favorite actors

1. Leonardo diCaprio

2. Denzel Washington

3. Al Pacino

4. Philip Seymour Hoffman

5 Edward Norton

6 Giovanni Ribisi

7. James Gandolfini

8. Christian Bail

9. Jim Carey

10. Vince Vaughn

I love you Jessica North 2012

Run Danny

2012-01-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

Chapter one

BW (Before Weightlifting)

He walked with pep in his step. He wore his Bright Reebok clothing that made him feel athletic and fit.   His smile was of confidence and joy as he hopped down from his freshly washed truck.   His shoes were tied tight; vitamin water in his right and his salad in his left. My cold Starbucks chair outside soon became warmer, as his glow of light from across the parking lot lit up the whole city. The two white doves that flew right by him, gave him a corny chuckle and a” gosh darn those birds” fist pump. His glowing shaved face got closer to our meeting point. He saw me drinking my coffee right outside the green jungle. His open hand raised high in the air while his heels lifted off the ground onto his toes like a ballerina. His eyes opened as if lightning struck him from above, and he began to wave at me as if I couldn’t see him.   His walk was long and powerful, that created a gust of wind that hit me from his energy.

He was so excited to start his first session with me; he was excited to become a weightlifter, his excitement was facing its last days. My face was half cover by the shade, with my smile showing in the sun, and my sad frown being hidden in the dark. He reminded me so much of myself when I first got into this sport. His innocence and determination gave me a warm feeling that made me feel free again.   His arm stuck straight out like a soldier’s sword, running at the enemy. But this was no attack, just a much anticipated hand shake.   His grip was tight, his eyes burned right through mine.

Hopefully he saw the tears running down the left side of my cheek, so he could see what I Have turned into. Don’t come any closer Danny Lehr, please run away. He was blind from excitement, only seeing my USA weightlifting shirt, not the blood stains around it. He saw my happy mask, not my sorrowed beat up face.

My national gold medal looked intriguing to him, like a new drug you want to try for the first time, or the first time you fall in love at The Sound of Music play in middle school. He had no idea what kind of world lived behind the gold medal, and what kind of creatures lurked in the darkness. His mouth moved a thousand miles an hour, but I couldn’t hear a word he was saying.   It was like I was seeing my mother for the first time.

I was drawn to his positive presence and enthusiasm. I wanted to reach out and touch his face.   I am trapped in this dark symphony, screaming at him to save me, but he could only see my smile.   Why can’t he hear me? Please Danny Lehr save me, and then run far away and never look back. Every minute you sit with me, you fall further away from reality and deeper into my dark world. You are not talking to me Danny; you are talking to a weightlifting robot that has trapped me for life. Can’t you see! Can’t you see the black bird that sits on my shoulder? Can you see that my coffee is red? Your tree is green and blooming, mine is burnt and dark. How can you not see the handcuffs I wear and the thorn in my heart?

Please Danny Lehr, run away while you still can.

Chapter Two

(AW) After Weightlifting

He walked with a limp, dragging his right foot behind him. His loose gray sweat suit was stained with coffee and ketchup from McDonald's. His eye lids were heavy, as they drooped down his face like window shades. His presents was followed by a red sky, and a barbell tied to his ankle. The black bird was now sitting on his shoulder, while he started mumbling to himself. The mumbling is the first sign of insanity, and that’s when I knew I ruined his life. Danny’s five fingered shoes were now broken sandals that made a sound of a chain rather than a flop. We made eye contact from a distance, but this time there was no wave of excitement. Just a sad look, that spoke two words that said “save me”. This time I was completely in the dark, and my half smile was now a sagging smile of hot dripping wax.

I feel for him, I really do, but there is nothing I can do now, I already tried. Every PR he gets he slips deeper into hell. We are now brothers, we are now just alike. The white dove’s now lay dead on the ground as he walked over them. This time he had nothing corny to say, just a small ache in his lower back and shaky hands from his coffee withdrawals. Now we can play together Danny, now we are best friends forever. I wanted you to run and be free, but now that you are here I am happy. We can train together and cry together. We can play tag around the concert hall, while the others sleep. Don’t worry Danny; I left the green light on in case they need to find us. You are family now, and I will never let anything happen to you. We will ride the monsters together and slap hands while the skeletons try to kill us.

See Danny your loneliness becomes your best friend, and your eyes will adjust to the dark over time. Please trust me. It will make this a lot easier. Danny stop looking around….there is no way out, now come help me lift this bar. Danny to answer your question, the white eyes you keep seeing are the blog viewers who check up on us from time to time, don’t be scared, they are friends. Now go back to your cell for the night Danny Lehr, we have a big day ahead of us. And Danny………I know you miss your old life, family and wife, but your crying is keeping me up at night, so please keep it down. Good night brother, and welcome to hell. Danny Lehr 2012

Phantom

2012-01-13T19:42:00.000-08:00

I wonder what kind of blog this one will be. How will I make these words dance today? Will it be a happy Irish jig, or a slow dance to a sad song? I want this symphony of words to be a master piece, legendary and unforgotten. Hey Beethoven wait for me, I want to join you. I wave my coffee in the air composing a thousand buttons that push their hearts out. An orchestra of crescendos, that strictly depends on my mood. A thousand white eyes are looking for more, as they hover in the black air. The world has stopped around me, as the violin creates pink elephants that dance in my head. Memories of my child hood play in a wave of coffee that carries me out deeper into my subconscious. As the music picks up I start to rise. Now I fly with the storks. It’s a good feeling dropping off little weightlifting babies to their mothers down below. There is a dark stage wearing one black dress, playing one black piano as soft as an angel. I have no idea how she got there, or even where "there" is. This world is filled with brick houses lined up for miles that all look exactly the same. Have you ever woke up on a farm in the middle of the night, and couldn't find your parents? Have the trees at night ever made patterns that scared you when you were a kid? This is a concert of all things that you are still unsure of to this day. What did you really see? And where were you when this all happened? I dream when I write, so I love to write. I sing with a mask on, and I hide in my blog. This concert hall is so quiet at night once you have all left. When a pen drops, I hope it’s you coming back for me. I patiently wait ‘til I can compose again, so you will float down and join me. I feel alive once you are with me, and suicidal once you have left. I am the green blinking light on your computer while you sleep, just in case you wake and can’t find me. I am here for you whenever you need me.

My orchestra is filled with skeletons and angels. They play happy songs that make me write beautiful things. The skeletons sometimes turn my symphony into a painful memory of sadness. At night it gets worse when you are not around. As you read this you become more confused. The reason being is because you have entered my insane mind. To become a weightlifter you must already be crazy. To stick with this sport you must be out of your mind. Maybe that's why you are attracted to my twisted dark symphony. You are just as crazy as I am. You clap, when most people would run. You are the phantom that appears, but then you leave me all alone. Please stay with me and train. Let’s write together and become best friends. My dad left me....so will you be my new one? This blog can be your new home. Your seat is 24b, enjoy the show. Phantom 2012

Devil In a Red Dress

2012-01-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

She looks so tempting with her silky red dress and her plump red lips. Her almond shaped eyes are half covered from her long black eye lashes, which seem to bring you in closer every time she blinks. Her long finger dances back and forth telling you to come closer. The slit that rides up the side of her dress cries out to hurry. You are brain washed by her breasts, by her comfort, by her smell. She walks backwards into the room while her eyes stay locked onto your nailed-open eyes. She enters her room, and sits on her red heart-shaped bed. She gently pats the mattress on the side of her right leg, telling you to sit by her. The fire place is roaring with flames. There is a warm meal cooking in the kitchen, and now she starts to undress. You never want to leave this warm house. You don’t really know where you are but you like it. It’s like a dream where only some of it makes sense, but the other half is just black and blank. You are now lying in her arms like a kid that just scraped his knees. You have completely surrendered to her, you are now hopeless and love lost. Her name is your body and she is the devil in the red dress.

You just made love to the devil without even knowing it. Her sharp red tail is actually your tail that is now wrapped around your throat. Your training is being suffocated. She has locked you away forever into a world of comfort. She has taken your soul and thrown it in the fire. She has taken your dreams and swallowed them whole. You listened to her when you should have trained. She walked you into your own downfall. She made you quit the good fight, for her comfort and sex appeal. Her horns were covered by her dark hair. Her smile was a tattoo on her face so you would make love to her. It worked. Now you are a prisoner of your own body. She is the gingerbread lady and you eat all the candy because it was good at the time. But afterword’s you are a prisoner. Your own body has tricked you.

I promise your body will adapt to the hard training. Taking days off only make you more sore and run down for the next time you train. It’s a doubled-edged sword. You think you are being nice to your body by resting, but you are only hurting it. Your body must be trained like a dog to hunt....to train. You have to let your body understand that it’s a weightlifting machine, and by training 6 days a week, it will understand with a smile on its face. Yes it will take time, but so does training your dog to sit. Now if I even take Sunday off, I can’t move on Monday. My body gets confused. Now Sundays are bar work days. Now every day is training day. Kill the devil and never let her take your soul 2012

Behind The Gym

2012-01-10T14:27:00.000-08:00

Behind the gym is where I smile. Behind the gym is where Donny and I both smile. Behind the gym is a happy place, a place where we can finally breathe. A place where apples and oranges the size of our fists grow on every tree. We our sheltered by lines of shade from the trees that bend over the top of us, as if they were ease dropping. There are cows that sit right next to us. Green pastures as far as the eye can see. Smells that will make your nose twitch and your eyes water. The smoke sometimes stays motionless right in front of my eyes. Creating patters as if there was a small Indian making smoke signals on my nose. Donny is still talking about how he thought training went, and I am just glad to be out of the gym, even though I can still feel the wall shake from the weights dropping. The air I inhale is not just air, but a cloud of relaxation that gives me peace; Intel the Indian makes his smoke signal again. I love this fort, this getaway, this little world Donny and I built together. I think I might make a no girls allowed sign and have a secrete hand shake just to get in. The pressure, the negative forums, and the training, would all take me under like the Titanic if it wasn’t for this beautiful alley behind my gym. Shankle Just picked an apple off the tree, asked me what I thought about Asian women, and then took a bite with power and conviction…..this man means business.

There is a half broken old chair that sits in the alley, in my eyes it’s a golden thrown only for the man who has the most achievements in this sport. Donny sits in the chair and I sit on the rocky ground.... that I have to say, is always very comfortable. Hopefully someday I can sit in that chair, while Shankle looks up to me. I guess that’s going to take more training days, more alley getaways, more Pendlay, and more hell. I guess I will have many more days and nights chatting with Donny on the ground about training. Don’t tell him, but when is he not there I sometimes sit on the chair with my head held high. I always feel like a bad ass. Hey maybe if you ever come out to Cal Strength and visit Donny and I, you can learn the secrete hand shake and breath the peaceful air in the ally I call home. Just remember, Shankle gets the chair. Behind the gym 2012

Dream

2012-01-08T15:31:00.001-08:00

Sleep well my weightlifting child, for you have a big day ahead of you. Let your chalky mind wonder in a world of magic and peace. Sleep for a good ten hours. Dream about something besides weightlifting, because you will be attacked by it the minute you wake up. Buy your ticket to dream land and leave this world for the night. It is your time to escape, and enter a place where you can lay by the beach and ride unicorns with Dimas. A place where the bar can't find you, a place where coach doesn’t exists. A place where you can hang out with your Dad again, play monster with your step sisters again, and see your old friends who you have lost over the years. Sleep is the best thing God ever invented, right next to sitting in the hot tub while snow falls. A weightlifter needs at least 10 hours of sleep, like Donald trump needs his money. There is no other option. If you are not a soldier of weightlifting then stay up late and get your 4 or 5 hours. But if you are a fighter of the barbell, then you must rest the body for battle, you must rest your mind for complete focus and concentration. Tomorrow will be hell, so get ready.

The barbell just sits there waiting for you. The weights never sleeps. The barbell and the weights stay up all night plotting on how they are going to beat us. They are on no program besides kicking our ass. They max out every day so we must do the same. While we sleep they occasionally play poker and smoke cigars. They study the blue print of the weightlifters destruction. They write to other barbells in other country's making sure they are all on the same plan. They laugh and high five one another when a weightlifter gets hurt. They are an army of the steel, and they will stop at nothing. We must get our sleep to fight back; we must never stop slamming them down, throwing them over our heads, and shankle kicking them when we miss a lift. Punch em in the teeth and roar like a lion! The Attitude Nation will not back down!

For now you dream with a smile on your face. You are safe when under the covers, as if your mom just tucked you in. The house is quiet, the coffee machine is silent, the fan turns with rhythm, and a light from a car lights up your room just for a moment, but you don’t wake. You are too far gone in your dream land. Sleep tight young weightlifter, for you have many battles ahead of you. Sleep 2012

Freedom

2012-01-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

Sunny but crisp, that’s the perfect weather. Your freezing car in the morning doesn’t stop you from slightly rolling your window down while driving. Even though your heater is on, you must take in the day; you must smell the smells and feel the wind. You must wake up for the day, for you are a soldier of life and it’s time to attack. You are free, thank you America. Thank you to all our troops. Freedom is beautiful thanks to them. Thank you Donny for not only being my mentor, but protecting this great country from your service as a Marine. There are many days I feel bad for not joining the good fight. All this freedom, and I havn't even fought for it. I just might join before I get to old. I must fight with my brothers and sisters, I need to earn my freedom.

I pull over for some gas. I pump and stand, and so does everyone else. We are all motionless like horses getting ready to be shot out from the gate, it’s a race and I am ready coach. "Click", the pump stopped and I win. See you liberals later, the attitude nation is out of here! Next stop.......Green Jungle.

The green Jungle knows me by name, and they know I have a nation behind me by the sound of a thousand marching boots that follow me around side by side. No one can see them but me, but people can feel there presents. I kiss my coffee, and then exit. Move buddy, I have training soon. Move little old lady, I am a selfish weightlifter who needs to make the Olympics. No time bum, get a job.......well ok here is two bucks.

I pull up to my second home and park down the street. My boss Dave Spitz doesn’t like when we take up the parking spots for the parents and high school kids, and I always do what my boss says. I am a good Cal Strength soldier. I walk into the gym and now I am safe from this crazy world. I slap many hands, hug a hand full, only listen to a few, salute the Nation, salute the Cal strength logo, and touch the rings on the wall. Now I am ready for what I am good at....training. Attitude Nation salutes the men in women in service, thank you for giving me the opportunity to do what I do. Military 2012

local meets and more excuses

2012-01-02T23:45:00.000-08:00

Your excuses are cancer to my ears. Leave me be. Take your weak mind somewhere else; take your defeat out of my gym. I see people like you everywhere I go like infected zombies walking around, just living, and hiding away when the sun is out. The only reason why you tell me you want to train is because you feel better about yourself just for asking, just for wanting. You want to be a weightlifter but you have no idea what it takes. You have no idea what hard work is. You have no idea what those two balls are for. If another person tells me they want to become a weightlifter and then gives me 10 reasons why they cant right now, I will just walk away from you. You disgust me, you sicken me, I don’t understand your species and I will not let you infect my life with your sickness. Don’t e-mail me, don’t call me, stop telling me your goals and then not show. Don’t you dare play your violin in front of me, I don’t listen to that type of nonsense and just because your hamstring is tight does not mean you cant train, it means you are a pussy. Here is your refund, now go away. What did I ever do to you? You contacted me, and now you give me the run around like I am a door to door salesman.

I was going to write this blog about local meets and the importance of them. I was going to write about how a weightlifter should compete as much as possible, but my phone and e-mail keep over loading with zombies, they are breaking into my mom’s house in Oregon. I will not let them get to my mom and wife. I will fight them off by removing them from my life.

Its dark and everyone is asleep. I am still drinking coffee, and I keep going outside to have my fire stick. I pace back and forth outside thinking about training, nationals, my future, more training, and why these people love harassing me with their excuses. I put out my fire stick and go back to typing to you, to the Attitude Nation, the only people who seem to get me. I trained great today at the Crossfit gym, it was fun. I competed in every meet I could get my hands on. I traveled far and long to compete, to become someone, to make it, to get better and someday…….well, end up where I am now. It worked. I always say that weightlifting is like dating. If you ask 100 girls out on a date, at least one will go out with you. Just like weightlifting, if you always swing for the fences and always compete, you will soon win that gold.

I lived dead broke for more than a year in this sport. I slept in my car, struggled for change to eat at McDonald’s, and ran out of gas many times. You can bet your bottom dollar I was at every meet though, lifting my ass off. I fought everyday to lift and compete. I dropped out of school to lift weights, I became homeless to lift weights, I did everything in my power to compete. I had no excuses, well actually I had a bunch but I never mentioned them, I just lifted the barbell. I wanted to make it so bad, I wanted to be good more than ever. All I wanted was to win a gold medal at a local meet. I wanted people to notice me and respect me. I wanted to make something of my life. So there I was, some raggedy kid who wanted fame and fortune. A kid who wanted success, a kid who wanted to be a champion, a kid who would have done anything to get where he is now. I competed at every meet there was, and I still do. How bad do you really want it, how far will you really go? Now I eat steak in my big house, with a fancy bank account that buys me lots of gas, and my very first local gold medal that sits high on my desk. To all you zombies out there, leave me alone. Goodnight. Local meets 2012

Family

2012-01-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

I am back home in Oregon with my family for New Year’s. Bend, Oregon is so beautiful, a place I can see myself settling down in after I retire from this sport. It is so good to see my family; it is so good to be home. It is weird being away from my platform, my gym, my coach and my team. I wonder how my small lonely corner of the gym is doing. I wonder if it misses me. Looking at my life from outside looking in is a very different picture and feeling. I woke up abruptly this morning, and for a split second I thought that the last four years was a dream, and I never left home. I thought I was still in high school and was late for football practice. What has happened to me? How did I end up here? Is California Strength real? Am I really that crazy guy on YouTube? Is the legendary coach Pendlay really my coach? There is no way I was actually on the USA team with the Donny Shankle.... impossible. I soon realized that my dream wasn’t a dream, it was real. I figured out who I was when Coach texted me, asking how my workout went. Holy moly.... I really am a Cal Strength soldier. I stayed motionless in bed staring at the ceiling fan, trying to piece everything together so it all made sense to me.

Laugh, eat, hugs, smiles, and more laughs.....this is what I have been doing for the last few days, and I never want to leave. It feels nice talking to family and friends about other things rather than the usual weightlifting talk. I remember sitting back and watching them all talk about everything from their businesses, kids, homes, and the local schools. I realized that none of my family knows anything about my world; my world to them is a far away galaxy full of wonder and assumptions. I might as well have jumped on a space ship and flew to another planet. To them I am just Jonny Boy, nobody else. They don’t care how much I lift, what meet I won or lost, or what training program I am on getting ready for nationals. I am the little boy who said twuck instead of truck, not a 166kg snatcher.

Writing this blog has made me realize that I don’t live here, I don’t work for my family's business, I don’t compare grass fertilizer with the neighbors, I don’t ride dirt bikes, I don’t fit in. Their blood is red, mine is green. They do fun stuff on the weekends, I am not allowed to. They talk a lot; I am in pain a lot. I now remember that I am a weightlifter. Weightlifting misses me, and I miss it. I train tomorrow at central Oregon Croosfit in Redmond, great people, great gym. My Grandpa Poppy loves to go with me and watch.....but then ends up chatting everyone’s ear off! I love him. He is the hardest working man I ever met. Training with new people is always exciting and motivating for me, I wish we did it more often, but the leash is tight around my neck. Tonight I will wear my Santa Clause sweater, switch the Adidas sweats for khakis, talk golf, and then say goodnight. Tomorrow I will wake up ready for war. I will wake up a weightlifter. I will march again with the attitude nation. Family 2012

Rest

2011-12-30T13:24:00.000-08:00

I huddle in the corner embracing rest with shaky hands and tears being smeared from cheek to cheek. My stomach turns with pain and the feeling of being home sick from the sorrow and guilt I have seeing rest whimper with abandonment. She holds me tight with her head sunk deep into my chest, making my shirt wet from her crying mouth locked wide open, as if she was screaming. A sad story of a girl who only wants love, a story of a young women who has no parents, who has no home, who needs someone to smile at, to laugh with, and to say goodnight to. Her old stuffed animals only give her a small amount of the attention she needs; she needs a family. Her eyes constantly wander, looking for someone to pick her up, and hold her. But no one ever does, so she becomes jagged over the years with let downs and sadness. Her flickering light slowly starts to die down into a whistling path of smoke. Her wandering eyes stop wandering over the years, as they now sadly stare down at her painted toe nails, that no one has seemed to notice or comment on. The smile she tried so hard to show, the smile no one noticed, the smile she used to try to bait people into her love with, was soon turned into a puddle of rain water, that dripped down the muddy bank into the lake leading to a land of nowhere.

I do love her, but I can’t be with her. It’s the hardest thing I have ever done pulling her locked arms away from my body. Disconnecting her drool from my chest to her mouth was like taking her soul. Her arms stretched out like Frankenstein, her blue watery eyes opened wider as panic rushed over her. Her mouth seemed to make no noise, but was open as wide as God would allow it. As she closed her eyes tears came down her face. Her mouth closed, her head dropped, soon she became lifeless.

She was there but not, her heart was pounding, but not working. I left her that day, and I walked backwards when I did it, hoping and praying that someone else would take her hand, and love her right there and then. She deserves to be loved, she deserves nothing less. She would only bring me down. She would only be a weight on my sail, I had no choice. Rest has no place in my life. I have no time for rest, only train. I will always love rest, but I will spend the rest of my dying days with train. Train is my life, rest is my heart ache. Rest 2012

The Old Show

2011-12-28T17:36:00.000-08:00

By Jon North
Narrated by Donny Shankle

Coach Glenn Pendlay

2011-12-28T13:56:00.000-08:00

Top ten reasons why My coach is the greatest coach

1) program is a mixing pot of all training- but the core is bulgarianish.
2) lets the athlete breathe. keeps the door open for the athlete to go above and beyond anytime they feel its possible.
3) Coach never over coaches. No paralysis by analysis ( in Attitude Nation terms its always game time)
4) He is there for you on and off the platform. aka buddies for life
5) Hes from Texas
6) When it comes to setting up the athlete perfectly in competition, he is like Russel crow in beautiful mind.
7) He teaches the lifts like Feynman teaches physics, aka superman pull, Tyson hips Ali feet!
8) Beautiful black beard
9) Thinks Hannity is way to liberal
10) My coach can beat up your coach

Glenn Pendlay 2012

Hot Tub

2011-12-27T17:21:00.001-08:00

I say "no" to cold baths. I say "yes" to hot baths. Hot water is the key for not getting injured, being able to train to max every day, and a world of relaxation that every weightlifter needs. I have no science behind me, just my own experience that has proven me right every time. I have taken three ice baths in my career, and it will stay at three for the rest of my life. There are five things wrong with an ice bath.
1) Its damn cold
2) Makes me feel like the tin man going into training
3) Did I mention that it’s freaking freezing!
4) The week I started taking the ice baths I felt injury around the corner
5) Felt down, tired, no energy – hard to move like Ali

Five reasons why to take a hot bath over a cold bath.
1) Its hot
2) It feels amazing
3) It will keep you loose as a goose for big PR's
4) Great conversations
5) A great time to relax your body and mind from the hell of training

This is my daily hot water schedule to win back to back national titles.
1) Hot tub in the morning before training
2) Hot shower right after first training
3) Hot bath before second training
4) Hot tub at night in the cool air after training
5) Hot shower or bath before bed.
6) (Repeat)

I truly believe more weightlifters should use hot water for their training, it works for me, maybe it will work for you. But The Attitude Nation is all about doing what you want to do, doing what works for you, and giving the rest of the "know it all's" the bird. So feel free to give me the bird, and live your life the way you want to. Hot water 2012

Journey To Galaxy Podium

2011-12-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

Take off time in T minus 2 minutes. The bar is loaded and ready for take-off. The steam is shooting out of my feet making my red superman cape sway back and forth, like the American flag on a windy day. The operator and director of the space ship sits high in his operation room with his blue monster, his dark beard, his fold out control panel, and his always tilted head making sure everything is......well, no one really knows why he does that. Some say it’s how he sees his vision of a perfect take-off and landing on the podium. He is a mad scientist, he is a brilliant space man, he loves Texas, meat, and Johnny cash. The towel over the legs and shoulders of the space ship keeps it warm for take-off, plus it’s what Klokov does.....and that space ship is fast.

Director Black beard makes sure the check list is in order before space ship superman takes off.
Green Monster fuel- Check
Shankle knee wraps- Check
Emergency coffee- Check
Techno Music from Kevin Cornell’s I pod- Check
Black beard staring at me with his head tilted to one side- Check
My team Mates- Check
The owner of the whole operation, with his arms crossed looking at me with no emotion besides his eyes saying that if I don’t land on the podium successfully then I will be working at Burger King. - Check
Attitude Nation next to me- Check
Space belt- Check
Superman pull- Check
Ali Feet- Check
Tyson Hips- Check
Genetically gifted genes from God so I never get hurt- Check
Strong- Check
Wife- Check
Family- Check
Official American snatch record- Uncheck
Shankle Blood to get official record- Check
Cal Strength robot heart- Check

T minus 1 Minute! The towels came off, the last bit of Monster fuel was drank, space belt was tight, Ali feet were loose, Tyson hips were cocked back, and the superman pull was ready for launch. As the door opened for me to get into the bar, I yelled out "Shankle" !! Gripped the steering wheel and began the first pull! The first pull felt good and strong as I got closer to the stars. Shoulders are back, ass is down, and the whole crowd can see the S on my chest. As the bar got closer to the knees it was time to break off the back end of the space ship so it could pick up more speed, and that meant time to get over that bar and push those knees back even more! Now is the hard part, staying on this course just long enough so the bar can raise a little higher and the knees can go back a little more, setting the bar up perfectly in front of the hips, (aka) the Tyson button that was installed right on my hips. This Button put the Space ship into max speed and explosion, making perfect headway to the Galaxy called podium. The journey of the pull is long and hard, but I have already come this far so I must stay committed and focused. BANG!! I gripped the wheel as the space ship jerked me around from the impact of the bar hitting the hips. Trying to hold on just for a second longer as the Ship "finishes" the extension faze, letting the heavy part of the ship drop. Ali feet moved so fast after the finish, that fire surrounded the ship catching my superman cape on fire.

Then quiet, everything was still and I could hear myself breath and my heart pound. The Attitude Nation has landed on the Podium and everything seems to be intact. The bar is still over my head….Thank God. Now I just have to stand up and feel the Podium under my feet. As I walked around on this beautiful Galaxy, I collected a bright Gold medal rock, I kissed it. Then the black bearded Director came through my ear piece......he said.......ATTITUDE NATION!!!!!!!!! Superman Pull 2012

Christmas Dance

2011-12-24T13:28:00.000-08:00

I have asked 166kg to dance for three months, and she said no every time, and then I would cry. She left me in the rain for many cold nights, as I watched her beautiful body dance through the Christmas window of the cold lit up street of San Fransisco. The way she spins made me melt into a warm puddle creating love steam. She looks so happy as she twirls like a ballerina around the Christmas tree. She is in love with someone else, she is not in love with me. As she dips she bends, but always stays strong. The sound of her oscillation creates a fast jerk to my heart. I would die to get under her. I would love to make her....my woman.

My team mates and friends were pulling for me to snatch her love, but my enemy Clark had other plans. He had a good grip on her, a very strong hook that kept their love strong. I don't know what she saw in Clark, he wasn't the man for her. I could make her much happier. I would raise her higher than him, and follow her down gently. But I have other plans for Clark, I am going to slam him down til his collars... bone breaks. Soon she will officially be mine, as we dance under three white lights on the stage of love.

After two years of courting we recently became engaged. Ringing buzzers are soon to follow. Plans to make it official will take place at nationals. The Attitude Nation will be by my side. Love 2012

Weight Thief Shankle

2011-12-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

bar wins

2011-12-21T17:27:00.000-08:00

Attitude Nation Interviews Junior American record holder Spenser Moorman- with new co host Adam Hall and guest Mark Haz!

2011-12-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

Jon North Interviews Junior American Clean & Jerk Record Holder Spencer Moorman.

Attitude Nation Breaks the American record!!

2011-12-17T15:33:00.001-08:00

Truman

2011-12-15T17:12:00.001-08:00

Top ten favorite movies in order.

1. The Truman Show
2. Artificial intelligence (AI)
3. Beautiful Mind
4. Gladiator
5. Book of Eli
6. Catch me if you can
7. Godfather 1 2 3
8. Big Fish
9. Man on Fire
10.Love Liza

Love note to coffee

2011-12-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

I am waiting in line for my sweetheart. My hands start to twitch as I become impatient. The way she moves is like a wave turning over and crashing down on the ocean water. Her smell is like jasmine and her kisses are like your first love note. There she is trapped behind the counter, reaching out for me with those sad, dark black eyes. Worry no more my love, I am here to save you from the green guards who have imprisoned you, for far too long. I’m breaking you out, and I will lay by your side for the rest of my dying days. We will live happily ever after once I have you in my arms, once I can drink up all your love you have to offer.

Your body glistens in the light, almost as if I can see right through you. The water dripping down your tall body is like rain falling when its sunny. You are beautiful, you are full of happiness and comfort. All my sadness has melted away by just seeing you sit there. Your Beauty has killed my insecurities, your motivation has made me want to keep fighting, your smile is absolutely lovely.

We take our first kiss and birds start to fly, Christopher Reeves stands, Priuses are no longer made, Jon North snatches the American record, Sinbad is finally in another movie, Dimas comes out of retirement, 2pac fly’s over our head like the blue angles at a baseball game, and Cal Strength becomes the new white house. Ice Coffee 2012

"beast"

2011-12-12T13:42:00.000-08:00

They took the 10 foot giant and locked him away in the coldest, darkest dungeon the world has ever seen. No light, no bed, no anything. 24 hour lockdown, 24 hour bars, 24 hour hell. The beast wasn’t allowed to get up, he had to lay there on the dirty ground with his face smashed against his own urine. Every time the giant beast tried to get up, the guards would kick him down, take there boot to the back of his face and press hard. The giant would cry, shake, call out for his mother, pray to God he could be set free, pray to God the pain would go away. But this never helped, it only made the guards more ugly. His body was green and blue from the beating. He couldn’t move his legs from being so soar, his body and mind completely shut down. He would lay there and take it, he came to the reality he would die in that cold cell, the beast was a goner. "Keep kicking him , and never stop"! The beast squeezed his hands and closed his eyes as hard as he could, trying to stay alive, trying to fight through this beating, trying to be strong.

The beast fell asleep and awoke to surprisingly little pain. He thought the guards had finally left him alone, he finally felt nothing. He didn’t know if he was dead or alive, he felt good, he felt strong, he felt pissed off, he felt ready to get up, ready to fight, ready to see his mom, ready to kill the men who did this to him......the beast was becoming a beast. The beast looked up to see five guards kicking him, but he did not feel there boots. The blood starting pumping through his body faster and faster, his heart was strong, his mind was deadly. He became numb, his body was a machine, it adapted to the kicks, it adapted to the cold cell and dirty floor, it was untouchable now and ready for war. As he started to push himself off the floor, the guards kicked down even harder, and soon more boots ran in to help. Now there was 10 guards kicking the beast on every part of the body, and the beast fell back to the ground. But every time the beast tried to get back up, he became closer and closer to standing, he became closer to killing and closer to destroying. Every attempt to stand the beast got stronger, Intel finally the beast stood tall, standing 20 feet high smashing his head through the roof of the cell! His eyes became red, and his arms swung side to side breaking down buildings and light posts. With one step this beast killed all 10 guards, with one step this beast created an earthquake, the beast was free and stronger than ever.

Train more, train heavier, train to train with pain, train tell you feel weak, train tell you can’t sleep nor walk. If you feel good during training then you’re not training. If you train three times a week, you are not kicking your body down. Get kicked! Stay down! The longer you are down the stronger you will be when coach stops kicking you and lets you stand. The weightlifter who stands all the time will not stand any taller. Start counting the cracks on the floor, it’s a fun game. Let me guess your knees hurt.... well good, that means your training, they are supposed to hurt. Make hell your home, make pain your comfort, sit in the dark.... after a while your eyes adjust. Train your body like a dog, train it to take the work load. Stop listening to your body! Don’t stand, not yet!
Attitude Nation is the cell and the weights are the guard, let’s get locked away and become the beast, let’s get kicked and then kick ass. Attitude Nation salutes you the fighter, the fighter who only sees the sun through the high bared window. Attitude Nation salutes you the weightlifter who lives in the dark and sleeps in pain. Attitude Nation Salutes you, the warrior who keeps coming back for more, Attitude Nation salutes you. Beast 2012

Phil and I

2011-12-08T16:51:00.001-08:00

Back in the green jungle high on coffee. The cold unforgiving road of weightlifting keeps winding on. The road can lead you to rays of sun, and then with a blink of an eye, it will throw you into the fires of hell. My view on top of the hill was beautiful. The view looking up isn't as lovely. National title to American Bronze, gold to dirt, Phil and I to young kids out of nowhere, smiles to let downs, sleep to staring at the ceiling. Cocky Jon North is dead for a little while, I am hidden away, trying to regain myself confidence. I am still trying to pull the dagger out of my stomach, I am still trying to figure out what happened.

This road of weightlifting led me to a wise man who gave me a map, and this map can lead back to the top of the hill. The old wise man said that this road map will have you seeing the beautiful sights again, and will take me out of my self-pity. The map was titled "what is a light day" The map had a picture of Ali with his hands raised, the map had a picture of Mike Tyson throwing a punch, a picture of Donny ripping a lion’s head off, and a giant elephant with working boots on. I guess it’s time to train again, I guess it’s time to do the only thing I know how, train. Back to the gym I go, back to work, back to the pain, the cold bar, chalky room, heavy weights, back to my home.

My hips hurt, my hands are falling off, my knees pop, my back kills, my shoulders burn, but worse of all my head hurts from the mental game this sport comes with. Thinking about your opener, about the what if's, about what you could be doing better. Do you go through all of this too? I try to close my eyes and shut my mind completely off from everything. The more I think the more I lose, the less I think the more I win. Why do you think I get so crazy before I lift, because if I didn't, I would Clark every lift I ever attempted. It’s a trick to get my mind off the weight, off what I have to do, and it works very well. My whole body hurts, I have been going strong for 4 years now with no end in sight. More training, more meets, more wins and more defeats, still training must happen, still you must pull on that bar every day. I limp to the gym with my Dimas lunch pale in my hands, eager to get back to work, hoping I have another day of training in me, fighting for every meet I go into. My shoes are falling apart and so are my straps. My belt has broken and the bars and plats in my gym are falling apart, and I feel like I am doing the same. How long can I fight this battle. These young kids keep coming out of know where like zombies, and my fighting arm is aching. Waves after waves of strong motivated athletes who have big dreams. I felt like it was yesterday I was one of those kids coming out of know where.
Phil, help me pick my sword up, I will help you put your armor on, if you help me with my shield. Let’s fight together as one, let’s show these young bucks what we still got, after we take our medicine and go on our walk. It was me and you for a while there. Best times of my life battling with you my friend, thank you for fighting with me. Losing to you was an honor, and beating you was life changing, so thank you. But a blue bird just landed on my shoulder out here in the half way house, and it whispered talk of sunshine and no end in sight, how there are many bright days ahead of our bumpy road. The weightlifting Gods have called in us to fight many moons more! Let’s take these white hospital outfits off, and break out of this bitch, and find a bar to lift!

Get the hell up Jon North, stop playing your violin and pick up the bar. Get cocky again, get crazy again, train heavy every day, keep fighting! Don’t give up, to many people are behind you to lose, get that Shankle blood pumping again, flip em off and tell em who the champ is. Drink your coffee and get back to the top. The Attitude Nation is made out of blood sweat and tears and nothing less than champions. Back to work I go, back to the sport I love and hate. I bet they loved it when I lost, I bet they love seeing me down, "down Jon North and stay down". You can say what you want, but don’t get to close or I will bite you, this dog might be limping, but I still have fight in me, I will still attack you. I might not win every meet, but I will be there looking straight in your eyes giving you everything I have, fighting with a broken leg, fighting with broken shoes and a bad back, I will still fight all you. Grab your sword Phil, and let’s get ready to fight another battle my friend. Phil Sabatini 2012

Coach Jackie Mah

2011-11-29T12:16:00.001-08:00

Coach Jackie Mah you are an angel. You are a savior, you are a saint; you are warmth. Your soul has nothing but love in it. Your heart beats so loud and strong, that I can feel it from across the room. You have helped so many people in the world of weightlifting and in life. Everything you touch turns to gold. The look in your eyes is a blinding ray of passion and care. You don’t walk you float, you don’t coach you change lives, you smile and the world lights up, your presents is as comforting as Christmas morning. Coach, you can cure sadness with one touch, you lift much more than weights; you lift us all higher than your arms can reach. There is a reason that when you compete, the walls almost crumble down from the cheers and support that you receive. You have mastered the hug. The Jackie Mah Hug is world famous and the best hug anyone can ever receive. Your hug could cure cancer. Your strength can drag the Titanic out of the water with one hand; your love is changing the world.

Thank you for taking me under your giant white wing. Thank you for being my coach. I remember when we first met like it was yesterday. I was an unbroken horse who was wrestles and frustrated from being told I could never play football again. My report card was full of F's and life was approaching fast. I had no plans, dreams or paths to walk down. I’ll never forget the first time you approached me in the sac state gym. I was all over the place throwing around bars like a blind mad man on a rampage. I was the UN seen racing horse, who none of the trainers could control. Then from the corner of my eye, you slowly approached me and gently grabbed my arm. I remember how I just stopped everything and we both just looked at each other for a few seconds. A small smile came over your face as you introduced yourself. For some crazy reason all my frustrations and pain seemed to go away at that moment. Just one look and one touch from you, and you broke the wild horse who nobody wanted to even get near. You told me that everything was going to be ok; you told me that you would love to be my coach, and at that moment you changed my life. I remember closing my eyes and taking a deep breath like I could finally breath, like everything was going to be ok; and it was.

Coach Jackie Mah, thank you for believing in me. Thank you for giving me a chance, thank you for giving me a life and showing me the way. Thank you for caring about me, thank you for feeding me at your house when I was broke and hungry. Thank you for the national title that we always wanted from day one. I remember we use to always talk about it, and now we have it. Thank you for the love you have shown me and the love you have given to others. Thank you for all the life coaching, keeping me out of trouble, giving me a purpose, and shining your bright light on my once very dark world. You took a chance with this crazy horse, and I hope I have made you proud. Thank you for the signed Arnold picture you gave me, thank you for teaching me all your great weightlifting secretes that made us a champion. Thank you for being you. I love you coach. Jackie Mah 2012

Bad Guy

2011-11-26T15:19:00.000-08:00

Bodybuilding.com just stabbed me in the stomach. YouTube stabbed me in the back, Tnation kicked me while I was down, go heavy spit on me, and every other forum out there hates me. You hate me, you want me gone, you don’t like the attitude, and you don’t like the celebrating, the enthusiasm, or my antics. Pumping up the crowd and showing emotion will get you hung. You would love to drag me to the highest tree and hang me. You would get off your couches and all hold hands with smiles while my neck snaps, as I hang there swinging back and forth. Jon North is finally gone; Jon North is finally dead, now we can lift in peace, now he won’t embarrass his country anymore, now we can get back to our way of doing things. This sport is not welcoming; this sport has nothing but hate for me. I am not welcome here. I am an outlaw, the step son, the bad guy. I guess I have taken the roll of the bad guy. Everyone hates the bad guy, and you can’t wait tell I break my leg or get hit by a bus, but that’s ok, because I am here for you to hate. I am your stress ball to squeeze on. The Attitude Nation is your shoulder to lean on.

Attitude Nation, what these people and forums don’t know is that we are made out of steel. There dull knives can’t penetrate our skin. Throw your rocks and sticks, we won’t fall. Hang me from your tree, my neck doesn’t break. I will never stop being me, I will never stop representing my Country, I will never stop slamming those bars, spitting on those weights and pissing you off. If you don't like me now then you are in trouble, because I will only get worse, The Attitude Nation is growing, and that means people like you will grow as well, its just human nature. We will become your worst nightmare. I am the boogie monster in your closet my friends, I am the guy you can talk shit about in front of your girl, so you look like a bad ass. I give you something to do during the day.

I hope you sleep better at night after you write words of hate, I hope you feel better about yourselves after you cut me down, I am glad I can make you feel better about yourselves and hopefully I give you more confidence. Sleep well my angels, because tomorrow I am going to do more to piss you off, and that means you have a long day of cutting me down and coming up with more words of hate. You should all get together and find the most devil things to say to me, and I will rate them from 1 to 10. But you never share the words of hate to my face....why? Why do you hide from me? Why do you hide behind your computers? Why can’t you come out and play with me? The Attitude Nation is fun, join us! Who are you? What do you do? Why do you really hate me so much? I feel bad for you, all that anger inside towards me, and you can only get out through your key board. The Attitude Nation loves you, everything will be ok, and the bad guy loves you too. Anytime you get down about your life and you need someone to take it out on, I am here for you, you can lean on me and stab me over and over all you want. You can spit on my face and throw your rocks. I will be your punching bag; I will take one for the team. The Attitude Nation is here for all you who hate us. Keep going! Don’t stop! Let it out, get your feelings out, get your frustration out, go go go! The bad guy needs your fuel, the Attitude Nation runs on your hate, we need you just as much as you need us! So please never stop. Please get online right now and spread your words of hate about us, what are you waiting for!

I want to thank you all for building my profile as an athlete bigger and bigger over the years. Your time writing about me online has made me more popular than ever. They say bad exposure is good exposure, well… I would have to agree with that saying. My website is selling out weekly, I have shot three advertisements overseas this year alone, I am now sponsored by four companies, I am the proud coach of many athletes, your exposure has helped me fly all over the world teaching seminars, and last but not least your words of hate have given me the fuel to keep training harder and harder every day. Your hate keeps me making teams every year, keeps me wining national tittles every year, I am the champ because of you, I have represented my Country because of you, and I will break the American records because of you, so please don’t ever leave me. I need you. The Attitude Nation thanks you! Merry Christmas! Bad Guy 2012

Train hard

2011-11-23T16:26:00.001-08:00

Mr Black Sheep

2011-11-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

Black sheep is walking to the gym. Black sheep has very lonely low eyes that only make contact with you for just a second, Intel he looks back down. Black sheep’s throws a baseball across the world; black sheep is a black sheep and marches to his black drum. Black sheep takes hot baths, while the white sheep take cold baths. The other sheep laugh at him for eating the wrong food in the meadow; black sheep seems to get lost in day dreams from time to time. Mr. Black sheep just does things differently than the other sheep. But what the white sheep in the village don’t know is that Mr. Black sheep sneaks off every night into the darkness, past the field, past the forest and over a lake that has been forbidden for any sheep to cross. There in the green tall grass that grows taller than his whole sheep body, lays about 20 other black sheep who were quietly waiting on Mr. Sheep who was running late like usual. All the black sheep were hidden from the tall grass and there black fur blended in perfectly into the night, which made them almost invisible. The tall grass moved fast as all the sheep start running further and further into the forbidden field witch finally opened up to a dream world, a world that no white sheep has ever seen, a world where they could be themselves and not be judged, a land of their own. The food, the water, the tree climbing, the flying, the games they played, yes these sheep could fly and climb trees. They could do anything. They were free and happy; they did what they wanted to do and didn’t listen to anyone else.

The world of the white sheep was very limited by the few books they had in the village. Limited by the lack of courage that the white sheep had, limited by the sense of adventure and wonder, limited by a few in the village that made the rules and told them how to think. The white sheep were brain washed, they were told how to play, run, eat and sleep. The young sheep would ask "well why"? And the older sheep would reply by saying "because” that’s why. They were gated off, the windows closed, the kid sheep became dependent on what all the books said and lost all imagination. The white sheep were dying for life, they were gasping for air, they were handcuffed to others worlds and teaching's, they needed to be set free, experience things on their own. “Touch the hot fire son”, ouch! “Father why did you have me touch the hot fire it hurt”? “Now you know how it feels my son, now you will never be tempted to touch it again, now you know for yourself rather than just taking y word for it”. A few of the white sheep heard about this teaching that the father performed to his son, and other things like taking hot baths instead of cold, and this upset the white sheep so much that they kicked the farther and son out if there village into the world they have never seen, just heard about. As they walked further and further they found all the black sheep crossing the forbidden lake. The black sheep saw the sadness on the fathers face, and how the son was more scared than ever. The night just became much, much colder.
The attitudes of the black sheep changed in seconds, as all 20 of them lifted themselves 8 feet tall on their hind legs. The white sheep looked up in dis believe. The black sheep walked past the farther and son as they marched towards the village. The closer they got the more black sheep would join, where did they come from no one new. Hundreds then thousands then millions came together. They came out of holes, trees, high grass, some even came down from the sky with wings, and they marched.

They march turned into a slow walk, then a fast walk, then a dead sprint as they entered the village that almost took up 1,000,000 acres of land and prisoned white sheep. The black sheep swarmed into the city like water hitting the sand. They destroyed everything in sight. Standing up to the leaders who didn’t want freedom. The leaders who made them feel like outsiders. They black sheep stood on the highest mountain and told the white sheep to live there life’s, be themselves and try things on your own. The white sheep were free to do as they pleased once all the walls and ceilings were torn down and the sheep in power were told to leave and never come back. The black sheep got back on four legs and went back to their dream world over the lake. The new village was now a dream world; the black sheep call their dream world the attitude nation. The End

Get Your Attitude Nation Gear!!! JONNORTHATTITUDE.COM

2011-11-19T18:16:00.000-08:00

THE NEW ATTITUDE NATION HOODIE!

Room 2

2011-11-17T19:48:00.000-08:00

The closer you got to room 2 the darker the hallway got. The lights would flicker and the wind would whistle through the broken door leading to the outside court yard. The same yard where I would cry before class. The same yard I would sit in, while class was in session. Eyes where sad, heads were down, and bad attitudes were in full effect. Anger and sadness where the two feeling's you got while being around room 2. The sky was not the limit for us, therefor the sealing was lower and the options for life were scars. In room 2 you will find zombies that never went far from the room, lunches were eaten fast in a different part of the cafe, and soon back to base. A place where we were catergorized, put to the side for the other kids to play and grow like weeds. Room 2 was a place for kids who were "special” a place for kids who had trouble learning, a place where I called home from 1st grade to 12th grade.

5+5=11 what did I just read? What is the teacher talking about? Why are all the kids writing? the room is so quite from all the heads down taking the test. I wonder why jimmy whore that green shirt, why is the teacher reading about planes? I can’t keep my head down; I am going to fail this test very badly, just like all of them. I hate school, I hate this classroom. My mom told me never to say hate, but I hate this test. The writing on the paper is in Spanish and I can’t stop moving my feet. All I feel is frustration and anger. I keep staring outside the window wondering what’s out there for me. What am I going to do in that big world? Kids start to turn their papers in with smiles, and I keep writing over my name bolder and bolder, over and over, with a look of defeat. I need to move, I need to get out of this school and get into the world. I am in jail; this book is my hand cuffs, this school is my prison. I want to be free, I want to lift weights, run, play football, get into a fight, be hit, hit, try new things, go to the edge and almost fall over. I want to live, I want to move on to the next room and say goodbye to 2 and see how 3 or 4 is. I want to explore, find a world of my own and live there forever.

c,d,c,f,c,d,c on my report card. I really thought this one was going to be better. I will go train in the school gym, a place that I could just sit in and feel good. A place that was always cold but warm, a place where I could feel confident in, a place that always felt like Christmas morning. The worse my report card was, the more weight I lifted, and the more I realized that I must learn how to play the game of life. Find my own way through this maze, I must be a fighter, must attack the world from a different direction than most, or I will die in room 2.

But my plan of attack was not working. College came around and I was chained deep in the dark whole of room 2 never to be seen again. I would here the kids talking about jobs, money, success, dreams, there major, there interviews and achievements. I remember wanting to be them so very bad, I wanted to have something I could do, touch, have control over, make my own, just like all of them. I was upset at myself, know one else.

Room 2 let me go when they finally kicked me out for bad grades. The jail cell opened and the outdoors light was bright, the sounds were loud like I just stepped onto a new planet for the first time. No money, no job, no life. I would sit on the outside bench watching all the people walk by me back and forth like they were in a movie being directed by a director. I was still moving my feet, having random twitches in my arms and shoulders. There was something in me that wanted out, an alien that was about to rip my stomach open and start hoping over cars.

The night was freezing when I was woken by an angel with three white stripes looking down on me. I was still on my bench when I saw this women with wings. There were know more people, know more loud sounds, just me and this women in the cold night. She was beautifull. Take this bar sweet child, and lift it above your head with all the might in the world. Do this and you will have a purpose, lift this bar and you will be set free, lift this bar and you will find love in your life and even change the lives of others. Go ahead grab it, take it in your hands and raise it above your head like it’s the world. Now go, follow the path the bar has for you, and make your mother proud, your sister proud, and yourself proud, walk and never look back.

I was lost back then but now I am found. I was confused back then but now I am smart, I was an F now I am an A, I was losing back then now I am winning, I was laughed at now I am laughing, I had 5 special attention teachers, now I teach. I was sad now happy, I failed English now I write, I had hate in me and now I love. Now I lift every day. I lift the world over my head, I lift for my family, I lift for my wife, I lift for you mom, I love you mom. Attitude Nation I salute you. 2012

Soldier of the attitude nation Danny Lehr

2011-11-14T13:11:00.001-08:00

Attitude Nation

2011-11-12T21:33:00.001-08:00

Day 1

2011-11-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

song - John Williams A.I. OST Monica's theme

     Wake up my friend, because today is day 1.    Today is the day where you get to start over, start fresh, or just add on to something you have been doing for some time now. But today is different, today you are done trying, you are done experimenting, done thinking, done asking, done reading, done watching, done learning, now its time for doing. There is something in the air this morning, the smell is different, the hard wood floor underneath your feet when you get out of bed feels different, your shower is hotter and your shave glides like snow dogs pulling there sled. Your coffee tastes better and stronger, the sun hits your face through the slightly opened window that feels amazing from the warmth and the cold air hitting you at the same time. Today is a different day, a brand new day, a Christmas morning day.
    This morning I will create my own path to walk down, and what I do when I walk down this path is what I have aways wanted to do. But see I ran into many monsters on my old path, did things that I wish I never did, acted certain ways that I lose sleep over, and hurt many people that I wish I never hurt. I have no excuses, even though I foolishly blame a few things like the flowers I chose to eat and my bad choice of water I chose to drink, but at the end of the day its just me walking down a lonely dark path. Day 1 is different, the path is bright and I will not make the same mistakes I made on my old path. I will become a better person, I will train harder than ever, I will double my shot of love and appreciate this short life much more.
    I drive to work and all you see is a flash of light, I drink my coffee and I grow fifteen feet taller, for the first time in a while I want to lift weights. I coach tell I pass out, I don't open doors I kick them down, and I love all the people who hate me. The attitude nation is day 1 everyday, we will not let the dark corners of life capture us and bring us down.
     Weightlifting is so mental, that it can effect your whole career if you have a bad outlook on the sport or in life in general. I have missed many lifts from a sad, weak, or scared mind. That will never go away all together, but the less these thoughts and emotions happen, the better you will train. Train hard today and you will feel good tomorrow, and when you feel good tomorrow, you will then want to train hard the next day. The better you train, the better you feel, the better you will sleep, the better you will eat, the better your life will be. This is why weightlifting to me is not just a sport but a way of life, my air, my gas and the only thing that keeps me going. Without it I would be in a mental institution knocking my head against the wall over and over again. I would be un happy, I would be weak minded. Weightlifting keeps you real, gives you feedback on who you are as a person, and always hits you in the face when needed. If you can bust through the walls of weightlifting, fight the pain and let downs, and keep training everyday no matter how you feel, than you can do anything in life, you are a gladiator. See the reason I am writing this blog this morning is because I am very down right now, I do not have any confidence or motivation at this time becasue I haven't lifted weights in the last few days. I just got back from the Grand Pri where I did horrible, even the coffee is having a hard time picking me up. So I write, I write to the attitude nation and I feel better.   People who get me, where others look at me like an alien. Thank you for giving me a chance, and eccepting me for me.
     I train today at two so I am very very excited to get my fix, get that "pump", that emotion, that straight shot of life, then I will be back to normal. See what most people don't know about me is I get very down, from being so high. There is know middle ground for me, one extreme or the next, just like my coffee, training, drinking, and etc... Something I have been struggling with and working on my whole life. Weightlifting will some day cure this, I am sure of it.
     Today is day 1. Today is the first training session for the Americans.  Today is the first day where the attitude nation marches faster and harder, day 1....lets train.

Fisherman

2011-10-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

I cast my line into the fast moving stream of water, where I have been catching fish sense early this morning. Its cloudy and cold outside, far from Christmas time but it smells like Christmas, it has the Christmas feel to it. Cold air, fog still lingering around the wet grass that has now turned into mud, from standing in the same place for so long. Gusts of wind that hit your face, taking away your breath for just a split second, then calm, with only the sound of the white water moving like a herd of horses. I have been catching fish at this same place for years now, with no sign of people besides my lovely wife, who is back at our cabin cooking breakfast......don't worry sweetie I will do the dishes! No people, no talk, just fishing and sleeping. Did I mention how Much I love Christmas time, the only thing I miss is Christmas music. I will never go back to society, I love fishing way to much. Nobody can tell me how to fish out here, what bate to use, or how to catch the most fish. Me doing what works for me, me living my life the way I want to. That sounds nice. I work hard in what I do, even though I do it differently than other people, but I sleep well at night.
     Over the years I like to pride myself of being a good fisherman, and I did it with know knowledge besides my own experience. I am self taught, and if I have any questions about fishing, well.... I ask myself, not the bears. See the bears all follow a hand book that explains how to catch fish, witch is fine, but the only thing I don't like about the hand book is how the hand book tries to catch me, and trap me in the herd.
     Be selfish, it will work for you and others. It will give others that read the hand book ways out, new ideas, they can believe in themselves rather than others who tell them "no". I believe....no, the attitude nation believes in you, you can do it, and you can do it your way, not there's. There is a whole world out there waiting for your new ideas, your success, your motivation, so put down the hand book and create your own. Take your arm and put it on the edge of the table, then slide everything off of it. I fish my way, did I ask for your opinion? No more chatter, just fishing, just living my life, keeping my eyes wide open, looking behind each bush, behind each door. You will be interested in what you would find. Don't listen to me, I am the guy you need to tell to shut up, tell me to get lost.
     When I drink coffee I see things, I am seeing things right now, different colors and white lines. When I was a kid I use the think I could see air, but everyone told me that it was impossible. It turned out that it was because I needed glasses, and it was my very poor eye sight that caused it. When I drink coffee I can see the air again, so maybe I CAN see air. When I look at you I am drunk off coffee, your head is a blur, your words are shaky, I like to just smile and laugh, while I walk forward. I see things in a different light, and the reason is because I had to. I am not book smart, I have no degrees, no certs, no real work experience, so I needed a plan, I needed a way to fish that was going to get me ahead of the rest with what I had, a way that was going to get me a lot of fish. I couldn't read the hand book, because I didn't understand the hand book. So now you have me, this guy who came form nothing, took the broken path, catches fish standing on his head with his pole back words. Anytime life gets hard I think of Christmas and how much I love the smells, the tree, the lights, all the family and the music. Anytime someone tells me how to fish I just smile. North 2012

"Green Hamster"

2011-10-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

Attitude Nation Salute! haha I just cracked an Ice cold green monster, and I am so very happy. That first chug burns the throat in a way that makes you smile. I am listening to my new favorite song by Foster the people, titled pumped up kicks. You have to listen to this song to get the full effect. Actually every blog I write has to do a lot with what song I am listening to, so from now on, I will post the song to each blog.
Lets see I feel like a green hamster, a green hamster that travels the world lifting weights and spreading my super man pull, my ideas, what Shankle has passed down to me, love, energy, and what I did to get to the top. I always have to go around the building to smoke my sticks, the get away sticks, the leave me a lone for a few minutes sticks. Ireland one week, Arizona the next, cold hotel rooms, dive bars, new friends, crossfiters to sprinters, hello people the green hamster just checked in, and I am ready to slam some bars. USA weightlifting hates me, but I smile and keep dancing, keep making money, keep succeeding while my middle finger is in the air. I wont stay in line, I wont become a sheep, you cant brain wash me. The Olympic training center.... never, they should be lucky to train at Cal Strength, I wouldn't go there if they paid me. The attitude nation is USA weightlifting, not the old grumps that never smile, those are the red hamsters.
I want to apologize for being gone for a while, I have been traveling and training like a bat out of hell. They gave me a bat map, and I have been destroying what coach has for me. Anything he says I do, I am getting freaky strong. I married a puff, and I am a snuggle, I love that who puff like crazy.
Bar back not up, do that, you will lift more weight. Bar separation is important, and bending your arms while lifting just makes you more of a bad ass. ok ok I am sorry, enough with the boring technique talk!!! wait one more thing, Stop pulling your shoulders back so early! stop pulling with your arms! I cant stand how people like this guy named Mark Rippetoe guy teaches the lifts. no one lifts like that, who is this guy? He is talking shit about me. I wish I could put my national medal in his cereal bowl just so he can taste it. Starting strength, ha! That book and that program is a joke, that book is by itself destroying peoples dreams of being a weightlifter and just weight training in general to become stronger. I call that book how not to work hard.
I don't know how I got onto that, I think the song changed to something a little more dark. Green Hamster needs to keep training hard.......PAN AM GAMES three weeks out. Champ 2011

Donald Duck

2011-08-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

     My role model has left me for a few months, I guess this bird needs to step outside the nest and try things out on my own. hmmm, lets see, this is my gym now............, I might just sit here and figure out how I ended up here, hmmm maybe I will lift some weights on my own, Donny is now gone, now I can take normal people jumps, now I can listen to my music without the Shankle giving me that look like I didn't eat all my vegetables. Now I can make my own rules, shit...now I am Donny Shankle. My music, my jumps, my time, my gym, my turn to lift, my intensity, my time to tell people to stop talking, my turn to be king. I like this, no one in the gym yet, just me poking around my new nest, a nest of two years, but now it looks so different. My nest, not yours.
     Good bye Donny....hello Jon North, wow this thrown feels comfy, so this is what it feels like. wow this crown is heavy, how did he wear this everyday for so long? This long red robe drags me down when I walk, I see, that's how he got so strong. I am a little bird that is trying to walk with really big cloths on, this will take a while. Just stepped on some chalk, let me shake off my feet. Damn this Robe is getting dirty, I wonder what kind of soap he used. My four arms now have duck gladiators with swords and shields on them. My pants are higher than usual, and my voice just became much quakier. What is happening to me? These other ducks seem to be a little nervous around me, and I really just want to talk and play. I just looked back and realized how far away I am from my nest, I am deep into Cal Strength now, very deep, there is no turning back now, I must keep going on. Donny did it, I can. I have big webbed feet to fill, I have to keep walking to try to fill em.
     I hop onto a big platform and start lifting, wow, I feel extra strong right now....even my jerk looks good, huh.....I didn't no I was a hip cleaner....? Once a baby duck, now a Donny duck, now I am the king of this familiar world, this crown is fitting better and better everyday. The big Gold thrown will be waiting for you Donny, but while you are gone, I will go ahead and keep it warm for you.   King Duck 2012

6 for 6

2011-08-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

They say first pull second pull, I say superman pull. They say pull up, I say push back. They say extend, I say Tyson hips. They say brush the bar, I say hit the bar. They say move your feet, I say Ali feet. You say 6 for 6, I say you went too light. People say "Clark" I say it's going heavy everyday. It's not bombing out, it's being a weightlifter. Its not over training, It's called being a pussy. It's not called percentages, It's called comfort zones. They are not called straps, they are called we train more often than you do. You pull, we snatch. You drop snatch, we drop under the snatch. You stretch, I drink coffee. protein, you mean more coffee. They call it a national tittle, I call it more money. fast means Caleb Ward, coach means Pendlay, hard core is not cross fit, it's Donny Shankle. Screw three whites, I just want two. Don't just make it, smoke it, easy is cheesecake. Don't miss in it front, walk it out. They have Masters Degrees, I have a USA Degree. Light day...WHATS A LIGHT DAY! Train through meet....I call it Pr total. They say make lifts, I say win. Champ 2012

The Donny and Jon Mess Around

2011-08-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

This blog is going to suck, because this blog has writers block, and this blog has nothing interesting to say. No motivation, nothing funny, nothing about weightlifting, nothing sad and deep, just....well.....this. (Jon)

I think you are on to something. My mind is all over the place. I mean at one moment I am thinking of the cartoon Pinky and the Brain, while the next moment I am trying to figure out the actual price of tea in China. I mean what the hell is going on here.(Donny)

We have been sitting in this room trying to find the right music to inspire an inspiring post, but after about twenty songs from different movies that Donny told me to listen to, the screen remands still white with no writing. I am about two monsters down, and Donny is slamming his red bull, I only think he is drinking red bull to rebel from what I drink...asshole. I find what Donny said at the top fucken hilarious, what the hell is he talking about! I don't know why I just wrote that question, because I can just look over at him right now and ask him...hold on.... he told me "what do you want me to say". (Jon)

I mean did you just see that cat. I swear I saw a cat. I watched this movie Event Horizon last night and I didn't know what the hell was going. This shit was like a combination between Star Wars and Nightmare On Elm Street. (Donny)

On my third monster and I have no idea what to write about, all I know is I have been in this gym all day and I need a shower very badly. These energy drinks can make you feel very good, but also give you a bad headache. I saw the movie soul surfer the other night, great movie, great for the family, and I cant believe that is a true story. Michael Savage had a great show yesterday like always. I listened to an hour of it in the carls junior parking lot while eating my double bacon western cheese burger with fries, a sprite and one dollar beef taco. (Jon)

I wonder if you stand on your head and eat pop-sickles to fast will you get the cold feeling on your ass. Maybe not but maybe so (Donny)

I have nothing to say (Jon)

lol...Dammit how come my guidance counselor never told me I could make money having sex with porn stars..Somebody find me a great white shark to punch in the face (Donny)

Good point Donny.....you are a genius. Why do older people on college campuses always have rolly back packs and not normal bags that go around your shoulders? Burger King is the worst fast food restaurant. I wonder who would win in a fight, chuck Norris or Glenn Pendlay? This is the worst blog I have ever wrote....but could be the best at the same time. (Jon)

Jon keeps asking me what to say and I have no idea. I am just letting shit float up and puttin them out there. I want you all to know there is no reefer going around this table. I get drug tested a hell of a lot. (Donny)

I am not in the mood. I want to wright something funny so people will laugh and I am a part of the fun. (Jon)

Step back paddly wack put me in the zone. YA baby that shit floated (Donny)

One sec (Jon)

lol...You notice how these phrases keep getting shorter. About as short as Obama's term in office. (Donny)

Hounddogs, boondocks, and flapjacks. Sorry Jon I just had to throw that in there. OK GO! (Donny)

Give me the key board Donny I have something to say..........never mind here is Donny again. (Jon)

We need to zero in on something here. You know what I hate SILK. You know that milk made from soy. That ain't milk and it aint no milk byproduct or nuttin of the sort. All milk comes from tits... Them damn hellions...somebody pass a pickle (Donny)

This will never be posted(Jon)

A Symphony Of Steel

2011-08-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

     Crack, crisp, chug......one down, two more to go.   bang bang, now I have three green monsters in me, and now I have been bitten by the green vampire. I left my car running in the parking lot as I walk into the middle of the street, right left right left, eyes don't blink, I don't care, big smile on my face, if a baby would see me, they would probably ask there mom what I was. Sometimes I just feel like jumping, and hoping, it's the blood in me that pumps to hard. The green blood that makes my heart hurt from so much energy, drive, anger, and fucking frustration. The only thing I regret as I walk out to the middle of the road is how I should have downed more monsters, how I am so close from losing my mind, and how I actually want to. It's my goal. I want to see how it feels. Energy takes over and I feel like breaking your window to your Prius and ripping you out of it. I feel like sitting in the space ship all day with Donny, and playing a symphony. A symphony in space , a symphony of steel, a symphony made beholden to the power of MAN!
     I will sin in the streets and cry out for more, as cars will go around me, I will not go around them. Hold the wheel Donny I need to go pee, watch out for the stars Donny they will burn us alive, watch out for those big rocks Donny, please don't just go through them, you are strong... but not that strong. My pee is green and Donny didn't listen, I guess He is stronger than I thought. I guess this fucker is the black sheep and I am still in the white, I guess I need to earn my color and become captain of this ship. I slam 20 monsters only to realize how good I feel, my head moves back and forth like a kid steeling candy from a candy shop. Maybe I will sneak away and hide from everyone. I just found Donny, damn he beat me to it. Donny and I have been in this hide away all morning, the hide out is filling up fast with monsters.
     I am in space with a basketball star, an animal I love, and my best friend coffee, monster is just the drug. Black on black space ship that seems to always be running into rocks because Donny does what he wants, and doesn't listen!
     I like the sound of the Piano, and the sound of the Violin. My space ship is filled with monsters, green like money and green like go. My Blog loses hits the longer I go. My mind is lost, my thoughts are on meth, my posts get stranger because I start to get more comfortable. As Donny once said......"lets train".

Donny Shankle reads my "The Old Show" on his Blog, his voice of an Angel!

2011-08-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

www.donnyshankle.blogspot.com

"The old show "

2011-08-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

     I need a coffee like I need to win the Olympics. I need a coffee like I need to break the American records. I need a coffee like I need coach to call in sick one day so I can finally rest. Damn I need a coffee. Training has been hell, shit....training is always hell. I remember in College there would be days that I would just lay around all day and play video games...heaven.   Now its barbell in front of my face, barbell in my hands, barbell on my back and even in my head. This fucken barbell follows me around everywhere, now that I found my bar I am almost wishing it would float away from me again. Maybe I shouldn't have wrote the "red Balloon".
     Train train, that's all I know these days. It's almost like I have forgotten who I am. I sometimes sit in the gym watching other people come and go thinking I am missing out on life.   Am I?   Then I am woken up from coach telling me to lift the barbell, that fucken barbell. I don't know if that barbell is my friend or my enemy, Sometimes I don't want to lift, sometimes I want to go play outside. I slammed the bar down at nationals winning me the national tittle, and making the Pan Am games all in one lift, but for some reason I didn't feel the same joy and accomplishment that I did last year at the Arnold. If you youtube my name you will find me winning the 2010 Arnold and putting me on the USA team for the Pan Am Championships. That moment was the best moment in my whole career, possibly life. But why not this year, you would think that this years nationals would have brought me much more happiness. I kept looking for the rush of joy, I thought it would come any minute. It never did. Maybe my first coach Jackie Mah was right, she always said that "its the climb up that will be your best moments in this sport, the top will never feel the same." I now understand what she means.
     I have a long ways to go in this journey, but the higher I climb the more dark it gets, the less excitement I have, the less I yell, slam bars and call weightlifters names out before lifting. Maybe I have let people's negative comments get to me without me even knowing. Maybe The bar is just set higher, or maybe reality has kicked in, that I could make an Olympic team. Its weird how you want something so bad, and you fight for it for so long, but once it is in reach you hesitate to grab it. I am like an act that is getting old. The show is dying and the people are leaving. You are once a breath of fresh air, you are the crowd favorite, you are the talk of the group. Intel time goes by and you succeed, the hype goes way down, the bets start to turn else where and you are just another top weightlifter sat next to by the other top weightlifters. Now I am categorized, jumping Jonathan North is dead, UN original, just another. Maybe this is why I was not more excited lately. I will watch others laugh and fool around in the gym all day, while I am leashed to the platform. I am fine with that, they can do what they want. I have coach to talk to and my team mates who seem to come and go over the years. I will still be here, training away, in my corner. If you want to find the old race horse, the old act, the old show, I will be in the back of the gym with coach Pendlay.    see you there someday.   Champ 2012

Nation of go getters

2011-08-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

     Its time to train mother fuckers. O yes, yes I am at the green jungle gulping down my life drink, my motivation potion, my dark big coffee that looks so damn sexy. I am going to finish this one and then buy another, I will probably have three before practice tonight. Practice starts at 4, and I will be ready. I am ready to take on the whole fucken world, lets go, game time. Everyday I wake up with a mission to win, win in weightlifting and in life. I view life as a game, and I am playing to win. I am a gladiator of life. I am a hard working republican that has created something from nothing, the only help I ask is from this coffee that keeps looking at me, i swear this coffee is alive.
     I hate sleep, I just want to keep going. I want my website to grow bigger and bigger, I want to make the Olympic team, I want to help Cal Strength take over the world, I want to be the best fucken Husband in the world, I want my mom to be happy, I want my sister to love life and be treated well, I want to keep winning, I want to give back to Donny what he has done for me, I want to make my boss and coach proud, I want to keep pissing people off, I want the Jon north nation to grow into an army and change this sport into something more than it is now, I want to coach everyone my way, the Superman pull way, the hit the bar with your hips way, the stop talking about hamstring way, the train heavy every day way, and the what is a light day way.
     Do you feel the same way I do? Do you wake up everyday and feel like attacking the world? I bet you do if you follow this blog. The people who read this blog are people who put things on the line, fear the comfort zones, risk, take, live life to the fullest, are happy, who try hard in everything they do, these are the people of the north nation, you are the people who will change the world and this sport. Don't read this blog if you are not on board, get the fuck out, we are to busy winning, winning in all different aspects of life.
    We are people who will cut you in line if you are taking to long, we have things to do so move. I don't have time to drive in the slow lane, move. I don't have time to complain all day so leave. I don't play my Violin, we play our marching drums, you look at the clock and wait for the day to be over, we don't know what time is because its all one big race, fuck a clock. You Chat we train, you think we do, you stop training we keep going, we love you hate, we attack you surrender.
     Yes yes yes! YES THIS IS A GOOD FUCKEN BLOG! haha I am now ready to train, Lets go, lets train! train train train train train train, and train some more. I will clark a thousand bars but always come back for more. I will bomb out many more times but I will see that weight again. Coach Pendlay is my leader so I know I will win the war even with many battles lost. Donny Shankle motivation, Donny Shankle keeps going, and I will go with him.    Jon North Nation 2012

Hello friend

2011-07-28T16:49:00.000-07:00

     Back in the jungle drunk off coffee. Yes I trained today, just like everyday, twice a day and very hard everyday. Yes I did my squats and I cleaned up the gym, eat all my food, did my laps in the pool, talked to coach about game plans, kissed my Fiance during lunch time, took my dog on a walk, did some coaching, but now its my time, its time to sneak away to the green jungle. So hear I am writing to you again about God knows what. No one in this place knows me, and its great. I am just an average Joe in hear, free to drink coffee, watch weightlifting videos, chat to old friends from college, and write to you. How was your day?   How did your training go? Any Pr's? I swear you are my best friend, so thanks for hanging out with me.
     Lets see hear yes I am excited for the Pan Am Games in Mexico, but I have to say I am more excited to watch a movie tonight with my fiance. Besides hanging out with you and drinking coffee, my favorite thing in the whole wide world is watching a movie on the floor with my fiance and my daughter with four legs. I saw the best movie I have seen in a long time the other night, you should go rent it tonight! Its called KILL THE IRISHMAN. Its based on a true story witch makes it way better. Its about the legendary Danny Green, the man that took on the mafia, gangs, police and everything that basically messed with him or got in his way. I don't want to say much more about it, you just need to trust me and watch it. I hate action movies, sorry I don't know why, and that's why I like this movie, it's a drama with some punch in it. If you like the Goodfellas, or casino you will love this movie.
     I really do believe that the hot tub is the best thing you can do for recovery. Before and after, it wakes me up, loosens me up and gets me going. I have heard all these different run downs about how the hot tub can make you tired....non sense, get out of town with that craziness.
     I will probably start to lose viewers on my blog left and right because most of them are weightlifters and they want to hear the secrete, programing, training story's, technique talk, I am sorry but that would put me asleep, but for the people who like to hear me go on about random life stuff, crazy stories that always seem to come to me, then thank you for staying my friend.
     Didn't get a lot of good feedback form my last blog...hmmm that's weird to me, I thought it was good. but o well, I will just keep writing away because its my new favorite thing to do. I would love to start training with other people, I think that's key to training. I love the people who I train with, not people but my team mates, but I love to mix it up more, anybody want to come train with me? You can stay at my place it will be fun. We can hot tub at night, play some poker after dinner, and train all damn day. I think I am going to become a mute, and only write from hear on out. No more yelling, and shit talking at meets or in training, just some crazy guy in the corner who is throwing up big weight, then I will get on hear and go crazy. I think that would be impossible though. Its funny when people think that what I do in training or in meets is some sort of act, like I am putting on a show. I find that funny, trust me that's just my crazy self, that's just my emotions getting the better of me, but I really do think that you guys get me, because I know that a lot of people don't.
     My favorite movie is the Truman show, what is yours? second is AI, third is beautiful mind, fourth is gladiator, fifth is man on fire, six is catch me if you can, seventh is book of eli.
     Does anybody hear drive a Preus? I am sorry but wtf is that? I saw how much they are and I almost fell over, why would you spend money on that weirdly shaped car? O I forgot to save the world and the polo bears, well I guess someone needs to.
     My roll model is Michael Savage, sorry if you now hate me...lol for those who like him as well than lets have a toast. When the day gets hard I will slip into my car and crank him up, I guess when he gets his frustrations out I get my out at the same time without saying anything, its perfect. Now that I listen to Savage everyday, even rush is to soft for me now, ts crazy! I use to love Hannity, well I still do but that's middle school stuff compared to the Savage nation. lol I don't know where I am going with this, I guess I am brain washed.
     Is fast food bad for you? Will this sport grow more popular? Will I be able to buy a house next year? I wonder how hard training is going to be tomorrow. O I have Kaleb witby coming out tomorrow to train and visit! Yes, I love this guy, very cool, nice, laid back, and great athlete. He is staying at my place this weekend, so I can have someone to ramble to about my crazy ideas and beliefs. Well I think the main reason he is coming out hear is for the Pendlay certification, so I guess I am second on the list. You probably keep looking at your watch thinking to yourself how much stuff you still have to do today and how much longer is this long, drawn out post going to last, well have a good day, train hard, see you tomorrow. north 2012

gangland

2011-07-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

     We are an army that leans back to back as we march forward with high knees in the dark and red sky. Can you picture an army of thousands all moving at the same time? I can, now let me add some fog in there just to make the picture more intense, more bad ass. Up a hill with one dead tree, that has been burned from some fire that killed the whole damn village, we march right past as we all start to spread wider and wider taking over anything that gets in our way, you look this way I look that way. When I step you step, when I march you march, when I attack you attack. If you were a frog and you saw this army stomping your way you would hop, and hop fast. If you were a straight line Joe you would jump and run, just like you want to do everyday in your office of blank walls. but you cant because you don't have an army to run with, you are scared, you are a Ferris wheel of boredom. Weightlifting family we raise our glasses together, and drink our milk around the biggest camp fire in the world, completely protected from the light and dark. We are not in either, we are the biggest army that know one has ever seen, or knows about. As the snow falls hard we keep marching as we drag our bars behind us. Rest is for the weak, bar dragging is all we know, pushing on into the red mountains is all we will ever do.
     Shankle catches his wolf and cuts it's throat while riding on it's back, that wolf is now dead and now we eat. Kendrick Farris runs fast with his dreads behind him as he jumps and throws his bar 10 football fields long hitting a bear through the eyes, now we eat. Pat Mendez comes out of his cave reaching 55 feet tall with a fist bigger than the Madison square garden, pounding the ground creating a crack that swallows a dinosaur whole, now we celebrate. A quiet and calm veteran named Chad Vaughn that is the deadliest of them all, pulls back his bow and arrow as he lets 1,000 arrows go at one time, flying down and striking every enemy that is even thinking about attacking this cult, family, army, gang, mafia. We walk tall when we march, we march because we don't have time to stop, we don't want to stop. When it gets dark coach Pendlay leads the pack as he blows out fire from his mouth, lighting up the darkness. He does this is in a way that looks like he is about to explode or "finish" in the snatch, butt back and shoulders over with some very bent arms like a hip cleaner. Big Phil turns his arms into machine guns and shoots anyone or thing in our way, and I will add a cigar, overalls and a mike Tyson face tattoo in there as well.
     USA weightlifting, garage lifters, hot shots and small jocks, big gyms or your gym, board shorts or Adidas, slam bars or follow bars, lets keep attacking side by side, lets keep marching, lets keep lifting.
Champ 2012

I Slam Bars

2011-07-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

     I wish I could slam other things rather than bars. I am tired of only slamming bars, there are so many other things I would love to slam. Maybe the reason why I slam bars is because I imagine slamming other things. Maybe the hate, sadness, and frustration drive me to slam bars. I want my father back, I miss my dad. I wish after I slam the bar glass would shatter everywhere, and the crystals would fly away and never come back. I wish when I slam the bar that the white powder would be sweeped away by the wind to never be found again.   One day I want to slam a bar so hard that my dad would be released from the hell the devil has put him in. I wounder if that could ever happen?

     I wish the bar would take me back to the blue house, the black Lexus, the big offices of Nextel, movie theaters, gas station stops, hotel rooms, soccer games, working out together at Bali's, space Nettle, home videos. I wish the bar was a time machine. I wish the bar could kill what I wanted it to. I wish the bar would do what I said. I wish the bar was my magic bar. I wish the bar would bring my dad to see me lift, I think he would be proud of me and what I am doing with my life. I know he wanted me to get into the business world, the happy hour world, the people world. But who knows, maybe he would have preferred this lifestyle I live in. I go back and forth from sad to mad, I have found that it's very hard to control my emotions.

     I slam the bar with hate, hate towards drugs, hate towards my dad choosing drugs over my mom and I. Hate towards alcohol and what it has don to me, hate towards myself for the person I can sometimes become, hate towards my past and the things I did. Sometimes I slam bars and I have no idea what I am hateing, but its there in the back of my throat. My emotions are a roller coaster that has lost all controll, and they take me over like a great dane being walked by a small child. Maybe if I keep slamming that bar my dad will come watch me lift, or just hang out with me. I will fucken slam the bar with all the hate and frustration I have in me because that's what makes me feel better, that's what keeps me balanced, and who are you to tell me to stop? who are you to tell me how to act and live my life? I get crazy because it takes me out of reality, I don't need drugs to get lost, I have weightlifting, I have this gym. I cant control my relationship with my dad, but I can control makeing international teams, wining national championships and sometime soon grabbing that American record by the throat and riping its head off.
     I don't care what any body thinks, If you don't like me slamming bars than I will slam you, if you don't like my attitude than screw you, I am tired of looking for approval. I am tired of asking, waiting in line, putting my hand out and getting no hand to shake back. I stopped being the sheep, being peoples background noise and view. I walk away from there group and I will chain the doors to California strength, close the blinds and slam my bars all day and night. I am a monster, I am not normal, I will hide away in my gym, drink my coffee in the green jungle and be happy.
     Call that glass your son, play catch with it and buy it pop and candy at the gas station. Have fun with your new family, I wish you didn't feel the way you do towards me, but I will be just fine. I have my new family out hear, I have my bar.   -Champ 2012

This is an blog post written by one of my athletes....

2011-07-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

Click Here: Tyson Hips, Ali Feet, Superman, and Shankle Pulls

Thank you Chad!

"I Slam Bars"!

2011-07-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

Brand new "I Slam Bars" T shirts now for sale at www.jonnorthattitude.com The shirt is in Navy blue, flex fit, and you have to slam bars to wear this shirt! -champ

Kevin Cornell Interview

2011-07-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

Green Jungle

2011-07-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

I take a giant sip of my ice cold coffee. Its my third cup this morning and I cant stop, every sip makes me feel better, every sip takes away the stress. I am drunk off coffee. I sit back and close my eyes as my mind races through old memories, new memories and some thoughts of what the future looks like. coffee is my new best friend, he understands what I am going through, he makes me laugh, smile and most importantly makes me feel good about myself.
I am not in the gym right now, I am in my hide out, I am in my tree fort. There are no weights smashing down hard against the floor, and the air is not filled with chalk. There are many more smiles in my hide away, people are much more relaxed and friendly. I hide in the corner like the phantom, trying to stay un noticed in this weird world where there are no weights, coaches or athletes. I drink, I type, and I "people watch". I find myself staring at these people who don't wear Adidas gear as if they where from another world. Maybe I am in the other world and they look at me funny, maybe they think I am the alien. This green straw keeps looking at me, so I take another sip of the dark liquid that puts me back on track, and I start typing away. What the hell am I typing for? What the hell am I writing about? Maybe Its my escape from the gym, from the noise and the same old "who's stronger" talk. I like writing, It feels good to put your thoughts and ideas on paper. It slows everything down. The coffee makes everything feel like I am dreaming, like everyone is living there lives and I am just watching. Who new I would be writing on a blog and lifting weights for the USA. Some days I just cant figure out how I ended up hear. It seemed like yesterday I was taking lines off glass tables, and waking up on kitchen floors. Life is crazy, the different roads it can take you down are beautiful and bazaar. They can be dark but still fascinating. I wouldn't change anything I did back then, I don't regret anything I did and got myself into. There is the world of weightlifting, and there is the world of long nights and car rides to unknown places, but honestly in the end, they are very much the same. I have touched the hot flame, I have been down the dark ally way, I have seen the devil, and I think I am a better person today because of it. I thank God and my mom for leading me to the world of weightlifting, wow, who knows what I would be doing right now.
All I know is that I love this green coffee jungle I am in right now. I need more coffee, I need more training, I need to get stronger. I love coaching. My athlete Andrew Jester took bronze at school age nationals, his very first national meet. I couldn't go with him because of my nationals, but I am very proud of him. I love that damn kid. I love everyone in this sport, I love my Fiance, I love this world, I love California strength, I love big Phil, I love all the judges and coaches, even if you don't like me, I like you. I love the USA, I love this coffee. North 2012

AC

2011-07-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

That sucks your hands hurt. O thanks for telling me that I should turn off my AC while the windows are down, let me go ahead and turn off the AC in my car, your totally right man thank you. O no buddy you have lower back pain when you train?! You should take off three months , your right! the foam roller really helps how you feel in training, OMG I love that stretch, it really works my hamstrings. I love doing the hang snatch because I really feel like it stretches and strengthens my hamstrings. Your right bro I would save a lot of money if I didn't buy my smokes, I am done with that man, what was I thinking. Please tell me what I should do man, please I need help. This life thing is hard, should I turn left or right? Your right I need to open lighter and make more lifts, yea your right I need to eat better, yea your right I need to control my breathing in competition and focus more on the task at hand. I am so glad you came up and started talking to me about all this, I am glad you saw the sign around my neck that says help, because I am lost! Shit, dude I am so so sorry that I offended you when I flipped off the camera in one of my you tube videos, that will never happen again, I need to become more classy. Hey before you leave can you write down everything I should work on or do so I can practice when I get home? thank you. I will never joke about steroids again, please forgive me!!!! "control your temper, stretch more, stop smoking, drive slower, stop spending so much money, you should save up, why a new car you already have one, some people have injury's Jon, so you cant train them that hard, your just young." -sheep

-wolf- I will always drive with my AC on full blast with my windows down. I will never believe in stretching, and I will always love fast food. Don't let them change you, do what you want to do, blast your AC anytime you want! Coach the way you feel is the best way, stop reading weightlifting articles! stop being brain washed by the "experts" Windows down and AC up, try it because it feels really good!

The Red Balloon

2011-06-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

The worst thing I ever did in this sport is snatch 160kg. Before that day the bar and I were best friends, we were like one, that bar made me confident, strong and fearless. The bar is so high now that I can't seem to find it. The bar didn't invite me on its travels upward. The bar and I were ready to go together, we both had our tickets and our bags packed just waiting for that big gust of wind to carry us into the sky full of success, but right when I looked away, the bar was already starting to float away. I reached up and tried to grab it yelling, "wait bar, wait for me I want to go with you"! I tried jumping as high as I could but it was just a little too far up, minute after minute, and day after day the bar started to rise higher and higher until it disappeared into the sky. I put up flyers everywhere but no one has gotten back to me on it's whereabouts.
I feel so lost without my bar, I am not myself anymore. I am now just an average Joe walking around lost and confused. I walk and I walk through the dark hills that constantly whisper negative comments about me. The deeper I get lost looking for my bar the more I hear words of hate, and the more backs I see. I see red faces of haters that start to laugh and smile, the better they sleep and the worse I sleep, the more I get lost, the happier people get. They say, "Finally no more annoying yelling, stupid shout outs, bar slamming and over the top, cocky, arrogant blog postings". Finally he is no longer number one, finally he is lost and he will never find his bar again". Even though I might be stripped of my confidence and my strength is down, I am still that crazy jumping Jonathan North that came out of nowhere with Coach Jackie Mah. She unleashed me and said "sick em boy" and even without my bar you can't take that away from me. I told you people that I am not going anywhere, I told you that I will keep fighting no matter what, I told you I will keep slamming bars, spitting on weights and yelling loud in every battle I go into, I told you mother fuckers that I am not going anywhere. I will continue to piss people off, gather even more haters than I have now, I will continue to win, lose, make teams, miss teams, break records, bomb out, clark weights, kiss weights, yell Arnold, love this sport, and hate this sport.
After guidance by a few close to me, I found my bar deep in the woods behind a big wall of rocks. I have hit many walls in this sport and in life, but after a while of fighting, after a while of trying to live up to my mentor Donny Shankle, I have broken through all of them. But this wall is not going down, the more I push the heavier the wall feels. I cant seem to do it on my own, I have hit a wall I can't seem to bring down. My bar lays in the mud behind the wall still shinning bright, and I fuck'n want it, I fuck'n need it as other lifters keep getting stronger. I am wasting time. I need to win right now. I need to get back on top and get my fire back.
A very big man that towered over me with his black beard and sword called coach steps beside me and starts striking the wall with massive power. Right then, a legend of the woods with long hair and war tattoos steps on the other side of me striking the wall with confidence I have never seen before. I am in shock. I just keep pushing and hitting the wall as a small smile crosses my face, and right at that moment everyone seemed to stop and move out of the way kneeling down as a king with a golden crown and a golden stick started to walk up to the wall with his beautiful queen. That man is the king and owner of all the woods. Soon there were soldiers coming out of the woods to help. One was a wolverine. One was a dark muscular creature who was smaller and fast. One was an old friend with blond hair and legs that were made out of tree trucks. They all came to help. The wall started to crack and move. Two new creatures that just joined the woods came to help too. Even a small Asian creature helped with the wall, while also doing many other things for the king at the same time. The woods lumberjack showed up to help, who is known for kicking down trees and carried them off tied around his massive back, his leg power will be very useful in bringing down this wall. I was very happy to see the colorful haired athlete of the woods who has a power that prevents her from aging, she who brings energy and motivation to us all. The quiet wise man with glasses who was respected and won many battles leading people to victory of the woods came and started at the wall too. A big eyed skinny creature who is the woods watcher and greatest people reader in all of the land came to hit the wall. Last but not least a young kid new to the woods came to help with his big new bronze medal around his neck, he is known for having the biggest heart in the woods. Bang! bang! bang! We all came together and smashed and hit the wall giving it everything we had, but still the rocky wall would not go down.
My gold medal seemed to be out of reach, until the most beautiful creature in all of the woods came flying down slowly with her white wings and beautiful smile. She is the creature I am going to marry, she is the angel that I love. She gave us all strength, as she floated over and pushed against the wall. The wall started to move and shake and then in a blink of an eye it fell down crumbling all around the Pendlay bar. Everyone stepped back and watched as I hook gripped my bar back into my hands. I stood tall with my elbows locked out and the bar high over my head. I could feel my strength pumping through my blood, my heart started to beat faster, and I began to yell as the backs faced forward, the red faces of hate ran and hid away, and the negative whispers turned into positive praises. I kissed my angel, shook the hands of all the great friends that helped me and walked back into the gym. I have my bar back, I will see you at Nationals bitches. North 2012

Mental Man

2011-05-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Mental, Mental, Mental man. The little mental man will climb up in your head, grab the controls and start controlling you! The mental man will take over your emotions, confidence, way of looking at things, he will make you "Clark" weights that you could make, he will mess up your whole day. You have to learn how to fight back and control the mental man. If you are thinking about getting rid of the little man you are crazy, he will never leave, he is there to stay forever! You have to trick him, give him something else do to while you focus and control your own mind. I usually tell him to go on a walk, play some video games, just anything to leave me a lone. Sometimes he will walk right into my head office and mess me up for just a few minutes, but you have to find ways to put him back in his room! If he does not go back in his room then you might miss lifts, do bad in a competition, miss a squat or the most common of them all the "Clark" The "Clark is where the mental man will actually break into your mind control room and unplug your lifting cord, yes I know that sneaky bastard!!! I have tried calling the cops on him before but they wont arrest him, instead they call me crazy! People will actually think its me "Clarking" the weight and not the mental man breaking and entering! You can beat him though! I have done it, its hard but with the right amount of determination, head security guards, and big bouncers all working together, you can come back from a "Clark" and make the lift on your next try! Yes you can take over the controls and beat the little man with his bright yellow Hawaiian shirt and his short blue swimming trunks. He will get all upset and stay in his room for the rest of the day, while you continue to lift bigger and bigger weight. Mental man 2012 ..........wait........what is all this writing???? this wasn't me typing! this must have been the mental man!!! son of a bitch! get back in your room!

Shankle shirts are ready to be worn!!!!

2011-05-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

"Shankle" T shirts are finally up for sale on my site www.jonnorthattitude.com check em out! Plus a new surprise interview will be up tonight so stay tuned!

The Orange Room

2011-05-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

I was woken up by the sunrise creeping through my window shades, it made my room orange, it was awesome. The orange light that filled my room made everything look different. Everything looked like it was in a toy story movie, I felt like I was in a different world. I looked over at my orange faced Fiance that was still sound asleep, she even looked computer animated. I didn't want to wake her so I got out of bed slowly and made my way to the kitchen to make some coffee. There is something about being the only one up and awake in your house very early in the morning that is so peace full. As if the whole world is asleep and your the only one awake. Its like the house is alive and looking at you like "why are you up this early"? The house was completely dark still, and then I noticed that the hall way that led to my room was completely orange. The orange light was creeping down the hall way heading right for me. It was slowly taking over the dark house. I stood there in my big blue robe and my coffee in my hand just staring at the orange light moving towards me, at this point I didn't know if I was awake or dreaming. The orange slowly hit my feet and then crept up my whole body in tell it I was a glowing orange man.
The cold morning air hit me right in the face the second I walked outside. I stretched out my arms and told myself I was going to lift big weights today. The orange light was a sign of strength, a sign that I was going to make this Olympic team in 2012. It was a sign that I was going to keep getting stronger, way stronger. I love this sport, this sport is home to me, it has been good to me on all levels, I just want to take more out of it, I want to win more, I want to keep making more and more money, I want to get more kids in this sport, I love the USA. Its crazy to think where I am at today, wow, looking back a few years ago I was a lost kid in college in and out of trouble. Only if my English teacher new that I was a paid writer, and that I had my own blog, lol, she would fall over. I failed her class three times and then finally passed. She always loved my writing, it was just the reading and grammar that killed me. I will never forget what she told me, at the very end of my last class that I ended up passing. Ms Van Aalst said "forget 90% of what I taught you and write the way you want to write." That was the best advise any teacher has ever given me. All my other teachers told me my writing was "not properly formatted, you write like you talk Jon and that's not correct." I always looked back at what Ms Van Aalst told me and just kept doing my thing. Screw them, screw the know it all's, I hate only doing things one way because someone a long time ago said so, because that's just the way it is Jon. fuck that, do things your way, do it how you want to do it. Life is a game, life is in your hands, not theirs. Train how you want to train, write how you want to write, coach how you want to coach, fuck them. Fuck all them that tell you different.

The Crack Head

2011-05-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

I had a crack head in a head lock last night in the middle of main street at 3 am in the morning in my boxers…..now do I have your attention! Your probably wondering to yourself how the hell I got into this situation!!!! well let me tell you, follow me to the start of this crazy story.

It was 3 am in the morning and I was sound asleep next to my lovely Fiance, when I was woken up by my daughter, aka, my dog aka my pit bull. she kept barking, and it was not just a normal bark, it was a very mean scary bark that I have never heard before. I new something was wrong from how lexi was barking, and right before I got out of bed I heard a banging noise coming from outside, bang! bang! bang! it sounded like it was coming from the drive way. I ran to the window and saw a shadow that looked like a man banging at my car window with something in his hand. I yelled at him, “hey, hey you”!! “get the hell out of hear”! he didn't even look back. He didn't even stop banging at my window. You would think he would become startled or scared, jump or run or even just look back, but no, nothing. I then ran outside in nothing but my boxer shorts, and my first reaction is to knock this dude out, attack him is what I first wanted to do, but as I got closer to him I saw he had a knife in his hand, or what looked like a knife. I wont lie, I was a little nervous at this point, I started to slow down as a approached him, his confidence sacred me, I am not a small dude, and I thought I was being pretty intimidating, but this guy could care less that I was there, and that's weird, that's not even normal. I couldn't figure out why this guy was not even startled or even just acknowledge me, did he have a gun? a knife? what was in his hands? did he have Friends around the corner about to jump me? all these thoughts were going through my head. I kept yelling at him, and then he finally he said without even looking at me, “it wont open” what! at this point I was so confused, I thought I was dreaming. I finally said enough is enough, I said, “ok mother fucker you asked for it, your about to get fucked up”! I ran back to the front door, opened it up, and told my daughter to “get em”! my Lexi ran as fast as she has ever ran jumping into the air and tackling this guy onto the street biting him all over. He was screaming as she was ripping his jeans like one of her toys from petco. I told my Fiance to call the cops, then I went on yelling, “get em lexi, get em!!! fucken get em lexi!!!!!!! over and over again. I was so proud of her. He some how got up and started running down the middle of the street, lexi then started to chase him a whole block. When he got to the end of the block he was half naked and very bloody. He thought he could out run my dog! lol that's funny! my dog was on this crack head like white on rice. The main street was more lit up from all the street lights. I then saw that his hands where empty as he through them up from lexi biting his leg, I then went into attack mode, now that I new he had no gun or weapon. I ran and tackled him into the street, stood up and kicked him in the head knocking him out for about three minutes, then I put him in a choke hold and waited for the cops. Every time this guy tried to move lexi would snap at his arms and legs while running around us in circles showing these teeth that even scared me!

Finlay four cop cars pulled up surrounding us, I let the guy go and grabbed lexi, as all the cops did there thing. I have never been more proud of my dog, she protected the house, protected my girlfriend and me from harm, she risked her own life to protect us, I am forever grateful to her, I will never own a better dog for as long as I live. I After the cops took him away and did all the talking and paper work, my girlfriend and I put lexi’s pink snuggie on, gave her a treat, and went back to bed. the end

Rating:

Jared Enderton Interview.

2011-05-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

Costco

2011-05-04T10:24:00.001-07:00

I am almost 100% sure that Coach Glenn Pendlay works or has
worked for the secret service, and here’s why. The whole California
Strength team pulls up in two car loads into the Costco parking lot like we are
in the mafia, or better yet in the secret service. Coach starts walking
to the front door outside in the windy parking lot. Now for some reason
while Coach Glenn Pendlay was walking toward the front door I imagined the Akon
song “sexy chick” playing. It would have fit coach perfectly! The
walk, the attitude, the weightlifting mafia behind him, shit just the whole
Glenn Pendlay way! I was thinking, “Damn that’s one sexy man”!!
haha I don’t know why I think that’s so funny, it just is. I think it’s because
he is just so damn serious it makes it that much funnier. Its sample time
baby! A couple times a week we crash the little party of soccer moms and
working dads at Costco and eat all there samples!   The first step in
pulling off this free meal between practices is getting a cart, and pushing it
around the store like we are actually buying stuff. Coach will actually
put stuff in the cart and just slowly push it around the store! It’s like
he is a big bear trying to fit in with the humans! haha I am sorry but watching
him making round after round is one of the funniest and greatest things I have
ever seen. It’s not only that, it’s the way he does it. He will
walk up looking at the samples like it’s a math problem, look up at the little Asian
girl, look back down to the samples and then he will start talking to the
samples lady’s about everything! “what is it” where is it
from” what’s it good on” He will eat it, then he will
start moving his hands around in some sort of crazy way, gathering his flock of
weightlifters to the sample booth!   “Jon have you tried
this”? I will say yes coach I have. “Well Jon then get
some more!” Ok coach I will. lol   hahaha and
he is dead serious, I have never seen a man so serious in my life, and we are
eating samples!!!   If we walk up to a sample table that has the food
in the oven still, he will write down when it will be done, walk around more
and then yell, “guys I think the mini hot dogs are done”!!!! “Let’s
go” “move out”!!!      We will
all follow our great leader through the crowd of people like little ducks down
a stream. Sometimes coach will have us spread out and attack each sample
booth one at a time, then we will switch every minute. Of course only on
coach Pendlays hand motion. It’s not hard to find the leader, just look
in the middle of Costco and you will find a big man with camo pants on and a
black shirt that says “Penldlay”!!!! hahahahahaha Light
weight!!! 2012!!

muddy boot

2011-05-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

Wow… This coffee is Hitting me hard this morning, wow i feel overly confident, I feel like pissing more people off. I am thinking to myself how I will destroy this sport of
weightlifting. Ok, call me arrogant, call me cocky, I don’t really care, I am
just tired of waiting for the trials, the worlds in Paris, the Pan Am Games
this year is Mexico. I just want to do it, I want to lift, I want to take first place and
throw the weight in the crowd. Why? I don’t know why. Why do
I have such a big chip on my shoulder? Why do I get so pissed when I
lift? Maybe it’s because I want to win so bad, Maybe it’s because I haven’t done shit with my life besides lift big
weights. But wait…This weight I am lifting ain't even big weight, but
coach Pendlay will get me there. He will get me to bigger weight. If you
don’t think that then...... well I should chill, hahaha! This is it people, this is
me, weightlifting is me, I have a one track mind and that's killing and destroying, I will not ask I will take and I will not share. In this sport you have to be greedy, don't ask grab and steel and stand your ground. put your muddy boot on there face and push down everyday and never let up, push there face in the mud, and I hope its raining. fight, fight, fight, fight, fight and when your done knock that mother fucker out. Weightlifting has given me a purpose in life, weightlifting has given
me a life, I am forever grateful to weightlifting. I am forever grateful
to Dave Spitz and coach Glenn Pendlay. Dave Spitz took a chance with me
and he gave me a hand when I was down. Dave Spitz is the reason why I am
here right now and not in jail or dead. Yeah yeah ok I came from a bad
place and I was a bad boy, ok I got kicked out of my last team from knocking a dude out in the gym, but not anymore. Now I am focused. I am a Cal Strength soldier
and nothing will ever change that. I use this hate that I have toward certain
things to keep me going. I don’t get injured, I don’t have time for that.
I have too many things to do in this sport. Hurt! Hahaha that’s
funny. Never. If I see someone stretching or using a foam roller I will take my belt and slap them. stop being a bitch. grab the bar and go, stop with all the "getting ready" shit and lift. Coach Pendlay and Dave Spitz are creating a monster,
and this monster is about to make a statement. Pan Ams, NUMBER ONE, PWA
records, Arnold Champ, all in less than three years ain't shit to me, If I don’t make the
Olympics then what’s the point?…. I love when people talk shit about
me. They get mad when I spike the weight, when I yell, when I spit on the
weight. The more they talk, the more I will spit and spike. I
listen to four people in this whole world: David Spitz, Coach Pendlay, my brilliant farther, and my
lovely Mom. That’s it. If your not them, then don’t tell me shit.
This is just the beginning . I am not going anywhere, sorry. I always
hear people telling me about these young kids in my weight class coming after
me and lifting good weight. Never, never, ever. I have this crazy
rush over me all the time I can’t control, I am dead serious. These young
kids will never beat me. Young… What’s young????? I am 24 and I
feel like I am 15. I don’t just feel like I am in the Mafia. I am in the
Mafia. You think I am joking, I am not. When I say I am California
Strength soldier, I mean it! lol hahahha. Jon North 2012

Apple lady

2011-05-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

Today is Monday that means today is war day! hahaha This is the day
when more 94kg lifters run! Right now I am drinking chocolate milk,
listening to Jonny cash cocaine blues, writing on my blog,
watching some Jon North videos and other secretes that I just cant let
out of the bag people. Lets see what else is new with me, o I watched a
great movie last night called the road. wow what a sad movie, for some
reason I did not cry though….which is weird because I cry in a lot of
movies, but this one I did not. I thought the ending was bad, but I
still really enjoyed the movie, I thought it was very well made. I
watched it with my Fiancee  and she got scared a few times. If you
have not seen this movie you should go rent it, or read the book. The
word on the street is that there is some cross fit slash weightlifter
coming to train with me at 5:00 from redding, well this should be fun!
this should be interesting, why do you ask? well I will tell you why
because if I had a dollar for every kid or guy that came to my gym to
train like a pro weightlifter and then left and never came back after
the first day, then I would be a rich man. or if they do come back it’s
always the same old story….” man my knees hurt, man my back hurts, man I
am sore, wow I think I need a few weeks off, yea I don't know if I want
to compete, yea I don't know, maybe well… ummmm, ill try…”    get the
fuck out of my gym then! I am so sick off that, it gives me a headache
just thinking about it. If you want general fitness then go down to
your local shine shop 24 hour fitness. They have fluffy white towels,
music, cold water fountains, mirrors, little blue birds that land on
your shoulder while you get your pump on, apple ladies that walk around
half naked and give out apples when you get a little hungry. Maybe its
the hose water in the back and a big coach penlday yelling at you that
might scare them away! lol no apple ladies hear, just coach
Pendlay!!!!    coach Pendlay for president! 2012

Shankle

2011-05-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

This remarkable man has served this Country in so many ways, from protecting our country
as a Marine, beating the Russian silver medalist Dmitry Klokov in 2006 at the
Arnold, Representing America in his SECOND world championship!
Medaling twice at the Pan Am games! Three time national champion, and 2012
Olympic hopeful! That’s only a little bit of this guy’s outstanding,
insane and remarkable record and accomplishments. I am proud to call
Donny my team mate and my friend. It’s an honor to be on the front line
everyday training in the trenches with this wolf, this Sheppard, this damn machine
that just does not stop! Get in his way and you will be eaten, chewed up and
spit out because this dude knows what he wants, and he will let no body get
in the way. Donny has a presents that
makes you want to get to know him, hang
around him and become friends right off the bat, but once he puts those shoes
on he has a presents that makes you piss in your pants and your legs tremble
with fear! The motivation and the determination is greater than anything
I have ever seen, His record tells you that. This guy will fight with the
bar Intel that bar loses, Intel he wins. He will fight with YOU Intel you
lose and he wins. Donny Shankle is the best, and I am proud to say that I
train with he best, I get to see the best train every day, I get to lift on the
same platform with the best every day, I get to talk and hear what the best has
to say every day, and trust me I listen with both ears, and I don’t forget one
thing this man says. I have learned so much from Donny. I have
learned what it takes to be a champion in this sport, and how to become a man
by watching and listening. Learning from
Donny Shankle is better than any book or certification that anybody can get.
I only hope one day I can achieve what Donny has achieved and more. Shankle 2012!

Rating

"super man pull"

2011-04-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

I call it the “super man pull”.   In Olympic weightlifting the most famous way of breaking down the pull on the snatch and clean and jerk is “first pull, second pull, and then the third pull” meaning the finish at the top of the lift before you go under the bar to catch the weight. In the Jon North coaching book I break it down a little different. I call it the super man pull. The super man has three steps as well focusing on the positions of the shoulders rather than the bar path. Here are the three points:

          The first point of the super man pull happens right off the floor. Your shoulders need to be back, not behind the bar but back enough that your chest should be facing the wall. You should stay that way from the floor to a little bit below your knees. Thats point one.

       The second point is right when the bar starts getting closer to your knees you should then push your shoulders over the bar. This is hard to do, because you have to stay on your heels, but the bar has other plans. The bar wants to put you on your toes, but you have to fight and stay on your heels the whole time. If you can stay on your heels and push your shoulders out over the bar at the same time you are putting your body in perfect position for point three, the “finish” the explosion!

        Point three is once the bar is in line with your hips then you pull your shoulders all the way back behind your hips. When you pull your shoulders back you should push the bar into your hips at the same time, and your hips should come through at the same time as well. “Bar back hips through!” This is what I say everyday in the gym. It is what you need for the Mike Tyson finish so you can have time to get under the bar to catch and then stand up, making the winning lift in the Olympics. That’s the super man pull Now let me tell you why this way of pulling is the best way to go.

        The reason why the super man pull is so effective is because it forces you to stay over the bar! This is the most important part of the lift. When an athlete starts pulling back too early, or in some cases pulling their shoulders back throughout the whole pull means they will have no power for the finish. Don’t believe me? Then try it yourself. Try jumping as high as you can in the air with your shoulders behind your hips before you jump… That’s what I thought. You looked like a fish out of water, no power. Now try jumping in the air with your shoulders over your hips.  Well there you go. Now you have some good power and jumped higher than Michael Jordan. Same thing goes with the snatch and clean. You need to push your shoulders back at the same time your hips come through. As you pull your shoulders back you should be pushing the bar INTO your hips at the same time, and your hips should be coming through at the same time as well for that max explosion, because that’s what you are looking for, explosion to give you time to get under.   It all should happen in the blink of an eye, bam. You want to push the bar into your hips, and don’t pull up! That’s what so many lifters do. Right before the bar is about to make contact with the hips, they start to pull up and this leads to a “brush hit”.  Those are the worst. Don’t pull up, pull back! Its physics, for example, if two trains are moving full speed at each other and they collide there is going to be way more force then if there was only one train moving and one sitting still. So the same applies to your hips and the bar, pull back for that force, for that “finish”!

      TRY THIS SUPER MAN PULL, North 2012

PS: You look like super man when you do the super man pull, and that's bad ass.

Max Aita Interview.

2011-04-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

College drop out

2011-04-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

I miss the “pump” I miss putting those pads on, I miss going to party’s, I miss my old friends, I even miss college, I miss my family, I miss not lifting. Hi my name is Jon North and I am a college drop out, I gave up everything for this sport, I live in a gym, a am a gym. I am a bar, I am the weights, I am weightlifting. I went all in with a bad hand, and some how I am still at the final table with the chip lead. I am putting it on all the line with this sport, I have o excuses, but shit what happens if I fail? If I fail I have no one to blame, nothing to blame, no excuses, I cant sleep at night. My mind thinks “what ifs” all day. I just know that I am so much better than what I am showing right now, I am so damn athletic its crazy, I am not even strong, I just move like a cat, I swear, you should walk in my shoes and see how I float. I have given everything to be the best, but I need to give more, more and then some more. Nothing else matters. If I don't go to the Olympics then what? who am I? Whats all this for then? I waste of life, my life is the Olympics. I think to grow this sport more people need to just go all in like I did, and hopefully they will go farther than me, hopefully we can win some Olympic medals for this great Country Called the United States Of America baby. I love this country with all my heart. Sense I am a pussy and I am not over seas fighting with the rest of our brave soldiers, than I will fight in the gym and on the platform, that's why when I go to the Pan Am Championships this year I am letting go, I will kill. Money, college, pressure from others to be something your not, statues, cars, these are all things people want and will choose over there dream, more than half of them will never go for it, they want those things to bad. The other half gets those things and then still wants to be a bad ass weightlifter, that's the problem. well lucky for me I have both but don't worry about that…lol hahaha I am just saying that I wish more weightlifters in this country would man the fuck up and start training for real, and stop with all the other bullshit. Lets go, lets start training, win or lose we need to keep fighting everyday, find away. Stop bitching, stop blaming, stop making excuses and make it happen, the way I look at it is Life is a game, play it and win. North 2012

Glenn Pendlay Interview!

2011-04-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here it is, what you all have been waiting for!

The Glenn Pendlay 20 question interview tomorrow at noon!

2011-04-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Glenn Pendlay 20 questions interview tomorrow hear on my blog! Don't miss the audio interview with coach Pendlay, and all the questions have NOTHING to do with weightlifting! Catch Coach Pendlay outside his usual comfort zone and meet the man off the platform!!! meet me back hear on my blog tomorrow at noon for this cant miss interview! Happy Easter!

Cocaine and coffee

2011-04-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sneaky little bitch, I lay in bed thinking of ways to conquer that two faced devil. I think I am talking about the weight, the weight that never sleeps, the weight that waits for me all night in that cave, that cave that plays tricks on your mind, that cave that turns you against yourself. One minute you are friends, then the next thing you know he's sleeping with your girl. That piece of shit, that piece of shit that builds me up everyday then pushes me down, I hate him. You're not my friend you're my enemy, you really don't like me, you want to see me fail. You smile to my face then you show your black teeth and your dark black eyes; you show your horns, you show yourself. Everywhere I go you are there reminding me who I really am. The insecure college drop out who only wants people to like him, who only wants to be somebody he is not. My face is cut from the mirror I smash, thank God I have my coffee in my hand, I love this coffee that builds me up, that gives me confidence. This dark cave has little smiley faces all around it, little smiley faces that wait around the corner for me. Are they really smiling? Some days I feel like I am in the shining, some days I feel like becoming the Phantom. I should have been a fighter, the weight is not enough, I need to hit and be hit, I need to see that fucker fall. I drink more and more coffee everyday, its like my cocaine. Why is it I don't ever get hurt? Why is it I always feel great? I will dedicate my life to killing you, to cutting you and watching you bleed. I am fucking crazy, I will never go away, you will hate me more and more everyday, but the more you hate me the more you will two face me, so fuck you. I have something in me that scares me, I can jump off a building and fly. I will lift you and slam you, maybe not right now but soon. You are turning me darker and darker, the more I succeed the more I hate, and I hate you.

"Get your shoes on"

2011-04-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

"Get your shoes on"! This is what I hear Every morning from my big coach Pendlay, aka getting athletes stronger, aka don, aka boss man, strong man, putting an army together man. lol haha when I hear coach say "get your shoes on Jon" I hear lets win more PWA meets, lets make another Pan Am team, Lets get those American records, Lets stay Number one in the Country, lets make that Olympic team in twenty twelve. ok coach, game time! When the big man walks into the gym it gives me goose bumps, his presents makes little kids run away, dogs start acting funny, people don't walk as tall. A born leader, he makes Russel Crow look soft, he knocked chuck Norris out with just a look. Gather your soldiers up coach, lead them to the Plat form and train train train, and then we train again. Coach Pendlay doesn't need to coach, he just needs to sit there and watch, that's all the coaching I need, that's all the motivation I need. You need a leader to be a good wweightlifter, NOT A COACH, coaching comes second. Bad meets, good meets, it doesn't matter, the California strength team always keeps fighting, always keeps attacking the bar no matter what. Turn the volume down from all the talkers and haters and train, I don't hear anything but coach, if your not him then goodbye. You can NEVER stop, fight fight fight mother truckers. Scrap, slap, hit, blind side, cheap shots its all good to me, I don't care. I need this sport, its all I have, I have to be good, if not I am working at burger king, coach pendlay is my white light, my hope, my big hairy angel that keeps me going in this thing called life. California strength is my home, Dave Spitz is king. Lots of people like to talk, they would love to see California strength fail, fuck you, that will never happen. I will bomb out in the future, its just how this sport goes, but I will always walk into the gym the very next day and "put my shoes on" and I know coach will be by my side the whole time, now that's a good coach, better person. WOW I feel 18 years old, I don't have any pain at all, I refuse to get injured!! I put this on my mom that I will not stop tell I cant walk anymore. If you don't like me than I feel very bad for you, get your Advil out because your going to see a lot more of me. I missed juniors, went right into seniors, I guess that means I will kill the masters division!! lol Get your shoes on people, lets keep training, fighting, everyday, lets just lift weights. On my blog you will never hear the words RECOVERY, FIRST PULL SECOND PULL, TAPER, go to go heavy if you want that bullshit. See I could never wright this before my blog came out because I would get in trouble, but now I can say what the hell I want, and if you don't like it leave. I am so sick and tired of everybody talking about technique, programs, wraps or no wraps? not hear my friend, "put your shoes on and lift weights". north 2012

Wrist bands that make you strong!

2011-04-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

Tyson Hips Ali Feet wrist bands are finaly out at jonnorthattitude.com !! Two different colors, check em out!

Tyson Hips Ali Feet

2011-04-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

I just came out with braclets that say "Tyson Hips Ali Feet" on my website. The shirts are coming very soon as well. If you are asking yourself what that means, I will tell you. It means that you need explosive hips and fast feet to be a great weightlifter. Your hips need to explode into the bar like Mike Tyson knocking his opponent out, and you need to move your feet after your hips come through for that max explosion just like Ali floating like a butterfly side to side dodging punches and then striking a viscious blow. Once you have mastered these two things you will be ready to win some Gold medals. You are ready to look like Andrea Aramnau. You are ready to destroy your competition! Watching the Hip exlosion from the Olympic and world champions is amazing! They hit the bar so damn hard, their finish is so explosive and fast! I love to turn up the volume as loud as it can go and listen to the bar rattle and the feet slap against the platfrom.......oh, it gives me goose bumps. I now understand why the snatch is the fastest movement in sport. It has to be in order to get under that bar with some big boy weight on it. If you don't "finish" like a punch from Mike Tyson, then you will get crushed like a bug. Then once you finish with all the power and force you have in you, then you have to move those feet fast to put that "finish" in 5th gear! Then Under to catch! Your feet should land on the Platfrom at the same time you catch the bar in the hole, it all should happen at the blink of an eye, or as fast as Ali! To be a great weightlifter you not only have to be the strongest bear in the woods, but you have to be the fastest cat in the jungle as well, strong and fast, that's the recipe for a champion. North 2012

coaching

2011-03-25T16:45:00.001-07:00

I love coaching weightlifting. I love taking someone brand new to this
sport and making them freaky good. My favorite is when I get someone
that has never done Olympic weightlifting, Then I can teach them MY way
and they don’t have any bad habits they learned from some idiot so
called coach. I feel like I am becoming a very good coach. sorry I am
going to toot my own horn hear, but I feel that I am starting to really
come up with my own ideas rather than going off someone else. I am
putting together everything I have learned from my three years in this
sport and making them my own. From different coaches, different teams,
training with different athletes, meets, winning, losing, Pr’s, bombing
out, Clarking, killing weight, being nervous, to cocky, not to cocky,
different technique in the lifts, different starts, different workout
programs, different ways to look at this sport. I have been through all
of these and much much more in my three years in this sport, I have
been there and done that, and i think that’s whats going to make me a
great coach. I feel that I have the knowledge and the experience, and
those two things together are dangerous. I am going to be a mix of
coach Jackie Mau, Coach Paul Daurghty, coach Tim Frizby, Coach Donny
Shankle, coach Dave spitz, and my biggest influenc Coach Glenn
Pendlay. Take a little of what I learned form all of them, take alot
of Jon North and you have the best weightlifting coach to ever live!
lol jk I know I have a lot to learn still, I learn everyday, and I will
never know it all. Just like Coach Pendlay says, “when you think you
know it all, you don’t.” I love that line. But I am getting very good
and teaching technique, getting athletes strong and teaching them what
it takes to strive in this sport. I think before you can do any of this
you have to have an understanding of the sport. I am good at teaching
the snatch because I snatch 160kg, but also because I know how I
snatched 160kg. I am not saying you have to lift big weights to coach big weights, but It’s the tool that I use, because I dont think I would ever be able to coach weightliftng without hitting the numbers I have hit and the crazy journey I have gone through in the last three years. I know some people that can lift a lot but can’t teach
it. It just comes easy to me, I know what my body is doing to snatch
160kg so I try to give back to other people what my secretes are. same
thing with the clean and jerk. I am growing an army of young kids hear
at California strength and I am very excited to watch these kids get
better and better at this sport right in front of my eyes, and to think I
had something to do with there success makes me sleep very well at
night. I am looking forward to my future as an athlete in this sport,
but I am also looking forward to coaching my kids to great height’s, and
other kids that I get in my long journey on the road of weightlifting.
Jon North 2012

weightlifting is weightlifting no matter where you go

2011-03-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

The streets are narrow and the bathrooms are called toilets and the people speek funny but weightlifting is still weightligitng. Weightlifting is not popular here in Ireland, but there is someone that it not only trying but making weightlifting more well known, and that is my friend Barry Kinsella and Sami Dowling they opened a great training facility in Dublin Ireland and its spreading like a wild fire! There are Lads lifting all day, and they are training hard and good. With Sami and Barrys Knowledge and developeing experiance he is creating a monster in Ireland, so watch out. These lads have some Donny Shankle blood! lol every Counrty can use some Donny Shankle blood! People love it, peope live for weightlifting. what is it? why? for such a hard sport, for such a sport that dosn't pay well, a sport that dosn't bring fame and fortune, why? what is it about weightlifting that even across the world wear weightlifting is un known, people are drawn to it like gay men to San Fransisco, and Like Liberals to the Prius?
I walked the busy downtown steets of Ireland with a few drinks in me, and it was like walking on the moon. I dont know how to explain it really, its just many many small things that seperate Ireland from the Untited states. Everyone in Ireland dresses very nice, th men and women are at all times dressed to the T. where In America its more laid back. The sinks in the bathroom are very small and there is two fosits, one for cold and one for hot witch to me makes no scense because you never can get the perfect tempeture you want becuase its one extreme to the next. I visited the home of Genuisse today, and I loved it. Genuisse was invented in Dubline Ireland in 1759! I was in the birth place of the most famuse beer in the world. At the end of the tour everybody got to pour there own pint of genuisse and drink it, and thats what we all did 7 floors up over looking all of Dublin city, It was beautifull. But at the end of the day Ireland and the United States are pretty much the same. People are makeing a living, working, going to sporting events, grabbing a drink, lifting, and just living life. I miss my Coutry more than ever, I cat wait to get back. Even though I am having lots of fun and I love it hear, I still miss my Country like crazy, I couldnt imagen living anyhwere esle than America, I miss home.
The training keeps going, coach keeps telling me to "get my shoes on". "come one Jon one more set, one more squat." lol the pain is still the same hear in Ireland than it is in America, nothing really changes. I almost thought by training in a different Country that training might be more fun and easier, but no, still hard with a long way to go.

Max Aita Squats 627 pounds! no no no

2011-03-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

My team mate is strong, click the link to watch Max Aita squat 627 pounds! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oK0mYEY4pE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Finally in Ireland

2011-03-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

Thank the good Lord I am finaly in Ireland! wow that was a long trip. Coach and I flew from san fran to LA, then we took a 10 hour flight from LA to London. Once we landed in London we had a 4 hour lay over and then took a one hour flight into Dublin where I am at now. Holly molly. I am now sitting on my very good friends couch, the one and only Berry Kinsella. He is our host this week, and is the one who put this great trip together. Berry came down and trained with us at Cal strength for a week a few months back, so now its our turn to come see him. We have three seminars and then the rest of the time hanging out and site seeing! It is very beatifull hear, but very very different, I am already missing my USA. All of the small things make me feel like I am in a different world. From the restroom signs being toilet signs instead. everything is much smaller, like elevators, hall ways, roads, cars and pretty much everything else. I have never seen more soccer fields in my whole life! There are hand fulls of soccer fields it seems every dang block. People dress much different hear than we do. They dont wear many colors at all, lots of grey and black. Our first seminar is tomorrow night and I am looking forward to hitting some big numbers and getting people stronger. we are about to go hit the town now so I will be back later to tell how the first seminar went. north 2012

session two of the worlds strongest man! This one will blow your mind what he does at the end, so make sure you are sitting down!

2011-03-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

The strongest man in the world Part two!
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mzj8NrJ5Cws" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The strongest man in the world! chuck noris couldnt even pull this off! this man is my hero!

2011-03-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

click HERE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP_uOOKjzNE&feature=player_embedded

I am a weightlifting robot

2011-03-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

My name is Jon North and I am a robot. I cannot lie to the public anymore about being human because I am not, I am a weightlifting robot. I wake up in the morning and I eat kilo’s for breakfast, and the red ones are my favorite. I love mixing my red kilo’s with tasty white cloudy chalk and a nice cold bar to top off my meal. Now my meal is over its time to train, no words just a cold hard look from the one and only Donnie Shankle that says “its war time”. I thank my maker for giving me a good robot heart because without it I would fall hard as Donnie would continue on his journey through the land of weightlifting without me. That will never happen because I am a strong robot with a good robot heart. I grab my shield and sword and begin to fight side by side with Donnie until there are no more kilo’s left to kill. I wipe the red blood off my sword and tell Donnie good training. My bold bright and proud california strength tattoo is moving up and down from my heart beat. That tattoo gives me pride, for califronia strength is my maker. north 2012

wow these shirts really make you strong and big! check my site out at www.jonnorthattitude.com to read more blogs and buy this great shirt!

2011-03-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

My new "what is a light day" shirts make you crazy big and strong! just look at what it did to me, I am bigger than Jay Cutler! http://www.jonnorthattitude.com/