Team mates may come and go over the years, but some memories will always stay, and some friendships will last forever. Here is one of those stick with yea for life moments, with a last forever friendship. A man some call the Mullet man, the COD killer, the pro sports better, or even the upcoming champ, but I call him my friend, my buddy, Jared Enderton. Even though he is now lifting for Average Bro'z gym, I am very glad that we are still close friends. Yes we play Call of duty almost every night together, we play fantasy football together, we are Texas Holdem buddies, we compete against each other in the 94kg weight class, we have trained together, but most importantly we have cleaned 240kg's.... together! I guess they are right, teamwork is everything! Salute, talk to you tomorrow.
Friendship 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Good Morning
Wrote this to song below.
It’s six in the morning as I gaze out the window of the green jungle. Ms. Brown eyes keeps my fingers typing as I write to you with many thoughts and emotions. I think that’s why I woke up so early, an itch to write, a brain itch that needs to be scratched. It’s been a sad week, but in a way a new outlook on life. Family and friends, that’s what matters. As I cry about a Bronze medal I have a family who loves me, why am I bathing in my own self-pity with a beautiful wife and a dog that I call my daughter? The small things in life have made me smile more lately, and I thank you for this Jim, even though you have passed you still are helping me become a better man.
I love the early morning, it’s like the ocean, there is something mysterious about it. As a kid I used to help my friend Andre with his newspaper route in the morning. I felt as if I was walking on the moon. I felt alive and adventurous. Four in the morning and everything looks different; everything you once knew is now changed into a dream world of aliens and monsters. The little old lady's house a few blocks down has now turned into a haunted house, and the trees are following me....I swear. The quiet makes you feel like the last person on the whole planet, a zombie movie you are the lead role in, a movie with a one person cast. The newspaper world I emerged myself in was the first taste of freedom for me, and it was a rush. My heart would pound the further I would venture into the unknown. I would sometimes look back behind me, thinking my mom would be there rooting me on with her open hands out in front of her like she was pushing me forward. Her red lipstick smile and golden blonde hair stood out in the night so I could find her in case I got lost. I would began to smile to her but then realize I was all alone, no mom, no one to cry to, no one to run to, no mom to help me if I fall, just me in a very big world. Sometimes I catch myself looking back for her as a 26 year old adult. I turn and smile to show her the PR I just made in the gym, but she has been replaced with a broken white wall. I guess a mothers comfort and love never goes away no matter how independent and strong you become. I guess I am still that bigger than me backpack middle school kid with untied sneakers and raggedy jeans that drag behind my shoes. A rug rat kid with a chip on my shoulder that thanks to a big heart smoothed the chip out and made it dull. Basically, I was a normal kid.
When I get up early I always think I should be getting ready for school, middle school mostly. The early morning takes me back to family breakfast, picking out the coolest outfit, waiting in line on the cracked pavement of the cul de sac with the other kids who have for some reason made that crack the official bus line. The good or bad feeling of remembering your homework...in my case mostly bad. I sometimes feel that I have been on a very long field trip, and at any moment my mom will pull up in the morning in her blue and white minivan with her pink pajamas, crazy bed hair, followed by the greatest question a kid could hear, "how was your day sweetie"? The smell of the morning can bring back memories you completely forget about, which makes your morning coffee much more interesting and enjoyable. Driving through the cold foggy air of the morning makes you feel like you are sailing the Atlantic Ocean with an image of yourself that looks similar to the hard nosed captain of the Movie Jaws. I don’t know how I haven’t crashed into another car or even a light post from all the day dreaming that takes place while I am driving. Have you ever been driving and forgot you were, then realized you were and didn't even know where you were? lol, well if yes than we are on the same page.
Boy this has been a peaceful morning, I needed this. A keyboard and coffee in the morning is all a weightlifter needs to clear his mind for the hell that awaits us on the platform. Train hard today my friends, slam bars today my friends, and attack life my friends. Kiss your mothers, and tell them every day how much you love them. Call an old friend, take a friend out to dinner tonight, tell someone who works hard that you appreciate how hard they work. kiss your wife, pat your dog, tell your coach thank you, because life is like weightlifting, it's completely unpredictable.
Here is the song I listened to while writing this blog. I could write a 500 page novel to this song. I don’t know why I am posting it, maybe to give you the same feeling I had while writing this blog that hopefully moved you in some way or took you back to a child hood memory. Salute.
Mom 2012
It’s six in the morning as I gaze out the window of the green jungle. Ms. Brown eyes keeps my fingers typing as I write to you with many thoughts and emotions. I think that’s why I woke up so early, an itch to write, a brain itch that needs to be scratched. It’s been a sad week, but in a way a new outlook on life. Family and friends, that’s what matters. As I cry about a Bronze medal I have a family who loves me, why am I bathing in my own self-pity with a beautiful wife and a dog that I call my daughter? The small things in life have made me smile more lately, and I thank you for this Jim, even though you have passed you still are helping me become a better man.
I love the early morning, it’s like the ocean, there is something mysterious about it. As a kid I used to help my friend Andre with his newspaper route in the morning. I felt as if I was walking on the moon. I felt alive and adventurous. Four in the morning and everything looks different; everything you once knew is now changed into a dream world of aliens and monsters. The little old lady's house a few blocks down has now turned into a haunted house, and the trees are following me....I swear. The quiet makes you feel like the last person on the whole planet, a zombie movie you are the lead role in, a movie with a one person cast. The newspaper world I emerged myself in was the first taste of freedom for me, and it was a rush. My heart would pound the further I would venture into the unknown. I would sometimes look back behind me, thinking my mom would be there rooting me on with her open hands out in front of her like she was pushing me forward. Her red lipstick smile and golden blonde hair stood out in the night so I could find her in case I got lost. I would began to smile to her but then realize I was all alone, no mom, no one to cry to, no one to run to, no mom to help me if I fall, just me in a very big world. Sometimes I catch myself looking back for her as a 26 year old adult. I turn and smile to show her the PR I just made in the gym, but she has been replaced with a broken white wall. I guess a mothers comfort and love never goes away no matter how independent and strong you become. I guess I am still that bigger than me backpack middle school kid with untied sneakers and raggedy jeans that drag behind my shoes. A rug rat kid with a chip on my shoulder that thanks to a big heart smoothed the chip out and made it dull. Basically, I was a normal kid.
When I get up early I always think I should be getting ready for school, middle school mostly. The early morning takes me back to family breakfast, picking out the coolest outfit, waiting in line on the cracked pavement of the cul de sac with the other kids who have for some reason made that crack the official bus line. The good or bad feeling of remembering your homework...in my case mostly bad. I sometimes feel that I have been on a very long field trip, and at any moment my mom will pull up in the morning in her blue and white minivan with her pink pajamas, crazy bed hair, followed by the greatest question a kid could hear, "how was your day sweetie"? The smell of the morning can bring back memories you completely forget about, which makes your morning coffee much more interesting and enjoyable. Driving through the cold foggy air of the morning makes you feel like you are sailing the Atlantic Ocean with an image of yourself that looks similar to the hard nosed captain of the Movie Jaws. I don’t know how I haven’t crashed into another car or even a light post from all the day dreaming that takes place while I am driving. Have you ever been driving and forgot you were, then realized you were and didn't even know where you were? lol, well if yes than we are on the same page.
Boy this has been a peaceful morning, I needed this. A keyboard and coffee in the morning is all a weightlifter needs to clear his mind for the hell that awaits us on the platform. Train hard today my friends, slam bars today my friends, and attack life my friends. Kiss your mothers, and tell them every day how much you love them. Call an old friend, take a friend out to dinner tonight, tell someone who works hard that you appreciate how hard they work. kiss your wife, pat your dog, tell your coach thank you, because life is like weightlifting, it's completely unpredictable.
Here is the song I listened to while writing this blog. I could write a 500 page novel to this song. I don’t know why I am posting it, maybe to give you the same feeling I had while writing this blog that hopefully moved you in some way or took you back to a child hood memory. Salute.
Mom 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Jim Davis
Thank you Jim Davis for being a great friend over the years we have known each other.
First I want to say that my heart and prayers go out to you and your family. Losing you is not only a great loss to us all, but the greatest loss I personally have had in my life. You will live forever in my heart and forever in every bar and weightlifting plate in California Strength. I looked up to you Jim, and I will continue to look up to you for as long as I live.
I will never forget what you taught me, the advice you gave me, and the great training sessions we had together. Every time I teach the superman pull I crack a smile with the image in my head of us arguing with one another over what the hell I was trying to teach you. You and I going back and forth about technique will always be a priceless memory that I will never forget. I will never forget your famous line that always brightened the mood, and that was the “well actually” line. You are forever famous for that one Jim, and we will all miss it dearly.
I hope someday I can even become half the man you are, it’s something that motivates me every day, and I thank you for that. Everything you touch turns to gold. You are rich in every way possible.
You are kind in more ways than one. At least once a week I would spit my coffee out from laughing so hard from the conversations we would have; the smile on my face is making my cheeks hurt as we speak. Every time you walked into the gym you would be followed by a certain energy that would spread to all of us. You were a powerful, in charge, strong, generous, humble, sweet, and awesome person. All the Washington Huskies gear you wore everyday made you a big purple ball of joy and happiness. Seeing Jim Davis made you want to do one thing and one thing only, and that was to give him a big bear hug.
Thank you Jim for your encouraging support before and after every one of my meets, you were always my biggest fan, and I was yours.
Thank you for the beautiful suit and tie you let me borrow on the night I took my wife to the ballet. I have to admit, even though we are friends, it was hard giving that suit back to you.
Thank you Jim Davis for being you, I love you, and I will never forget you.
In loving memory of Jim Davis 2000 and forever
Monday, March 26, 2012
George
Mr. High Hang is a tall man with dark hair and a curvy long black mustache. Mr. Hang has actually named the creature above his upper lip, and he takes much pride in the grooming, smell, shape, and overall relationship he has with it. His name is George, and George is constantly smiling at you even if Hang isn’t. Now that we have gotten the mustache out of the way, let’s chat about the gunslinger himself. His hands move dramatically when he talks, his eyes never blink much, but his forehead moves up and down like a pogo stick pretty much at all times. His big white eyes open as wide as an alligator’s mouth when he is talking about a matter that has importance to him, or better yet when he is lifting weights, a sport he has been doing for many years now. His nick name is the finisher, because he has the strongest finish around. His finish is faster than most, and some say his explosion is more powerful than the A bomb. There are actually many storys of Mr. Hang breaking logs in half to build his cabin out in the hills of Oregon. He is an impatient human that curses anything that takes longer than his liking. For example, long bus rides, waiting for the bus, and then waiting for people to exit and enter the bus from the horrible stops it makes throughout his long impatient ride in the bus. The worst of them all is the dreaded pull in weightlifting that now some underground army is calling the superman pull. He can’t stand it! I watched him snatch once and right in the middle of the pull he became bored so he dropped the bar and started playing his 1997 Nintendo game boy that I think was Mortal Combat by the slamming of buttons and mouth expressions that were happening in his chair behind the platform. This struck me in an odd way considering this happened just a few days ago, and I haven’t seen one of those bad boys since…..well, 1997.
The old hip slinger, the smoking hips, the bar breaker, the lady’s man, and the last but not least, the tree cutting pickle jar opening nail gun shooting slug hammer house plowing hips attacker. Yes people, these were only a few of his nick names, and the last one is my favorite. Mr. Hang and his fuzzy snake friend George only snatched from the high hang. They would compete in meets but never put up a total because they would stand tall and then go from the high hang right above the knee. Some people said “give it to them, that lift right there is even harder than the full snatch”! But most people, including myself, said "no way Jose, that right there is illegal". But they didn’t care, training or meet they went from above the knee where there is hardly any momentum, and a very small pull, which some called the room 2 pull or the special pull, a pull that never really completed its full potential.
Here is a video of Mr. Hang and George completing their high hang snatch with 140kg!! Oh, and by the way, after chatting with them both, I soon found out they are a part of the ATTITUDE NATION! Salute and see you guys tomorrow.
Hang snatches are hard 2012
The old hip slinger, the smoking hips, the bar breaker, the lady’s man, and the last but not least, the tree cutting pickle jar opening nail gun shooting slug hammer house plowing hips attacker. Yes people, these were only a few of his nick names, and the last one is my favorite. Mr. Hang and his fuzzy snake friend George only snatched from the high hang. They would compete in meets but never put up a total because they would stand tall and then go from the high hang right above the knee. Some people said “give it to them, that lift right there is even harder than the full snatch”! But most people, including myself, said "no way Jose, that right there is illegal". But they didn’t care, training or meet they went from above the knee where there is hardly any momentum, and a very small pull, which some called the room 2 pull or the special pull, a pull that never really completed its full potential.
Here is a video of Mr. Hang and George completing their high hang snatch with 140kg!! Oh, and by the way, after chatting with them both, I soon found out they are a part of the ATTITUDE NATION! Salute and see you guys tomorrow.
Hang snatches are hard 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Pink Elephant
Good afternoon my fellow friends. Wow, sorry it's been a few days; coaching and training have been keeping me away from writing to you all. Maybe they are just jealous because of how much I love this blog. They can try to keep me away, but the dark orchestra needs me, and I need it. So let's dance in hell with smiles on our faces, our bodies full of pain, and our minds heavy with weightlifting dreams and goals. The Attitude Nation is my best friend, and I am so glad that you have joined me once again in the crazy and bizarre world called my mind. Most have run for the hills and never came back, but you have stayed with me, and for that I thank you.
I hang my coat and hat, stretch my arms and yell throughout the theater, "Honey I am home!". I dance with the pink elephant to the beautiful sounds the orchestra of skeletons make, hidden away on the third story where only glimpses of their white show through. This is the home of weightlifting, a place that is unpredictable and at times strange. A place where you have to surrender to the mysteries of this sport, and just sing and dance. The person who tries to figure this sport out is the one who becomes lost behind the stage in the world of pulley systems, ropes, and props never to be seen again.
Now that you have joined me back in our theater of weightlifting and life and hung up your coat and hat, let's watch a brand new Cal Strength interview from Strength Sessions hosted by Camilo Gutierrez. The video features Donny Shankle, Caleb Ward, Glenn Pendlay, and me, along with Don the “godfather”. We went out to lunch at Chiles and before you knew it there was a camera out, and this is how it went down. See you tomorrow for a new and interesting blog that I am excited to share with the Nation! Salute!
Interview Part 1
Interview Part 2
The Nations Orchestra 2012
I hang my coat and hat, stretch my arms and yell throughout the theater, "Honey I am home!". I dance with the pink elephant to the beautiful sounds the orchestra of skeletons make, hidden away on the third story where only glimpses of their white show through. This is the home of weightlifting, a place that is unpredictable and at times strange. A place where you have to surrender to the mysteries of this sport, and just sing and dance. The person who tries to figure this sport out is the one who becomes lost behind the stage in the world of pulley systems, ropes, and props never to be seen again.
Now that you have joined me back in our theater of weightlifting and life and hung up your coat and hat, let's watch a brand new Cal Strength interview from Strength Sessions hosted by Camilo Gutierrez. The video features Donny Shankle, Caleb Ward, Glenn Pendlay, and me, along with Don the “godfather”. We went out to lunch at Chiles and before you knew it there was a camera out, and this is how it went down. See you tomorrow for a new and interesting blog that I am excited to share with the Nation! Salute!
Interview Part 1
Interview Part 2
The Nations Orchestra 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
T-Rex
The hip clean is a mysterious creature that seems to stay hidden in the dark away from the world to see or talk about. He is the fastest and most explosive creature in all of the land. His arms are bent like a T Rex, his hips plow into the bar like a punch from Mike Tyson. The sound the hip creature makes rattles the poor now half broken bar that echo's throughout the gym for all to here. It’s a chilling sound that gives you goose bumps from head to toe. The power the hip cleaner creates will make even Chuck Norris feel in fear for his life. He is a patient creature, one that waits a long time before he attacks. He waits on the pull like I wait for my wife to get ready to go out to dinner. His shoulders stay over the bar like a sling shot being pulled back, or like Tiger Woods setting up to launch the little white ball into outer space. A longer pull...yes , but much more explosive than the rest? Most definitely. His upper body is asleep when he kills his pray, his legs and hips do the snapping of the necks, they are the ones who bring home the bacon.
I have tried over and over to become a hip cleaner...but every time I am reminded by the weightlifting Gods that I was meant to kill with my thighs. I live in thigh land with most of the other Olympic weightlifting warriors. We think the hip hitters are elitist know it all's, and are full of themselves! They say they are stronger for being able to bring heavy weight into a higher finish position, and I say nay. We the thigh hitters say that we are just as powerful and such good athletes that we can get under any weight. It’s a back and forth battle, but at the end of the day we are all still friends and still lift heavy weight. "There is more than one way to get to the top of the hill"- Glenn Pendlay. There are just as many Gold medal hip creatures than there are thigh creatures.
The hip creature may live in you, he just might be hiding in the dark corner at the gym you train at without you even knowing. He lives in Spencer Moorman, Caleb Ward, and many others.
He even lives in Donny Shankle, pictured here.
But the one who has the most kills is the man in the video below....the Olympic record holder, World record holder, Olympic Gold medalist and my favorite lifter....the one..the only...ANDREI ARAMNAU!
Which one are you? I would love to get your feedback and what you think works better and why. I also put the legendary Dmitriy Klokov below as well performing the thigh clean. Enjoy and Attitude Nation salute!!
Hip Cleaner
Thigh Cleaner
Hip or thigh we still love each other 2012
I have tried over and over to become a hip cleaner...but every time I am reminded by the weightlifting Gods that I was meant to kill with my thighs. I live in thigh land with most of the other Olympic weightlifting warriors. We think the hip hitters are elitist know it all's, and are full of themselves! They say they are stronger for being able to bring heavy weight into a higher finish position, and I say nay. We the thigh hitters say that we are just as powerful and such good athletes that we can get under any weight. It’s a back and forth battle, but at the end of the day we are all still friends and still lift heavy weight. "There is more than one way to get to the top of the hill"- Glenn Pendlay. There are just as many Gold medal hip creatures than there are thigh creatures.
The hip creature may live in you, he just might be hiding in the dark corner at the gym you train at without you even knowing. He lives in Spencer Moorman, Caleb Ward, and many others.
He even lives in Donny Shankle, pictured here.
But the one who has the most kills is the man in the video below....the Olympic record holder, World record holder, Olympic Gold medalist and my favorite lifter....the one..the only...ANDREI ARAMNAU!
Which one are you? I would love to get your feedback and what you think works better and why. I also put the legendary Dmitriy Klokov below as well performing the thigh clean. Enjoy and Attitude Nation salute!!
Hip Cleaner
Thigh Cleaner
Hip or thigh we still love each other 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Nest
Training was hard today.....damn it never ends. I am dressed in all white, rocking back and forth banging my head against the wall while I sit cross legged on my cot. I live in a mental institution. The same shit happens daily, the same pain, same jerk frustration, same bar, same monster energy drink, same misses and same highs, ...staying motivated in this sport is hard. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” – Albert Einstein. I am going crazy.
I wait in line for my group therapy sessions, like I wait for the next training session. Every time I try to escape the hospital the warden Glenn Pendlay tackles me down and puts me into the straight jacket. I am so tired, I am so beat down, my body hurts and my mind never sleeps. Silver, Gold, Bronze, bomb out, to a Pr...the insanity continues and the sport seems to live on.
I was just going to post our new video from Nationals that my lovely wife made, but instead somehow I got off on a rant. I guess my feeling's just seep into the key board without me knowing. I don't even know what I just wrote, this whole time I have been staring at the small amount of coffee I have left in my chalky cup while my fingers just continue to type. Here is the newest Attitude Nation video, hope you like it, talk to you guys tomorrow. Salute.
Mental Hospital 20.......
I wait in line for my group therapy sessions, like I wait for the next training session. Every time I try to escape the hospital the warden Glenn Pendlay tackles me down and puts me into the straight jacket. I am so tired, I am so beat down, my body hurts and my mind never sleeps. Silver, Gold, Bronze, bomb out, to a Pr...the insanity continues and the sport seems to live on.
I was just going to post our new video from Nationals that my lovely wife made, but instead somehow I got off on a rant. I guess my feeling's just seep into the key board without me knowing. I don't even know what I just wrote, this whole time I have been staring at the small amount of coffee I have left in my chalky cup while my fingers just continue to type. Here is the newest Attitude Nation video, hope you like it, talk to you guys tomorrow. Salute.
Mental Hospital 20.......
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