New Chapter

Me, Jon and Jess at the Arnold Expo 2013

   

I will never forget the feeling that I got the first time I read a blog on The Dark Orchestra (jonorth.blogspot.com).  Every line I read, I seemed to become more and more focused.  All of the outside noises and distractions slowly faded away with each word.  I wasn’t just reading words on a screen, I was seeing something more, something far deeper.  I knew I was connecting on another level because when I told others to check it out they responded with “Dude that is bizarre I have no idea what this guy is talking about.”  That was exactly the response I wanted to hear.  I knew I was a skeleton.  I knew I was a black sheep.  I knew I was a part of the Attitude Nation.  And that just confirmed it. 

   Then came the hours and hours of YouTube videos.  Jon North.  Donny Shankle.  Kevin Cornell. Spencer Morman.  Who the hell are these guys?  And how on earth can they train like this all the time? 

   I went back and read all the blogs, from the beginning right up to the latest entry.  I watched all the videos that had Jon North in them and when I had literally seen them all, I watched them again.  I watched them at the gym, at home, while having dinner with my girlfriend, at lunch, before bed, first thing in the morning… just about any time I could.  I showed my mom, my dad, my brother and sisters, my friends and anyone who cared or didn’t care.  “Look at this guy… isn’t it great?”

   A few people agreed… kind of.  Most were like “You are crazy.”

   Then I attended Jon and Jessica North’s Attitude Nation Level 1 Seminar at CrossFit Warwick in New York.  Not only was Jon everything he appeared to be through his blog and on YouTube, but he was by far the best coach I had ever worked with.  In one 8 – hour day I learned more than I had the previous 3 years.  It was amazing.  I had him sign my new Romaleos.  I was his biggest fan and damn proud of it. 

Jon and I at CrossFit Warwick at the Attitude Nation Level 1 seminar

   4 months later he was back in NJ at CrossFit Meadowlands.  I wasn’t missing an opportunity to work with The Champ again so I showed up the day of with 200 bucks and joined in with the group.  Another PR and even more lessons learned. 

Jon and I at CrossFit Meadowlands at the Attitude Nation Level 1 seminar

The First Lady of the Attitude Nation Jessica North and I 

   Fast forward and there I am at the Arnold Expo.  Jon and I end up in a deep conversation after the meet discussing how great it would be to open a gym together, uniting the worlds of weightlifting and CrossFit together.  Just having the discussion was a dream come true.  I never thought it would be possible. 

   But I didn’t know that when it comes to Jon North, there is no such thing as impossible.  If you can think it, you can do it.  Jon doesn’t make idle statements.  Shortly after he invited my girlfriend and I down to visit and it was there, at a fancy dinner, Jon and Jessica North offered me a position as Head Coach at their gym, as well as a spot as co-host on Weightlifting Talk.

   I knew I had to take this opportunity.  Not because I wasn’t happy where I was.  In fact, I couldn’t have been any happier at my job.  Head coach at CrossFit Koa in the community I was born and raised in.  The best members in any gym in all of the world.  I was 100% happy.

   But when Jon and Jessica asked me, I immediately knew that there was something missing in my life and in my career.  There were things I needed to experience as a person and as a coach in order to be the person and the coach I have always dreamed of being.  It was as if Harvard was accepting me to attend school and receive the best education in the world.  I didn’t know what the end game was going to be but I didn’t care… I just knew I had to do this. 

   And from the minute I arrived at the Attitude Nation Gym, my life began to change.  Every day I was learning.  I had the opportunity to watch Jon and Jessica train day in and day out.  Every week I was able to spread knowledge alongside Jon and THE Travis Mash, World Champion powerlifter and one of the greatest coaches I have ever known.  I met and exchanged ideas with the likes of Martin Rooney, founder of Training for Warriors and Chad Wesley Smith founder and creator of Juggernaut Training Systems.  I spent hours and hours sitting around and talking about weightlifting, life, and world travel with Donny Shankle.  I was able to write and contribute to Donny’s blog on one occasion.  I was coached one on one by Jon and Donny on several occasions, all of which led to PRs.  I was videoing when Donny missed 160kg behind in the snatch and dislocated his shoulder, and stayed with him at the hospital while doctors put it back.   I was able to work with Jon at a few of his Attitude Nation Level 1 seminars as well as coach at the Attitude Nation Level 2 and 3 camps.  I even debated Glenn Pendlay once on the need for speed limits.  Incredible. 

Me, Joey Smith, Jon North and Travis Mash

Donny Shankle, Jon North, Chad Wesley Smith, Travis Mash and me

   I have seen thousands of lifts since coming here.  I have seen Jon hit 160/191.  I have seen Donny hit 200+kg hang cleans.  I have seen more 300+lbs snatches and 400+lbs clean and jerks than I can even count.  I have seen Travis Mash pull 600+lbs and Greg Nuckols squat over 700lbs.  I have studied books on periodization and mobility, and discussed programming philosophies with some of the smartest minds in the game.  I programmed for athletes within our gym as well as athletes all over the world.   Heck I even got to meet Jared Fleming, James Tatum, and Travis Cooper. 

   And most important of all, I met the love of my life.  My dog Oscar. 

And you can follow him @OscarBoo24!!!

(And Oscar met the best friends he will ever have... Lexi and Kilo)

   All of these reasons are why I needed to come and join my idol Jon North.  It is why I needed to come and help the Attitude Nation Gym begin so that the message of “Love your life or change it” could infect not just thousands but millions.  I needed to learn about myself when confronted with my skeletons.  I needed to learn about coaching, not just from books and videos, but from the greatest coaches and athletes in the world. 

   And now that I have done all of that, I am left with one last burning desire deep in my heart: I want to go home.  I want to be with my family.  I want to see my nephew lead his football team to playoff wins in November.  I want to pick my nieces and nephews up from school and be there for their birthday parties.  I want to return to the community where it all began, with a much bigger “tool bag” full of even more “tools” ready to help change so many more lives through fitness and training. 

The Second Attitude Nation Level 2 Camp

   Thanks to Jon and Jessica, I am ready to be the coach, the friend, the mentor and the person I have always wanted to be for the people I have always wanted to be with. 

   So, as of tomorrow, my time as Head Coach at the Attitude Nation Gym here in Charlotte, NC is officially coming to an end.  This chapter – THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTER – in my life and in my career has now come to an end and a new chapter is about to begin. 

   I am returning to New Jersey with big plans to use this “Harvard” education I obtained from the Attitude Nation to change lives.  And I do not use that phrase lightly… I mean it from the bottom of my heart.  Lives WILL be changed. 

   So stay tuned because I have some big hopes and even bigger dreams.  And now, thanks to what Jon and Jessica North have done for me, I am going to make those dreams come true.  

   Thank you from the absolute bottom of my heart Jon and Jess for everything you have done for me.  Thank you for all of your support in making this decision.  I love you both and you will ALWAYS be family to me. 

   Thank you to everyone who has walked through the doors of the Attitude Nation Gym and slammed bars with us over the past half year.  Much love to the greatest weightlifting team in the land Attitude Nation Weightlifting Team!! Going to miss seeing you guys every day and seeing your crazy ass training sessions.  I'll miss the dinners at Chilis and are one attempt to smash food at that horrible Hibachi place down the street. 

  Thank you to the Mash Mafia for joining our family and making us even greater. 

Scuba Steve, Caleb, Brealon, me and Rebecca 

   And most of all, thank you to anyone and everyone who has ever tuned in to listen to Weightlifting Talk.  I absolutely loved that show and will miss being a part of that most of all. 

   Salute.  Slam bars and kill PRs. 

   Until we meet again…