gym politics

Today was my first bad day of weightlifting since joining High Dessert Athletic Club. And it was awesome. I was only able to get up to an 85k snatch and I dropped just about everything getting up to the 85. My cleans and my jerks were even worse. As soon as coach Chavez realized I was struggling he stood on the platform next to mine and watched just about every set. He talked to me about my form. He also talked about mindset. He pointed out everyone in the gym who does the same thing I was doing. He never let me get frustrated. He kept my mind focused on the things I could do better. There's just something about his coaching style that fits. I get it. It was that way from the very first day I trained with him.

Sometimes i post things on my blog that explains how quickly I'm progressing and how amazed I am by coach Chavez's ability to get the best out of me. I say it because it's true and i am honestly amazed. Last week after I posted about hitting a 100k snatch I got a text message with a video of the first time i hit 100k at another gym. The message said "I was asked to send you this gym. What a great lift." I assumed it was because I'm so complimentary of coach Chavez getting me to 100k so quickly. Just because I praise Joaquin doesn't mean I think any less of the coaches and gyms I used to train with. I've had some pretty fantastic growth and accomplishments in other gyms. The coaching was stellar. Joaquin's style just fits and I'm not going to be shy about saying how amazed I am by his abilities to lead and teach. But I don't mean that as an insult to anyone else. So if your a former coach reading the compliments I'm giving Joaquin please don't think it means your anything less. I still adore each of my former coaches. And if your a current athlete at one of the gyms I used to train at don't start drama. Weightlifting is a very small community. And it's a beautiful community. Let's keep it that way.