Old Stomping Grounds....

Hope everyone is kicking ass in this work week, I know I am. I had a very fun experience last night. After getting done with working and finding out my late night client got sick and was not able to make it I decided to take a mini trip to my former college SUNY Cortland. A couple friends of mine have been telling me about the great updates of the facility over the past summer. Nursing a sore shoulder from steel bending on Sunday I had to take it lightly, but also knew I wouldn't have an opportunity to workout at Tomik for awhile with my busy schedule. After a few phone conversations with friends up at Cortland they were able to convince me to come up for a nice 6:00p workout. Drew, my current lifting partner at Cortland, was hitting shoulders so I decided to do more prehab/rehab and bodyweight movements to get some blood circulating through my shoulder. The second I walked into the facility it once again brought back some great memories. It was PACKED OUT, which I haven't seen in any gyms since the nice weather hit, and all the equipment was moved around from where I remember it being. I walked around for a few minutes scooping out the scene and noticed some kick ass new equipment. Glute Ham Developers, Reverse Glute Hams, specialty bars, bumper plates, chains, plyo boxes and much much more has been added to the facility for the students to use. This is great because at least I know a small portion of the students tuition's are going towards the right things, LOL. Kids foam rolling, Lunging through hallways with chains, and super setting squats and box jumps were all things I saw. This made me really how much the industry has changed in a short three years since I graduated. This kids working out weren't nearly the size of the meatheads back in the day but many more kids are beginning to see the picture and training like athletes. When I was at school NOT 1 Kid would train like this, it was all body building style. Other then all the new equipment and styles of training the thing I was also impressed with was the knowledge some of these kids had about the industry. As I was hitting my bodyweight movements and band work I was wearing my Underground Strength Gym shirt and had two different kids approach me and say "Isn't that Zach Even Esh's gym?" I loved the reaction I got when the kids asked if I have ever been there and I explained to them not only that I have been there multiple times but how good of a friend/mentor Zach has become for me. I am very fortunate to have been able to connect with minds such as Zach Even Esh, Ken Blackburn, Matt Wichlinski, and many more over this begining journy to strength coaching excellence and can not wait till the end of the month to go back to the Dirty Jerz and reconnect with these guys as well as 50 other top Strength and Conditioning coaches! I was lucky enough to get some great advice out of college from a worker at my summer job. He said you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. If you are surrounded with successful people you will become a successful person and if you surround yourself with dirt bags you will become one. I took this to heart and immediately began networking with top fitness minds in the industry. Ya I had to cut some friends out of my life and it sucked but in the long run it will all pay off.