Blue Chip Athletics

This weekend I am in Ventura, California for Hard Style Ventura, a two-day seminar on the ocean, with some of the best minds in strength training. While learning techniques to make me a better trainer, and better athlete was worth the price of admission, my bonus was spending 2 hours commuting from LAX to Ventura, with Dan John, the epitome of class and professionalism in the fitness and strength industry.

For two hours we talked about training, life, conditioning, coaching, philosophies, families, traffic, Utah, Ohio, LSU-Alabama, whatever. But one thing that came though in everything was this: Genuine.

Instead of bragging about his accomplishments (and he has many, including  Masters championships in the discus, and several highly rated training books. Read his bio on danjohn.net), he asked me about my beliefs, training strategies. coaching philosophies. And it was not an act, as I saw him doing the same throughout the weekend with other attendees. We talked, not teacher-to-student, but person-to-person, father-to-father, coach-to-coach, husband-to husband.

So the commercial goes like this: “Two-day seminar: $599; Hotel and airfare: $1,000; Two hours alone with one of the best minds in your business: Priceless.”

Saturday afternoon at the seminar, Dan summed up what trainers should be in three points: 1. Be a slave to good habits; 2. Integrity; 3. Mentor the next generation. But I already knew that. In two hours on Friday, I saw it first hand.

Makes me want to be better in all areas of my life.