-Matthew Cavalier
If you’re reading this, that means you made it to 2023. Now that all the parties and holiday festivities are done, it’s time to look forward to all the great things, hopefully, that this year will bring. With that will come a new list of goals and milestones we hope to achieve. It’s also going to bring a lot of new people to our gyms and our respective sports. Whether they be resolutioners or potentially new competitors, I think that’s pretty exciting. It’s always fun to meet new people and to potentially increase the population of strong men and women.
For all you old heads who have been grinding away in the gym for years, I know it can be annoying to have to deal with a gym full of people who likely aren’t going to stick around. They mostly don’t know what they’re doing and can oftentimes get in the way. Instead of looking at them with disdain and impatiently waiting for them to never return, I think it’s a good idea to view the situation as an opportunity to display some leadership. You never know what kind of person will walk through the door, and one of them could very well be someone who could bring value to the gym. Be someone they can look up to and seek advice from. If they seek it, impart your knowledge to them and share your experiences. Maybe you can save them some headaches and prevent mistakes you may have made during your development. You never know what kind of impact you can have on another person. If you truly don’t want anything to do with newcomers, then at the very least be kind. If anything, people always remember how others treat them. Don’t let them unnecessarily think you’re an asshole and leave with a bad taste in their mouths about the strength community.
For many of you, the new year is a time for you to set some new goals and plan out how you’re going to accomplish them. There’s a whole new lineup of competitions and new PRs to be set. Knowing that you have so much to gain ahead of you is really exciting. Having the opportunity to build off of the hard work done in the previous year is always something to anticipate. I have some new goals for myself that include competing in at least another strongman competition and setting new PRs in the gym. I’m also hoping to become a little more well rounded in terms of my athleticism and overall well being. Whatever your goals are, do what you can to surround yourself with like minded people. Doing difficult things can be challenging enough, but doing them alone is much harder and much less fun. I mean, what’s the point of doing something awesome if no one around you cares. So, if you aren’t already, make it a goal this year to put yourself in an environment where that’s possible. More and more privately owned gyms are springing up that have dedicated members who want to be a part of your journey and witness you grow. A lot of these gyms have unique cultures and interesting people to help you. Take advantage of them as much as you can. Winning competitions and breaking records aside, I think it’s always the people around that make it all worthwhile. I hope you all keep learning and improving yourselves. I wish you and your families nothing but the best in 2023. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you again, and meeting many of you for the first time this year.
Also, don’t forget that the Atlas Strength Shop is hosting Louisiana’s Strongest Man/Woman on April 1, 2023. Visit ironpodium.com and register while spots remain!
If you are within driving distance of Baton Rouge and need a place to train for your next strongman competition, powerlifting meet or weightlifting meet, check out the Atlas Strength shop for all of your training needs. Send an email to cameron@atlasstrengthshop.com for your next visit. You can also check out our apparel line and programming options on our website. Be sure to like our Facebook page, here, and follow us on Instagram, here. Do you need a high quality energy supplement that won’t leave you with that crashing feeling? Check out veteran owned strikeforceenergy.com and use promo code ATLASSTRENGTH at checkout to get 20% off of your order. If you’re like me, and you like to bite down while lifting, you need to protect your teeth. Check out Impact Mouthguards and their custom molded mouth guards. Use promo code ATLASSTRENGTHSHOP at checkout to get 10% off of your order. But wait? What if you have a glorious Beard? Check out FerociousBeard.com and use Promo Code “ATLASSTRENGTH” to save 15% on all o your beard care!!
“Who dares, wins.”