I first met Jerry nearly 5 years ago when him and his wife, Suzanne, were looking for a new gym. They immediately called us home. And ever since then, it’s truly felt like a family. Almost 1000 classes later (966 to be exact) I’ve developed a love and respect for this guy.
What I first noticed the most about these two was there commitment to being the healthiest they could be; first as individuals, then as a couple, then as parents. The trickle effect of taking care of yourself, while enjoying a lifestyle of fitness and health with your loved one, while being an example of strength and positivity to your children is what I admire the most about Jerry.
But not only is Jerry a leader in his kingdom, Jerry is a leader in the gym. When Jerry first came to the gym, he was all about heavy and hard training, every day. You can’t blame him. That’s what their previous gyms had been about. But over the years Jerry has changed his approach to training and realizes that consistency and mechanics are far more important than intensity and sloppy movement. Instead of trying to win the workout, Jerry is trying to win the journey. With this approach, he has been able to train 5 days a week for the past few years.
It’s great to have someone like Jerry in your gym. Someone so experienced with the barbell, with complex movements, with intensity, is leading by example. Jerry shows that RX is not the goal, but VIRTUOSITY is. He does the common things, uncommonly well.
Not only that, Jerry is the first one to celebrate, encourage, and support other members in the gym. His fist bumps fly freely and his “Oh Yeah” can be heard after every class.
Most of us can learn a thing or two from Jerry…
On March 16th of this year, Level Up Fitness celebrated it’s 5th Anniversary. I had reached out to Jerry in April to let him know he was going to be our Featured Athlete for May and had sent him a handful of questions to answer. Unfortunately, the gym’s anniversary and Jerry’s feature for May was overshadowed by the gloom and doom of the shutdown due to Covid. I didn’t feel good about featuring Jerry when everyone was so distracted by the Shelter in Place and feeling scared for what the media was reporting as death marching in on us all.
But now that we are moving forward as a society, I think it’s perfect time to feature Jerry and share his wisdom; which is something that I’ve always appreciated about Jerry. I asked him to answer some questions. Here are his answers…
- What are 1 or 2 books that have influenced your life?
- Tom Robbins, “Still Life with Woodpecker” and “Hearts of Lions,” by Peter Nye.
- What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last 6 months?
- My knee sleeves from Mava Sports. I wear them every day.
- How has a failure, or perceived failure, set you up for later success?
- Severn years ago I was diagnosed with a bulging disk in my lower back. The doctor told me to never lift 50 lbs over my head again. Today I lifted 155 lbs over my head 40 times in 20 minutes. A diagnosis doesn’t define you. Never underestimate yourself!
- If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere in the world with anything on it, what would it say?
- Be consistent. Trust the process.
- What is an unusual habit or absurd thing you love?
- I like to chat people up. People that know me know that I will talk to anyone and everyone!
- In the past 5 years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life?
- I have become diligent about my diet and adhere to the belief that food is medicine.
- What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the real world? What advice should they ignore?
- Be true to yourself and turn off the noise of what other people think. Everybody is always going to have an opinion but your own opinion or belief is the most important.
