We Need You!
An open letter from Clay Edgin
Well, what can I say. The sport of strongman has made some great progress here in the Land of Enchantment. Every contest we have brings us one step closer to having a thriving strongman community, and the brunt of the work falls onto the shoulders of the promoters. They tirelessly seek out sponsors, order trophies, advertising, design tshirts for the competitors, and work with venue managers. But most importantly, they try to seek out people who are interested in trying their hand at strongman. This is the hardest part of a promoter's job - finding people who are willing to check their egos at the door and try something new. For every contest held in New Mexico, there are anywhere from 50-100 hours spent organizing it.
But we can't put on these contests without any competitors, and that's why I'm saying that we need you. We need people who are not afraid to step up and give strongman a shot. I've lost track of the number of people who have said that they were going to either come out and train or show up at a contest and then never show again. Now, I know that everyone has things going on in their lives and maybe not everyone is as obsessed with training as we are. Those people are crazy! :-) But you know what I mean...
You don't have to have any experience lifting weights. You don't have to be a lumberjack, a pirate, a viking, a ninja or any of the other manly occupations. Hell, I'm a desk jockey. If anything, I find that sitting on my ass for a couple days between workouts is a great way to recover. Strongman is not just for huge Scandinavians named Svend or Magnus. It's for everyone. Anyone who wants to redefine who they are, or to learn what their limits are and then to push them. Anyone who has HEART. That's all it takes - the ability to not quit.
For me personally, strongman has changed my life. It has given me a great deal of self-confidence that I didn't have before. I have also made some amazing friends, people like me who I would go to war with. This is the only sport I've been a part of where your competitors cheer for you at the contest! Everyone is a teacher and a student. I've gotten stronger, both mentally and physically. You think you're having a hard time figuring out a problem at work? Try battling your own mind while you drag a heavy sled for 100ft or knocking out 4 more reps than you thought was possible and you'll learn you can redefine yourself in every way. The most dangerous thing in the world is a person with a strong body and a strong mind.
I'm very passionate about my sport. OUR sport. And I'm so anxious to share this with everyone I meet and to encourage people to try it. Why? Because I want to share with everyone this amazing feeling I have inside me and I want them to experience it for themselves. Strength is good for more than just the gym; you take it with you in every aspect of your life and it will show.
There is a point for a new trainee where you can see their preconceived notions of personal limitations get shattered. I've watched enough newbies train where after the 3rd or 4th session, they start to understand that they can push themselves harder and accomplish more. That's inspiring to them, and probably just as inspiring for me because now I get to see the true character of a man or woman. Do you quit when things get difficult? Or are you convinced that you've solidified your self-confidence and that nothing can break you?
So the point of my diatribe is this - I strongly encourage you to test yourself against these events. Give this a shot. Call or email the guys listed on the "Join The Training Days" page and ask when they're going to be training again this week. Then get out there. I'm so excited to be able to share this sport with people who are interested - you're the future of strongman in New Mexico. And you don't have to devote your life to it in order to reap the rewards.
Come to the training days.