Something You Can't Take Away from a Man
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Andy Dufresne: Forget that… there are places in this world that aren’t made out of stone. That there’s something inside… that they can’t get to, that they can’t touch. That’s yours.
Red: What’re you talking about?
Andy Dufresne: Hope.
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I just uploaded a new video that I wanted to talk to you about.
Everyday you walk out of your door, everytime you turn on the tv, everytime you read a news story; you see it.
Lack of hope.
People have given up. They’re down. They cannot be inspired.
Their jobs are too stressful, their kids are driving them crazy and all they see on the news is depressing and scary stuff.
Now take this scenario, day in and day out over the course of many many years.
I’m here to tell you it is hard. Without a doubt it is hard. It seems everyone ELSE gets all the breaks and you can never catch up.
I understand it and I think about it everyday. You know what makes me feel good? Making people forget all of these things for just a brief moment in time. If only in conversation, a text or during a workout.
I want to INSPIRE people. I want people to have hope. Because it is this hope that keeps you going, even when everything seems insurmountable.
“Great job”, “You’re really inspiring ME today”, “I’ve never seen you hit that with such good form” are just a few things I might say.
But it is more than that. Giving them the strength to believe in hope and building them up so they can face another day. It is not only about the fitness. That, in my opinion, is the job of a fitness professional.
You know what inspired me today?
Gary Sansiveri, 55, never giving up. Never stopping. Never forgetting that hope is so powerful it can take you to new heights and new dreams you’ve never thought you could achieve.
Gary has had so many health issues, he couldn’t begin to tell you all of them. But you know what, he comes into the gym and kills it every time.
I have been working with Gary to improve his overall movement (the structure is built on AMD) and open up his training into new areas so he can overcome all of the negative effects of not only his health issues, but his old training program he was on for years.
Did you give someone hope today? Inspire someone. Do it and it will come back to you big time.
Leave your comments below!
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August 17th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
We 55-year-olds who are still killing it in the gym thank you. After a torn left bicep, nerve damage from that repair surgery, arthritis surgery in the left shoulder, and tearing the right quad off falling down a hill, I needed major lumbar reconstruction two years ago. When the doctor let me go back to the gym a year later, I could barely spend 5 minutes on the treadmill. I lost 60 pounds of fat, without losing any lean body mass, and have been adding muscle since May. I gained three pounds of muscle between May 1 and June 1; this week I go in for a hydrostatic test to see how much I’ve added since then.
I do it because I saw a picture of me from last spring at a family gathering, and I looked old and fat — I couldn’t do much about the old, but I had to do something about the fat.
It gives me hope!
August 17th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Thanks for posting that! Its refreshing to see trainers who actually give a damn about their clients, their results and their overall wellbeing
August 18th, 2009 at 12:09 am
I am 42 and hope to be pushing that hard 13 years from now! Great work from both of you! Age and trechery over youth and skill!!!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:28 am
Amazing video. Good to see you’re doing right by all sorts of guys – I hope to do the same someday.
August 18th, 2009 at 3:39 am
Good post! Great to see the effort by this man and the support by the guest. Excellent & thanks for sending.
August 18th, 2009 at 4:10 am
Let me tell you about my friend Kevin I hope he does not mind I got on his computer to post this, he will be fifty soon, and he has given so much hope and inspired tons of people all while he was battling cancer and he has also had five knee surgeries, shoulder and had his arm reattached when he was young, but he never has excuses and never says no to anyone when they have asked for his help in the gym and by the way I watched him squat 805 bench 450 and deadlift 735 about a year ago, now he woould kill me for saying this but he has been battling cancer since then and no one knows about it except for 4 or 5 people and he has not missed one week in the gym and has just taken on the responsibility of training a whole basketball team so please keep him in your prayers also and yes I liked your video very much
August 18th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Great video.
August 18th, 2009 at 5:34 am
Thanks for sharing smitty.
and great stories in the comments as well!
-Joe
August 18th, 2009 at 6:09 am
Great post Smitty.
As for Gary, it’s always great to see somebody pushing themselves in the gym. More balls than a lot of people I know who are 30 odd years his junior. Great job.
August 18th, 2009 at 6:28 am
Awesome post Smitty! Your comment about fitness professionals is right on! The video is very inspiring.
August 18th, 2009 at 6:34 am
Awesome stuff, Gary! Hope to make it up there and hit it hard with you soon!
-Jedd-
August 18th, 2009 at 7:12 am
Thank you.
I needed this message today more that you can know.
Shane
August 18th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Great post, Smitty! I’m really happy, but not surprised at all, to see you really giving a damn. I know you’re passionate and that passion and enthusiasm really shows in your work!
August 18th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Great post!
August 18th, 2009 at 8:34 am
couldnt agree more…i love motivating and inspiring my clients…im working with a lady now and in the past few weeks she has been able to run for the first time in over 20 years…one of my main motivating phrases i repeat is “no quits”…i instill that in all my clients and in myself…no matter how bad the workout, the day, or life is…no quits
August 18th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Thanks a ton for all the comments and great stories everyone. You guys are the reason we do what we do.
August 18th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Thanks for Sharing Smitty. I think posts like this are good because they show that “real training” is not just for athletes with good physiques lifting a ton of weight and trying to kill it out on the field. It can be for anyone with the desire to get better, stronger an overcome their limitations. This training might be even MORE important for people like Gary.
Great job for him keep posting his progress!
August 18th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Hell yeah!!! Age is not a death sentence as most want you to believe. I truly believe it is more accumulated bad movement, lifestyle and nutrition that gets you WAY more than just getting older. This guy is more proof that hard work done the correct way will pay off.
Excellent post Smitty
We sell and give athletes hope.
Rock on
Mike T Nelson
August 18th, 2009 at 10:31 am
that was awesome, and, that dude is ripped up!
i wish we could see MORE TEENAGERS doing this as well.
seems to me like the work ethic is way better with the guys who have been around the iron game for a while.
Love the good vibes you bring to the workouts Smitty, awesome coaching.
I wanna see more of this guy!
–z–
August 18th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Thanks for the post- Your never to old to lift hard and smart.
I am 61 yrs. old and still DL with 405-455 for reps, Limited on the bench because of cuff issues, still 280#+. Front squats like Gary was doing with 225/265 for 10’s. My favorites are wt. chins/pulls and Suspended Blast Strap pushups with 71# of chain with my feet elevated on a 24″ plyo box. for sets of 20. I am 5’8″ 200 # I wish more older folks would believe in themselves and go for it even if you have had physical problems like we all have as we age. It is very self-gratifying to push yourself and challenge your limits no matter the weight/reps you can perform. Keep up the good work.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Smitty,
I work with baby boomers and older everyday. Gary is in great shape, with a great attitude. People do find it inspiring.
You were also right on with your comments about inspiring people and giving them the best part of the day. Thanks for reminding me.
Sincerely, Keith
August 18th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I continually find my self coming to The Diesel Crew for ideas, workouts, theories and programs…but today i found out that you have much more to offer. I love the drive and determination this gentleman shows. I have many clients who at one time or another have been put down a road of training that may not have been the best for them, and I know how great it feels to free them of the chains that make them dread being in a gym due to a “bad experience”. I love the video and just recently was able to see the hope return to one of my trainees, and it was honestly magical. She said she hadnt smiled like that after a workout in about 6 months, she felt great and wanted more…and it was her first day with me!!
Thanks for the great clip Jim and keep on motivating!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
You guys are awesome, thanks for all of the great comments!
August 18th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Great video! Gary’s still “rockin’ the house”!
August 19th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Don’t act up at that Grandpa’s house because if he decides to spank that ass you’ll be f**king sorry.
August 20th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Damn- Gary is the mack f*ckin’ daddy!
August 21st, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Smitty,
It is wonderful to see your commitment to the people you work with.
I have been blessed with a great training partner for over 15 years and we constantly work to inspire each other to do the best we can at each and every training session we have.
Many thanks for all the great videos, articles and information that you have given us from this site.
YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION TO ME!
🙂