The criteria and standard that we look for when our team puts in their nominations for Prototype of the month are Coachability, Caring and Community and in our opinion, LJ encompasses all three of those qualities handily. Congratulations LJ!

 

I joined the prototype barbell club in August of 2021 from the recommendation of one of my friends who was already in the club.

What is your favorite part about being at Prototype?


My favorite part of being at Prototype is the community. I honestly have never been surrounded by such a supportive, hardworking and kind group of people. The support you receive from your teammates is immense and powerful. Each and every one of my teammates has my complete and utter respect as both athletes and humans, they are so awesome and make the gym my favorite place to be. And let’s not forget our coach.  Joe is one of my favorite people on the planet, he is just a great guy and anyone on the team can attest to that. 

What are your hobbies and activities?

My favorite hobby is definitely weightlifting, but outside of the gym I really enjoy reading, listening to music, and hanging out with my friends.

My other favorite thing to do is add to my extensive sock collection. My personal favorite right now has Bigfoot on them! I love showing off my fun socks at the gym. 

How has Prototype helped you or solved a problem for you?

Weightlifting is an awesome way to cope with the stresses that life throws at you. I have struggled with my mental health for a while and weightlifting has helped immensely. The feeling after making a big lift is indescribable, it seems that everything bad that happened that day has somehow disappeared and you are so deep in that moment. 

What are you continuing fitness goals to this point?

One of my favorite parts of weightlifting is how it encourages you to focus on the strength in your body rather than the size. It makes me feel empowered and strong. My goal right now is to just continue getting strong and make technical improvements. I’m taking it day by day and trying not to put all the focus on the number of kilos on the bar. All in all I just want to have fun and learn how to be a better Olympic lifter.

Favorite Quote

my favorite quote is by Joe “Getting jacked AF”