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We are extremely excited to introduce you to a one-of-a-kind human; his name is Rob Jones, Marine Veteran, double amputee, philanthropist, and all around badass. His story starts on his second deployment in Afghanistan in 2010; he was tasked with clearing an area with a high likelihood of containing an IED. It was during this, that he was wounded in action by a land mine; resulting in a left knee disarticulation and a right above knee amputation of both legs.

With time and struggle, Rob re-learned to how to walk, cycle, run and row with prosthetics legs. Always eager to challenge himself, he decided to train for the 2012 Paralympics for a rowing spot. After winning multiple prestigious regattas, he and his partner earned a spot in the Paralympics taking home the bronze medal.

In 2013, Rob decided to ride his bicycle solo across America, starting in Bar Harbor, Maine, and ending in Camp Pendleton, California. He completed the 5,180 miles 181 days after he began, while raising $126,000 for the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, the injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, and Ride 2 recovery, three charities which aid wounded veterans.

This Fall, Rob Jones will set out to complete a Month of Marathons across the United States, with one stop in London. That’s 26.2 miles every day for 31 consecutive days, not to mention traveling to a different city every day. Impressive right? Well, he also wants to raise 1,000,000 dollars for Veteran organizations along the way. We told you he was a badass.

LALO is excited to help Rob push himself further than he has ever before, and achieve his goals. We will be keeping you updated on his Journey from start to finish. If you are interested in learning more about the cause, visit robjonesjourney.com

Below we have shared some Q&A with Rob for your enjoyment. Take a look into Rob’s amazing life.

LALO: Why do you believe mental and physical improvement can be obtained through struggle?
RJ: Improvement is a response to a stressor.  From a physical perspective, it is the SAID principle.  Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands.  The principle applies to the mental aspects of improvement as well.  If a person’s body or mind is never challenged, then it has no reason to change itself in any way, and will not use its resources to do so.  If a person does challenge their body or mind, however, after rising to the challenge, the body or mind will improve itself to the point that it will be able to handle that specific challenge in the future more easily.  Thus, the only way to improve yourself is to challenge yourself.  And the ways in which we can challenge ourselves is limited only by our imagination.  It does not only have to be via physical exercise, but by mental exercise, or both at the same time.  Or by trying new things, or by purposefully placing ourselves in situations that scare us, or by cutting our safety nets and forcing ourselves to accomplish something due to necessity.

LALO: What is an average day for Rob Jones?
RJ: An average day for me consists of training for my upcoming marathon challenge, and doing what I need to recover from the training.  It also involves both reading and writing about subjects concerning veterans, and self-improvement, so that I can better be a representative of what veterans, and people in general can be.  Today I woke at 6:30, ran for 2 hours, ate breakfast, read a chapter in Warriors and Citizens by James Mattis, and wrote a few thoughts on my recovery, and some of the aspects that were beneficial and negative.  I will eat dinner around 5:30, and will be in bed by 7:30.  There I will read until 9:30, and will go to sleep.

LALO: What is your favorite workout or way to train?
RJ: Even though I am training to run 812 miles in a month, my favorite way to train is to lift weights.  I enjoy how easy it is to see improvements, and the variety of ways that I can challenge myself.  I enjoy running as well, but it can tend to get monotonous at times.

LALO: How do you stay motivated throughout your training?
RJ: Motivation for me stems from desire, and long term vision.  I have certain objectives that I truly want to accomplish, and they are many months away.  What keeps me doing my training even when I don’t really feel like it is the fact that I WANT to accomplish my goals.  Without the desire to complete what I’ve set out to do, it is very easy to find an excuse.  While I do not always want to run today, I know that running today will put me closer to accomplishing my goal, and so the path is clear.

LALO: What is something an average person doesn’t think about when it comes to being a double amputee?
RJ: I can only speculate on what the average person does and does not think about, however, one of the less obvious visual aspects of being myself is the amount of setup required to do what I do.  People in my daily life will see me in the grocery store or out running and may believe that I simply got up and did them.  However, in order to walk or run, I must prepare my stumps with liners, lubrication, ply socks to make my sockets fit better, and the sockets themselves being donned in a comfortable position in order to even leave the house.

LALO: Why pick 31 marathons in 31 days?
RJ: I selected the marathon distance because it is a distance that I have ran before, and I know that it is challenging to me.  The rest is mostly from practical considerations.  I couldn’t do much longer than a marathon, because then I wouldn’t have enough time to get to the next location.  I selected 31 days because it made sense to me to do a full month, and any more than that felt like it would be too long, and wouldn’t hold the public’s interest.

To stay up to date with Rob’s Journey, follow us on Instagram @lalotactical, or like us on Facebook, where we will be continually updating you on Rob’s progress, from his training to each marathon!

LALO has also designed a limited edition “Rob Jones Journey” Tech Tee for purchase soon at lalotactical.com Proceeds from sales will go towards Rob’s goal of 1 million dollars for veteran organizations.

“NO BULL SHIT, NO EXCUSES, JUST HARD WORK.” Great motto, right? Yeah, we agree. That is just one of the many reasons we want to introduce you to our gym affiliate, The Garage Gym.

The Garage Gym is based out of Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada, and was built by a community of like-minded individuals from the ground up.

Tony and Dani Smith, founders of The Garage Gym as well as husband and wife, share many years of experience training individuals in and out of the gym. Tony, a self proclaimed gym rat was hooked from the moment a friend’s father taught him basic weightlifting movements and allowed him to use his basement gym. “You could find me in the Villanova weight room, various “Globo style” gyms throughout the city, or in the dingy weight room of the old Ako Fratmen clubhouse, where I played football for the ’99 National Champs.  I quickly realized that the stronger and faster I got the better I was performing, and that training with a small group of goal orientated people pushed me so much farther than I could ever go on my own.”

Tony has also spent the last 10 years of his life as a SWAT team member. “In that line of work, fitness has to be part of your life, failure simply can never happen,” said Tony.  In 2008, Tony was honored by his peers to be selected as their Team Leader.  It was his responsibility to ensure that these men were always in peak condition in order to execute their duties and get home safely to their families.  “The only way to lead  is by constantly being the example.  I made sure that I always put forth maximum effort in the gym, and was constantly coming up with new ways to keep them motivated, fit and unified.”

Dani’s fitness and nutrition knowledge comes from real life experience and trial and error.  She is certified in group fitness training, is a certified GYM JONES instructor and is set to complete her certification as a weight loss and nutrition specialist. Dani and Tony are also the parents of two young sons - a heck of a job in itself. Tony and Dani’s passion is contagious.  They are always searching to become more knowledgeable, are highly motivated and most of all, have real life experience.

Tony, Dani and the crew at The Garage Gym were trained and taught by one of the most hardcore gyms in the world, managed by our very own Bobby Maximus; Gym Jones, in Salt Lake City, Utah. They train functional fitness for real life strength, with programs custom suited to fitness levels and goals. Their focus is entirely on the clients, no one gets lost in group classes.

An important aspect that makes The Garage Gym different, is their belief that the mind can push the body well past perceived limits, just as our Special Operation and NSW operators believe. Individuals with this mindset don’t understand the word, “quit”. We at LALO couldn’t be happier to have an affiliate with this likeminded mantra. Take a deeper look into the Garage Gym’s operation below. 

LALO: What is the most inspirational thing you have seen in your gym?
Garage Gym: We have a member that trains privately with us three times a week, her name is Trish. She is a perfectionist and is extremely self-motivated. She came to us after suffering two very difficult loses in her life that caused her to put herself aside to care for others. In only 6 months, she has managed to dramatically increase her stamina and endurance as well as lose nearly 50 pounds. Through changing her eating habits and throwing herself into a fit way of life, she has made leaps and bounds already. Best of all, she has a huge heart and cares greatly for others. In November, we challenged the members of The Garage Gym to accumulate as many row meters as possible for the month, whether they rowed in warm up, during their workout or on their own time. Members were divided into teams and the winning team was promised a prize. Trish was placed onto a team and completed her row meters at the gym and at home on a Concept Two rowing machine that she received from her neighbor who never used it. At the end of the month, Trish’s total was 450,000m! That works out to be 15,000m per day! She made a promise to herself and never made excuses, sometimes rowing at 10pm in the evening after a long day working. Trish continues to impress us with her dedication, improvement and most of all her friendly and kind nature, we are very fortunate to have Trish in our lives.

LALO: Do you have someone who meets or exceeds your standard on a consistent basis?
Garage Gym: Our only standard is consistent effort coupled with a good positive attitude. Almost all our clients bring it daily, and support the people next to them. We do have a few stand out members that are always competing with themselves and expect the most out of their efforts day in and day out but we are very proud of our members and their constant kindness and dedication.

LALO: What is your favorite thing about being a trainer or gym owner?
Garage Gym: We are so proud watching how a person transforms themselves into someone who walks with confidence, changes their mindset to demonstrate the no quit mentality and their new-found ability to attack obstacles rather than fear them. It is so amazing to see a group of individuals that come from all walks of life interact with each other with kindness and support.

LALO: Is there anything that you do for your town or community that you are exceptionally proud of?
Garage Gym: We are very proud to be very involved with first responders, providing them with not only the physical tools to tackle their demanding jobs, but the mental toughness necessary to care for themselves and the people they serve. We also love to host leadership camps to mentor kids in the community to be better people in all aspects of their lives and to really consider being healthy as being a very important component of being successful as they mature.

LALO: What can we do collectively to motivate youth?
Garage Gym: We find the best way to motivate youth is to put them in groups/teams and to give them individual responsibility, pointing out what each must offer. Every player on the team has an important role and teaching the young members of society how to best participate collectively seems to make their confidence and personal abilities shine through, in turn motivating them to give their best effort.

LALO: If you could give one piece of advice to other gym owners or someone looking to open their own gym, what would it be?
Garage Gym: Give everything. Put yourself out there every day, struggle beside them, lead from within.

LALO: Showing up to a gym is intimidating for a lot of people. How do you like to break down that barrier?
Garage Gym: We like to immediately pair them with another member that was the same way when they first started. Seeing someone who reminds them of themselves and how they would like to see themselves is very motivating. Hearing another member say, “Don’t worry, I couldn’t do that either” or “I felt like that too” makes the barrier seem not quite as tall.

LALO: Do you have anything else you would like to share with us?
Garage Gym: We feel so fortunate to be able to share our passion with so many great people in our community and we love helping others to obtain goals that they never thought possible. There is only positivity within our walls and we expect nothing less.

Learn more about The Garage Gym >>>

Instagram: Follow @thegaragegym_

We have the pleasure of introducing you to one of our sponsored athletes, Megan Dovell. Megan competes in the sport of Skeleton racing. Obviously, her title of “skeleton athlete” is more bad ass than 99.9% of all other sports titles, but for those of you who aren’t familiar with the sport of Skeleton racing, here is a little explanation: Skeleton racing is a winter sliding sport that involves an individual plummeting down an ice track reaching speeds of up to 80 mph. The athletes go head first on a sled that is no wider than an ironing board, pushing 5 g’s through the turns. What about steering or brakes, you wonder? Nope, none of that. The margin of error in this sport is incredibly small, and it takes an extensive amount of training to prepare. We are glad Megan is on our team! Here is a little insight to one extremely badass athlete:

LALO: What is your biggest accomplishment in your sport?
MD: This year I competed on a full racing circuit and was able to earn a world ranking. That might technically be my biggest accomplishment in the sport of skeleton. Although, I would say last year winning Western Regionals and getting an automatic invite to USA Team Trials was my biggest personal victory. I had to overcome an injury, deal with some financial stress, a death of a loved one, and loads of mental hurdles. To finish the season like that was very powerful for me. 

LALO: What do you do in your training that is your key to success?
MD: Understanding that it is equally a mental, physical, nutritional and an emotional effort. I can train hours and hours each day but if I am mentally stressed or feeling down it counteracts much of my physical training I put in. Training smart, getting proper nutrition, adequate rest, surrounding myself with positive people, and reading insightful books (several about mental toughness) are all key. Remembering to keep a positive balance is my key to success. 

LALO: What is the best advice you were ever given?
MD: I have an Olympic track and field friend that has been such a great mentor over the past three years. He has been there done that, has had the highest highest and lowest lows. Phenomenal human I'm blessed to know. Everything he says to me is gold. Haha. Few bits of advice he as given me were:
- Acknowledge fear, doubts and situations
- Control your environment
- Make everyday your best practice day 

LALO: What is the biggest challenge you have ever faced and how did you overcome it?
MD: Biggest challenge? I would say my entire adolescent hockey career. Being small, being a girl, living in the south  and playing boys ice hockey was very hard. Not only did I have to constantly prove myself I was good enough to play with the boys but I had to deal with ridicule from several types of people. Classmates, teammates, sometimes my own coaches, opposing players, opposing players parents... all had something to say about me playing hockey and often it was not supportive. To deal with that and still believe in my dream of playing college hockey was a challenge. I over came it by really believing in myself, having a true passion for the game, and appreciating those who did support me and accept me. 

LALO: Who is your biggest hero/heros? Why?
MD: Growing up I never really had any. I just wanted to be the best at whatever I did but never really knew who to mimic. Haha. Now, I would say my parents. They instilled a very strong work ethic since I was at a young age. Their love, support, providing me with so many more opportunities that they never had and the values they had ingrained in me, do make them heros in my book. Since my skeleton journey, I have been blessed to have been surrounded by so many great athletes and study/learn about even more. The ones that have had a struggle/had a "fall" and were able to make their way to the top I highly respect, admire and want to learn from. Then, if they on top of that are filled with humbleness, kindness, generosity, and share their wisdom- that makes them a hero in my book. Lincoln DeWitt, Steve Holcomb, John Daly, Katie Uhlaender, Justin Gatlin, the 1936 U.S. men's Olympic eight-oar rowing team, and of course the 1980 USA men's Olympic ice hockey team, are a few others to honorably mention. 

LALO: Favorite hobbies outside the gym?
MD: I enjoy scenic traveling, writing poetry, watching movies, adrenaline rush activities (I love going fast), hanging with animals and I want to start acting again too. 

LALO: Favorite workout?
MD: I really enjoy days where I have to pull a sled or push a prowler, then do some sprints after. I love that extra explosive feeling when I go back to a regular sprint. 

LALO: What makes your different from other athletes?
MD: There has never been a female skeleton athlete that was a former USA inline hockey, powerlifting and college ice hockey athlete. Also,  I often think in a perspective of how me being a 'great' athlete can benefit others. Athletes do have to be selfish in many ways to be successful. It was a hard thing for me to grasp because I do consider myself more of a giving person. Especially playing youth team sports and often being a captain. Anyway, the better athlete I become, the more I learn. I learn about physically training, mental toughness, adversity, I meet so many more people/make connections and more. I can help clients I personally train, I can help my family/friends, I can help network people for different opportunities and so on . It's actually a great thing. With my background and the way I approach being an athlete separates me from the rest. 

LALO: How did you learn to train endurance to win?
MD: It's more or less something I have developed over the years. With trial and error you find what works for you. I have never been a quitter or liked the feeling of failing, so using those as a foundation helped. 

LALO: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
MD: I have reached my athletic goals. I also will be living in a warm climate, have something to call family, coaching/training athletes in some respect and being very content with my athletic career and helping others reach their goals.

Follow Megan on Instagram @megadovell

Since 2010, Advanced Performance Fitness has been helping those in Wadsworth, Ohio and the surrounding communities achieve optimal health in one convenient location. Alex Hunt and his crew offer quality care to people of all ages who are looking to get in shape, lose weight safely and effectively and get on the path toward optimal health. This full service fitness center offers 24/7 access to cardio equipment, strength machines, free weights and locker rooms.  The studios host a variety of classes and programs including Silver Sneakers, Spinning, Yoga, Zumba, Bootcamps, CrossFit and Personal Training.

Advanced Performance Fitness also offers the services of Advanced Health and Wellness Center whose goal is to help people experience the best that their body can function in a natural, holistic way. They have blended the best medical and wellness related services available to offer a variety of solutions to enhance people's health. Their team includes Medical Doctors, highly trained Physician’s Assistants, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, Rehab Specialists and Nutritionists offering a full range of services — all under one roof.

We are honored to share how our LALO Affiliate Gyms create amazing environments for both their members and the communities they operate in. We are lucky to have people like Alex and his team. To get a sense of Advanced Performance's philosophies and insight, have a read below. We promise you'll enjoy it as much as we did!

LALO: What is the most inspirational thing you have seen in your gym?
AH: We have tons of testimonials from clients losing weight, achieving physical feats, sleeping better, having more energy, etc. However the most inspirational thing I have seen in this gym was when we had a client join that had very low self-esteem and very little confidence that they could reach their "outlandish" health goal. Seeing this client come in every day, full of doubt, and then leaving with new found confidence in their abilities slowly cascades into this person seeing themselves differently as an individual. This person now is a confident individual who, when faced with adversity, is willing to push through the circumstance and succeed.

LALO: Do you have someone who meets or exceeds your standard on a consistent basis?
AH: It's hard to name just one person with this question. We have many members who exceed our expectations however I do need to commend our 57 year old member Judy Fearer. She came into our Couch 2 CrossFit program 1.5 years ago and hated anything to do with lifting weights. She slowly fell in love with her success and is acheiving goals she would have thought of as unattainable! Two weeks ago she mastered her first bar muscle up!

LALO; What is your favorite thing about being a trainer or gym owner?
AH: The best thing about this job is seeing people grow, plain and simple. There is nothing better than seeing someones perception of their own ability change from self doubt to self confidence. I strongly believe that these people will be more successful and have a more fullfilling life just from this life changing experience.

LALO: Is there anything that you do for your town or community that you are exceptionally proud of?
AH:  Our CrossFit gym is part of Advanced Health and Wellness Center here in Wadsworth, Ohio. We are blessed to work alongside Advanced Health and Wellness in their pursuit of making people as healthy as possible. They give free consultations to all who are interested in CrossFit to ensure they are physically prepared to begin our program. It's crazy how many people find out that the pain they have been experiencing for years is not normal due to age, and how they can be cured!

LALO: What can we do collectively to motivate youth?
AH: Community! We need to continually connect our youth to positive communities, such as our CrossFit gym. In these communities they will be challenged in a safe atmosphere and afforded the opportunity to connect with great people that have a positive influence on their lives.

LALO: If you could give one piece of advice to other gym owners or someone looking to open their own gym, what would it be?
AH: Don't hire someone looking for a job. Hire someone who is passionate about your mission!

LALO: Showing up to a gym is intimidating for a lot of people. How do you like to break down that barrier?
AH: We do free 1 on 1 sessions where our trainners asses the client in a workout and then connect with the client afterwards in order to form a personal relationship. In connecting with the client, the trainer then finds out why the client is here and what they are looking to accomplish. This is huge when the client realizes their first class is actually led by the trainer they originally met with. 

LALO: Do you have anything else you would like to share with us?
AH: Don't get caught up with the financial side of your business. Remember why you do what you do and continue to be a blessing for people. Your business will attract the members you want and could use your help.

For more information about Alex, his team and Advanced Performance Fitness >>

If you would like more information on becoming a LALO Affiliate Gym please email, lisa@lalotactical.com