Aharon J. Sailor Interview
ISM founder
At Rawgrip.com
Going to keep the introduction short but this man has done more to new athletes than Mother Teresa.
- RG: Tell us about yourself: Background, Education, Sports etc...
My name is Aharon J. Sailor but everyone calls me Jay. I am 23 years old and I am from Buffalo, New York. I graduated from Le Moyne College back in 2006 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History with a dual minor in Political Science and Fine Arts. I currently work as an in-house tutor for a small Christian school as well as an after-school tutor for a non-profit organization. I also own and operate a sports management firm. As far as my history with sports, I didn’t participate in them when I was younger and didn’t discover my inner athlete until I started lifting weights.
- RG: When did you start training seriously and what made you pick up the sport?
I started lifting back in January 2005 because I was tired of being labeled the fat guy. Also, I knew that I was supposed to be an athlete but never knew what sport would be the one that I would excel at. After meeting people in chat rooms and on MySpace and really getting into working out, I learned that this was my sport and my way to be athlete.
- RG: We all know you are one smart dude, some even call you as RG’s “spiritual guide”- Well certainly I do, in your view how important is mental toughness for athletes?
Thanks for the compliment! To answer your question, mental toughness is EXTREMELY important for any athlete. You have to be mentally tough in order to deal with the stress that comes with being an athlete on top of the stress of everyday life. For example, I’m trying to lose 60 lbs and I’m in the gym 5 days a week plus a dramatic change in my eating habits so I’m not always in the best of moods. On top of that, I work with children and teenagers for 10 hours a day and anyone who has children or works with children knows it can be very stressful. Also, I own and operate a business where I deal with people everyday. If I wasn’t mentally tough, I would not be able to handle all of this and keep my sanity.
- RG: So what exactly is ISM?
My sports management firm, Infinite Strength Management (ISM), focuses on advancing the careers of strength athletes (bodybuilders, powerlifters, strongmen, Scottish/Highland Gamers) and Mixed Martial Arts fighters by helping them find sponsorship and endorsement opportunities. I also help them find upcoming competitions in their area and make sure they are noticed by the right people and companies. Some of the companies that are sponsoring my clients include: PowerBar, APT Pro Wrist Straps, Lift Clothing, Zupplements.com, Mind Over Matter Clothing, HeadBlade, and others. My clients have been featured in interviews for Critical Bench and have been mentioned in Powerlifitng USA
- RG: How did ISM come about?
ISM actually started out as a favor. A close friend (and now client) was having some problems with the company that was helping him advance his powerlifitng career. This company basically was telling my friend that he would not be successful without them. He, being frustrated, came to me and asked me to help him find a supplement company to sponsor him because he knows that I am good with words and convincing people to give me something. About a week later, another friend came to me and asked me to do the same thing. So, I decided that I could make a business out of it. Another reason that I started ISM is the fact that I completely understand what a lifter goes through. I spend a lot of time and money on lifting and if I can find ways to alleviate that burden off of lifters, them I will.
- RG: Boundaries, adversities and barriers – everyone has a fair share, you?
OK. I will keep this short because if I give the entire story, you will have to create a whole new website. I have dealt with ridicule, depression, ageism, racism, classism, family issues, jealousy, and a lot of other things. The thing about all of this is that I didn’t let these things defeat me. I let them make me stronger and ultimately the person I am today.
- RG: A regular question on our interviews– How does your current training regime look like?
It’s pretty basic because I believe that with lifting, simplicity gets you the best results:
Monday – Chest
Tuesday – Back
Wednesday – Legs
Thursday – Shoulders
Friday – Arms
Saturday & Sunday – Rest
I do cardio 5 to 6 days a week and abs are done when I feel like it. (What can I say…I don’t like doing abs.)
- RG: Have anything going in the works?
Well right now, I am applying to graduate school to get my Master’s degree in either History or Museum Studies. I also want to make ISM the biggest and best sports management firm on the planet. I also plan on competing in my first powerlifting meet.
- RG: Jay, You obviously read a book or two what do you recommend as good reading material?
Yes…I love a good book. So, I’m going to give my top 4 books about lifting and my top 5 books for leisure reading.
Lifting Books:
Kelso’s Shrug Book by Paul Kelso
Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks by Randall J. Strossen, Ph. D.
Powerlifting Basics, Texas-Style: The Adventures of Lope Delk by Paul Kelso
The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding: The Bible of Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Leisure Books:
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
- RG: Any final words to our readers?
First and foremost, I would like to thank God for everything He has done. Second, I have to thank RawGrip for this opportunity. Thanks to my friends and family members for supporting me. Thanks to my clients at ISM – Cody, Treston, Joel, Paul, Adam, Jermaine, Zachary, William, Jerry, Team Destruction, and HOP Powerlifting Team. To all the readers out there in the world – don’t give up and don’t let people tell you that you are nothing more than a meathead and will be nothing else. Also, don’t give into the stereotypes that are placed on us lifters. Finally, I leave you with a quote. It’s a great quote to live by:
“Arrogance is THINKING you are the best and telling everyone about it. Confidence is KNOWING you are the best and not saying a word about it.”
Oh yeah…one more thing…always remember…”Strength is our Destiny. Weakness is NOT an option.”
RG: Please Fill in The Following
The best workout song is... “The Beast” by Tech N9ne
The greatest athlete is... I can’t name just one so I’ll list a few of my favorites: Ronnie Coleman, Victor Martinez, Trey Brewer, Mike Wolfe, Brian Siders, Mark Bell, Jesse Marunde (R.I.P.), Mariusz Pudzianowski, and Brad Gillingham.
My future goals are...
- Get my Ph. D. in History
- Become a world class powerlifter
- Open a huge gym
- Make ISM an international phenomenon
Like to thank Jay for taking the time out for this interview. You can find him on our forum– if you have any questions I’m sure he would be more than happy to answer them. Good luck with ISM and looking forward to reading new material on RG by Jay.
...Talk and Discuss but be warned…No BS..
