CrossFit Liftoff Interview: Jared Enderton

By Nicole Kurz | December 4, 2015
When I think of the stereotypical cornfed Iowa boy, a dude like Jared Enderton comes to mind. Think strong, All-American looking with a really, really great beard.

Born and bred in the great Midwest, this Iowa native is nationally ranked in weightlifting, a GRID Athlete for the Baltimore Anthem and this year’s Crossfit Liftoff 5th place male finisher overall.

So basically he’s tractor-pulling strong.

Jared absolutely dominated amongst some of the best men in the sport, nailing a 315-pound snatch and a 387-pound clean and jerk with a body weight of 207 pounds.

In his last workout, a spicy 5 round combo of snatches, clean and jerks, pull-ups and double unders, he put up an impressive performance of 404 reps — you can check out the video here.

The combination of his high school wrestling experience, which includes winning both the State Title and earning All-American honors, combined with his Powerlifting, StrongMan and CrossFit experience make him a big name to watch in 2016.

Jared took some time out of his holiday season to chat with FHQ about his performance in the Crossfit Liftoff, and give us a few tips to help us all take our training to the next level in the New Year.

 

FHQ – How long have you been Olympic lifting? Did you get into it because of CrossFit, or were you a lifter who found the sport later?

J.E. – I’ve been Olympic lifting full-time for the last 6 years. I was big into wrestling growing up in Iowa. I got third twice at state and was a state champion (189lbs) in 2007.

From 2007-2010, I competed in Strongman. Then, in January of 2010, I picked up weightlifting full-time. It’s been quite a journey. Although, I did get certified in CrossFit in 2010 so I’ve been in a lot of different gyms and have been watching the growth!
FHQ – What is one piece of advice you have for someone just starting to learn Olympic lifting?

J.E.  Strength is never a weakness. Of course, so many people focus on technique, which is good. I run seminars coaching my unique technique I’ve picked up over the years. However, I think people get tied up too much into technique/programming when they first start. Focus on getting stronger when you just start and you’ll be happy you did later!

 

FHQ – Do you do any sort of mental preparation heading into lifts? Tips or tricks?

J.E. – No real tricks. Just a lot of visualization and training. I always think of letting my training take over. If I’ve trained well, I am always 100 percent confident I can make the lift. It’s just about getting into the right state of mind on game day.

 

FHQ – For an athlete who has been struggling to find a new PR, any tips to get over that hump?

J.E.  This is just a part of weightlifting. I’ve gone 14 months without PR’ing, and, I’ve also gone two years without PR’ing. Then, I’ve had times where I’ve PR’d constantly for a few months. It’s very cyclical. Hang in there and believe in the program and your coach. You can’t always just look for a new program when you don’t find success. You have to keep pushing and just train harder!

FHQ – What does your typical nutrition look like? What’s your hands down favorite thing to eat?

J.E. – My nutrition has changed quite a bit since transferring from weightlifting to CrossFit. I’m able to eat a lot more, which I love! (laughs) My girlfriend, Tamara Gray, preps all of my meals for me, so it’s pretty incredible. There’s always a protein source, carb, and veggie in there. She loves to count macros, but I eat based on how I feel. I eat to recover and perform and don’t worry about body composition at all. The good thing is they usually go hand in hand. I’ve dropped almost 20 pounds focusing on performance and not body comp. And SUSHI!

 

FHQ –  Do you have any gear that you can’t live without?

J.E. – Oh for sure. My Rehband knee sleeves. I’ve worn those since 2007. Lifting shoes, stretch tape for my thumbs. Also Crossover Symmetry – that’s been huge for my shoulder health.

 

FHQ  Talk supplements to me. Anything you take regularly? Anything that you would recommend to other athletes?

J.E. – Yeah I keep it relatively simple. 1. Creatine 2. Protein 3. HMB 4. Fish Oil 5. BetaTOR/PeakATP

 

FHQ –  What’s one thing you want all your fans to know about you? 

J.E. – We have a revolving zoo at the house (laughs). At one point we had 2 cats, 2 dogs, 2 birds, 1 fish, 1 lizard, 2 kids and of course me and the girlfriend. We still have 2 cats, 2 dogs, and a bird. I’m a huge animal lover.

 

FHQ – What’s one item on your bucket list that isn’t CrossFit related?

J.E.  I want to meet Tiger Woods. (laughs) He’s my favorite athlete of all time. I would love just to have a casual conversation with the guy.

What Crossfit athletes do you have your eye on for 2016?  Is there someone new in your region that you think might shake up the leaderboard?  Be sure to let us know in the comments!





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