I recently sat down with an old friend, Sean Waxman. Sean is an Olympic
weight coach became a high school football coach, and we got into
real discussions about his life, the choices he made and the path that brought him
of the world of Olympic weightlifting working with young top athletes
school level. Sean joins us on Power Athlete Radio to discuss his journey,
his philosophy and vision of coaching, which is probably unlike anything
you would expect.
Sean kicked things off by sharing how the pandemic turned his life upside down
down – how this became a turning point that caused him to stop, evaluate and
ultimately redirect his energy. “COVID gave me a rare chance to take my
take your foot off,” he said. For the first time in ages, he had a moment to slow down
and really think about what he wanted for the next 50 years. Session
on his porch with his dog, looking at his lemon tree, he realized he was
ready for a life with more balance and meaning.
The pandemic hit his Los Angeles gym hard. In just a few weeks he had lost
70% of its members, so it ended up managing itself
pocket, keeping his staff paid and the doors open. When it finally closed
at the gym, he made the bold choice to leave California for Utah – a place he felt
was more in line with his values ​​and where he saw an opportunity to obtain
back to what he really loves: working directly with athletes. “I didn’t have
family to anchor me, so I was free to take a big step forward,” he said. And
that’s exactly what he did, even though it was difficult.
Moving to Utah brought Sean back to coaching athletes,
and he immediately felt a difference. He had briefly coached in college
level, but as he said, “college football was more like management and
cheerleading.” What he enjoys most about coaching is the chance to have a
lasting, individual impact on young people – something that is more difficult to do
with college athletes, who often already have a mindset focused on
professional aspirations.
On the other hand, it is in high school coaching that he feels he can really
make a difference. He is able to have these children in their formative years and
guide them not only in strength and conditioning, but in life. Sean got the
chance to work with incredible young athletes, kids who are now

continue to play Division I college football. But for him, it’s so much more
than helping them succeed on the field. “Football is just a medium. THE
the weight room is just the support. But those are the life lessons in there, the
the discipline, the resilience, this stick.
One of the things Sean brought up was his approach to “productivity”
discomfort.” He laughed a little, sharing that there was a time when he
dreaded pushing a prowling sled, among other things. Even as an elite weightlifter,
there were things he avoided because they made him uncomfortable. But
one day he got up, pushed this sled and felt this incredible release.
It was a moment of awakening.
“I realized that if I could willingly force myself to do uncomfortable things…
things that challenged me but didn’t break me, that would change my life.
This idea of ​​finding growth through discomfort has become something he doesn’t have
only preached but lived. It is also a large part of the book he is writing, intended
to help others find their own resilience by tackling the things that bother them
far from. For him, it’s not about lifting the heaviest weight, it’s about
breaking through mental barriers, those things we avoid that might actually
will make us stronger if we face them.
What Sean loves about coaching at the high school level is the chance to
shape young men beyond just their physical strength. He is able to
see these kids transform from wide-eyed freshmen into capable youngsters
adults. “These kids may not remember every lift or exercise, but the lessons
responsibility, preparation and courage last a lifetime,” he said, and you can say
he really means it.
He sees this as a longitudinal approach: rejuvenating these children and giving them
a solid foundation that will last them long after they leave the weight
bedroom. And like he said, football and bodybuilding are just tools. This is the
the consistency, the discipline, the small but meaningful choices they make
every day that truly shape who they will become. And that’s something that Sean
proud to be part of it.
Talking to Sean reminded us why we do what we do. His journey since
Olympic weightlifting to train young footballers shows it’s true
strength goes way beyond the numbers on the bar. It’s about building
people from within and pass on lessons that go beyond the
the sport itself. Sean’s commitment to this next generation is inspiring, and I
I think this is something that all of us in the performance world can learn from.
If there’s one takeaway from our conversation, it’s this: You don’t have to do it.
stay where you are if it doesn’t align with what you value. And if you are
ready to face discomfort, both physical and mental, you might find
an even more fulfilling path. Sean lives the code.