Strength, Community and Sunshine: My Weekend at The Irish Yank Summit
At the start of September, I had the absolute privilege of spending a weekend coaching alongside Daniel McKenna – better known as The Irish Yank – at his renowned Strength Summit. These events take place across the States, where Daniel coaches groups of up to 20 people through the four big barbell lifts – back squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press – with plenty of smart variations in between. These lifts are the foundation of everything I coach in my own space, so I was very excited to get stuck in. The purpose of these workshops is to equip clients with the skills to understand the mechanics of the barbell and, ultimately, give them the confidence to walk into a gym, grab a rack, and get to work.
The event was held at Pride Strength Training in Tampa. With my background in gym design and manufacturing at BLK BOX (not that I did either of these two roles lol) , I’ve seen plenty of gyms in my time – but this space blew me away. From the racks to the lighting, the open space to the stretch of turf, it was world-class. It even left me a little unsettled about what I don’t have at home… but a girl can dream.
The night before the event, Paddy, Daniel and I set up the goodie bags, ran through the game plan, and, in true Irish style, went for a pint. While setting up, we had the chance to meet the owner, Kim, and the Director, Jeoff – two people I’ll never forget. Words can’t describe how much Paddy and I value them. They’re the reason Paddy now joins me in the gym three times a week, and for that, I’ll be forever grateful.
I already work alongside Daniel and his Irish Yank members on a weekly basis. We have numerous team calls covering nutrition, strength training, mindset and habits. I felt like I knew these people, yet had never actually met them in person.
So, when they poured through the doors on Saturday morning, it felt like catching up with old friends. The warmth and inclusion I felt in this group was second to none. And the reception Paddy (aka PFIT) got was just brilliant.
We kicked off with barbell back squats and deadlifts. Funny enough, this was also the first time Daniel and I had met in person. But as soon as the technique teaching began, we fell into sync as if we’d been coaching together for years. We teach the same way, share the same principles, and that’s probably why it works so well.
Watching the confidence of these women grow with every rep was genuinely heart-warming. They took to the lifts as if they’d been doing them for weeks – it was incredible to see. By Sunday afternoon, none of us wanted the weekend to end. The friendships, the smiles, the craic – it was all top class. I can’t wait to see these girls repping out with the barbell in the months to come.
Daniel, thank you. Thank you for welcoming me into your community. Thank you for trusting me with your people. I can’t ever repay you, but I hope the work I’m doing with your community shows just how important this partnership is to me.
To the girls at the Summit – you made me feel like one of your own. For someone who has often struggled to find her tribe (outside of my CFIT girls, of course), it was incredible to feel so welcomed from the very first hello. Thank you for allowing me to coach alongside Daniel. I know how much you all love him, so for Chelsea and me to join in and feel that same warmth and support really meant the world.
After the event, Paddy and I headed back to my old stomping ground in Clearwater. After 10 years, I finally got to show him where I worked as a young 22-year-old – broke, clueless, but full of dreams. We met up with old friends, revisited my favourite places, and watched my favourite sunsets on the beach, together.
