Elite Team The elite team at California Strength is an invite only team comprised of weightlifters with a current qualifying total over 80% of the world total for their respective weight class.

Club Team The California Strength Club Team is a USAW registered team that trains at California Strength under Glenn Pendlay and competes at competitions primarily in the local area, but also throughout the country. The club team is open to anyone that is interested in competing in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting.

Athlete Support Opportunities Currently California Strength employs nationally ranked weightlifters at its strength academy in a unique work/train program. If you have a qualifying total over 80% of the world total for your weight class please contact us to learn more.

Additionally if you are interested in helping us supporting the sport of weightlifting in the United States please contact us.

The Coach Glenn Pendlay:

Glenn Pendlay learned the Olympic lifts in 1992 from one of the all time great coaches, Alexander Medvedyev, and began coaching in 1995. In 1999, he moved to Wichita Falls, Texas and started a program that went on to become one of the top weightlifting programs in the US, regularly winning team titles at national meets and putting lifters on international teams. Glenn's background in various other sports such as wrestling and powerlifting, along with his interactions with international coaches from many of the top international programs has given him a unique insight and perspective into the training of weightlifters.

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Elite Team Member Donny Shankle:

Nickname: The Giant Killer

Born: United States, New Orleans

Weight Class: 105kg

Competes For: California Strength, United States

Donny Shankle decided he wanted to become an Olympic lifter while serving the United States in Iraq as a Marine. Upon returning to the base in Southern California Donny began lifting at Mikes Gym in Bonsall California, a USA Weightlifting Regional Training Center and home to Casey Burgener, Americas most consistent super heavyweight today. Donny attributes the hospitality and open atmosphere at Mikes Gym to giving him his positive introduction to the sport. Donny then moved to Texas to train with the MSU Weightlifting Team and Wichita Falls Athletic Club, of which he attributes much of his success. Within 19 months of beginning training, Donny was one of the best lifters in the United States and competed in the 2006 World Championships. Donny has been training with the California Strength Team since December 07, and within one month snatched 170kg (374 lbs) and Clean and Jerked 200 kg (440 lbs) making him just shy of the current American records for a 105kg class lifter.

Donny has a passion for the sport, an amazing genetic gift, and a humble opinion of his success. American Weightlifting and the entire weightlifting community in the United States is holding their breath to see what Donny Shankle will accomplish on the world stage as he enters his prime!

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Elite Team Member Max Aita:

Nickname: Montana Muscle

Born: United States, Bozeman Montana

Weight Class: 94kg

Competes For: California Strength, United States

Max Aita was born in Bozeman Montana and grew up what he describes as a "normal" childhood in Big Sky country. Max became interested in Olympic style weightlifting in his teenage years and decided in his later teen years to not just compete at the international level, but winning! In the training hall Max adds a new atmosphere to the practices. "I just love training" is how Max describes his enthusiasm to everyday enter the weight room with a smile on his face. "Of course I get sore and tired, but hey I get to lift weights for a living! It's fantastic!" Max's fellow teammates appreciate his enthusiasm. "It keeps us all humble" says David Spitz. When we are tired and sore Max's enthusiasm to continually train at such a high level keeps everything in perspective. Question: I hear you have some unique nicknames: Answer: Yes the guys around here have gotten used to calling me "Montana Muscle" because of my large front squat (at 94kg easily hitting a 220kg front squat on his first day).

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Elite Team Member Caleb Ward:

Born: United States, Texas

Weight Class: 105+kg

Competes For: California Strength, United States

Let's see here I'm 19 years old (born April 16, 1990 What a day to remember!), and I grew up in Wichita Falls, TX. I now live in California and train at California Strength. I started Olympic Style Weightlifting at the age of 12, and even though I was forced to try it out, I soon found that weightlifting didn't require running and I was hooked for life. Glenn Pendlay was my first coach and has been my only coach since then, with the exception of my rebel runaway to the USOEC in Michigan for my first semester of college. My favorite competition lift is the Snatch because the Clean and Jerk hurts too much, but I would much rather pull off a big Clean and Jerk at the end of a competition because that's the last impression people get from your performance (like sticking a dismount or making a winning touchdown as the buzzer sounds).

My goals in this sport are to go to the Olympics and to never need surgery to continue competing. I would also like to graduate with an MBA, make lots of money, and work for an Olympic Committee (whether it's the USOC or IOC).

My hobbies include eating extremely unhealthy foods (like my homemade ice cream), watching movies, and spending time with my friends and family. My favorite Holiday is the 4th of July because Wal-Mart isn't closed (I ALWAYS need to go to Wal-Mart for something on Christmas) and it's also an excuse to take a day off, sit out by the pool, eat insane amounts of barbeque until you have 3rd degree burns on your body, and blow up some fireworks without getting in trouble by the Popo's. My favorite food is Italian, I want to study abroad one day, and last but not least, the best nick name I've ever been given is "Big Booty Caleb" by a group of girls from my high school (I have NO idea where they came up with that one).

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Elite Team Member Jon North:

Born: United States, Eugene Oregon

Weight Class: 94kg

Competes For: California Strength, United States

My name is Jon North and I am on the elite team hear at California Strength. I took 4th at nationals in the 105 weight class snatching 140 and clean and jerking 172. I have only been in this sport for two years and I plan on making a big mark in this sport. My best meet was at the Tommy Kono open snatching 145 and clean and jerking 175 for a 320 total. My best snatch was at the pan am qualifiers at 146. My best clean and jerk is 175 at the tommy kono open. I have been competing as a very light 105, so my coach Glenn Pendlay has now dropped me down to the 94 kilo weight class. I will hit even bigger numbers in a lighter weight class, getting closer to my goal of winning a national title, making a world team, and making the olympic team. I am from Eugene Oregon, and sense I was in 4th grade a have been playing football. I played high school football at south Eugene High school, and then went on to play college ball in california at college of the siskiyous in weed cal. After graduating with my AA degree, I went on to play football at sac state were my football career came to an end after almost 11 concussions ended my football career.

My strength and conditioning coach Tim Frizby at college of the siskiyous was the best strength coach I have ever had, the best football coach I have ever played under, and one of the greatest guys I know. If it wasn't for Tim Frizby I would not be writing this bio, I would not be competing in olympic weightlifting, and I probably wouldn't be half the man I am today. Tim Frizby understood how to make his players faster and stronger, and that was through olympic weightlifting. We did the lifts and I was always really good at them. So when I couldn't play football any longer I had no idea what I was going to do with my life, so the first person I looked to for help was Tim Frizby. Coach Friz told me that I should get into olympic weightlifting, and that they have a team at sac state and that I should join. Coach Friz made a few calls and not only got me on the team, but started a whole new life for me. Sac state led me to Hassle Free, and Hassle Free led me to California strength. Now I am writing to you as a full time weightlifter, chasing my gold medals and following the path to the olympics.

Jon's Secret to his success? The key to all my success has been my mom, Leslie McConnell, thank you mom I love you.

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Elite Team Member Jo Ann Arnold:

Nickname: The Boss

Born: United States

Weight Class: 53kg

Competes For: California Strength, United States

Jo Ann currently holds the PWA masters records for snatch and clean and jerk in the 53 kg and 58 kg weight classes. Her dedication to the sport and unbelievable ability to get under the bar is only surpassed by her ability to take off from a grueling practice on her high performance motorcycle in full leathers! Jo Anne is truly one of a kind, taught the lifts from a legend in the sport, Jim Schmitz, her form and execution are impeccable. As a mom, business woman, and nationally ranked weightlifter, she keeps the rest of the team humbled by her dedication to training and her dedication to life.