Mike Cerbus has spent almost a year at my family’s house in Crete, the home of Plaka Strength.

I’ve gotten to know him pretty well and I have come to appreciate that as well as an incredibly knowledgeable and patient Olympic Weightlifting coach, he is a very special type of traveller. A slow traveller. He makes time to get to know people, and he builds friendships that last. (Everyone in Plaka and beyond knows Mike now!) I asked him a few quick questions about travelling and about weightlifting. Enjoy!

SK: I know you’ve travelled the world! Can you name the places you’ve lived at for 2 months or more?

MC:

• Las Rozas, Spain

• Bielefeld, Germany

• Plaka Elounda, Crete Greece

• St. Augustine, Florida

• Colorado Springs, Colorado

• Fowler, Ohio

• Gustavus, Ohio

• Warren, Ohio

SK: I know you’ve taught at many different gyms! Can you give us the countries you have taught at the most?

MC: USA, Spain, Ecuador, Brazil, Israel, Greece.

SK: I know you like to move around! Can you name the 3 places you’ve lived at the longest time?

MC: Ohio, Greece, Germany.

SK: Your best transport experience ever?

MC: I received a first-class upgrade on a trip to Central Mexico and it was so, so nice :)

SK: Your worst transport experience ever?

MC: I missed a train from Amsterdam to Hamburg and had to stay the night in a McDonalds, but then at 3 am they closed and I stayed the next 6hrs outside of the train stop. It was an enlightening experience :) ...Myself coming from the privileged Western World have a lot of luxuries that I can take for granted.

SK: Show us some cool passport stamps!

MC: Scroll down to the end! My passport is actually full and in need of being replaced so I can keep travelling: )

SK: And now for some weightlifting questions… Snatch or clean and jerk?

MC: It was always changing as a competitor, but I have usually been a little more of a snatch favourite.

SK: What age was the youngest person you have ever taught?

MC: 8 or 9 for a regular period of time and planning.

SK: What age was the oldest person you have ever taught?

MC: Late 70s to early 80s for quite a few individuals.

SK: Your favourite weightlifting cue?

MC: Be patient!

SK: What do you think is the biggest myth (or misunderstanding) about Olympic lifting?

MC: That it is too difficult to learn recreationally.

SK: What is the most educational account or channel you follow - aside from PMF of course?

Fitness Pain Free, by Dr. Dan Pope.

SK: Who are you looking forward to watching at the Tokyo Olympics this year?

It will be great to watch all of the Team USA weightlifters. I think that all but one on the team will be competing at their first Olympics and they have the potential to lift at another 2-3 if they have a long and healthy career!

Do you have any other questions for Mike? Let us know here.