At first glance, Jim Quinn and Tony Ray do not seem to have much in common. Jim is from the southern United states – the great state of Georgia – and has a background in a “traditional” sport: He started swimming when he was 8 years old and evolved into a triathlete after college. Tony Ray, on the other hand, grew up on the other side of the world, in Australia, and was introduced to the decidedly non mainstream sport of surfing when he was 7 years old: His dad gave him a surfboard for Christmas. So what do these two world-class athletes have in common? AIM products!
Since being introduced to the AIM products, Tony has caught the wave and is riding high.
He has discovered new strength and believes that this has translated into moving to the
next level.
“Since I’ve been on the products, I’ve had a lot of success. They’ve really helped. In
November 1997, I won the OP Pro Surfing Championship in Hawaii, which is one of
the most prestigious in the world.”
Last February, at the Reef Big Wave Team World Championship ’98, in Baja, Mexico,
Tony placed second after Carlos Burke snuck ahead of him in the last 15 minutes of the
final hour. And in April, Tony competed in the Rip Curl Bells Pro, where he again surfed
against the best in the world and out surfed the four-time world champion, Kelly Slater.
Tony is not hesitant to give credit to AIM products. “They work for me, I just really like them.
I can definitely feel a difference in my energy levels, especially with AIMBarleygreen™. I
usually take about three teaspoons of AIMBarleygreen™ and two to three capsules of
AIMBee Pollen™ a half-hour before I paddle out. It’s amazing the difference this makes.”
Tony finds these products not only beneficial for the extra energy during competition, but
also for recovery time. He feels this is important, especially considering the paddling involved
and the heat in which a surfer is working.
“In surfing, you have to paddle out to catch the waves, and this can be tiring. You really are
never sitting still. You also use a lot of energy in the heat, so I’ll come in and have another
couple of spoonfuls to recover, especially if I’m surfing again a couple of hours later.
“Since I’ve been using the AIM products, I don’t feel any fatigue in the heat. I have no doubt
that the products help me with my endurance and recovery. Because of this, it’s much easier
to keep a clear head, and I find I’m less likely to make errors and my judgement and
moment-to-moment decision making in a heat is much better. It’s clear thinking.
The products really help.”
Tony also has a lot in common with the AIM lifestyle. He began doing yoga in 1988, largely
because surfing uses different muscle groups in different ways, so it often leaves the body in
a muscular imbalance that can develop into neck and back problems. Yoga led Tony to a
vegetarian diet and an awareness of the importance of diet.
“I was always very health-conscious and very diet-conscious. I feel best when I stick to the raw
food diet. When I do that I’m flying, I just have so much energy.”
Energy is a must for Tony. He specializes in big-wave surfing, a demanding event where surfers
paddle out to catch and ride 20- to 25-foot (6 to 7.6 m) waves, which translates into some 50 feet
(15 m) from trough to crest. Tony likens this to speeding over a downhill ski course in which the
slope is continually changing shape and moving with you! At the end, you are exhilarated and
exhausted.
Tony’s introduction to the sport was a family affair: Both his father and grandfather surfed and still
surf, and when Tony decided to go pro, he had his family’s support.
Tony was introduced to AIM products through Henry Simmons, an AIM Director. He first met Henry
in Indonesia in 1995 on a surfing tour, and when they were reconnected in 1997, Henry introduced
him to the AIM products. Since then, Tony, with the help of the AIM products, has caught the wave
and is sitting on top of the world!
Jim was introduced to the AIM products by his mother, AIM Member Janice Quinn, while he was
swimming competitively for Johns Hopkins University and training intensively with two Olympic
medal winners. Jim admits he was a bit skeptical about “green juice,” but “After adding
AIMBarleygreen™ to my diet, I proved her right by clocking personal record times later that summer.”
After earning 12 all-American honors for his performances at the NCAA Swimming Championships,
Jim’s success has continued as a triathlete. This sport, which combines swimming, bicycling, and
running, is a grueling test of speed and stamina. Jim finds AIM products especially helpful from the
endurance angle:
“Since I began taking AIMBarleygreen™ in 1990, it and other AIM products have enabled me to
achieve tremendous breakthroughs in my performance both as a collegiate swimmer and as a
triathlete. I’ve noticed a dramatic improvement in my recovery time during training that has allowed
me to train longer and more effectively. I’ve also developed greater endurance as a result of the
nutrients I get from the AIM products, giving me a vital edge during competition. My resistance to
injury and illness has also improved.”
To make this breakthrough, Jim uses a number of AIM products. As part of his training diet,
he uses six tablespoons of AIMBarleygreen™; three caplets each of AIMActivated Ginkgo™ and
AIMHerbal Release™; three capsules each of AIMCellSparc 360™, AIMCoenzyme Q10™,
AIMBear Paw Garlic™, and AIMProancynol™; six capsules of AIMBee Pollen™; and one capful of
AIMEarthWise™. Go to AIM Products and read about these products for yourself.
Has this done anything for him? In 1997, Jim placed first in his age division and second overall
in the National Triathlon Championships in Columbia, MD, and in the 1997 World Triathlon
Championship in November in Perth, Australia, he had the best time among all U.S. competitors
in his age group and was ninth overall.
Jim’s family also played a big role in introducing him to athletics. His mother and father introduced
him to a summer swimming league when he was 8 years old, and he did well enough that his coach
suggested he begin year-round competition. Now, as a world-class triathlete, he has not forgotten the
early role his parents played, noting that “I would not be where I am today without their support and
encouragement.”
As focused as Jim is on athletics, he has not forgotten other aspects of his life. Other goals he has
set for himself include spiritual growth, being an inspiration and role model to others, and self-improvement.
Thanks to AIM and others, Jim has been able to leave his job as a paralegal and concentrate full time
on his next athletic goal: to make the U.S. Olympic Team. Although the competition is fierce and only
two or three triathletes will represent the United States, Jim believes that God has given him the capability
to meet this goal: “God has given me the strength to be where I am today, and I’m going to continue to
demonstrate my best effort.”
