Power XL Issue 1- My Article

[PowerXL]

Power XL - Q And A #1
by Coach XXX

"Here you have it folks. Strength and Science is proud to announce a new column dedicated to the serious strength athlete. Power XL will cover numerous topics related to the different strength sports including powerlifting, strongman, weightlifting, arm wrestling, strength and conditioning and much more! This column will be written by one of the elite strength coaches in the country. Due to his current position as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for a major professional team and contract obligations he will be known to readers as Coach XXX. So sit back and get ready to feel the power!"

Q: Hey Coach I have a question for you. I train at a local gym and it really sucks. It is designed for pretty body bodybuilders and fitness punks which means that it doesn’t have the kind of power equipment that I need to train properly. A few of my buddies and I were thinking of putting together our own gym. My training partner has a three car garage that he isn’t using so we could load all the equipment in there. My question is in regards to what equipment that we should purchase to make out own power gym. Any help would be fully appreciated.

Take care
Johnny Debone
Houston, Texas

A: Well Johnny I can full understand what you are going through. Let’s face it for a second most commercial gyms don’t like strength athletes of any order and especially powerlifters. Putting your own small facility together is the ideal thing to do that way you can control over all aspects of your training. I know there is nothing more annoying than waiting for some 130 pound geek bag to finish up his 75 pound barbell curls in the power rack so that you can get your squats in. I know the feeling of wanting to just go up and thrown him right through the wall. Dealing with this and numerous other things in the gym can be very destructive to your training and can actually limit your progress. Now since you are going to have a few guys together you are not going to need a ton of different equipment. I am going to give you a thorough list of what to buy and if you can’t get it all right away then you can get the stock of it and then just add the rest piece by piece. Let’s take a look of what you will need

Power Rack

This will be your main staple bread and butter right here. Make sure that you get a true power rack made for strength athletes not a bodybuilder rack. This will allow you to do your squats plus numerous other exercises like shrugs, rack pulls, good mornings, and zercher squats with ease. You will also be able to hit all your upper body exercises as well. You can slide an adjustable bench in the rack so you can do your bench press, inclines, and military presses as well. This will be probably your most important piece of equipment by far since you will be able to do many different exercises that are the hallmarks of strength athletes.

Now this is a Power Rack…Bring it On!

Bars

This is another much needed piece cause without it you aren’t going to do much. Ok enough joking around. With bars you are going to need not just your average 45 pound Olympic bar that graces all the gyms of the country but real bars that can take a beating day in and day out. Let’s take a look of your best bets when it comes to bars

Mastodon Bar

This here is the king of all the dinosaurs. Ooops sorry I mean the kind of all squat bars. This bar is no doubt the toughest squat bar ever made. Before this bar came out I would have went with the Pasanella Bar but since its inception it is ‘THE BAR” bar none! It can be loaded to over 1200 pounds and it barely bends at all. Now that is a bar….baby! If you are going to be squatting big like 750 and over then this is the bar of choice for those heavy squats.

Now if you could only get your girlfriend to call you Mastodon you’d be set!


Texas Deadlift Bar

Now since you are going to be a lot of deadlifts and it will be one of your core movements you have to get a Texas Deadlift Bar. Now many of you may be wondering what the hell is the difference from just a regular bar? The fact is when you deadlift you want a bar that will give you spring. This will actually make you deadlift more weight. I bet you didn’t know that! But when you are squatting this is exactly what you don’t want as it will whip you around and actually set you up for injuries.

Scivation athlete Chuck Vogelpohl using the Texas Power Bar and
Hauling in a big one!


Buffalo Bar

Here is another bar that is very important. This bar differs from the rest in the fact that it is slightly bent. This allows you to put less pressure on your shoulders and elbows when doing different exercises. This can be used for squatting to change things up or with good mornings. This is a staple in all hardcore gyms and should be in yours.

I wish all powerlifters looked like this!

Texas Power Bar

This bar has no doubt lasted the test of time when it comes to serious bars. It is a great all around bar that can be used for the majority of all your other exercises. This would be fine for bench press, shoulder presses, shrugs, bent over rows, front bar raises and numerous other exercises that won’t need a specialized bar. Now many of you out there especially those who aren’t lifting in super poundage’s like over 700 in the squat or deadlift won’t be able to understand why you need so many different bars. But for the big boys who know their shit, then each of these different bars are worth their weight in gold.

The Texas Power Bar is a true legend!


Squat Boxes

Box squats have become a hallmark of all strength athletes. IT doesn’t matter if you are a powerlifter, strongman, football player or track athlete they should be in everyone’s program. When done properly they will build up hamstring, hip and lower back strength like no other. Let’s not forget how much they can affect explosive strength and coming out of the hole on that big squat. Now you can make a box if you like but in my opinion if you are going to be doing box squats with anything over 500 pounds then you better make sure that you have something that is going to be able to handle the load. I have seen some lifters use milk crates or other improperly made boxes only to see them collapse on it with the weight on them. This is not the thing that you want to happen with any weight let alone 700 on your back. Its not worth causing a major injury or death just by using a cheap box. Get one that is made to take a beating and is also adjustable so that you don’t need to have 6 different boxes to use for all your different height requirements.

Throw away those milk crates cheap ass here is a real box!


Dumbbells

What gym would be complete without dumbbells? Hell they are like the butter on your bread and what the hell is life without either? Now most commercial gyms are very smart in their deceitful tactics to the strength athlete. You see to keep all these power mongers who use chalk and smash heavy weights out of their place they basically have dumbbells that go no higher than about 90 pounds. Now any hardcore lifter will tell you that makes that gym pretty useless. What are those going to be good for side laterals? Hell what are you going to use for incline presses, shoulder presses, dumbbell rows, dumbbell shrugs and on and on. Now a true power gym should have dumbbells that go to 200 pounds. Oh yea bring on those big mama’s, that’s right you heard that, bring them on! No, no I mean the dumbbells not the big plump women that may be getting the wrong idea reading this.
So sorry but those are the only things that I like light and cute, but definitely not my dumbbells. Now you can go two ways with this. If you have the cash then invest in a nice set of Ivanko dumbbells from the 25’s to 200’s. Now that may run you a little bit of coin, so if that is a problem then you can get some heavy duty adjustable Olympic dumbbells. They usually weigh over 20 pounds empty and you can load them to hold about another 200 pounds of weights. Either way make sure that you have a nice selection to use so you don’t get annoyed during your training session when you find out you only have 100’s and 170’s!

Make ‘em big, Make ‘em Hard…I was talking about the Dumbbells!


Kettle Bells

This is another very valuable asset your power gym. Kettle Bells have been getting a lot of press lately and the reason why is they work! You can use them to strengthen your stabilizers or you can do a 30 minute conditioning GPP session as well. If you have never tried them then you don’t know what you are really missing. You should get yourself a nice variety of sets ranging from 10 pounds up 50’s. One you use them you will never leave them because you will see an amazing difference in your strength and conditioning level.

They sure don’t look pretty but the results are!

Bands and Chains

If you have been in the strength scene for any length of time you will know that you need bands and chains as part of your training. Bands are one of the most innovative items to hit the power scene in the last ten years. They will build your explosive strength like no other. Chains will overload your muscles in areas where you need them so that you can get the carry over to the Big Three. For the bands I would purchase the full set that is available that includes the small light bands all the way up to the monsters. For chains you should have at least a couple hundred pounds worth of varying weights. This should be enough since you will be using the bands more often. Don’t forget these they are cheap but very important!

Excellent for explosive strength and just as good to flick and snap at your partner

No gym is complete without several sets of chains

Deadlift Platform

Here is another item that you will need. If you guys are going to be training in his three car garage then it would be another essential to have in your gym. Since you will be doing a lot of deadlifts as part of your training program you will need this not to destroy his floor and your plates over time as well. You will want to either make one which you can do if you get the right specs or you can buy one as well if you don’t want to put all the time into building it. Personally the one below is my top choice among all platforms.

Now that is one kick ass power platform!

Sled

Let’s not forget your GPP work here boys. Yea a lot of you get lazy on this one but you shouldn’t. A sled is much needed in your arsenal of training equipment. Since you are training at home you will be able to do your sled drags right in the street. You can walk up and down your street carrying several hundred pounds attached to your sled as your partners yell encouragement. Hopefully your neighbors aren’t a bunch of stuck up prudes cause I am sure they are going to love the scraping of steel on cement with a lot of huffing and puffing and yelling. This will be needed not only for your GPP but also your restoration work as well. Again you could make shift this one as well or you can just go out and buy ones as they are not very expensive.

Drag this up the street so you can drive your neighbors crazy!

Medicine Balls

Not enough strength athletes use medicine balls but they should. They are a great way to train your abs and core. Plus you can use them for different GPP work and conditioning training as well. Your gym should have at least 3-5 different balls of different weights ranging from about 10 pounds up to 50. With this variety in weights you should be able to do just about any exercise that is needed for a strength athlete.

No this is not a prune on steroids but one heavy medicine ball!

Pull down Machine

Since most lifters are way too heavy to do chins they still need to stimulate this movement for optimal lat strength. Pulldowns are a great assistance exercise for your bench and deadlift and should be in everyone’s plan. A pulldown machine will be able to be used for back with numerous different handles as well as triceps for pushdowns. With this model below it can also be used for low cable rows and even pull throughs to hit your lower back and hams.

Pulldowns are a great back assistance movement

Supported Row

This piece of equipment is a much needed back apparatus. With all the hard training that powerlifters do and all the lower back strain that it does give you need to be able to work your upper and middle back without it being hindered by a sore lower back. Hence this is why this machine is so valuable. It is great for different types of rows and shrugs as well. Strength athletes don’t need a lot of different machines in their training but this one is ideal since it can help you train even when your lower back says no!

Row, Row, Row your boat…Ah you get it!

Reverse Hyper Extension

This machine should be in every gym. It is the most valuable lower back machine ever created. If you have lower back pain or are trying to rehab an injury then look no further. It is also one of the best hamstring and lower back apparatus available. I am telling you, you can add some major poundage to your squat and deadlifting by incorporating this exercise into your program. I would rank this up there with your power rack in terms of how important this is to the strength athlete. It will be one of the more expensive machines in your gym but I am telling you it is worth every penny!

I am so glad that a 350 pound hairy powerlifter with plumber syndrome didn’t demonstrate this one!

Glute Ham Raise

This is another exercise that can’t be pushed enough in all athletes training programs not just strength athletes. This is one of the best exercises for strengthening your posterior chain which by the way is one of the most over looked areas in most athletes. Most people don’t do these in their plan but they should. For hamstring strength this exercise can’t be beat. Forget about leg curls this will trash your hams like you can’t imagine. Don’t leave this out of your gym because it is that crucial for your posterior chain strength but also injury prevention!

The Rolls Royce of Glute Ham Raises… If only it could cook and clean!

Bench

Oh yea what gym is complete without a bench. You will need this to do your bench press on in your power rack. Plus don’t forget all your shoulder work as well. Since it is adjustable and mobile you will be able to use it for just about any exercise both in and out of the cage. Make sure that it is sturdy and can take a beating because you will use this in a large majority of your exercises.

So simple yet so needed in your gym arsenal

Plates/Bumper Plates

What good would all this equipment be if you don’t have plates and I mean a lot of them. You should have at least 1000- 1500 pounds in plates of varying different sizes. Make sure that you get all the dimensions even though you may not think being a powerlifter you will need any 5’s or 10’s. You should have a slew of 45’s as well and at least 6- 100 pound plates. In competition they use the big 100’s so it is ideal to simulate that in your training because it can give you a different feel on your back when using just 45’s. I would also throw in some bumper or rubber plates as well. This way with your nice deadlift platform you can do weightlifting exercises as well without worrying if you will damage your equipment. You won’t need quite as many bumper plates unless you decide to do weightlifting all out.

The more the merrier…you can never have enough!

Bench Press Boards

If you are looking for that big bench then there is no way you should be training without bench boards. You will need several different ones. You will need a 1 board, 2 board, 3 board and 4 board series. Each will help strengthen a different area of your lift. IF you have not used these before then you don’t know how important they truly are for increasing your bench strength. You can make these again but I have gone with the pre made boards because they are that much easier to use and last forever!

Great for benching or hitting your partner over the head when he accidentally slipped baby powder in the chalk stand

Where to get all these Goodies?

Now you can look around in numerous different places to find all these items for your gym but that would be foolish. The best place to go is Elite Fitness Systems. You can go to their website at www.EliteFTS.com and find everything all in a one stop shop. Ask for Dave or Jim and they should be able to take care of you. They know their stuff like no body else and can help make sure that you make the right choices when trying to put your gym together. So now that you have made the jump from your commercial gym to a real gym I wish you the best of luck in your training and say good bye to all those skinny geeks and fitness punks!