Pecking Order by Steve Colescott - New Article!

[Joe Black]

There's a pecking order to most things in life and the gym is no exception.

You can fake effort with grunts and clanging weights but quiet, consistent hard work coupled with gradual strength increases earns universal respect in gyms.

Whether you're on the cusp of a decision to start working out or are the guy that your fellow gym trainees look up to, you'll do well to remember your role in the pecking order!

READ HERE

[tnathletics2b]

Fun article- enjoyed reading it!

[SplitQuick]

Good read, I laughed a few times

[Off Road]

That was fun. I like your writing style. "Grease Stain" had me laughing.

[tom183]

Good read.

[Behemoth]

"You can fake effort with grunts and clanging weights but quiet, consistent hard work coupled with gradual strength increases earns universal respect in gyms"

Perfectly articulated. I am sig'ing this I am in such profound agreement.

[Iplan]

Nicely done! Very funny.

[Steve Colescott]

Thanks guys. Hardcore gyms attract more interesting characters than a methadone clinic. I figure most of you have had encounters like those, so I thought I'd share.

[Behemoth]

Thanks guys. Hardcore gyms attract more interesting characters than a methadone clinic. I figure most of you have had encounters like those, so I thought I'd share.

Hey! You're from Akron! August 14th, NGA mr and mrs steel valley classic in warren OH. Come support me!

[Steve Colescott]

I have never been to an NGA event. What kind of competitor turnout do they get at those? I'll see if I can get to that.

[SplitQuick]

Wow it's a small world. Didn't even notice the locations...

I'm right near Cleveland, OH.

[Coqui]

Columbus, OH here

And no I haven't been to Westside........yet.


Great article......it's funny how true this is when you actually think about it.

[brihead301]

Good article!!!

I'm jealous though, because I don't know where any hardcore gyms are around me. The gym I go to is the closest thing that I can find. There's an LA Fitness for $35/month, a Planet Fitness for $10/month, then there's my little hole in the wall gym for $42/month....it has 3 squat racks, chalk is allowed, and people do go there to lift heavy weights....however 95% of the people that go there (of a total population of maybe 25), are all curl jockeys and focus purely on looking good. Not many heavy lifters, or hardcore guys....therefore there is no 'pecking order' there at my place. If there was, I'd place myself at the top of the list considering I'm one of the only ones who squats, and the only one that actually full squats.

[Biohazard101]

Good article. People respect me at my gym which is the YMCA. The other members know I don't play when it comes to lifting heavy weights. About a month ago someone said "I like watching you work out, you are a machine" which makes me work that much harder.

[Steve Colescott]

Columbus, OH here

And no I haven't been to Westside........yet.


Great article......it's funny how true this is when you actually think about it.

Thanks. I'm actually in columbus as we speak, sitting at the Barnes & Noble in Polaris (using their "reference library" and wireless). Ohio is a great hardcore bodybuilding/power region; as blue-collar as it gets.

If any of you guys are in Akron you should check out The Body Builders Gym on Tallmadge Ave. in Akron, one of the great hardcore gyms. You will hear it mentioned in future stories I write, I am sure.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Good article!!!

I'm jealous though, because I don't know where any hardcore gyms are around me. The gym I go to is the closest thing that I can find. There's an LA Fitness for $35/month, a Planet Fitness for $10/month, then there's my little hole in the wall gym for $42/month....it has 3 squat racks, chalk is allowed, and people do go there to lift heavy weights....however 95% of the people that go there (of a total population of maybe 25), are all curl jockeys and focus purely on looking good. Not many heavy lifters, or hardcore guys....therefore there is no 'pecking order' there at my place. If there was, I'd place myself at the top of the list considering I'm one of the only ones who squats, and the only one that actually full squats.

Iron Sport Gym in Philadelphia... www.ironsport.com

They have quite a few strongmen, powerlifters, bodybuilders, and your usual cast of characters. The owner is also hilarious and is a semi-retired highland games pro / former WSM competitor.

If you wanted to take a day trip there are a few in Central and North Jersey. Muscle Mill in Milltown, Diamond Gym in Maplewood, and Strong & Shapely in Rutherford come to mind. Apollon Gym in Edison is also a cool place, I used to train there.

(Sorry to Hijack the thread)

[Steve Colescott]

Good article!!!

I'm jealous though, because I don't know where any hardcore gyms are around me. The gym I go to is the closest thing that I can find. There's an LA Fitness for $35/month, a Planet Fitness for $10/month, then there's my little hole in the wall gym for $42/month....it has 3 squat racks, chalk is allowed, and people do go there to lift heavy weights....however 95% of the people that go there (of a total population of maybe 25), are all curl jockeys and focus purely on looking good. Not many heavy lifters, or hardcore guys....therefore there is no 'pecking order' there at my place. If there was, I'd place myself at the top of the list considering I'm one of the only ones who squats, and the only one that actually full squats.

Maybe you can start a trend for hardcore lifting? I'm always amazed how one person can do something like that. I grew up in a little redneck town thirty minutes from Streetsboro, Ohio (a slightly larger redneck town). Dean Caputo started a little gym there, who went on to do well in amateur bodybuilding and was the spokesman for the GNC brand of supplements in the 80s. Dean had a little gym called the Muscle Factory which was actually enterable only from the backend of the stripmall (sub-leasing some of the storage space of another store).

When I was 13 or 14, I would go with my mother when she went grocery shopping just so I could poke around near there. When I was sixteen, my friend and I went there to catch a workout. We were stripping plates off of a 135-pound bar on a bench and because they had narrow uprights (my buddy was used to the wide uprights at our school gym), the bar whiplashed over, and skidded to a stop under a nearby bench. The guy on the bench was a gym regular named Randy Roach that looked and dressed like Hulk Hogan was doing seated curls and slammed down the weights and ran at us, growling like a rabid dog. We ran screaming out the front door ten minutes into our training sessions (making it an impromptu Mentzer-style workout).

Since I got to know Randy a little bit years later, I realize that he was probably not really mad but knew it would be funny to scare the crap out of a couple of scrawny kids. I'm sure they laughed about that for a few days.

Dean was a monstrous beast and big guys seemed to sprout up in the area due to his influence. I have always found that to be an interesting phenomenon. Maybe you can be the inspiration in your area.

Also, you should consider making the drive to Glenolden, PA to Iron Sport Gym. It is a hardcore paradise run by highland Games competitor Steve Pulcinella (cousin to masters Champion and star of the "Raise the Bar" DVDs, Dave Pulcinella). if its too far to train at regularly, it would be worth the daily fee to catch a weekend sessions there. They have some fun toys for you to try.

[dynamo]

awesome I have yet to find a hardcore gym in the baltimore area but once I get settled in to a new job I definitely will. I do wish there were more places like this.

[Steve Colescott]

Maryland is known for hardcore gyms. I don't think you should have too much trouble. If the really good ones are not nearby, then you will have plenty of cool destinations for short weekend roadtrips.

[cphafner]

awesome I have yet to find a hardcore gym in the baltimore area but once I get settled in to a new job I definitely will. I do wish there were more places like this.

Find out where Levrone trains (trained?). Not sure the name, but I think there are quite a number of competitors there.

[Steve Colescott]

I think it was a Gold's in Glen Burnie? Didn't he own a place? It may have taken a downspin after he left bodybuilding and did that acting attempt. Paul DeMayo was from that area too, as well as tons of very hardcore unknowns and some great powerlifters.

[cphafner]

I think it was a Gold's in Glen Burnie? Didn't he own a place? It may have taken a downspin after he left bodybuilding and did that acting attempt. Paul DeMayo was from that area too, as well as tons of very hardcore unknowns and some great powerlifters.

I'm not sure if he still works out down there. I think he moved to LA. Not sure if he returned to Maryland. I know there are some guys over on promuscle that worked out there and with Kevin.