New Hardcore Powerlifting Gym coming in Jan.

Announcing the birth of "Monster Barbell". Coming soon!


I finalized the decision I've been trying to make for a long time during my week off. I am starting a hardcore powerlifting gym and team. It will be called 'Monster Barbell'. We are having a 12x24 foot building brought in and set up next to our house by the 1st of the year. We have already secured most of the equipment. I want to thank my friend Garry Frank for his encouragement and help in securing the equipment to make my dream a reality! I can't wait til we have it up and running! Any lifters in the Northeast Alabama area who want to train in a totally powerlifting gym and join our competition team, contact me and come check us out after the 1st of the year!

Congratulations!

I wish i could train at a gym like that. Congratulations on realizing your dream and the best of luck.

Congrats that's awesome, Best of luck!!!

Good Luck! Sounds great!.

Thanks everybody! I'll let everyone know when we're up and running.

Wow cool!

I've always wanted to do that myself. What kind of building are you using?

Please post pics when its up and running.

It is from H&H that sells pre-manufactored buildings and truck and ATV off-road equipment. The flooring is very solid with 2x6 floor joices at 16" centers. Same floor they use on their equipment barn for tractors and garages for cars and trucks, so they will take a lot of weight. I will build doubled 3/4 inch plywood lifting platforms (carpeted) for the lifting areas. We are ordering ours with a 1 foot taller cieling than their standard. It will be 8 feet at the corners and 9 feet at the peak. The walls are 2x4 framing with heavy duty metal siding and roof. Guaranteed for life not to rust or leak. They are very well made. It will have a 48" oversized door so equipment will be easier to move in and out, and 2 windows. We will put in a window A/C unit by spring and I have nice space heaters for Fall and Winter. We will start with the walls as they are on the inside but immediately begin adding insulation and wall board and work our way around it before the weather gets hot again.

Congrats and good luck with your gym.

It's the best way to go Buddy. You're going to wish you had done this years ago.

Thanks Marcus! Thanks Beverly! That's exactly what Garry told me!

I am extremely interested to see this progress.

Are you opening this as a true licensed business?

That is truly awesome, Buddy. And it is cool that Garry has helped you with this. Yet another testimony as to why powerlifting's camraderie and what makes it so cool to get involved in, .

Originally Posted by Clone

I am extremely interested to see this progress.

Are you opening this as a true licensed business?

It will be a private Powerlifting club. Only for powerlifters who want to be part of the team and lifters who wish to train to be competitive powerlifters. It will not be open to the general public as a fitness center. That is what I'm trying to get away from. This gym will be hardcore powerlifting only. It is not intended as a for profit venture. Just a place for powerlifters to train in an atmosphere where everyone is all about maximizing each other's potential...with no negative factors to break that focus. That is my 'dream gym' situation and I am going to try my best to provide that for myself and the team we are able to put together; wheather that be 5 - 8 - 10 lifters or whatever.

Originally Posted by stik

That is truly awesome, Buddy. And it is cool that Garry has helped you with this. Yet another testimony as to why powerlifting's camraderie and what makes it so cool to get involved in, .

So true Stik! So true!

Once you have your own place, it's a lot easier to attract new lifters. It's odd but it was like pulling teeth to get people to train at a commercial gym with us. Once we left the commercial gym people started showing up.

Don't forget about stuff like liability waivers, insurance, etc. Your home owners policy should cover you if you don't charge people to train (definitely verify since laws vary state-to-state). If you charge, then you need a separate policy. You want to cover your butt so your dream doesn't quickly become a nightmare. I have $1M single incident and $2M total coverage and it's only about $550/yr, so it's worth buying.

What exact area are you located in? I live outside of the Gadsden area and would like to try to be around other like minded people. I'm not so much interested in competing but I would like to try to lift around other people with the same goals as me.

Originally Posted by MarcusWild

Once you have your own place, it's a lot easier to attract new lifters. It's odd but it was like pulling teeth to get people to train at a commercial gym with us. Once we left the commercial gym people started showing up.

Don't forget about stuff like liability waivers, insurance, etc. Your home owners policy should cover you if you don't charge people to train (definitely verify since laws vary state-to-state). If you charge, then you need a separate policy. You want to cover your butt so your dream doesn't quickly become a nightmare. I have $1M single incident and $2M total coverage and it's only about $550/yr, so it's worth buying.

Thanks for the info Marcus. I've already gotten some inquiries.

Originally Posted by jefflance1

What exact area are you located in? I live outside of the Gadsden area and would like to try to be around other like minded people. I'm not so much interested in competing but I would like to try to lift around other people with the same goals as me.

Jeff, we are in Rainbow City next to Gadsden. Close to Western Sizzlin' Steak House just off Hwy. 77.

Originally Posted by mastermonster

Jeff, we are in Rainbow City next to Gadsden. Close to Western Sizzlin' Steak House just off Hwy. 77.

Buddy, I really don't want to steal your thunder, I think its great what you are doing. If by any chance you come across people looking for a place to train in the Auburn/Opelika/Tuskeegee/Montgomery area who think the drive up your way or up to Curts crew in Tuskaloosa is a bit too far, please feel free to send them my way.

Our place is up and going now(we are out in the woods off I-85 between Auburn and Montgomery) and I'm looking for a few additional members. Man, woman, child, I don't really care. They just need to respect the other members, not be a dumbass, and be willing to train their asses off to get stronger. The gym is small like yours---about 500 square feet, monolift, Elitefts rack, second power rack, reverse hyper, specialty bars, chain, and lots of plates and some other toys... etc.

Congratulations in taking the plunge... I have family in Gadsden. I now have a reason to make a trip up that way.

Also let me know if you are making equipment orders, there are some things I am still interested in getting, you aren't that far away, I can maybe split freight with you or something if you are interested in that.

-Jack

Originally Posted by MarcusWild

Once you have your own place, it's a lot easier to attract new lifters. It's odd but it was like pulling teeth to get people to train at a commercial gym with us. Once we left the commercial gym people started showing up.

Don't forget about stuff like liability waivers, insurance, etc. Your home owners policy should cover you if you don't charge people to train (definitely verify since laws vary state-to-state). If you charge, then you need a separate policy. You want to cover your butt so your dream doesn't quickly become a nightmare. I have $1M single incident and $2M total coverage and it's only about $550/yr, so it's worth buying.

Marcus, can you PM me some more information on what you did with WildIron or send me a message on Facebook? I need to get that crap settled.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by JK1

Buddy, I really don't want to steal your thunder, I think its great what you are doing. If by any chance you come across people looking for a place to train in the Auburn/Opelika/Tuskeegee/Montgomery area who think the drive up your way or up to Curts crew in Tuskaloosa is a bit too far, please feel free to send them my way.

Our place is up and going now(we are out in the woods off I-85 between Auburn and Montgomery) and I'm looking for a few additional members. Man, woman, child, I don't really care. They just need to respect the other members, not be a dumbass, and be willing to train their asses off to get stronger. The gym is small like yours---about 500 square feet, monolift, Elitefts rack, second power rack, reverse hyper, specialty bars, chain, and lots of plates and some other toys... etc.

Congratulations in taking the plunge... I have family in Gadsden. I now have a reason to make a trip up that way.

Also let me know if you are making equipment orders, there are some things I am still interested in getting, you aren't that far away, I can maybe split freight with you or something if you are interested in that.

-Jack

I sure will Jack. Definately drop in when you're up visiting your family!