Gyms for the travelling lifters...

Bands, chains, wraps, straps, racks... are you sure this is training related?

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BootyBeech
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Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#1

Post by BootyBeech » Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:41 am

The equipment section seems like a suitable place for this thread but a moderator can move it if they have a better location.

This is a thread to basically list gyms that are worthy of a visit if you happen to be on your travels and are looking for suitable locations. Name, location and a brief description of its equipment is all we need.

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cwd
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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#2

Post by cwd » Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:43 am

Golds in Santa Clara California had a lot of nice squat racks and straight (but cheapo) bars when I visited it in early 2017.
Looks like it changed affiliations since then and is now with American Barbell Clubs.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#3

Post by KOTJ » Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:52 am

Sacramento area: Untamed Strength

-6 deadlift platforms
-6 power racks
-1 squat stand
-3 bench stations
-1 portable adjustable bench
-1 portable flat bench
-1 reverse hyper
-1 ghd
-bands, boards, bench blocks, chains
-rogue OPB (2-3), 1-2 Texas power bars, 1 rogue A BnR 1.0, Texas deadlift bar, Texas squat bar (2), SSB (safety squat bar, 2), trap/hex bar, swiss/football bar, bumpers, iron plates, duffalo bar (1), and some.beater bars (bent)
- dumbbells from 5-120 (missing a few jumps around 90-110), some kettlebells
- about 4 Olympic bars
-Strongman yoke, atlas.stones, 5+ prowlers, rope, truck pull simulator (pulley-resistance system), and tires, sledgehammers, and a few metal husafell stones
-axle bars and a few strongman logs (3-5)
-mas wrestling equipment
-sandbags
Last edited by KOTJ on Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

BootyBeech
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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#4

Post by BootyBeech » Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:53 am

Goldstone Fitness, Waterford, Ireland.

Alright so this is way off the beaten path for most of you but you never know where you'll end up!

Six squat racks. Four are decent and one is one of those fixed ones with no adjustables. One has a small platform attached as well and one is in what's supposed to be the women's section but nobody seems to observe that rule.
Two lifting platforms.
One competition bench. Two standard commercial gym benches. Again, one is in the women's section.
Loads of average quality bumper plates.
A mix of standard commercial gym quality bars. Raze(?) is printed on the better ones.
One trap bar.
Reverse hyper.
Kettle bell rack.
Turf with a sled.
Loads of Dumbbells that get fair heavy too. Over 50kg I think.
Incline and decline benches.
Machine heaven.

€7 for a drop in.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#5

Post by Manveer » Fri Sep 22, 2017 9:00 am

Orange County, CA: Newport Strength
Los Angeles, CA: Mission Fitness Center
Las Vegas, NV: Filthy Power Gym
Reading, PA: Body Zone
Toronto, ON, Canada: Torque Barbell (does the job)

I'll try to think of more.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#6

Post by Root » Fri Sep 22, 2017 9:04 am

Drop-in at my gym costs beer. It's a basic but adequate facility.

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cgeorg
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Where to train in San Diego?

#7

Post by cgeorg » Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:00 am

Mods, feel free to move this wherever you think these "where should I lift in (city)" threads should go - equipment seemed right to me?

Does anyone have recommendations for a good gym to train in San Diego? I'm planning to move to the Ocean Beach area. Thanks!

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chromoly
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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#8

Post by chromoly » Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:58 am

San Francisco, CA:
  • SF Iron: they only have things for lifting weights. Lots of bars, racks, platforms for powerlifting, weightlifting, and general barbell training
South San Francisco, CA:
  • The Sports Palace: Jim Schmitz used to coach Team USA in weightlifting back in the 80s and 90s
Berkeley, CA:
  • Downtown Berkeley YMCA: Not joking! as of this time they have 4 powerrack/platform combinations, Rogue training bumpers, and some assorted Rogue bars including womens' bars
  • Berkeley Ironworks: A climbing gym, but they have lots of strength training equipment including a Rogue OPB, WLing bars (mens and womens), Rogue competition lb bumper plates, a deadlift jack, and a couple power racks and rigs. Drop in is $25 last I checked, $20 before 3pm on weekdays.
Oakland, CA
  • Great Western Power Company: Same thing, another climbing gym with a fair amount of strength training equipment. They also have a reverse hyper! Drop in is $25 last I checked, $20 before 3pm on weekdays.
  • Speed Power Strength (SPS) Gym: An Eleiko Certified weightlifting and powerlifting facility. Gorgeous, top notch equipment, but very expensive ($30 drop in)
  • Tufunga Training: Fair amount of barbell/rack/platform space. Lot of weight training equipment in general. Drop in is $15 last I checked.
Los Angeles, CA (and San Fernando Valley)
  • Horn Strength & Conditioning: Paul Horn's gym is wonderful. He now has an open gym set up where you get key card access. Hands down my favorite place to lift.
  • UCLA Rec: The John Wooden Center and KREC are not bad places to get a lift in. I lifted there all throughout grad school. Has a lot of Rogue equipment, lots of racks and platforms. Might not be possible to drop-in without knowing a student or current member, but non-UCLA affiliated people can get memberships.
  • Barbell Brigade: Expensive, and last time I went, it was crowded and equipment wasn't in great shape. Cons include people going because it's a cool place to be. Since then, they have gotten competition kilo plates and other such things. I guess it's conveniently on the east side of LA.
  • Zoo Culture: I hear it's a good place to lift. Lots of competition equipment, lots of training space. Cons include people going because it's a cool place to be and Bradley Martin owns it.
Long Beach, CA
  • Metroflex: strength training equipment abounds here
Last edited by chromoly on Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:38 am, edited 4 times in total.

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chromoly
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Re: Where to train in San Diego?

#9

Post by chromoly » Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:01 am

cgeorg wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:00 am Mods, feel free to move this wherever you think these "where should I lift in (city)" threads should go - equipment seemed right to me?

Does anyone have recommendations for a good gym to train in San Diego? I'm planning to move to the Ocean Beach area. Thanks!
I heard good things about Convoy Strength in San Diego. If you're into meeting internet "celebrities", you might even meet Swoleesi, Kristin Dunsmore (of Team JTS, and one of the top 5 63 kg lifters in the USAPL), and the Deadlift Panda.

Also, World Gym is supposed to be nice.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#10

Post by cgeorg » Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:08 am

Awesome, thank you @chromoly

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#11

Post by cgeorg » Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:18 am

Pittsburgh, PA
Celli's Fitness - Great powerlifting gym, I don't think there's anything else like it in the city. There are several racks and cages, TPBs, an OPB, 2 deadlift bars and a bunch of other specialty ones (squat, axle, log, camber, buffalo, 2 or 3 safety squat bars of different designs), lots of dumbells, one of each machine, an Oly platform now, and an ok cardio room. I believe a one-day pass was around $15, and monthly membership around $45. They put a lot of time and effort into the gym, and are always putting money back into the gym - recent additions include 3 new TPBs, a new cage, and some kettlebell dumbell things from Rogue. There's also a BJJ studio downstairs.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#12

Post by PuddingFace » Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:18 am

Macon, GA Fitness Xtreme - not much to look at from the outside. In a mostly-empty strip mall, but they had 6 racks, a platform, as well as several flat benches and so forth. Bars were not slick chrome finish and were 28-29mm dia. $10 drop-in fee. Lots of stuff but not a crowded layout. Gym provides chalk.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#13

Post by omaniphil » Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:50 am

Cleveland, Ohio
Ok, I'm sorry you had to travel to Cleveland, but if you're here, the place to be is at Old School Iron Gym. I've only been there once, since I live on the opposite side of town, but its a pretty nice powerlifting and strongman gym. Tends to be populated by bodybuilders alot, but thats ok, since they stay away from the power racks. I don't remember all the equipment they have, but they do have a belt squat machine which is kind of cool - if you're into that sort of thing.

Nantucket
Not a lot of options to choose from here, which sucks, as my inlaws take the family there for a couple of weeks every year. I've been going to Nantucket Health Club. The drop in rate is $30 for one time, or $118 for a week (because Nantucket...) They have two squat racks with ivanko power bars and bumper plates, which is not bad, but it gets crowded there, since its the only gym on the island that is not part of a hotel or country club.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#14

Post by chromoly » Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:00 pm

@omaniphil or anyone else, got any suggestions for gyms on the Cape itself? (:

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#15

Post by TimK » Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:50 pm

Grand Rapids, MI

Family Fitness of Alpine

This is where I lift, it's not a black iron gym by any means but there are two power racks, an old school angled squat rack, three flat benches, two incline benches, dumbbells up to 120lbs, a good leg press, a couple of pulldown stations, multiple leg press options, and a bunch of other machines of dubious value. Pretty sure it's just $7 for a day pass. You can use chalk and they won't sound an alarm if you deadlift heavy.

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Re: Where to train in San Diego?

#16

Post by KarlM » Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:54 pm

chromoly wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 10:01 am
cgeorg wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:00 am Mods, feel free to move this wherever you think these "where should I lift in (city)" threads should go - equipment seemed right to me?

Does anyone have recommendations for a good gym to train in San Diego? I'm planning to move to the Ocean Beach area. Thanks!
I heard good things about Convoy Strength in San Diego. If you're into meeting internet "celebrities", you might even meet Swoleesi, Kristin Dunsmore (of Team JTS, and one of the top 5 63 kg lifters in the USAPL), and the Deadlift Panda.

Also, World Gym is supposed to be nice.
Chromoly beat me to it. I live in San Diego, and am planning on visiting Convoy Strength, but haven't done so yet. Convoy is a 24 hour facility (you get a key) so that's really quite nice. I lift at my climbing gym (Mesa Rim) but it's not really that conducive to heavy lifting. I can't justify paying two gym memberships.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#17

Post by BostonRugger » Tue Dec 05, 2017 2:24 pm

I just found that this place:

https://www.instagram.com/massbarbell/

is 12 minutes from my house.... I am excite.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#18

Post by omaniphil » Tue Dec 05, 2017 4:31 pm

chromoly wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:00 pm @omaniphil or anyone else, got any suggestions for gyms on the Cape itself? (:
Sorry - no idea. We always quickly drive through and catch the ferry in Hyannis early in the morning. Never spent any time on the Cape.

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#19

Post by simonrest » Tue Dec 05, 2017 8:35 pm

OK, I'll do Sydney

City:
mostly dominated by Bog Box gyms Fitness First and Anytime Fitness. The best option is either Ultimate Performance near Town Hall or City Gym on Crown St. Ultimate performance accept walk ins, have 3+ racks, plus a stack of machines, dumbells and a prowler track. They used to hold powerlifting comps here so they have comp spec gear. City Gym is more bodybuilding focused but still has all the requisite equipment to train.

South Sydney (training mecca):
Lift Performance Centre in Redfern has a big oly and PL focus with eleiko bars and plates and lots of platforms
City strength in Marrickville is a PL gym with great equipment
DBS barbell in Waterloo has good equipment on the floor, and comp level stuff locked up
Squad Gym in Annandale is small but nice, plenty of racks bars and plates, some eleiko stuff too

The Shire
Shire Speed and Strength on Captain Cook Drive is the best place to train. Oly focused with lots of platforms and their bars are very well taken care of.

Western Sydney
PTC lidcombe - PL gym with everything you want
PTC Macarthur - same thing, but wester. Way wester

North Sydney:
Iron Grip Gym in north sydney CBD accepts walk ins (they'll let you train free) and has 3 racks with plenty of bars and plates. This is my home gym
Athletes Authority in Artarmon looks good, all rogue equipment

Hills:
Adonis Athletics trains a number of competitive Powerlifters and Bodybuilders
Black Flag Barbell Club combo rakcs, eleiko bars and plates, monochromatic colour schemes

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Re: Gyms for the travelling lifters...

#20

Post by Allentown » Wed Dec 06, 2017 6:22 am

TimK wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:50 pm Grand Rapids, MI

Family Fitness of Alpine

This is where I lift, it's not a black iron gym by any means but there are two power racks, an old school angled squat rack, three flat benches, two incline benches, dumbbells up to 120lbs, a good leg press, a couple of pulldown stations, multiple leg press options, and a bunch of other machines of dubious value. Pretty sure it's just $7 for a day pass. You can use chalk and they won't sound an alarm if you deadlift heavy.
Or my garage. Bring a beer from the brewery closest to your house. Unstaffed. If you die, I get to keep everything you own- by training there, you agree to the terms.

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