There are many great gyms in the United States. Ohio has the great Westside Barbell, California has Diablo Barbell, New York has Adirondack Barbell—home of the Metal Militia, and Nebraska has Big Iron.

As a powerlifter, grad student, father, and husband, I hear piles of insane BS from the general populace. “Wow, I could never do that.” “You can lift how much?” “You must be on steroids.” “I used to do that and then I broke ____.”

AC: Dave, you’re an Elite powerlifter and own one of the most successful strength training equipment companies in existence—and by extension a website that has become one of the best educational companies in the field. So, what’s the plan from here?

We arrived at Metropolis (a night club) at 6:00 p.m. The fights were scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. The time had finally arrived—Ryan Farhat’s mixed martial arts (MMA) debut.

For most of you reading this article who used to compete in sports, think back to your younger days. Can you imagine stepping on the field without the direction of a coach?

I understand that not every 8-year-old knows exactly what a glute ham is or how to perform the movement. Few adults know.

Last night, I was sitting in my office going through some of my training journals and notes that had accumulated over the years.

Most personal trainers see a drop off in revenues during the summer. And while some see it as a reason to panic, astute fitness professionals know it is the perfect time to spend working on marketing.

We’ve all done it. Every last one of us. Been in a tight spot and the first thing we think is who can we blame?

I have had some interesting conversations with Jim Wendler. One in particular struck a chord with me quite heavily. In fact, it has helped mold a process I use at my gym when training new athletes.

This is the final article of a seven part series.

A noted sports columnist in the San Diego area lamented the fact that one of the state universities was unable to field a championship women’s volleyball team (they already dropped the men’s program even though it was the only program to bring in an NCAA championship).

Did you ever take a good look at the shape of the Prowler? How about someone giving you the finger?

How I understand, practice, and implement strength and conditioning programs for myself and my clients has drastically changed over the past four years.

If you’re struggling to close sales as a personal trainer, it may be because you’re missing a crucial step…

Wrestling season is still going strong as of this writing. We have two athletes competing right now at the state tournament, and had several of our guys place at districts and regionals. The team really did well this year and is only losing a few seniors.

Although there are more than 600 muscles in your body making up almost 40 percent of your total body weight, there is one muscle that stands out as more important than all the rest.

Referrals are the lifeblood of any business. This is particularly true for personal trainers. However, just turning your clients into “walking, talking billboards” isn’t enough to create an endless stream of referrals. You need to do something more. It’s very simple…

When talking about champions, everyone has an opinion just like the BCS College Football Standings. Are champions built or are they born? Are they a product of their environment or are they loners hungry for a piece of the pie?

Technology is a beautiful thing. I used to work part-time as a DJ, and I remember hauling around hundreds of records and thousands of CDs. Transporting all the equipment and the music felt like powerlifting.

This is the sixth article of a seven part series.

This is the fifth article of a seven part series.

The great philosophers pontificate about man’s existence preceding his essence.

I believe that goal setting and mental attitude or sport psychology are often the most overlooked elements of any athlete’s preparation. Without a proper plan, what can really be accomplished? Without the right attitude, what can get done? The answer to both questions is not much.

As I approached the entrance to Fit N’ Fun, a large neon sign displaying the facility’s name caught my eye. When I walked in the front door, I noticed several nice paintings and exotic plants in the lobby.

But you know what? The seriousness of the situation is your fault. Not because you were messing around with his girlfriend at the time, but because you did not prepare yourself and your business to accommodate the impact of this type of situation.

Being pregnant has changed many things—my workouts, clothes, eating habits, you name it! However, on a long car ride to Indiana to visit family, I realized that I’m not unlike a large, super heavy powerlifter.

Times have changed a great deal since I last put on pads and a helmet back in 1990. I guess I’m becoming an old man because now I look at these lazy kids and think, “back in my day…”

I first experienced The Visitor shortly after move to Columbus and began training at Westside Barbell. Over the years I have seen hundreds of visitors to the club

This is the fourth article of a seven part series.

This is the third article of a seven part series.

With James Smith, Mark McLaughlin, Tom Deebel, Jim Wendler, Travis Mash, Julia Ladewski, C. J. Murphy, Matt Brand, Nick Zostautas, Kevin Deweese, and Tim Kontos

*The number of workouts that this athlete performed each week with me was dependent on the team’s practice schedule, meeting schedule, travel time & injuries that occurred during the season.

Let me cut right to the chase here—I’m asking for your help. And it has to do with cancer.

Joe DeFranco is full of shit. There I said it. If you have a problem with that statement, then you are wrong.

We all have our dreams, but it’s rare for many of us to ever achieve them. Months ago, I was intrigued by an article on the ADCC website about Royler Gracie’s challenge to Gracie Barra.

What this all means is…IT DOESN’T MATTER.

Some of the most insightful minds in athletic nutrition share their ideas.

I know this may seem a bit strange, but it crossed my mind the other day as I was showering that certain individuals in history would make great training partners. I quickly compiled a list of historical figures that met certain personal requirements for being a good workout comrade.

We’ve had the EFS Professional 45-degree back raise in the EFS weight room for about 2–3 years. It’s the best low back strengthener I’ve ever used.

I’ve never met “Big Bad Dave Tate.” I have never even met Dave “Fuckin” Tate. Supposedly, he is some terrifying lunatic who would throw you through a wall for squatting less than 800 pounds in his presence or suck the brains from your skull if you looked at him wrong. At least that’s what I have read on the internet.

I am a powerlifter. One of my great passions in life is spending time in the gym lifting heavy weights. To this day, I cannot think of anything more satisfying than setting a hard earned personal record. Well, let’s just say there are very few things that are more satisfying.

When I look back at my experiences as a bodybuilder there are plenty of good memories, tons of fun workouts, painful workouts and some injuries.

Jim and Dave have previously written about going nuts with different machines/exercises when they are traveling and encountering a new gym.

As a strength and conditioning coach it is my job to stay on top of the latest findings and keep myself updated on the most advanced training methods out there.

It was a cold October afternoon in 2003. My back was sore and I could hardly straighten my elbow. I iced down and took some ibuprofen; still I felt no better.