Topic: Lost my gym again

[Pete_Stewart]

I train in a S&C gym in Arkansas with no AC.  Definitely an experience in the summer with the heat and humidity!

I actually think inclusion of weightlifting in a S&C gym is productive rather than unproductive:

1. The new athletes especially get to see someone executing the lifts with good technique and they also get an appreciation of what speed they should be trying to achieve in the lifts.
2. The lifters such as myself help out the S&C coaches with the athletes on how to correct poor technique
3. The athletes get to see what sort of weight someone lighter than them can throw around and therefore pushes them on to try and lift more.

It is now the case especially with the high school american footballers that they come in and say their football coach has used them as examples of how to lift properly in their schools.  I definitely think there is much to be gained from having weightlifting in a S&C gym.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Pete,

I'm just talking about from a marketing perspective. The noise and atmosphere is problematic for high paying personal training and s+c clients.

[Forrest Krewson]

Hey Chris - I've been a casual observer of WL Exchange for awhile (great site, by the way), but I wanted to weigh in on this topic since I recently had an almost opposite experience.

It's been almost 20 years since I was an active Jr. lifter and have spent a lot of the past 20 years doing various martial arts, and have ended up focusing on Brazilian Jiujitsu at a MMA/BJJ gym in the Portland, OR area (Impact Jiu Jitsu, which has been around for appx. 12 yrs.). I trained at the gym for several years when one of the owners casually asked me about my athletic background. When I mentioned Olympic Lifting, he just about fell over and right away wanted me to start teaching the lifts to the fighters and grapplers. That was about 18 months ago.

I have been amazed at how well the athletes have taken to the lifts. A huge % of them said they always wanted to learn the lifts, but never had anyone to teach them. Tom Oberhue - the owner I mentioned above - has been like a sponge training and learning how to coach the lifts, even taking the initiative to get certified as a coach by the US Federation and writing an article about cleans for beginners for strengthcoach.com (check it out at: http://impactpt-oberhue.blogspot.com/2009/03/power-clean-natural-progression.html). Since indorporating the lifts into his training, Tom recently placed 2nd at the PanAms - placing for the first time (there were other factors, but Tom puts a lot of credit on improved strength).

Since Tom is a personal trainer also, it's not a shock that he appreciates olympic lifting, but I am amazed at the extent to which they have been incorporated at the gym. Thus far, the focus has been primarily on power cleans, but we have had one athlete compete in a couple of Tom Hirtz's competitions in Eugene. The 'cool factor' that olympic lifting has with the MMA crowd has floored me.

I don't have any grand point to make, but reading about your trials & tribulations made me appreciate my experience even more and made me want to share it with the group.

Thanks for all you do for the sport.

Forrest

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Well, the guy that caused us all the problems and tried to start a fight with me got beat up pretty bad I guess in his last fight, and knocked out. And, then he got told he isn't welcome at the fight club anymore. It appears they want us back now and we are just negotiating the final details before moving in again.

Karma?

[Shaun Le Conte]

Good luck with returning to the facility and hope they are committed to the project.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Thanks Shaun. I am hesitant. I can't get a totally straight answer on whether this guy is banned or not or just hasn't been showing up. And, I have a bad feeling about the whole thing. I may just sell all my WL equipment and put the $ in to my various business efforts, though it is sad to say. I would especially like to keep my Eleiko bar as a momento, but I will sell it probably.

Cheers

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Well, I moved to a new apartment and it has a little cement patio. There is room for a 4x8 or 6x8 platform. I am probably going to put in a 4x8 and start lifting again. I might have to dump a few lifts to avoid damaging the place, but I should be able to train pretty good. It will be hot, there might be some complaints from neighbors, etc, but you gotta love it. 

[Andy Dick]

They had a big wine tasting party at the fitness club I work at during my training time.  I think I may have converted some people to be some fans.  Don't think anyone really wants to start lifting but many were interested and impressed with the lifting.  Its a start at least.