Razor Reader
Formerly -----
http://visionaryathletes.com/articles/hardcore
you can click the link at the top for the rest of the article.
Top 20 Hardcore Gyms In America – 2016 Edition
Approximate reading time: 20 minutes
By
Zach Simpson
Hardcore Gyms are not judgement free zones where pizza is served every week. Hardcore Gyms dont have members that wear workout gloves for leg day while TRYING to rock a stringer and use light ass weight. What do all these things have in common? They are all pretty frequently seen at trendy “fitness clubs”!
Well I don’t know about you, but I don’t necessarily want an alarm telling me when I’m dropping my weights too hard, or have a bunch of lotion wearing, gluten free, soy milk latte drinkers telling an employee on me when they think I’ve looked at them in a judgmental way. Humans used to wrestle bears and spear mammoth for food and now they want
(1730)
Ads by Amazon
A lot of hardcore gyms around have recognized that people who are serious about their fitness just want heavy weights, some hardcore music, and hardcore fitness athletes around to encourage them.
Visionary athletes wants to give credit where it’s due! Let’s look at some of these hardcore gyms and give them props!
What are we basing this off of? THESE criteria:
Let’s get it!
- Atmosphere – The overall feel of the place and the energy it gives off!
- Equipment – Do they have shiny machines that go up to 50 pound max with girl handles, or do they have 200 pound dumbbells that put on massive size, with a bag of chalk for grip? You won’t find too many fancy machines or gadgets in these places unless they are an absolute necessity!
- Members – Are the people who go here serious about their fitness level, training intensity, aesthetics, and/or strength? They better be, or they didn’t make this list son!
20. Firehouse Fitness – St. Abilene, TX
Firehouse Fitness has a little bit more variety of lifters that they cater too, in comparison with some of the other gyms we have here. However, it’s got plenty of hardcore qualities that makes it plenty worthy enough for this hardcore gyms list. The first one being the exact reason it’s named the way it is; it was renovated from an old firehouse, and they kept that theme. On top of that it’s got a 2,000-square-foot lifting space available outside, giving those who love the outdoors, an environment they can thrive in. One of the next things is the fact that they have a full kitchen for lifters to take advantage of! Talk about getting some quick protein in after your lift!
The gym is home to multiple bodybuilding and physique competitors, and it’s owners built it around passion and built it with the goal of building a gym that can create an atmosphere full of drive and motivation for anyone and everyone to succeed. Not to mention it’s just creative as hell!
Walk in the gym and you’ll see 7,000-square-feet of every piece of fitness equipment you can imagine. Equipment pertaining to powerlifting, equipment for bodybuilders, equipment for those that want to lose massive amounts of weight, and anything else. No matter who you are, or what your goals are, there is a very strong chance you will find what you need here.
19. Big Tex Gym – Austin, Tx
Big Tex Gym prides itself in being the gym for everybody. They have 60 year olds, high school kids who are tired of being skinny, and even extreme athletes who live life on the edge. If you are serious about training, no matter who you are, this gym wants you in there.
Big Tex has a separate room for power-lifters to train in, along with an outside area complete with multiple things for strength seekers to throw around, such as monster tires. On top of that they have so many bodybuilding and men’s physique competitors, that they also have a separate room full of mirrors for bodybuilders to practice their posing. Other than those rooms, the gym is 4,500-square-foot of heavy iron and every piece of fitness equipment you could imagine.
The owner of the gym, Steve Smith, is a power-lifting competitor himself, and most of their personal trainers are also competitors whether it be bodybuilding, power-lifting, etc. Meaning that they offer their members the best of advice from people who have been there, done that, and gotten the T-shirt.
18. South Carolina Barbell – Columbia, SC
South Carolina Barbell has mastered the art of combining newer equipment with hardcore, old school methods of training. Many members who leave this gym said they can’t find anything even close to it, elsewhere.
The unique feel of hardcore lifting mixed with the great feeling of anyone and everyone willing to help you out when needed, seems to be the most noted trait of this gym. Which is a good thing because that’s exactly the feel that Marc Bartley, the owner, said he was going for. With everything from high school athletes, to professional bodybuilders, there’s no way you can’t find what you need here, including any help.
Add on top of that, the place is an absolute beast of a marketplace for anything you will need for ANY type of fitness goals, and you have yourself a recipe for a hardcore gym.
17. Gym Jones – Salt Lake City, UT
With “The art of suffering” being what they claim to practice, I’d say that there is no question as to whether this gym is hardcore. If that doesn’t do it though, how about the fact that it’s the gym that multiple celebrities go to in order to get fit quick for a role? The guys in the movie “300” being one of many examples.
The workouts are absolutely relentless and are not made for those who aren’t willing to work out until they tap out. They are made for one purpose and one purpose only: To get you fit fast as hell!
The general manager and training director is infamous fighter Bobby Maximus. With that on top of staff members combined having masters degrees in exercise physiology, military experience, mountain rescue experience, high altitude experience, and a few others, I think it’s safe to say the staff is packed full of hardcore over-achievers.
Unfortunately, this unmarked gym building is off limits except to those who get invited or get accepted. From the simple fact that most people couldn’t handle the gruesome training though, it appears that its best to keep it that way.
16. Iron Sport Gym – Glenolden, PA
“A gym with balls!” is what Powerlifting Magazine calls it! With 7,200-square-feet full of bodybuilding heaven & being built and ran with relentless work ethic, we can’t really argue with that statement. This gym is an absolute powerhouse and should be on your bucket list if it’s not yet!
Iron Sport welcomes anyone but caters to strength trainers, unlike anyone else around them. Atlas stones, sleds, a monolift, platforms, deadlifting bars, tires and many more things are what makes this gym so attractive to strength seekers all across the country. It’s members include high level athletes, world class strongmen, nationally ranked powerlifters, Olympic lifters, and some bodybuilders.
It was started by Steve Pulcinella, who was on a mission to start a gym that has hardcore training methods, and can offer help to anyone looking for it. At the same time though, he didn’t want it to be a private or isolated club like a lot of strength gyms are. A strength gym with hardcore tactics, but with a helping hand always available to anyone, competitive lifter or not.
you can click the link at the top for the rest of the article.
vibes
Toughin' up. Its a cold world that is not kind to pussies.