cesimpson

I saw this article in the gym this morning. Someone had cut it out and hung it on the bulletin board there, surrounded by home-made pull-tab ads for personal trainers and used gym equipment.

As I read it, one of the regulars who was resting between supersets of decline dumbbell curls and calf-raises said, “We should all just bring in our junk. ~chortle chortle~ We could push around old lawnmowers and rusty fenders.” I politely chuckled at his suggestion and went back to reading the article. I bet there’s nobody doing decline dumbbell curls at the “Temple of Pain”.

I’d rather lift in a place more like the “Temple of Pain” than the nearby Gold’s Gym. The YMCA where I lift is a lot more like the former than the latter - in equipment, anyway. There are no engine blocks, but a few 20 yr old barbells and some plates, a set of dumbbells, an old school squat rack and a few benches. It’s pretty simple.

That “Temple of Pain” sounds a lot like Ed Zercher’s place. Mr. Zercher (1/3 inspiration for the tag line of this blog) was a strongman from St. Louis. According to the stories, he lifted in his basement filled with “odd shaped pieces of iron, old fly wheels, anvils, wrecking balls, discarded pieces of machinery”.

More important than the equipment, however, is the desire of the people there to do work, lift heavy, go hard, get stronger. No excuses. No BS. Just lift.

Workout

Warm Up

1x Power Snatch + 10x OHS @ 45#

1x Power Snatch + 10x OHS @ 75#

1x Power Snatch + 10x OHS @ 105#

1x Power Snatch + 10x OHS @ 120#

Work

5x Deadlift @ 135#

5x Deadlift @ 225#

10x (5x ea. arm) Side Press @ 30# DB

5x Deadlift @ 255#

10x (5x ea. arm) Side Press @ 35# DB

5x Deadlift @ 315#

10x (5x ea. arm) Side Press @ 45# Barbell

5x Deadlift @ 315#

10x (5x ea. arm) Side Press @ 45# Barbell

5x Deadlift @ 315#

10x (5x ea. arm) Side Press @ 45# Barbell

More Work

5×5 Chin Ups @ BW+25#

1 set each minute for 5 minutes

We should all strive to be even half as inspired as Mr. Spencer.