11 replies to this topic

[robertm]

Used the Y for a bit and its just not cutting it, too many people curling in the squat rack, too many people telling me not to dead lift... ideas? No county stuff, no car.

[stlbiker]

robertm, on 26 September 2011 - 02:36 PM, said:

Used the Y for a bit and its just not cutting it, too many people curling in the squat rack, too many people telling me not to dead lift... ideas? No county stuff, no car.

Fitness Vault in lafayette square

[rached11]

If you are in south city I belong to St. Louis Fitness Club on Hampton between Potomac & Pernod.  Everyone keeps to themselves which at the gym is what I want.  24 hour access and always staffed.

[robertm]

thanks for the replies, I'll check 'em out.

[cleeland]

There used to be a small gym on Alfred around Hartford or Juniata or something.  Don't know if it's still there.

[billh]

robertm, on 26 September 2011 - 02:36 PM, said:

Used the Y for a bit and its just not cutting it, too many people curling in the squat rack, too many people telling me not to dead lift...

What?  Who said what?  Was it the staff or fellow lifters?  That's crazy.  You weren't tossing the bar down making a lot of noise were you?  

[spk]

cleeland

that was st louis weightlifting...

awsome gym..

squat rack outside on the sidewalk that was there for years... and used... couple former pro wrestlers lifted there.. very big powerlifters were the majority of the members..

no more gyms like there use to be. of course, you get out of a gym what you put in, but gone, or at least i dont know of any.... are the gyms like there use to be.. i had memberships of all the big gyms in the area over the years.. george turners on clayton and brentwood, then i moved on to his new gym, the best equipped gym in the nation per tony pearson, ken waller and the former mr olympia saminar bounouit(sp). then there was american athletic club on manchester in maplewood run by joe adams and marty evens..
ron baraccos gyms on gravois a few doors down from bevo mill, and ross' gym on bates by grand, known as southside gym.. all old school gyms.. deadlift platforms, squat racks, pullup bars dip bars and a ton of weights..all these gyms had their share of studs.. my friend jimmy seger still competing and just finished 2nd in the mr america masters division....
i sure miss these gyms.. been in my basement for years now or in my garage..

i did go to a 24 hour fitness years ago and asked where the pullup bars were and the dude looked all over for it.. i asked where the chalk was and he said chalks not allowed.. hahahaha....

no more old school gyms..  sad

i miss those days when ron baracco and jimmy miller would squat hard then lay outside on lawn shairs on the sidewalk on gravois tanning drinking.. great group of guys. i was a skinny runner at the time and now a skinny cyclist, buy always loved lifting ..


you find a gym where you can actually lift with the stero blaring and a cost that wont break the bank, let me know.

thanks  

steve kaspar

[robertm]

spk, on 27 September 2011 - 11:05 AM, said:

cleeland

that was st louis weightlifting...

awsome gym..

squat rack outside on the sidewalk that was there for years... and used... couple former pro wrestlers lifted there.. very big powerlifters were the majority of the members..

no more gyms like there use to be. of course, you get out of a gym what you put in, but gone, or at least i dont know of any.... are the gyms like there use to be.. i had memberships of all the big gyms in the area over the years.. george turners on clayton and brentwood, then i moved on to his new gym, the best equipped gym in the nation per tony pearson, ken waller and the former mr olympia saminar bounouit(sp). then there was american athletic club on manchester in maplewood run by joe adams and marty evens..
ron baraccos gyms on gravois a few doors down from bevo mill, and ross' gym on bates by grand, known as southside gym.. all old school gyms.. deadlift platforms, squat racks, pullup bars dip bars and a ton of weights..all these gyms had their share of studs.. my friend jimmy seger still competing and just finished 2nd in the mr america masters division....
i sure miss these gyms.. been in my basement for years now or in my garage..

i did go to a 24 hour fitness years ago and asked where the pullup bars were and the dude looked all over for it.. i asked where the chalk was and he said chalks not allowed.. hahahaha....

no more old school gyms..  sad

i miss those days when ron baracco and jimmy miller would squat hard then lay outside on lawn shairs on the sidewalk on gravois tanning drinking.. great group of guys. i was a skinny runner at the time and now a skinny cyclist, buy always loved lifting ..


you find a gym where you can actually lift with the stero blaring and a cost that wont break the bank, let me know.

thanks  

steve kaspar

Very depressed to hear there is no raw style gyms like this in the area now as this is exactly what I was looking for...  I only do 4 lifts really anyway none of them involve watching myself in a mirror...  

Perhaps you should open one,  I'd be there every other day.

[robertm]

billh, on 27 September 2011 - 09:19 AM, said:

robertm, on 26 September 2011 - 02:36 PM, said:

Used the Y for a bit and its just not cutting it, too many people curling in the squat rack, too many people telling me not to dead lift...

What?  Who said what?  Was it the staff or fellow lifters?  That's crazy.  You weren't tossing the bar down making a lot of noise were you?  

Of course I was, I'm lifting for strength and not watching myself curl in the mirror.

[Pedal Clipper]

Have you looked into any college rec center type places?  My wife's a grad student at SIUE and I was able to join there for pretty cheap.  It's got a few squat racks and a deadlift platform.  When I was at U of I there were a few old school type weight rooms around... maybe you could find something like that if there's any colleges/universities in your area.  I've only lifted at a coupled colleges and a couple Y's now, but the colleges seemed to have a lot more free weight stuff.  I know they have varying degrees of how open they are to the public joining though.

[Broseph]

robertm, on 26 September 2011 - 02:36 PM, said:

Used the Y for a bit and its just not cutting it, too many people curling in the squat rack, too many people telling me not to dead lift... ideas? No county stuff, no car.

Club Fitness has been my gym the last several years.  I quit the YMCA on Arsenal for similar reasons to yours and if you can do without an overly chlorinated pool not a bad option.  It is cheap and they have many locations throughout St. Louis.  I would recommend visiting one during your anticipated workout times to get a good feel for what you are working with.  

I use the one in Hampton Village and really like it for my needs.  They also offer workout classes like Spinning, Zomba (whatever that is), and Yoga type activities....maybe not everyone's cup of tea but free/included makes this a nice benefit.

[Mike S.]

I find that I could get all the equipment I need to do all my ST for under $1400.  

Then all you need is a place to put the equipment.  

That's less than you will pay for 3 yrs membership at any decent gym.  Time and expense in travel add to the gym cost.