Bodybuilding / powerlifting gym

athlonebber

Just moved to athlone for work and looking to see if there are any gyms that would be good for bodybuilding / powerlifting. Looking for a good strength oriented gym rather than the typical commercial place that cares more about cardio than having decent weight equipment.

nice_guy80

crossfit

there are two of them

coillcam

Similar question though aimed at Mullingar. Looking for recommendations on a local gym.

- Needs to have proper cages and platforms for lifting.
- Open evenings and weekend mornings.
- Cages/platforms not fully reserved for class use during peak hours. (I inquired about a local gym early last year and they said certain equipment was off limits during peak hours. 3-4 evenings per week for classes. However they've gotten bigger since and probably have more gear now.)

nice_guy80 wrote: »

crossfit

there are two of them

Have you been to Mullingar Crossfit? They used to have a public facebook page but for some reason its private now. Thought that was strange. Surely the owners would want a public page to actually advertise their business. Athlone seem to have a website and facebook page.

EmeraldDragon

Been looking for a new place myself. Couldnt find much when I went looking last time cos half the places were useless. Kinda stuck looking at the regional sports centre hoping that its new gym layout is decent (I asked via FB about equipment etc and the person who responded had no idea what it would contain). Hopefully it doesnt turn out too bad but the digital renders of the new layout show a god awful giant monstrosity of a multi-use monkey bar thing in their so called "power room". Only useful looking part of it in the render is the t-bar sticking out of one pole. Even then its useless because if they cant have a standalone t-bar setup you can always drag an oly bar over to a wall and set yourself up that way.

nice_guy80 wrote: »

crossfit

there are two of them

The crossfit gyms are they open for more than just classes? I know one seems to be closed except for class times and a couple hundred a month for just going in an hour or two every other day is a complete ****ing waste in my mind.

athlonebber

Crossfit gym may be an option I guess. I have found before that most crossfit places are a little lacking on equipment though so while they are great for doing compound lifts and some other basic work there isn't much that can be used for isolation work.

Emeralddragon I cant speak for the ones here but CF gyms I have seen in the past usually let people in outside of class times for a reasonable fee as long as you don't bother anybody.

nice_guy80

EmeraldDragon wrote: »

Been looking for a new place myself. Couldnt find much when I went looking last time cos half the places were useless. Kinda stuck looking at the regional sports centre hoping that its new gym layout is decent (I asked via FB about equipment etc and the person who responded had no idea what it would contain). Hopefully it doesnt turn out too bad but the digital renders of the new layout show a god awful giant monstrosity of a multi-use monkey bar thing in their so called "power room". Only useful looking part of it in the render is the t-bar sticking out of one pole. Even then its useless because if they cant have a standalone t-bar setup you can always drag an oly bar over to a wall and set yourself up that way.



The crossfit gyms are they open for more than just classes? I know one seems to be closed except for class times and a couple hundred a month for just going in an hour or two every other day is a complete ****ing waste in my mind.

depends on hat you are doing for that hour or two every other day though

Long Gone

nice_guy80 wrote: »

depends on hat you are doing for that hour or two every other day though

It doesn't depend on hat you are doing for that hour or two - There's no way you should pay two hundred yoyos a month and then only have access to the gym for an hour or two every second day.

EmeraldDragon

nice_guy80 wrote: »

depends on hat you are doing for that hour or two every other day though

Like Long_Gone said it doesnt matter what you do every other day if the cost is so ridiculously high. Especially for places that are little more than warehouses with no facilities that might be worth such prices.

I know people doing CF kinda get into the mindset that it must work and be worth it if it costs that much. Pay for results and all that. Thing is its not. Its essentially a group training session usually without a solid plan. Many might like the variety and the whole competitive mentality of it all but its just not gonna give you the results you think youre gonna get out of it. Even if the trainer actually properly instructs you properly in how to do the complex and frankly dangerous lifts (Snatch and clean and jerk are dangerous if not done right and deadlifts can easily blow out your back if you screw around when doing them) you can still run into many issues. Competing with these lifts trying to do as many as you can leads to a break down in form which can be catastrophic. I know thats kinda driftign off topic...

nice_guy80

EmeraldDragon wrote: »

Like Long_Gone said it doesnt matter what you do every other day if the cost is so ridiculously high. Especially for places that are little more than warehouses with no facilities that might be worth such prices.

I know people doing CF kinda get into the mindset that it must work and be worth it if it costs that much. Pay for results and all that. Thing is its not. Its essentially a group training session usually without a solid plan. Many might like the variety and the whole competitive mentality of it all but its just not gonna give you the results you think youre gonna get out of it. Even if the trainer actually properly instructs you properly in how to do the complex and frankly dangerous lifts (Snatch and clean and jerk are dangerous if not done right and deadlifts can easily blow out your back if you screw around when doing them) you can still run into many issues. Competing with these lifts trying to do as many as you can leads to a break down in form which can be catastrophic. I know thats kinda driftign off topic...

right.
so you are running down the place without ever having set foot in there.
how do you know there is no plan?
complex and dangerous lifts? maybe in your head because you've never been coached to do them properly.
you are more likely to blow out your back from doing silly isolation exercises in a commercial gym
and I'm not a crossfit head.

generally I don't run down a business unless I've tried their service.
A - I go into a restaurant and the dinner is horrible. Then I can talk badly about it to other people
B - I never go into the restaurant but still bad mouth about the place to people,

EmeraldDragon

nice_guy80 wrote: »

right.
so you are running down the place without ever having set foot in there.
how do you know there is no plan?
complex and dangerous lifts? maybe in your head because you've never been coached to do them properly.
you are more likely to blow out your back from doing silly isolation exercises in a commercial gym
and I'm not a crossfit head.

generally I don't run down a business unless I've tried their service.
A - I go into a restaurant and the dinner is horrible. Then I can talk badly about it to other people
B - I never go into the restaurant but still bad mouth about the place to people,

For starters I was speaking broadly about Crossfit in general. Not specifically targetting any particular coach or gym. I mentioned the warehouse thing because I do know of several CF gyms across the country (and yes one here in athlone) that are small warehouse setups with little to no equipment. This is generally fine but means that you are a bit more limited than you would be elsewhere.

As for the lifts being complex and dangerous well yes some of them are. The clean and jerk and the snatch are the worst of them for the level of risk involved when not properly taught or when attempted at speed with a breakdown in form due to either aiming for said speed or just getting tired.

I will admit that there are some trainers that are exceptionally good and do train people well and dont let them do any of the more difficult (and as a consequence more dangerous) excercises until they are taught proper form. That being said they are not the norm. While some of these trainers do make solid plans for their WODs some will still default to using "the girls" or the crossfit basic workouts. Some of my favourites for showing how bad they are for beginners or inexperienced lifters are Grace, Isabel, Linda, Lynne and Amanda. Feel free to look them up for details.

Also I may not be huge and buff with single digit body fat (yet) but I have done enough of these lifts to know how tough they can be and how careful you have to be while doing them.

coillcam

A lot of negativity here regarding crossfit. Fair enough there's lots of positive and negative reviews of crossfit everywhere but its kind of taking away from the OP's question.

athlonebber wrote: »

Crossfit gym may be an option I guess. I have found before that most crossfit places are a little lacking on equipment though so while they are great for doing compound lifts and some other basic work there isn't much that can be used for isolation work.

Emeralddragon I cant speak for the ones here but CF gyms I have seen in the past usually let people in outside of class times for a reasonable fee as long as you don't bother anybody.

I don't know if the Crossfit Gym in Mullingar will suit you if your goal is purely bodybuilding. However they have Mullingar Weightlifting Club running there 3x times a week separate to the crossfit sessions. Its powerlifting, olympic lifiting and open gym during the weightlifting club sessions. Join their facebook page and ask Wayne (the owner) about your specific needs and equipment. He's a Irish record holder at different weight classes over many years and knows his stuff. Sound bloke to boot.

athlonebber

coillcam wrote: »

I don't know if the Crossfit Gym in Mullingar will suit you if your goal is purely bodybuilding. However they have Mullingar Weightlifting Club running there 3x times a week separate to the crossfit sessions. Its powerlifting, olympic lifiting and open gym during the weightlifting club sessions. Join their facebook page and ask Wayne (the owner) about your specific needs and equipment. He's a Irish record holder at different weight classes over many years and knows his stuff. Sound bloke to boot.

Thanks but unfortunately I wont have access to a car for a few months at least. That's why I was hoping for something in athlone.

cubanote39

Hi, Im moving this week to Mullingar after 20 yrs in Dublin, Dont know a single person there, so it's what people call a real fresh start. Which is best gym over there?? and prices?? Im pretending make some friends who likes go gym, maybe train together 4 / 5 times a week. I am a very good helping others to motivate ,lifting weights,etc. I will be staying around Grange area, near the Spar n shopping mall. Anyone with good advices or in the same situation?

mandz

cubanote39 wrote: »

Hi, Im moving this week to Mullingar after 20 yrs in Dublin, Dont know a single person there, so it's what people call a real fresh start. Which is best gym over there?? and prices?? Im pretending make some friends who likes go gym, maybe train together 4 / 5 times a week. I am a very good helping others to motivate ,lifting weights,etc. I will be staying around Grange area, near the Spar n shopping mall. Anyone with good advices or in the same situation?[/QUOTE

Club Active in the industrial estate, would be the nearest gym to you also I think. I've made numerous friends through the classes in there. Very friendly atmosphere there and the trainers are sound.

nice_guy80

athlonebber wrote: »

Thanks but unfortunately I wont have access to a car for a few months at least. That's why I was hoping for something in athlone.

two crossfit gyms in athlone as far as I know

athlonebber

nice_guy80 wrote: »

two crossfit gyms in athlone as far as I know

Not that I dont appreciate you attempting to help but you already said that. In fact you were the first reply to the thread.

I checked out the CF gyms and one is too far out while the other just does not have what I need. I have since joined the RSC.