HARDCORE GYM #100

 

September 2010 - Vol. 33 No. 11

OC STRENGTH CLUB

by Rick Brewer | rick[at]houseofpain.com

www.houseofpain.com

 

Okay, muscle-headz, I’ve got some good news for you! Gym-rats may outlive vampires!! It’s true!! They may make fun of the strong guys in movies, and try to make us look dumb—and the fancy new gyms may shun our chalk and noise—but we are alive and well! Stronger than ever! In fact, we’re growing bigger and more powerful every year, and we’re not going extinct any time soon! Powerlifters are here to stay; thriving in small caves and training in hardcore gyms, hidden all over the world!

We’ve talked about 99 of these gyms so far; from Baghdad to Australia, in attics and garages, full of stupid-strong lifters too crazy to dismiss. And YES, there are more to come!!

We’ve been talking about the St. Louis, MO, area, and I had a good chuckle with Dione Wessels (of NAS Strongman) about the WAR Gym this past weekend. I’m still getting answers to my ‘Where’s Waldo?’ challenge a couple of months ago! Hah! Last month we covered STP Gym, with 3rd generation cop Bill McDonough—and I mentioned that we would visit Jose this month.

Jose Hernandez had been telling me about the gym he plans his Saturdays around, and what could be a more fitting location for the 100th gym than Southern California? Cali might be the home of modern bodybuilding, but CA is also the home of PL USA magazine—so we have to keep corners of the state quarantined for POWERLIFTERS!

Let’s find out why Jose trains at Orange County Strength Club:
Southern California is a hotbed for trendy fitness clubs that don’t to cater to the competitive powerlifter. With the advent of crossfit, and assorted kettlebell clubs, strength is permeating the country! But here in So Cal we still can’t use chalk, do heavy rack pulls, or turn up the radio. Now, if you have ever fantasized about building an awesome gym, you were probably dreaming about OC Strength Club. (Actually, call me crazy, but none of my dream fantasies involve big sweaty guys. RB)

Fortunately, powerlifters have an alternative (to the shiny fitness clubs) thanks to Manny Sanchez! Manny’s generosity and love of the sport has created the Orange County Strength Club, a top-notch private training facility in Fountain Valley, California, designed specifically for strength training. Whether you are a novice or world champion, lift raw, single-ply or multiply, OC Strength Club is loaded with the highest quality arsenal of equipment and a team of enthusiastic lifters offering each other motivation and support.

After becoming disenchanted with poor quality equipment and unsupportive staff at commercial gyms in the area, nine years ago Manny decided to build his own garage gym and called it Orange County Strength Club. He enlisted the help of his good friend Scott Marcenik for some ideas. In addition to being an experienced powerlifter, Scott is a talented engineer and craftsman. Rather than merely making suggestions, Scott engrossed himself in the major project. He spent numerous weeks designing and building a monolift, reverse-hyper, glute-ham raise, squat rack, benches and numerous other pieces of equipment. The quality and detail of his workmanship is very impressive. Every piece is made from heavy gauge steel, and is made to last a lifetime. (Just like Michael Jackson’s coffin, or Dolly Parton’s breasts. RB)

The gym is also loaded with plenty of weights, a variety bars, including the mastodon bar, two SSB’s, buffalo bar, texas squat bar, texas bench bar, texas DL bar, rackable cambered bar, swiss bar, and farmers walk handles, every fat bar attachment, dumbbells up to 200 lb., jump stretch bands, chains, sled, prowler, 600 hundred lb. tire and kettlebells. If it’s a quality-training item, OCSC probably has it, all in a two car garage.

Manny doesn’t sell memberships because it’s a private club. His objective is to bring together committed lifters who work hard individually, and as a team. Seeing lifters improve, regardless of their level of experience, is the heart of OCSC. Juniors, women and masters train together in an environment of superb coaching and a no excuses type of attitude—if you don’t like it, get out or get better.

Since we are located in the heart of the OC, we get a lot of visitors and vacationers. Several great powerlifters have trained here, such as the late Roger Estep, World Champs Terry McCormick and David Shaw, powerlifter Josh Bryant, Top 10 (242) Patrick Hakola, Tampa Barbell’s Tommy Fannon, Scott “Anytime/Anywhere” Smith, and Supertraining’s World Record Holder Scott Cartwright.

When it comes to the current crop of lifters, we have engineers, sheriffs, business owners, students, a chef, several loudmouths, and the normal malcontents. They include the Angry Coach Gary Garcia (7xx deadlift), inaugural WPO competitor Art La Bare, master lifter Jose Hernandez, Japan’s Koji Inoue, John “The Technician” Dorsten, Ricardo “Champ” Costa, Filberto Toledano, American & world record holder Tanya Reed, master lifter Pat Harrity, junior 308 O’Neil Roussell, bench specialist Dennis Reaneau, master world record holder Mike Tronske and various up-and-comers. (Where there is smoke, there is usually fire, and there might be barbecue. Any gym that has this many competitors—not to mention all the lifters with nicknames—must be good! RB)

In 2009, OCSC won the first place team award at the USPF California State Championships. In November 2009, OCSC lifters broke a total of ten world records at the WPF World Powerlifting Championships. In every venue, in every meet, the lifters of our club represent passion, strength, camaraderie, and a take-no-prisoners spirit.

Thanks to Ricardo Costa and Mike Tronske for all this cool info, thanks to Scott Marcenik for the quality engineering and steel work, and very special thanks to Manny Sanchez for making it all happen!!

www.ocstrengthclub.com
Youtube Channel: ocstrengthclub

 

The name of next month’s gym is hidden in this article! Keep lifting and eating, and keep dreaming about big sweaty men. Then come back next month to see what state we’ll visit next!

*photographs courtesy of OC Strength Club

 

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