The Power of Simple

-- Why I Don't Train in Modern Gyms - and How I Get Great Results Without Them

For a lifelong weightlifter, I’m probably very unusual in this regard, but I have a strong dislike of modern gyms.

I have to force myself to go into one. And training inside one – which I’ve done occasionally while travelling – is sheer torture.

They’re far too crowded, both with equipment (most of it machines, and most of it designed for isolation-style “bodybuilding” exercises).

They’re too loud and too noisy, and it’s almost impossible to concentrate in them.

And although they have tons (literally) of bodybuilding equipment, they usually don’t have what I need: a platform for Olympic lifting and a place to do it safely, without other gym members walking by you when you’re lifting.

I object to these gyms on functional grounds. They don’t offer a place where I can train effectively.

But I also object to them on philosophical grounds. They make it seem that you need dozens – perhaps hundreds – of different machines, work stations, bars, devices, and miscellaneous pieces of equipment to get a workout.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

You can get a terrific workout with nothing but a barbell and a set of adjustable dumbbells.

Or with nothing but a barbell.

Or with nothing but your own bodyweight.

You just need to be inventive. And you need to know how to train.

I actually enjoy training with very simple, very basic equipment – or even with no equipment.

For example, here’s a workout report from about two years ago. It’s about as simple as it gets – but it describes a workout that is as tough as anything you could do at the best-equipped gym anywhere in the world.

September 22, 2022 Workout Report

On the training front, I've been doing some fun workouts at the beach at Fort Worden State Park, which is about two miles away from where we live here in Port Townsend, Washington.

The beach is littered with driftwood logs of all shapes and sizes. I use them for squats (performed zercher style or front squat style, or with the log balanced fore and aft on one shoulder) and for various carries, along with pulling and dragging exercises.

For example, yesterday I did six sets of 10 reps in the front squat alternated with six log drags. Obviously, I use logs because I'm training at the beach, and the logs are there and available. If I were training at home I'd do barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell or sandbag squats.

The log drags are simple but brutal. I tie two strong ropes to one of the logs. The ropes have small loops at one end. I attach the loops to a pulling harness I got from Rogue.

It's a simple set-up, but it works well for backward and forward drags. And, of course, if you don't have logs to drag, a small weight sled works well -- even a homemade one. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or expensive. Heck, you could drag a sandbag or even some old barbell plates tied or chained together.

I paced off the distance before starting. It was 150 long steps, which adds up to about 100 to 110 yards. A good distance for a "sprint" with the log dragged horizontally through the sand.

Six sets of squats and six sets of sprints made an excellent workout, and yes, I'm feeling it today.