4 GYMS YOU MUST TRAIN AT
BEFORE YOU KICK THE BUCKET
THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY MANY PLACES
AROUND THE WORLD THAT ARE CONSIDERED
BODYBUILDING OR POWERLIFTING HOTSPOTS.
BUT THE ONES LISTED HERE ARE PLACES THAT
ANY HARDCORE TRAINER ABSOLUTELY MUST
TRAIN AT BEFORE IT’S TIME TO GO TO THE BIG
GYM IN THE SKY.
CALIFORNIA
Most people have a bucket list and
they include goals like jumping
out an airplane, visiting a faraway
land, or going to a memorable
event. We, as lifters, should have
a bucket list of our own. What do
we love to do more than anything else
besides eat? We train. So it should
make sense that a lifter’s bucket list
includes famous or special places to
train. Do you have a gym bucket list? If
not, consider this a template.
Gold’s Gym
Venice, California
It’s the freaking Mecca of Bodybuilding—so,
you know this is first on the list. From the
Golden Era days of Arnold and friends, to top
industry stars of today like Mike O’Hearn and
Dexter Jackson, and current Mr. O Shawn
Rhoden, Gold's Gym Venice is legendary.
Iron Addicts Gym
Signal Hill, California
Home of the original iron addict himself, CT
“MothaF%@kin” Fletcher. Iron Addicts Gym
hasn’t been around very long. It’s developed
a reputation as a training hot spot very
quickly thanks to seeing it come to life on the
film “My Magnificent Obsession” and several
hardcore videos that you can find on You-
Tube. CT has had several of the fitness elite
there lifting. If you’re able to make it there,
remember the letters ISYMFS.
12 MUSCLE MEMORY
| DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019
TEXAS
NEW YORK
Bev Francis Power-
house Gym
Syosset, New York
Bev Francis Power-
house has developed a
revered reputation of its
own as the “East Coast
Mecca”. Owned by Bev
Francis and IFBB Head
Judge Steve Weinberger,
this gym is home to many
champion bodybuild-
ers like Kai Greene, Juan
Morel, and several others.
Athletes have traveled the
globe to step in to this
bodybuilding landmark.
Metroflex
Gym
Arlington, Texas
Besides Gold’s Venice, Brian Dobson’s gym may be the most filmed
gym ever. The bodybuilding champions that have trained there
reads like a Who’s Who list. Of course, right at the top is the eight
time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. Other greats include Branch
Warren and Johnnie Jackson. It’s hot in the summers and they don’t
care. The weights and machines there aren’t fancy but they have
sculpted serious muscle. If you make it there, just don’t yell out any
of Ronnie’s catch phrases. You will be tempted to but don’t do it.
Just grab some iron and get to it.