Gym Articles

Python Gym

Hard Core Gym #X
Python Gym ? Home of Tee ?Skinny Man? Meyers
World?s Strongest Granddaddy

I had my wife and kids with me, and we were driving back from a powerlifting meet. I?m use to driving non-stop, even if it takes 24 (or more) hours ? but that doesn?t fly with small children. We stopped for NOTHING on the way to the meet, so I had to compromise a bit on the way back.
We stopped at museums, souvenir shops, and interesting views. We went in caves, and looked at dinosaur bones. But even I perked up a bit when we saw the Snake Farm. For only a dollar, my young daughter got a balloon on a string ? tied to the end of a long stick. She held it over a pit full of rattlers. Seven or eight large rattlesnakes were coiled and rattling, and only one was asleep. Caitlin aka ?Possum Girl? lowered the balloon towards the sleeping rattler.
With the fatherly wisdom that I?m know for, I told her to lower it towards a snake that was awake ? when SNAP! The ?sleeping? rattler struck and popped the balloon too fast for the naked eye to see ? surprising all of us with its lighting speed! Sometimes powerlifters and fighters are like that. It?s the quiet ?sleepers? that catch you by surprise.
At 225 Lumpkin Road in Augusta, Georgia; there is a different kind of snake farm ? and I?ll let the ?World?s Strongest Granddaddy? tell you about it:
Python Gym was originated because I didn?t want to be in those ?pretty" gyms that you can?t use chalk in?can?t grunt in... can't yell?.in other words act like a powerlifter!
I was kicked out of a local gym because I wouldn?t back down about being drug-free. I then went to the local military gym and was banned there because of powerlifters asking me for advice instead of their coach.
I then rented an old ?7-11? store as a vitamin store and for a place for me and few buddies to work out. I had a bench and an exercise bike. Well people kept coming in and I kept buying and bartering equipment until I had enough equipment to actually call it a gym ?not big 2400sq feet but I can yell, grunt, talk smack and have fun. (Let me tell you, Tee is a world champion at talking smack!)
We started having our own meets in 1993 and officially called it the ?Python Power League? in 1998 had have about four meets per year?Augusta Open, Georgia State, Southeasterns and the Nationals.
We are strict on our judging but we play music and we encourage individuality, cheering, screaming, nick names, dancing?in other words...fun!
I, myself have been competing since 1981 and have best lifts of 71 in the squat, 385 in the bench and 76lbs in the deadlift and 1,815 total at bodyweight of 187lbs and I did it in a $40 suit! Who knew I could have lifted in one of those iron caskets they lift in now! I still lift in a $49 suit and still deadlift 735-750lbs at a bodyweight of 189lbs and 48 years old.
I don?t squat heavy anymore? (no more than 600-625) because I broke two bones in my back in 1997, had a trophy of 5? in my right leg doing a heavy squat. H had surgery?got my legs back to the same size but I am in pain everyday, but I thank God fro the honor and pleasure of competing in a sport I dearly love.
I mostly compete in the WNPF but I have competed in the APA, USPF, USAPDL (ADFPA), APC, WABDL, and a bunch of other alphabets?I just like lifting weight!
The greatest lifter I ever met was Dan ?The Man? Austin. Not only is he a great lifter, but he has an inner spirit that is truly great. He can inspire you without even saying a word. (Like the ?sleepin? rattler. Rick)
Python Gym is one of the dinosaur gyms that lets you pay by the day, week or month! We are the only one in Augusta. So instead of speanding that $5.00 on beer, or some ?slim slow?, or some cancer sticks, so some ?fat-a-way? diet pills, or some Leroy Press on gold tooh-fes, or flea market shades?bring to Python Gym and get your swole on.
We offer personal training, regular usage, powerlifting training, weightlifting, training and videos on how to squat and how to deadlift for competing or to just learn how to do it properly. They are not the fancy ones?just hard work, proper nutrition and persistence.
I also do seminars at schools, churches on strength training, proper nutrition and God?s Health Laws?believe me?I can talk!
If you are ever in a meet and a loud-mouthed, shades wearing, lean and mean, dancing, middle-aged guy who is pulling over 700lbs?AAAHHHHH?Dat be me! Come on up and say hi!
So if you are in the Augusta, GA and want to talk about powerlifting, boxing, the word or anything in general?just holler at ya boy!
I can personally tell you that the ?Skinny Man? likes to talk smack, but he is also eager to help another lifter learn. About 10 years ago I was having trouble with my deadlift, and so I called Tee at Python Gym. He spent 15 minutes on the phone helping me ? even though he had never even met me at the time. And YES - he really helped! Of course, I never learned to deadlift as well as Tee ? since my arms are about two feet shorter that his, but he still helped me to realize that I was overtraining. (I still appreciate that help, Tee!)
Last year I saw him at George Herrings WABDL meet in Atlanta, Georgia area ? and the ?Skinny Man? was still wearing his shades and strutting his stuff. He claimed to be the World?s Strongest Granddaddy ? and as far as I can tell you, he may be right! Plus, he puts on quite a show! The impromptu pose-down between him and George is burned in my memory ? like a fat guy in a Speedo I saw on the beach once! Can?t get either one of those images out of my mind.
I asked Tee where he got the ?Python Gym? name from?
Python? I wanted a name not easily forgotten. Pythonic ? according to Webster is to be of excessive size and power. When you think of a python?it is strong. Our slogan on our gym shirts is Python Gym ?We Suffocate Our Prey?.
Plus, one great man once said, ?What are you gonna do when the 24inch Pythons run wild on you?
Well said Tee! Is there anything else you want to tell us about the gym before we go?
No down payments, no contracts, no showers, no fruit/juice bar, no aerobics!
Watching boxing, wrasslin?, Sci-Fi, and the History Channel allowed!
Trainer of State, National, and World Drug Free Powerlifting Champions!
If duct tape was banned, the gym would have to close. This is not just a gym but a hangout, meeting place,
and a place to hide if you don?t feel like cutting the grass! We do not allow whining, crying, cussin? or
excuses!
We have a lot of fun with such things as a powerlifting team, a weightlifting team, heavy and speed bag, dart throwing, small basketball hoop, figure competitions, bodybuilders, plus college and high athletes.
Sounds like fun to me! If you are ever in Augusta, you owe it to yourself to visit the World?s Strongest Granddaddy at Python Gym. Tee is not just an icon; he is one of the real ?good guys? who would do anything for you. If he starts talking to much trash, just ask him about his Bench Press. (It?s hard to bench press heavy when your arms are five feet long.) Seriously, I love this guy!
Next month, we?ll find out what we Texas boys like to call a ?poor man?s grizzly?. Do you know what that is? Until then, lift heavy and play with snakes.

Questions/Comments?
rick@houseofpain.com
or
HOUSE OF PAIN
PO Box 333
Fate, TX 75132