Gym Articles

Nelsons Nautilus Gym

What Makes This Nautilus Different?

I know what you are thinking: there is NO hardcore Nautilus gym. Read; decide.
At first glance, it looks as if it is a typical ?family oriented? Nelsons Nautilus gym. But unlike the five other 5 Nelsons Nautilus gyms in the greater Portland area, this one is a bit different.
As you pull in to the little parking lot (of the gym) at 5623 SE Center, in Portland, Oregon, you might see several Harley Davidsons parked out front and a Nelsons Nautilus logo on the wall. When you walk through the French glass doors you walk straight into one of Portland?s most HARD CORE gyms. It?s a big power pit where the Powerlifters, Strongman competitors and Bodybuilders all coexist in the same gym throwing the same pig iron around and wiping sweat off of their foreheads.

Forehead Note: Don?t you hate it when you are about to finish a heavy lift, and an inexperienced spotter touches the bar? He says he barely touched it, but it makes you wonder ? would I have finished the lift without the touch? Where I train in Texas, we don?t spot on the bar unless requested. We spot on the forehead. When a lifter starts slowing down in his approach to the SQ bar, we slap him on the forehead. If he starts to shake and looks like he may miss his SQ, we?ll walk away ? saying ?You?ve got it.? If it?s a max single, we?ll stay tight and ready to help. But if it is a set of reps (where it?s usually mental failure that causes the set to stop) we?ll just walk away.
When we bench, we ?go for the plum.? In other words, we try to get our heads to turn purple on the last rep. Not just red, which might only indicate a slight strain ? but plum purple to indicate severe hypertension and impending death. If the bar speed slows down too much, we slap the lifter on the (purple) forehead. Hard. Right during the lift. If you can focus on the lift after this, you are in-the-zone baby! Really technical-Robert tries to slap on the correct side of the forehead to stimulate the lagging side. If the right arm is weaker (as in my case), he slaps on the left side of my forehead ? since the left side of your brain controls your right arm. You?re probably thinking this is too scientific for you to master ? and you?re probably right. Just swat ?em right in the center of the forehead while you get used to the technique. Start with a single slap, and work up to sets of three slaps with a light chain. (It?s secret power-tips like this that make you stand out of the crowd, and we give it to you free! Go for the plum!)

Back to reality in Oregon: This gym has turned out some awesome feats of strength: one 600lb bench presser. Three 550lb bench pressers, multiple 800lb squatters, and two women who can deadlift over 400lbs. One of those women is Jo Walker who at a weight of 126lbs has deadlifted 407lbs, at the age of 58! Julie Havelka is the other woman who was the winner of the 2001 Beauty and the Beast World Strongman/Strongwoman Challenge, featured in the September 2001 issue of Powerlifting USA magazine. Also featured in Powerlifting USA was Brice Gimble with a 774lb deadlift and 854lb squat at the age of 22! Both Julie and Brice are trained by Tod Bedcraft, who might be best described as one of the best Strongman/Powerlifting trainers around! Tod is the American Powelifting Federation (APF) State Chairman for Oregon.
OK, now why is this not a family gym you ask? For starters, there is no daycare, because we don?t want babies crying and running rampant in the gym while we?re trying to work out and all the while their mothers are on the damn treadmills with their walkmans on full blast blocking out their insubordinate children. No damn pools or jizz-soup saunas; and there is chalk powder all over the place! Sure, there are a few treadmills, stair climbers, and bikes, but that?s it. This gym caters mostly to the ones that are looking for size, strength, and have a SERIOUS dedication to their body! (Thanks to Tom Feeny for all this info!)

Random Note: I first met Jo Walker (and Tom Feeny) at the WABDL Worlds in Portland, Oregon a few years ago. I was immediately impressed with her friendly nature and determined spirit. Plus, she?s really strong! I hope I can pull 407 when I?m 58, and I KNOW I couldn?t have pulled it when I weighed 126lbs! Call me sexist, but these girls can DEADLIFT! Jo?s husband, Tom, drives a monster truck ? I want that job! Meantime, you can see his monster limo online at www.houseofpainironwear.com.

Comments?
Rick@houseofpainironwear.com
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HOUSE OF PAIN
PO Box 333
Fate, TX 75132

What Makes This Nautilus Different?
(Photos)

Big Photo

(L-R standing)

Kendall Walden ? 584#BP in 275# SubMasters (Oregon State Record Holder)
Carrol Moon ? 556.5# in the 40-46 Master 275#?s (3 time World Champ, current World Record Holder)
Big Brian Jackson ? 805#SQ/623#BP/707# DL ? well over 2100# total
Mark Helzer ? looking pretty healthy

(L-R kneeling)

Tod Becraft ? 14 year P/L with a 551#BP, APF OR State Chairman, and Personal Trainer extroardinaire
Jo Walker ? 58 years old and still pull 407#DL at 128# of bodyweight ? with a big smile
Gina Parise ? novice Lt. Wt. OR bodybuilder champ ? cute, huh?
Dr. William Thoens ? looks like a real P/Ler with an 825#SQ/525#BP/ and a 680#DL

Small Photo #1
Julie Havelka (2001 Beauty & Beast Strongwoman Champion) in front of gym
Small Photo #2
Jo Walker (407# DL) doing heavy partial SQ?s
Small Photo #3
Brice Gimble (854#SQ, 744#DL) at Strongman Event
Small Photo #4
Lifting Crew (as listed above for larger photo)