Written by George Haber, SyossetJericho@antonnews.comThursday, 17 October 2013 00:00
Bill Leonello is a competitive bodybuilder who works as a personal trainer on the North Shore, but when he begins his own training for the annual June and July bodybuilding tournaments in New York City and New Jersey, he travels to Bev Franciss Powerhouse Gym in Syosset.
Why Powerhouse?
Since 1986, Bevs Gym has been one of the leading gyms in the country for serious bodybuilders. At least three former Mr. Olympia title holders train there. Magazines and athletes alike say the facility is the East Coast go-to bodybuilding gym, comparable to the widely heralded national Mecca of bodybuilding gyms, Golds Gym in Venice, California.
Leonello likes training at Bevs because, he says, From the moment you enter this huge building, you know Bevs means business. Its got serious equipment for serious training. And if youre into competing, the extra feature is that Bev can critique your presentation and give you tips for improving your showing in front of the judges.
Its something Bev knows well. A retired power lifter and bodybuilder from Australia, married to bodybuilding guru, power lifter and highly regarded contest judge Steve Weinberger, Bev Francis was a successful competitive bodybuilder and power lifter for many years, and was featured in the movie Pumping Iron II: The Women.
From 1981 to the early 1990s, Francis was acknowledged as the strongest woman in the world, having bench-pressed an unheard-of 331 pounds, something no female had done.
The appeal of Bev Franciss Powerhouse Gym is that bodybuilders can do serious training here because we have the specialized equipment that most gyms cant afford to carry, or dont have the need to carry, Weinberger says, We also feature enough of a variety of equipment so that an athlete never gets bored by having to work out on the same machine or with a limited range of equipment.
The national significance of the gym stands in sharp contrast to its unassuming locationat the end of a nondescript road off Robbins Lane, amidst a signage shop, an eyewear distributor, an automotive repair shop, and assorted small businesses. However, in the vast space it occupies, which has been expanded over the years to its current 30,000 sq. ft., the gym houses hundreds of machines and weights. Among the equipment is a classic strength-training machine, an original 1972 Nautilus, the first single-joint rotary movement exercise machine that made fitness equipment effective, safe and easy-to- use, and essentially launched the health club movement in the U.S.
One of the things that distinguishes us from other gyms, says Francis, is that we order equipment piece by piece, and only after Steve [husband Weinberger] and I test it out. Were not just gym owners; we train as well, so we understand how equipment should feel. And we dont order an array of equipment from a single manufacturer just to get a discount or a better deal.
World class bodybuilders and weight lifters train at Bevs Gym, among them, Weinberger notes, Phil Heath, a five-time Mr. Olympia winner, Victor Martinez, a seven-time Mr. Olympia, andwhen hes in townJay Cutler, who has placed either first or second in ten Mr. Olympia competitions. Kai Green, a two-time Arnold Classic winner and a 2nd and 3rd place winner in Mr. Olympia competitions, also trains at Bevs Gym.
(The Mr. Olympia title is the Holy Grail for professional bodybuilders, and the title often leads to lucrative endorsements and branding of nutrients and apparel. Arnold Schwarzenegger was a seven-time first place winner in the Mr. Olympia Competition.)
Women competitors from the gym include Juliana Malacarne, a winner of womens physique competitions who is competing to be the first Ms. Olympia Physique.
But Weinberger is quick to point out that not everybody who works out at the gym needs to be a world-class bodybuilder or even into the sport at all.
Many of our clients are ordinary people who want to stay fitbusiness people, retirees, mothers, college students. Theres no looking down on anyone because theyre not into competitive bodybuilding or weight lifting. If anyone, whether its a staff member or gym member, shows disrespect toward another person, theyre asked to leave.
Adds Francis: We create a welcoming atmosphere here. Anyone interested in getting stronger and staying fit feels comfortable. The serious bodybuilders dont intimidate regular people. On the contrary, they help give them motivation. Many members like to train alongside the professional athletes.
Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, who visits Bev Franciss Powerhouse Gym when hes in town, says the gym meets the needs of everyone, regardless of experience or goals. The gym floor is spacious and full of free weights and many machines for working every body part from every angle. There are also at least 70 pieces of cardio equipment.
Over the past decade, gyms have been springing up like mushrooms, observes Weinberger. Some last, some dont. Bevs Powerhouse Gym is entering its 28th year because we keep a sharp focus on our goal to be a world-class gym with the equipment, personnel and commitment to serious training. This goes for a top athlete or a regular person just looking to stay fit and stay strong.
Commenting on the appeal of the gym to committed athletes, Bill Leonello, who placed first in the over-55 category in a regional bodybuilding competition in 2012, says, Bev and Steve have helped me tremendously in my training; theyve given me advice and great tips regarding diet, nutrition, and strategies for training after injuries. So for me, training at Powerhouse consists of more than just working out on machines and equipment.
Resources:
Start Strong: 9 Beginner Motivation Tips! – Bodybuilding.com
Before you hit the gym, there are some questions to ponder in your own mind and heart when it comes to making a lifestyle change. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/start-strong-9-beginner-motivation-tips.html
Bodybuilding.com – 6 Essential Post-Diet Tips
Dropping a diet plan doesn't have to mean ditching results. Learn how to successfully transition from a strict eating regimen to a post-dieting life. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/6-essential-post-diet-tips.html
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Give Me Some Bodybuilding Tips Please? I’m into bodybuilding and I want to get bigger so I would like it if you more experienced guys can give me some bodybuilding tips.
To get bigger you are going to need to eat more, at least 500 – 1000 calories more then your needed daily intake. Now, you should be getting these calories from solid whole food especially meat and don’t be eating any processed rubbish as you want to eat the foods which still have all the nutrients in them.
You are also going to need to work hard in the gym and I recommend going three times each week and doing compound exercises to develop an all round physique.
Oh and be patient 🙂
What Are Some Bodybuilding Tips To Gain Muscle? I’m 19 years old. I want to gain muscle! Any tips on gaining muscle? What helps you? How do you stay motivated?
Can Protein Powder Help Me Building Big Muscles? I am frm india
i have joined gym frm 2 months.my body is a little weaker..gym trainer r suggest me to take protein powder and told me surely i can grow my grow my body and muscles within 1 month by regular intake of powder.and i want to grow my body much batter.is it true that protein powder realy works effectively?plz suggest me any protein powder name.nd how much it cost per kilo?plz give me bodybuilding tips and diet.
Hi, The most common two types you are likely to have come across are whey and soy protein powder. There are differences in the biological values of the two types, with whey protein coming from animal sources, but whey protein powder side effects are essentially the same as soy protein powder side effects.
This can cause two problems:
The first is that too much protein in the kidneys will increase the acidity level of your blood; this reacts with the calcium in your body and makes the bones weaker – increasing your muscle mass at the same time as weakening your bones is an easy way to injury yourself badly.
The second is the extremely painful condition of kidney stones. If you think recovering after a tough workout hurts, try developing kidney stones. It is clearly something you want to avoid and just another reason to consume only the recommended intake of protein each day.
Protein powder side effects are real, but as discussed, it should be remembered that they usually only develop when the user consumes far too much. If you are a beginner at the gym, the best way to gauge is to see how much weight you gain each week. A beginner, who follows a good workout schedule and leaves enough rest time between workouts, can expect to gain about 1 to 1.5 pounds per week. If you find that you are not, gradually increase your protein intake.
Take care men… don’t take protein powder.
What Is The Best Fitness And Bodybuilding Webste? I am looking for a good web site that has alot of tips and work out stuff.Like diffrent work outs and excercises.Not justr about working out but like a information resource.
There are many. Here are the three main ones I use:
http://www.bodybuilding.com
http://www.ast-ss.com/
http://biofitness.com/panel.html
What Are Some Tips On Gaining Healthy Weight? I am 6’0 male and weigh 120lbs! I’m trying to gain weight while avoiding unhealthy food and fast food. I’m also 21 years old, any tips would be great. No spam or smack remarks either. Thank you!
Good weight gaining combinations are bread, cereals, pasta, rice, potatoes or sweet potatoes combined with meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, nuts or sea food. Peanut butter sandwiches are a good combination.
The protein in the above combinations will help to gain extra muscles.
If food doesn’t work perhaps you could try bodybuilding in the gym.
How Do I Get Started Bodybuilding At 15 Years Old? I need help I’m 15 years old and I want to get a nice figure and to feel better about my self and my body can anyone give me some tips on work out guide lines oh yeah and supplements that I can take? I was thinking about creatine but what is the best creatine out there? Thank you!
Avoid One Body Part Workouts And Focus On A Full Body Workout
A full body workout? But all my friends are training chest tonight. And tomorrow they are training back. And on Wednesday they are training arms. But if you have the courage, you are not going to follow the herd and trust me. You are too young to be splitting up your muscles groups into only one body part a day. Unless you are pursuing a career in competitive bodybuilding, one-body part splits are an excellent way to over train at a young age. Look at it this way. Do you only eat once per week? Do you only take supplements once per week? Do you only sleep once per week? Do you only study once per week? Than why would you train your muscle groups only once per week? It does not make sense. Full body workouts will allow you to hit all your major muscle groups three times in the week, without overtraining, instead of only one time.