1996 I tore my right hip squatting. Rehabbed it for 6 months , It wouldn't come around . Westside's phone number was in one of Louies articles in PL USA , so I figured what did I have to lose . I called and asked to speak to Louie and he said THIS IS LOUIE . I explained my injury and said I was calling for help/advice . He spent 5 minutes talking to me and couldn't have been nicer. Told me he had done the same thing and how to get it better. After I hung up I was still kind of in shock , here was the most famous P L coach in the world helping someone he'd never met on the phone , with no hesitation. I'll never have anything bad to say about Louie Simmons .
Kevin ybarzabal because many haters talk bad about him without even meeting him. Others that criticize Simmons were just critiquing. Everyone else just talk shit
@@mptrader1620 thank you so much. I will check them out. I need a few ideas while I am waiting for physiotherapy (& now with this virus who knows when that will be?)
Even if you've got 0 interest in athletics or lifting, Louie is just an interesting dude. Insanely sharp and intelligent, he can rattle off numbers and percentages like nobody's business. Ridiculously motivated, who else would've had translations done on Russian textbooks, *pre-internet*, for something he wasn't making a living from. Plus the physical tenacity, dude has an injury list longer than the first testament but he keeps going. You get people that have one, maybe two of those qualities, but for someone to have all of them is extremely rare.
Awesome story! I love Louie. I met him at one of my first meets, I introduced myself to him and told him I had bought and studied all of his west side training dvds. To my surprise he told me that he had watched all of my lifts from that day and was impressed with my performance, I was competing as a junior at the time. He took me to the lobby of the hotel and sat and talked to me for over an hour, just us. He treated me like a friend he had known for years! I got him to sign my belt and I still wear that lifting belt today. One of the coolest, most respectful and knowledgeable men I’ve ever met! Made a huge impact on me.
Hi Mark I'm glad you're doing so well. I remember you from Westside. Your sense of humor and personality is off the charts! As always your a class act. Your review of W.S.A.W. was spot on. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to train at Westside before it was really "WESTSIDE BARBELL" at the first location off Demorest road. It was never in the cards for me to be on the "board of fame" but Louie helped me train just like the phenoms. Anyone that hasn't had the opportunity to step foot into this gym can't speak on it. People like yourself, Louie Simmons, Dave Hoff, Kenny P, Jimmy R, Chuch V., Jerry O., are now and always will be Westside legends. Especially the old school guys that were there in the beginning. Pioneering powerlifting and bringing it into mainstream culture. In the 90s when a person saw a guy in a "westside barbell" black and white T you knew what he was about! Serious dangerous and strong as f$#k! I think some of that's been lost over time because of the diversity of the people getting involved in the sport now. And its not a bad thing because powerlifting is the greatest, most intense sport on earth. A way of life that few can endure. Best of luck Mark in all you do. Sincerely, Dennie Little Sr.
C W mark is still on. He most likely will have to be on some form of trt for the rest of his live. Long term gear use shuts down most people’s natural testosterone production.
Thank you! I always, always appreciate your candidness! It may just be simple words coming from your mouth to our ears, but these words carry memories and emotions.
Sounds like the push you needed. Louie Simmons is a master manipulator in a good way. Loved the movie and he definitely knew how to get under people’s skin but it pushed them to be better. That is a good or even great trait of a master coach!
I feel like Louie is the Professor X of powerlifting and he had this gym that was like the school for gifted children where he recruited exceptional lifters and turned in into powerhouse beasts and then they went out on they're own to form their own teams just like the X-men. Louie's all old now and he should be protected at all costs.
Great video Mark. I thought the documentary was great, but one of the things that I think was misrepresented was the "thug" mentality at the gym. In all reality that was about 10% or so of the people in the gym. Many of us, as you stated, were highly successful in our professional lives as well.
Wow, to have been told by Louie that you'd never make the board, and then fired by him you show no resentment or anomocity whatsoever: impressively humble.
Thank you for this great tribute and review Mark! Even though I've never met the man or never even been to Westside Barbell it's been a huge influence on everything that I do in the gym and with the people I help! You, Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, Matt Wenning, Donnie Thompson have all been very big influences as well but it started with Louie! Thank you!
Agreed. Trained there in the early 90's with Lou, Doris, Amy, Chuck,Jeff Chorpenning and others. I learned a lot and Lou is a very gracious and kind person. I haven't seen him in many years; however, am too very grateful for all that I learned there.
Glad you put this out. Not that it's mine or anyone else's business, but it looked like there might be a bit of hard feelings from the movie. I was glad to watch this and hear you speak positively about Louie and your time at Westside.
westside is the best side..i am from croatia but we all know about westside barbell..louie is the man,also mark you are awesome ,intelligent and i wish you all the best!
Louie Simmons has a "theory" of strength training. In short, it is just a theory and no more than that. Many theorists do not agree with him about the best way to increase power and strength. Personally, I learned a lot from Louie. I spent 17 months talking to him from about 2009-2011. He was fantastic. He was motivational, instructive, and thoughtful. But most of all, he was reliable. When Louie was away from the gym and I left a message, he was certain to respond. Now that's a professional. That's a man. A person you can rely on. Louie's one of a kind. There's nobody like him. C.H.
interestingly, for 20 years I've stayed clear of Conjugate because I am a natty, raw lifter and was told Westside didn't help for us. In the past 4 months as a 43 year old, recovering from injury I decided to give it a try and it's been the best thing for me recovering my strength.
When you said that beating David Hofs record being because of Lou's inspiration early on telling you, you'd never get on the board. I felt that. Beautiful story, thanks for giving us this one.
Its always interesting to hear from someone who actually was there.. so many people talk Shit about west side but never actually set foot in it.. cheers smelly!
Mark and seem like a very genuine person. I wanna thank you for being the inventor of a piece of equipment that’s allowed me to go back to bench. I have every one of your slingshots, I haven’t been able to see an orthopedic yet I’m a disabled veteran and I’m waiting. But by using the slingshots it allows me to be able to at least bitch even though I’m not doing it on my own. I love your elbow sleeves and your knee sleeves also. Thank you for giving me something back that I love!
Dan Green's Boss Barbell Club is in the West also. ;) He was on the Westside Barbell podcast. Would be awesome if you did a Westside podcast with Louie!
I bought a copy, but was pretty disappointed overall. After all the hype, it didn't live up. There's not enough footage of lifting, not enough interviews with the players, and a whole lot of repeating of segements Louie's done a dozen other times in other formats.
Agreed, i wish they dove deeper into the madness and animal like aggression of that gym, but it was more about a dying relic, last of his kind. Kinda sad in a way.😔
Let’s think for a minute. The footage is from 20 years ago, not from today. Many of them have move far away, or aren’t there anymore. Also cameras 20 years ago were rare, not everyone had a phone to record. I can assure you every piece of footage from that gym back then was in the video, think before you speak. You would be real disappointed if they had put footage from today, it’s nothing like that now.
Apparently they had some major problems with the funding for the movie. I even paid into the GoFundMe or whatever it was for it and I guess some other guy made off with that money so I never got shit back.
Cool introspective video ! Just getting back into following the scene. What's everyone's opinion of Larry Wheels - he seems to be on a another level for 24 and raw lifting (at least from a novice ( me) perspective)
Only suckers lose their lives to drugs, especially in the manner dimel did letting some junkie bitch shoot grams of cocaine and heroin into his arm in one syringe, that was only ending one way he lost
No one could say Simmons didn’t care short Matt either. Many can attest that Simmons tried to be there and bailed him out many times. Matt couldn’t overcome his demons
1996 I tore my right hip squatting. Rehabbed it for 6 months , It wouldn't come around . Westside's phone number was in one of Louies articles in PL USA , so I figured what did I have to lose . I called and asked to speak to Louie and he said THIS IS LOUIE . I explained my injury and said I was calling for help/advice . He spent 5 minutes talking to me and couldn't have been nicer. Told me he had done the same thing and how to get it better. After I hung up I was still kind of in shock , here was the most famous P L coach in the world helping someone he'd never met on the phone , with no hesitation. I'll never have anything bad to say about Louie Simmons .
Samuel Clemons how could you...you don’t even know him
Kevin ybarzabal because many haters talk bad about him without even meeting him. Others that criticize Simmons were just critiquing. Everyone else just talk shit
@@mptrader1620 If you don't mind, what was the name of his DVD about the back? I have just hurt my back so that would be useful.
@@veganbodybuilding There were two. Training Secrets of Westside Barbell: Reactive Method and Training Secrets of Westside Barbell: Dead Lift Secrets.
@@mptrader1620 thank you so much. I will check them out. I need a few ideas while I am waiting for physiotherapy (& now with this virus who knows when that will be?)
Even if you've got 0 interest in athletics or lifting, Louie is just an interesting dude. Insanely sharp and intelligent, he can rattle off numbers and percentages like nobody's business. Ridiculously motivated, who else would've had translations done on Russian textbooks, *pre-internet*, for something he wasn't making a living from. Plus the physical tenacity, dude has an injury list longer than the first testament but he keeps going. You get people that have one, maybe two of those qualities, but for someone to have all of them is extremely rare.
Awesome story! I love Louie. I met him at one of my first meets, I introduced myself to him and told him I had bought and studied all of his west side training dvds. To my surprise he told me that he had watched all of my lifts from that day and was impressed with my performance, I was competing as a junior at the time. He took me to the lobby of the hotel and sat and talked to me for over an hour, just us. He treated me like a friend he had known for years! I got him to sign my belt and I still wear that lifting belt today. One of the coolest, most respectful and knowledgeable men I’ve ever met! Made a huge impact on me.
I watched it on Netflix a few days ago.. loved every minute of it.
Couldn't find it can you help?
When Dave hoff said it was on the level of pumping iron and rocky, he was right
Very interesting
Way to show respect. Says a lot about you
Hi Mark I'm glad you're doing so well. I remember you from Westside. Your sense of humor and personality is off the charts! As always your a class act. Your review of W.S.A.W. was spot on. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to train at Westside before it was really "WESTSIDE BARBELL" at the first location off Demorest road. It was never in the cards for me to be on the "board of fame" but Louie helped me train just like the phenoms. Anyone that hasn't had the opportunity to step foot into this gym can't speak on it. People like yourself, Louie Simmons, Dave Hoff, Kenny P, Jimmy R, Chuch V., Jerry O., are now and always will be Westside legends. Especially the old school guys that were there in the beginning. Pioneering powerlifting and bringing it into mainstream culture. In the 90s when a person saw a guy in a "westside barbell" black and white T you knew what he was about! Serious dangerous and strong as f$#k! I think some of that's been lost over time because of the diversity of the people getting involved in the sport now. And its not a bad thing because powerlifting is the greatest, most intense sport on earth. A way of life that few can endure. Best of luck Mark in all you do.
Sincerely, Dennie Little Sr.
Kudos to Mark Bell, too. He spoke from the heart here. And it was Truth! 🙋🙏
I remember in your bro’s movie, “bigger, faster, stronger” when Louie said stopping gear would be “the death of Smelly”
As a powerlifter, it was. As a businessman and entrepreneur, not so much lol
C W mark is still on. He most likely will have to be on some form of trt for the rest of his live. Long term gear use shuts down most people’s natural testosterone production.
Thank you!
I always, always appreciate your candidness!
It may just be simple words coming from your mouth to our ears, but these words carry memories and emotions.
Louie: You are off the Team Mark!
Sounds like the push you needed. Louie Simmons is a master manipulator in a good way. Loved the movie and he definitely knew how to get under people’s skin but it pushed them to be better. That is a good or even great trait of a master coach!
I feel like Louie is the Professor X of powerlifting and he had this gym that was like the school for gifted children where he recruited exceptional lifters and turned in into powerhouse beasts and then they went out on they're own to form their own teams just like the X-men. Louie's all old now and he should be protected at all costs.
That must be some good stuff your smoking ghettobeats.
@@yehbuddy1005 😂😂😂😂
Don’t forget Steve Goggins. I think he was Westside
@Jin hahahaaha nice one mate, he's a she-men now
Many of legendary lifters weren’t even recruited , but down the street
You and Dave Tate are great ambassadors for Louie and Westside.
Thanks for the movie update.
Perfect date night movie 🎥 🍿 !
This is what I wanted to see as well. Louie has a great tree and would be cool to see and hear more about that
Great video Mark. I thought the documentary was great, but one of the things that I think was misrepresented was the "thug" mentality at the gym. In all reality that was about 10% or so of the people in the gym. Many of us, as you stated, were highly successful in our professional lives as well.
Kenny the legend!
Great talk Mark. Documentary is on Netflix now!
I watched it last night.
It left a big impression on me.
These guys are on a different level.
Wow, to have been told by Louie that you'd never make the board, and then fired by him you show no resentment or anomocity whatsoever: impressively humble.
Lou knew what he was doing. He was motivating him.
Videos like this are why I watch your channel! I appreciate a successful person being humble and not being afraid to show it.
Thank you for this great tribute and review Mark! Even though I've never met the man or never even been to Westside Barbell it's been a huge influence on everything that I do in the gym and with the people I help! You, Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, Matt Wenning, Donnie Thompson have all been very big influences as well but it started with Louie! Thank you!
Agreed. Trained there in the early 90's with Lou, Doris, Amy, Chuck,Jeff Chorpenning and others. I learned a lot and Lou is a very gracious and kind person. I haven't seen him in many years; however, am too very grateful for all that I learned there.
You went on to be your own man Smelly and have done great things love the podcast
Smelly beat Hoff? Further proof of being a monster, Smelly.
Smelly beethoff 😅😅
Awesome video, I gotta say Mark witnessing your weight loss/transformation is mind blowing. Keep up the great work.
the supertraining DOT tv shit made feel nostalgic as hell
Same!
Wish silent Mike woulda stuck around
Glad you put this out. Not that it's mine or anyone else's business, but it looked like there might be a bit of hard feelings from the movie. I was glad to watch this and hear you speak positively about Louie and your time at Westside.
westside is the best side..i am from croatia but we all know about westside barbell..louie is the man,also mark you are awesome ,intelligent and i wish you all the best!
Saw it the day it came out on Amazon. It was surprisingly good!
Louie Simmons has a "theory" of strength training. In short, it is just a theory and no more than that. Many theorists do not agree with him about the best way to increase power and strength. Personally, I learned a lot from Louie. I spent 17 months talking to him from about 2009-2011. He was fantastic. He was motivational, instructive, and thoughtful. But most of all, he was reliable. When Louie was away from the gym and I left a message, he was certain to respond. Now that's a professional. That's a man. A person you can rely on. Louie's one of a kind. There's nobody like him.
C.H.
A theory is far different than an idea and definitely holds credibility.
interestingly, for 20 years I've stayed clear of Conjugate because I am a natty, raw lifter and was told Westside didn't help for us. In the past 4 months as a 43 year old, recovering from injury I decided to give it a try and it's been the best thing for me recovering my strength.
I love listening to you talk because you keep it 100 % honest. There is always something to take away from our life experiences good or bad.
Mark looks great. I was first introduced to him by his brothers documentary. He seems a nice man.
That’s cool you did that Mark!💪🏼💯
Terrific job Mark! Nice to see a very successful man, give credit to others who provided the drive to be so successful!
Great stuff Mark. Honest and humble!
One of your best videos Smelly....
When you said that beating David Hofs record being because of Lou's inspiration early on telling you, you'd never get on the board. I felt that.
Beautiful story, thanks for giving us this one.
You look so much better now and are definitely more healthy. Powerlifting is ok but I never got the suit stuff.
Honesty and respect, you’re a class act Mark
You can watch it on Amazon prime right now for $0.99 I'm going to
Its always interesting to hear from someone who actually was there.. so many people talk Shit about west side but never actually set foot in it.. cheers smelly!
It was amazing. My gf actually picked it out on Amazon. I ended up buying it on blue ray.
Matt Richards
Marry her
Wife material
Did the DVD have any special features?
Great Video & Even Better Story! Thanks again Smelly 💪🏼🤜🏼💥🤛🏼💯
Really great story telling. Super hearing this side of you. Thanks for sharing.
Great tribute video to Louie and WSBB. I felt the authenticity.
Well put Mark(Smelly)! Glad I got to know ya a bit and train with you. I wish you continued success brother!
Great review Mark. Along with some personal input. I could see a few times you were getting a little touched just reminiscing ✌🏼
Mark and seem like a very genuine person. I wanna thank you for being the inventor of a piece of equipment that’s allowed me to go back to bench. I have every one of your slingshots, I haven’t been able to see an orthopedic yet I’m a disabled veteran and I’m waiting. But by using the slingshots it allows me to be able to at least bitch even though I’m not doing it on my own. I love your elbow sleeves and your knee sleeves also. Thank you for giving me something back that I love!
Classy way to approach this experience, Mark. Well done.
You can rent it on Amazon for $0.99!
Fuck Amazon
I am Size Master, bow before me simple peasants.
Well spoken Mark (AKA Smelly). Will go ahead and watch that movie boss!
That's the best video that you've ever done. Well done.
Dan Green's Boss Barbell Club is in the West also. ;) He was on the Westside Barbell podcast. Would be awesome if you did a Westside podcast with Louie!
Doesn't Louie fire everyone though?
Great video. Thumbs up!
Available on Netflix now
Great Video. Very inspiring. Thank You.
Great title 👍
I wish all chiropractors had your knowledge base and education and I hope you appear on JRE one day for more exposure and to possibly change his mind.
Great video, Mark.
Nice video. Looking forward to seeing the movie.
Hell yeah. It is a great movie.
no
Watched it a few weeks ago on Netflix. Now I listen to it during my workout.
Fantastic tribute to Da Man!
From the 4 seconds hearing you on the mic it seems like you would make a heck of a pro wrestler.
California Stump Jumpers!!! Ha,ha That was a Great Documentary.
I do REALLY recommend this movie. i've seen it and i was amazed, one of the best movies i've ever seen
What's the best way to get it?
@@roidwizard2679 i don't know, i got a Link from a friend so i could watch it
@Spasovski Mihail just got a Link from a friend that i could watch it on
That's why I fuk with ya Mark , you speak from the Heart kid
you inspire as always Mark!
Great insight. Thanks much.
Interesting story Mark! Keep it Up!
That was a great and honest video. Thank you!
Good film glad I backed it. Still pissed that they have been fudging around our bonus content for doing so.
The documentary was ok... Kinda sad though 😔
I bought a copy, but was pretty disappointed overall. After all the hype, it didn't live up. There's not enough footage of lifting, not enough interviews with the players, and a whole lot of repeating of segements Louie's done a dozen other times in other formats.
Agreed, i wish they dove deeper into the madness and animal like aggression of that gym, but it was more about a dying relic, last of his kind. Kinda sad in a way.😔
Let’s think for a minute. The footage is from 20 years ago, not from today. Many of them have move far away, or aren’t there anymore. Also cameras 20 years ago were rare, not everyone had a phone to record. I can assure you every piece of footage from that gym back then was in the video, think before you speak. You would be real disappointed if they had put footage from today, it’s nothing like that now.
Apparently they had some major problems with the funding for the movie. I even paid into the GoFundMe or whatever it was for it and I guess some other guy made off with that money so I never got shit back.
Just found out that westside barbell is actually on the east coast
It’s on the West side of Columbus OH
such great reflections on simmons from bell. really interesting.
Great post....by the way, if I'm ever on the West Coast, do I need to inoculate myself against California Stump Jumping?🤣
FYI-Movie is available to stream on amazon Prime
Rip Louie. What a guy
Mark "Wrestling Barnies, California stump Jumpers" Bell!!! Gotta do a shirt.. LMAO 😂🤣
Louie Simmons is a fucking CRUSHER. They really don't make them like Louie nowadays.
Been trying to find it on iTunes but it’s not coming up. Just podcasts
That reverse hyper machine is fuckin rad!! I wonder if my planet fitness could get one....
Jesse!!!! I love that guy. Nice video.
Cool introspective video ! Just getting back into following the scene. What's everyone's opinion of Larry Wheels - he seems to be on a another level for 24 and raw lifting (at least from a novice ( me) perspective)
Perhaps Louie didn’t attend Matt Dimel’s funeral because he died of a heroin overdose
Why would that matter
Only suckers lose their lives to drugs, especially in the manner dimel did letting some junkie bitch shoot grams of cocaine and heroin into his arm in one syringe, that was only ending one way he lost
No one could say Simmons didn’t care short Matt either. Many can attest that Simmons tried to be there and bailed him out many times. Matt couldn’t overcome his demons
Wow! Keep inspiring!
Very classy video. Well done.
Watched it a few times now and loved documentary.
It was a great movie. It's insane how much weight those guys pushed.
I bought the movie and love it!
Great video bro
Cool video Mark
Great vid!
Hey that neck machine at 8:42, does that shiet really work??
You and Stan my 2 favorites
It's interesting how "tough guys" really are just as desperate for attention and admiration as everyone else.
You’re not a tough guy cause you take steroids and lift
@escobarrich8753 Sorry your daddy hurt you weak guy.
Where can u find this movie?
Smelly, Louie fucking loves you. Sometimes you have to send your favorite son out on his own and let him fly.
You forgot to mention Jason Blaha who is a great example how westside method works.Great video Mark.