Below Parallel initially emerged from an idea to build a training environment where the ultimate pursuit of strength and technique is paramount. Years spent watching people waste their time in commercial gyms with no direction and no knowledge led to the desire to create a space where the true fundamentals of training could be acquired and applied by everyone, without having to rely on cheap equipment, overpay an under-experienced personal trainer, or rely on ridiculous gimmick workouts.
Commercial gyms are filled with machines designed to make difficult movements easier, rather than filling them with people who can teach the difficult movements. We are a barbell club. We rely on the techniques of powerlifting and weightlifting to develop strength, power, and skill. Nobody who decides to train at Below Parallel is just left to their own devices; everyone will know what they’re doing and why.
Training is based around the acquisition of strength and is usually structured over 12 week blocks, with a quarterly testing week. Education and technical improvement are the primary focus for your first 12 weeks and remain the core of all your training. Our strength program is based around the sport of powerlifting, with testing for the squat, bench press and deadlift. Programming for olympic weightlifting and strongman is incorporated for variety and for those who want it, however the gym is equipped for almost anything you need. Additional emphasis is placed continual improvements in movement patterns and joint stability for injury prevention and improved performance.
