Louie Simmons
4090703
198188421
2008-03-14T13:42:29Z
204.179.122.109
/* Powerlifting career */
'''Louie Simmons''' is a [[powerlifting|powerlifter]], and [[strength training]] writer and trainer.
Simmons began training in [[weightlifting|Olympic lifting]] at age 12. He was first exposed to powerlifting in [[1966]], at a meet in [[Dayton, Ohio]]. Shortly after that meet, Louie went into the [[United States Army|Army]]. After basic training, he was in the [[infantry]] but instead of [[Vietnam]], he was sent to [[Berlin]]. He got out of the Army in [[1969]].
==Powerlifting career==
Simmons entered his first national meet, the Junior Nationals, in [[Paterson, New Jersey]] in [[1971]], where he placed third. In [[1972]], he made the top ten in the ''Powerlifting News''. Lou made his first Elite total in February [[1973]] when there was no gear used. His lifts were [[squat (exercise)|squat]] - 605, [[bench press]] – 380, and [[deadlift]] – 670, for a total of 1655.
Simmons is one of only six lifters to total Elite in five weight classes within various lifting organizations. He is also the only lifter over the age of 50 to [[squat (exercise)|squat]] as much as 920 pounds and total over 2100 pounds.
During his competitive career, Simmons has experienced a variety of injuries. He has broken his fifth [[vertebra]] twice, snapped his left [[patella]] [[tendon]] in half, and detached his right [[bicep]] from the bone.
He has a daughter, Meleny and granddaughter, Savanna.
==Training==
Simmons has worked with twenty-five World and National Champion powerlifters, twenty-seven lifters who have totaled over 2000 pounds, and a World Record holder in the 400-meter dash ([[Butch Reynolds]]). He is a strength consultant for the [[Cleveland Browns]], [[Green Bay Packers]], [[New England Patriots]], [[Seattle Seahawks]] and numerous [[college football]] teams. Simmons is the owner and trainer of [[Westside Barbell]], located in [[Columbus, Ohio]].
==Writing and instructional activities==
Simmons has been a contributing writer for the monthly publication ''[[Powerlifting USA]]''. He has also written instructional articles, given seminars across the country, and made training videos.
==Equipment patents==
Louie invented the "reverse hyper" after breaking his fifth lumbar vertebra. The device was [[United States patent law|patented]] in [[1993]] (patent numbers 5,356,359[http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=6&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PTXT&S1=5356359&OS=5356359&RS=5356359] and 6,491,607[http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=3&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PTXT&S1=5356359&OS=5356359&RS=5356359])
and he now holds patents for three different variations. He has also patented the "plyo swing", the "tread sled", and the "belt squat machine".
[[Category:American inventors|Simmons, Louie]]
[[Category:Living people|Simmons, Louie]]
[[Category:Powerlifters|Simmons, Louie]]
[[Category:Strength training writers|Simmons, Louie]]