Yesterday I made it out to Charles Staley’s Bed & Barbell in Gilbert Arizona. I got to admit, the place is pretty sweet!

I went out to get a lift in with the Saturday crew and we did some Olympic lifts and tire flipping. Besides the great equipment, the training atmosphere is awesome and intense. You have a few guys (Phil and Troy) preparing for powerlifting meets, Charles training for an Olympic lifting meet (Not just any Olympic lifting meet…The American Masters!) and Gene, a 70 year old guy who has no quit in him (Honestly, the guy should be an inspiration for all 70 year olds. The fact that he comes out there and does deadlifts is really awesome!).

For those unfamiliar with the Bed & Barbell, let me fill you in. The concept is really slick! Basically, the house operates like a resort/vacation type place. The upstairs are the living quarters where guests stay. The downstairs has some gym equipment in the living room (a squat rack, lifting platform and a concept II rower) and then there is a TV room and full kitchen.

Out back there is a pool and jacuzzi for the guests, along with a backyard where med ball work and farmers walking takes place (the back yard also overlooks are really incredible golf course). The garage is pretty much a full service gym. They have everything! A power rack, half rack, a few benches, full dumbbell set, kettle bells, various bars (Olympic bars, thick bars, the log, etc), a big tire for flipping, atlas stones, a harness for truck pulls, bumper plates and weights.

Just like any other bed and breakfast, you come out to stay for your vacation, the only kicker is that you get to workout and get trained by Charles and Phil. It is a really great way to get to hang out in a warm weather climate (Especially now since the temperature is coming down. It is great out here!), enjoy the mountains and everything Arizona has to offer, and get trained by a strength coach who has been in the game almost as long as I have been alive and has worked with athletes of all levels and general population clients alike.

It is your opportunity to get to try some things in the gym that you otherwise wouldn’t try, learn proper lifting technique, and push yourself to an entirely new level of fitness that you otherwise would have unattainable. You can stay for as long as you like (Charles told me that have people stay as short as a couple of days and as long as several weeks) and just soak up as much information as you possibly can.

If you are looking for a new type of vacation that integrates the warm weather and beautiful scenery that Arizona has to offer along with your love and interest in health and fitness, then I highly suggest you consider the Bed & Barbell. You won't be disappointed. Just make sure you book in advance!

Patrick Ward