Dave Tate and Mark Bell. Two of the most well-known names in the world of strength training and education. What few people know is the history that connects Dave and Mark. Years ago, before supertraining06 had hundreds of thousands of YouTube subscribers, before "fuck you and fuck your elbow" became a famous phrase, and before "Jacked & Tan" meant something, Mark was a member of elitefts. Unknown to many, the overlapping history of Dave and Mark includes more than training at Westside and loving the sport of powerlifting.
In a recent trip to Ohio, Mark Bell visited elitefts and filmed a video with Dave, detailing the history of Westside and Dave's journey through the world of powerlifting — both during his competitive years and the years since. They talk about many things, from training goals after powerlifting, to quality time with children, to training at Westside, to leaving Westside, to methods of training, the purpose of life, the challenges of being a mentor, and more.
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More specifically, Dave and Mark talk about the experience of training at Westside and what it was like learning under Louie. They discuss in detail aspects such as being in that gym while recovering from serious injuries, how Louie introduced new lifters to the gym, and what it was like to create and manage a group of lifters after being part of the culture at Westside. During this discussion, Dave and Mark both talk about the impact Westside has had on their lives and careers in the strength training industry.
Dave and Mark also discuss their perspectives on life outside of the realm of training. Dave says that he believes that we're all put here to help other people, and likewise, Mark refers to the saying that the greatest way to have impact on the world is to go home and love your family.
And then Dave breaks out the stories. First, he tells about when Mark first came to Westside and how he temporarily became a member of elitefts known as Jackass. He then explains the origins of elitefts.com and shares the reason and motivations for starting the company. The final topic Dave and Mark discuss is the legacy Dave wants to leave and what he hopes his lasting impact will be.
By the minute:
- (0:42) Dave's training goals post-hip replacement
- (4:34) The impact of being a parent
- (6:17) What pushes Dave to reach his level of training intensity
- (8:40) The anxiety of training at Westside under Louie
- (11:10) Introducing new lifters at Westside
- (13:25) Managing a group of lifters after leaving Westside
- (18:26) The S4 Compound and elitefts lifters
- (20:54) We're all put here to help other people
- (23:35) The story of how Mark came to Westside
- (24:52) Why Dave started elitefts
- (28:31) Being a mentor and helping others find their own voice
- (32:15) Dave's endgame: what does he want his lasting impact to be?
