AN UNSOLICITED ENDORSEMENT From Dr. Ken Leistner

by Atomic Athletic on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 5:02pm

Dear Lisa and Roger,

As yet another new year begins, as I always do, I look around our facility and the garage/driveway area. Kathy and I are fortunate to be able to serve so many athletes and patients who can benefit from the services we have offered them for more than three decades. After my own fifty-three-plus years of training, which obviously marks me as "old," there are a few truths to the endeavor of becoming muscularly stronger and larger.

Like most knowledgeable individuals in the game, I agree that one's barbell is the key element in their home or commercial facility. Of course you wouldn't know it from the numerous cheap, junk bars that one sees in commercial and home gyms. Your bar has to be safe, strong, and meet the needs of one's training. Certainly there are enough known, "good" brand names that everyone can call their favorite and then be justified in defending their choice. Plates that fit are obviously a necessity with the inclusion of a squat rack or power rack. With these few items, one can go as far as their willingness to work hard on a consistent basis and genetic potential will allow. Why then, in looking at the ATOMIC ATHLETIC catalogue, do you offer so much "stuff" and why does one need any of it? A very telling statement, meant partly I suspect in jest, from Kim Wood years ago, sums it up. Kim said to me "I don't know how many reps I have left in me and I want to enjoy every one of them." At the time we were coincidentally examining the extensive collection of ATOMIC ATHLETIC custom made barbells and dumbbells he has in his amazing home facility. I agreed. The variety offered by your stones, locks, odd objects, strongman implements, and "odd ball stuff" makes training fun, adds variety, and promotes enthusiasm. 

I believe I am known for my training intensity, even at my advanced age and I both promote and adhere to the use of the basic, time-honored exercises. Yet deadlifting granite stones or one of your custom "made-of-scrap yard-junk" heavy dumbbells really adds a tremendous amount of energy to my own training and that of our novice and professional athletes. Some of the objects allow for the stimulation one might not otherwise receive due to leverage factors or the necessity to utilize a specific body position in order to properly utilize the piece. In short, having so much from ATOMIC ATHLETIC at our disposal has given our personal quest to become bigger and stronger, obviously a lifetime commitment to the task, and to provide the very best to our trainees, possible while making the journey more enjoyable.

Have a great 2012.

Dr. Ken

Dr. Ken lifting an Atomic Athletic Granite Ball. Dr. Ken was Atomic Athletic's very first customer.