On March 24th, 2022, sad news broke that one of the all-time greats in the sport of powerlifting, Louie Simmons has, passed away at the age of 74. Simmons is considered the Godfather of powerlifting and is an icon that transformed the way people train for strength. Simmons was known for his unmatched work ethic and unparalleled knowledge that he imparted at his legendary gym Westside Barbell.
Louie Simmons Died At 74 Years Old
At 74 years old, the legend Louie Simmons passed away from some health issues at his home on March 24th, 2022. Simmons had been battling some kidney issues and other health problems recently. Simmons decided to check himself out of the hospital against the doctor’s recommendations but at this time we don't know the exact cause of death.
WHO IS LOUIE SIMMONS?
Louie Simmons is an American powerlifter and one of the greatest strength coaches of all time. Simmons is the proprietor of Westside Barbell, an elite invite-only powerlifting gym based in Columbus, Ohio.
Simmons was a true trailblazer in all things strength and created training ideologies such as the Conjugate Method that helped normalize using resistance bands and chains during workout sessions.
Simmons was an innovator in the space and is credited with inventing several strength training devices such as the reverse hyper and the belt squat machine.
Another admirable trait Simmons possessed is his no BS. He openly spoke about using PEDs didn’t care about people’s judgment.
Simmons approached everything related to strength with a die-hard attitude. He lived for powerlifting and coached some of the legends in the sport, including Chuck Vogelphul, Jim Wendler, and Dave Tate.
Besides coaching, Simmons also left his mark on the sport of powerlifting during his competitive days, which lasted nearly 35 years from 1979-to 2012, where he had Elite totals in five different weight classes.
Simmons put up some massively impressive lifts all after the age of 50, including:
- 920lb squat
- 722lb deadlift
- 600lb bench press
If you want to learn more about Louie Simmons and his mecca, Westside Barbell Gym, we suggest you watch Westside vs. The World. This documentary released in 2019 highlights some of Simmons’ contributions to strength training and shows you what his mythical gym is all about.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Louie Simmons’ death is a blow to the fitness world. SET FOR SET sends its condolences to the Simmons family and friends. This man was indeed one of a kind; he helped the world or strength sports progress singlehandedly more than most could ever imagine. Rest in peace to the king of the gym, Louie Simmons.
Kiel DiGiovanni
Author