ACME Strength is a dedicated powerlifting gym in Severna Park. Whether you've never touched a barbell or you're prepping for your next meet, we offer structured programming, USAPL-certified coaching, and a gym culture built around technique, consistency, and real progress.
Not sure if powerlifting is for you? Come in for a free technique assessment — no obligation, no pressure. Most people are surprised how fast they improve with proper coaching.
Structured coaching for every level — from your first barbell session to meet prep for serious competitors. All programs are built around the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Never lifted before? This is where you start. Learn the squat, bench press, and deadlift with proper form from day one. Foundational technique, safety habits, and the confidence to train on your own. No prior experience required.
→ Claim Free AssessmentStructured 3-day-per-week programming for lifters who know the basics and are ready to get serious. Linear progression, systematic overload, and weekly coach check-ins to keep your form dialed in as the weight climbs.
→ Learn MoreIndividualized programming for lifters who've exhausted linear progression. Block periodization, variation work, and 1-on-1 coaching tailored to your specific numbers, competition schedule, and performance goals.
→ Learn MorePreparing for a USAPL, USPA, or NASA meet? Our meet prep coaching covers peaking blocks, attempt selection, weight management strategy, and competition-day preparation. Coach Dana has guided lifters through 100+ meets.
→ Learn MoreAccess to our full barbell platform setup during all gym hours. For members who have their own programming or who train between coached sessions. No classes, no circuits — just equipment, space, and serious training partners.
→ Learn MoreOne-on-one sessions focused entirely on movement quality. Ideal if you've been stuck on a plateau, coming back from injury, or just want a coach to diagnose what's holding your squat, bench, or deadlift back. Video review included.
→ Book a SessionWe've been coaching lifters in the Severna Park area since 2018 — beginners who've never touched a barbell, and competitive lifters who've gone on to hit PRs on the platform.
Not cardio classes. Not machines. Structured barbell programming that produces measurable, consistent strength increases over time — because that's what we're here for.
Our coaches hold current USAPL certifications and have competed and coached at meets across the region. You're getting advice from people who actually do this, not just trainers reading from a script.
Most powerlifting gyms underserve beginners. We don't. Our beginner programming is where some of our best lifters started. If you've never touched a barbell, you belong here.
We won't load a bar before your form is ready. Injuries set you back months. Good technique from the start means more weight on the bar six months from now — not time off recovering.
The people training here are focused lifters who respect quiet work. No unsolicited advice. No judgment on your numbers. Just a supportive environment where everyone's trying to get stronger.
You don't need to compete to train here. Many of our members just want to get stronger for life. But if you do want to step on the platform, we'll have you ready.
Unlike a class-based gym, we run on coached sessions and open gym hours. Coaching sessions are scheduled in advance. Open gym is available to members throughout posted hours.
Coaching sessions are by appointment. Open gym is available to active members during posted hours. Holiday hours may vary — call or email to confirm.
New member? Claim your free technique assessment and first session.
Free Technique Assessment →Coach Dana R. has been coaching powerlifters in the Severna Park and Anne Arundel County area since ACME Strength opened in 2018. A competitive powerlifter with over a decade of platform experience, Dana has coached lifters through beginner programs, intermediate periodization cycles, and full meet prep campaigns — including first-time lifters who stepped on the platform with zero competition experience.
Dana's coaching philosophy centers on one principle: technique first, always. The surest way to lift more over your lifetime is to move well from the start and build load on a solid foundation. That applies to a beginner learning their first squat and to a competitive lifter chasing a national qualifying total.
Every program at ACME Strength is built around the same core principles: structured periodization, progressive overload, and technique that holds up when the weights get heavy. Here's what that looks like at each stage.
Your training is organized into cycles — blocks of work focused on building volume, then intensity, then peak performance. This isn't random lifting. It's a plan that builds on itself week over week, month over month.
The principle is simple: add stress, adapt, recover, repeat. Your programming is designed to make that process systematic — not based on how you feel on any given day, but on a plan that moves you forward consistently.
Whether your goal is general strength, a specific total, or hitting the platform at your first meet, your program reflects that. We don't give everyone the same spreadsheet. Programming is adjusted based on your experience, schedule, and where you want to go.
Everything in our gym comes back to the three lifts. Accessory work serves the main lifts. Form video reviews are standard practice. If something in your technique is limiting your strength or increasing injury risk, we address it before adding weight to the bar.
Not sure which phase applies to you? That's what the free technique assessment is for. Come in, lift with a coach, and we'll tell you exactly where to start.
Coaching sessions, platform days, and the everyday work of getting stronger — this is the gym.
Real client photos go here. Members love documenting their PRs and platform milestones.
Your free technique assessment and first session are waiting. Come in, learn the lifts with a coach, and find out what structured strength training actually feels like. No contracts, no pressure.
New members only. One offer per person. Coaching sessions by appointment. Mon–Fri 6 AM – 9 PM • Sat 8 AM – 4 PM.