Mississippi Barbell

The Source for Weightlifting in Mississippi

210 Industrial Cove Ridgeland, MS, 39157 United States

(601)297-2098

Mississippi Barbell, formerly known as Mississippi Weightlifting Club, is a strength sport nonprofit for the state. It was the first USA Weightlifting sanctioned Club in the Mississippi and remains the largest.

Our organization trains and promotes Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting. We serve as a resource for anyone looking to compete at the local, national, or international level and for anyone who wants to improve their lifts for sports performance. Mississippi Barbell is open to all levels of athletes from any walk of life, at any age, who want to become better athletes and have fun along the way. We want to sharpen ourselves and all interested Mississippi athletes competitively. In order to be the best, you have to train with the best. And that is exactly what Mississippi Barbell aims to be.

All content is property of Mississippi Barbell.

Coaches

Here at Mississippi Barbell we pride ourselves in increasing our knowledge base and sharing that knowledge with our members and the community.

Tyler Smith, OTR/L

  • Head Coach

  • President, Co-Founder

  • Club Programmer

  • B.S. Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology from Mississippi State University

  • Licensed Occupational Therapist

    • Master's of Occupational Therapy from the University of Mississippi Medical Center

  • USAW

    • Level 3 Advanced Sports Performance Coach (first male coach in the state with this distinction)

    • Athlete Development Camp Coach (only male in the state with this distinction)

  • 9 years functional fitness coaching

  • Shadowed The Lab Gym owned by Justin Thacker

  • Coached and qualified national lifters (American Open, Youth, Junior, University, Master and Senior Nationals)

  • Clients include

    • Team USA Skeleton Team Member

    • 2 South Central CrossFit Regionalists

    • State champion weightlifter

    • Session A weightlifters in National Competitions

  • Athletic Accomplishments

    • National USAW athlete

    • First place and best lifter awards (USAW)

    • Former competitive skateboarder

    • Tony Hawk Scholarship recipient

    • CrossFit Sectionals

 Source

 Source

Adam Surkin

Adam has a background in athletics. After high school, he went on to compete and coach club-level rugby for ten years. Adam has been involved with weightlifting and functional fitness since 2015.

USAW

  • Level 2 Weightlifting Coach

Adam's main goal, through coaching, is to influence and empower people to change their lives in a positive way. He wants to help people realize their potential while encouraging them to push even further, and celebrate their accomplishments.

Adam has been a member of the Mississippi Air National Guard for over 20 years.

Dr. Shelli Poe

Shelli is passionate about the importance of weightlifting, especially for women to build strong bones, develop a healthy relationship with food, and stay strong throughout life. She provides one-on-one coaching, dyad coaching (train with a friend), small group instruction, weightlifting technique development, and strength and conditioning programming. She works with clients in-person and remotely, and develops training programs in accordance with the specific goals, limitations, and lifestyles of her clients.

  • USAW

    • Level 1 Weightlifting Coach

  • Training with MS Barbell since 2013.

  • Education

    • M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary

    • Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in Religious Studies

Shelli lives with her blended family of five in Brandon, MS. She has a toddler and two teenagers and an elderly miniature dachshund. She enjoys motorcycling, kayaking, and generally spending time outdoors.

Assistant Coaches

All assistant coaches have competed in USAW sanctioned events, shadowed under our Head Coaches, and are competent, qualified and current USAW certified coaches.

Only those listed here are affiliated in a coaching capacity with our organization.

Coach Sheppard (left) and Smith (right) with coaching mentor Danny Camargo (center) at a national event in 2014

Coach Sheppard (left) and Smith (right) with coaching mentor Danny Camargo (center) at a national event in 2014

Amber "Amber Jr" Gaspard

Caleb "Cub" Gressett (intern)

Patrick Burgess (intern)