Raw Strength

Raw Strength is the only true powerlifting and strongman gym in the area.

10/20/2026

Starting November 1st, we will be introducing a new paid for class, Women and Weights. This class will be a great way for women of all ages to be introduced to weights. You do not have to be a member to partake in the class.

Strength is for everyone. Yet sometimes we may not feel that we are welcome in certain spaces. I am here to tell you, you belong and weights are for you. Whether you are looking for a group class, accountability, or just wanting to learn. This is the class for you.

The class will be run by Jeremy Mutchler

Starting date: November 1st
When: Sunday
Time: 9am
Length: 1hr
Price: $20/class

For questions please DM me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

10/12/2026

New dummbells in the room. We officially go from 5-150lbs all in 5lb increments. The new dumbbells have the sweet bronco logo and are Ivanko. The grip on them is sweet. More to come!

09/25/2026

ATTENTION: I am a little behind on my posts but wanted to updated you on a few things.

Members the back of the gym will be rearranged and closed starting Friday afternoon. The entire front will be open as usual. Saturday the entire gym will be closed due to the state meet. Once the meet is over and things are back to normal the gym will be open again.

Athletes and spectators: Please park in the highschool parking lot located directly behind the gym. You will use the side door that is closest to the highschool parking lot as well. We have a shared parking lot and we do not want to overrun the parking spots for our neighbor.

Thank you for all your understanding!

08/03/2026

There's nothing better then being a part a team. There are numerous ways you can be a part of a team. Whether it is at work, you and your partner, being a part of a sports team, or anything else where you have to work together for a common goal. As great as a team is, the balance between good and bad is hard. One person on that team who is only looking out for themselves and the betterment of their goals, can destroy a team. A team that has a bunch of independent individuals with their own goals, but help each other achieve each other's goals and want everyone to succeed creates a recipe for success.

Trusting your team is no easy task. Trusting everyone is on the same page with the same goal is hard. If anyone on that breaks that trust, its almost impossible to get back.

For my young athletes out there. Find a team that will support you. A team where you aren't the biggest, strongest or fastest. A team that wants the best for you. Having those aspects of a team allows for growth. It allows for you to push yourself to be the best. It allows others to help you achieve your best. Being highly independent is a skill, but when it comes to a team sport you need to work as a team. You have to rely on each other, not just yourself.

Lastly for my young athletes. Stats last a season. Records get broken. But lessons learned from both wins and losses, last forever. They build who you are. They shape you.

With that said. Thank you for all the teams I have been and are a part of.

07/27/2026

I know many people have already said their piece, but I am late to the party. I hate that we have to continue to denounce issues that should no longer exist. But once again, we have another occurrence of racism at the top level of powerlifting. Sonita Muluh was attempting a world record squat and one of her spotters blatantly stops her from getting it all because he is a small insignificant man that admitted to everyone he is racist. How small of a human being do you have to be to blatantly not want someone to succeed at the highest level, all because of the color of their skin. There is no room for sexism, racism, homophobia or hate of any kind, not just in strength sports but in the world as a whole.

As I have grown in my adult life, I realized how sheltered I really was. I had no idea any of these things truly existed because the people I surrounded myself with were not those things. But as I have aged I have learned how prevalent these issues still are, and they shouldn't be.

In the strength world we are either lifting circles, picking up rocks, or just pushing what our bodies can do in whatever way deems fit. Strength comes in all creed, color, and sizes. Strength is not about how much weight is on a bar or how heavy a stone is. Strength is the obstacles that have been overcome to achieve those weights. Unfortunately form some, some of those obstacles are sexism, racism and homophobia. If you define yourself by how many colored circles you lift in a linear plain and are upset that someone who looks different then you can lift more colored circles, you need help and do not belong in a strength space.

As a whole we need to do better. We need to make sure people like this know that they are not welcome in a strength space, or any space for that matter.

As for Sonita and any other person who has experienced this. Keep your head up. There are people who do and will always have your back.

07/19/2026

We havw replaced the purple rack up front with a new competition bench compliments of Dan Dalenberg . This will allow athletes to now train with bands without having to be in a powe rack. We will do a small tutorial on how to use the bench and the benefits in the next few weeks. If you have questions on it please let us know. DO NOT attempt a PR on the bench without a spotter because there are no spotter arms on this bench.

07/16/2026

Just a few quick gym reminders for this weekend.

We have the privilege to host two meets from two different federations with the same amazing director PowerBelly Barbell

We will be rearranging the gym starting Friday afternoon. The front will be able to lift in on Friday. The back won't be functional unfortunately. For our powerlifters, train up front as usual. Strongman can train up front or outside depending on implements. For my Olympic lifters, you can always lift up front, but i have arranged for you to be able to lift at Crossfit AZO this weekend is you would like. If this is something you would like to do please let me know so I can let the owner know.

Spectators and athletes please park in the highschool parking lot on Saturday, due to our neighboring business. On Sunday you can park in either.

Gym will be back to regular programming after the meet on Sunday. Which means no strongman Saturday this weekend. Thank you for being flexible and understanding. Come out and support your Raw Strength athletes and local powerlifters!

06/12/2026

Just a few reminders for saturday!

Members: The gym will be open in the front but closed in the back on Saturday morning. Back to normal schedule once the comp is done.

Athletes:

Day Before Weigh-in: 6/12 6-7pm at Raw Strength (300 e centre ave, portage mi)

Day of Weigh-in: 6/13 8am

Rules Meeting: 9am

National Anthem: 10am

Competition Start: 10:15am

Please park in the highschool parking lot located directly behind the gym

No spectator fees!

06/11/2026

Keg Toss- Athlete will start with one hand on the yoke, away from the kegs. There will be a total of 6 kegs. Kegs will be in ascending order. 20lb, 20lb, 25lb, 25lb, 30lb, 35lb. The kegs will be pony size. Each keg must be tossed up and over the bar. If a keg does not go over, athlete must run to the keg and try again. Athlete will get a maximum of 3 tries per keg.

Allowed: Belt, elbow sleeves

When: June 13th
Where: Raw Strength (300 E Centre Ave, Portage MI 49002)
Time: 10am

Media: kehsports
Livestream: Tanner White
Shirts: Forward Inking
Gym: Raw Strength

06/11/2026

Natural Stone Carry- Athlete will have 30 seconds to pick the natural stone from the ground. Once the stone is picked they will have 60 seconds to carry their stone on their chest as far as possible. Shouldering the stone is not allowed. The course length will be 50ft with a turn around. Athlete will walk 50ft and touch the line with their foot before turning around and continuing. They will then turn around and walk the length of the course back. Athlete will repeat this until 60 seconds expires or they drop the stone (whichever is first).

Equipment not allowed: Any and all tacky

When: June 13th
Where: Raw Strength (300 E Centre Ave, Portage MI 49002)
Time: 10am

Media: kehsports
Livestream: Tanner White
Shirts: Forward Inking
Gym: Raw Strength

Address

300 E Centre Avenue
Portage, MI
49002

Website

https://rawstrengthkzoo.com/

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