Keith Honeycutt
The GGC welcomes everyone regardless of what your home gym looks like. But personally, I take a little extra notice when someone has painstakingly assembled their gym with not only high quality equipment, but very specific equipment. Acquiring vintage plates and dumbbells, having enough equipment for a team of lifters to tackle a workout, you name it.
Today’s athlete fits that bill. Keith Honeycutt was born in Morgantown West Virginia and resides in Rochester, New York. His gym, The No Whine Cellar (definitely a double meaning there), is not only well stocked with the finest of goods, but it is absurdly functional. Keith is very particular about his equipment, what gets in and what doesn’t, even down to the look and feel of his bar brushes. So let’s check out Keith.
Keith
Keith, tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Keith Honeycutt, I’ve been married to my wife Stephanie for over 13 years, we have a cat named Gus, and I work as an Energy Efficiency Technician. I enjoy reading Fantasy and Adventure Books and watching the Cleveland Browns and West Virginia University football teams.
What does your sports/lifting background look like?
I played High School football where my team won 2 state championships in 2000 and 2004. I lifted some for football, but nothing consistent. My wife and I joined a commercial gym when we were 28 in attempt to get healthier before we turned 30.
I’ve been competing in powerlifting the last 5 years, with a coach handling my programming for the past 3 years. I’ve trained from home since 2015.
What got you into the home gym community?
A couple years into my commercial gym days I started a new job that had longer hours and some out of town work so the last thing I wanted to do was drive to the commercial gym once I finally got home for the day. So on my 30th birthday I got a basic weight set for the gym and started out with a tiny corner in my basement. I started with a small rack, 300lb weight set, and an adjustable bench. The No Whine Cellar was born!
Let’s dig into the gym… tell me everything!
My basement gym was established in 2015. It’s grown to be a 700 sq ft gym with 3 squat racks, deadlift platform and a dedicated competition Bench press. With 15+ barbells, full DB set with 3 utility bench’s and over 4,000 lbs of vintage YORK plates. I built and expanded a gym that could accommodate several lifters at the same time and regularly have a few people over 1-2 days a week and have large 10+ lifter “Lift Parties” a couple times a year.
Note – Keith’s list of equipment is expansive and too long to list everything here. Here are some additional highlights that make his gym stand out:
- Over 4,000lbs of Milled York Plates
- .5 to 100lb York Roundhead DB Set
- 15+ Barbells
- 3 pairs of Deep Dish York Plates
What is on Keith’s list? a Deadlift and Power Bar from our friends at Kabuki Strength.
Do you only train at home?
I train at some of my buddies home gyms a few times a year for some variety and to show there gym some love. I only use a public gym if I’m out of town for work and then I try my best to find a powerlifting friendly gym that does day passes.
Sunday mornings is a set in stone day that my friends know is a group training/ open gym and during the week I’m typically alone and train after work.
For me, the equipment is a huge pro for owning a home gym. My equipment and barbells are far more extensive and powerlifting specific than anything I could ever find locally.
Tell me about your experience with the GGC.
I saw it on social media, it looked fun and I was in between meets so it didn’t mess with my programing much. I do 1 or 2 powerlifting meets a year, so adding in the GGC was cool. It’s cool to be part of a home gym powerlifting community. 2 of my favorite hobbies. I’m definitely doing the fall meet (spring is when my other meet is). I’ll run a small peaking block for the Fall comp.
Last year when I competed, it lined up to be a heavy single week for training, so I just hit heavy singles and it was good.
What has been the keys to your success? What keeps you going?
Hired a coach 3 years ago and he’s great at getting me peaked for meets and good about giving me fun off season training with tons of variations that keep me interested even if we aren’t always going for PRs. I fell in love with powerlifting so I have to train regularly to have a shot at improving my numbers. Also nothing keeps the voices in my head at bay like my 2 hour training sessions.
What do you think of when you eye down a big lift?
“Let’s Go Mother F#CKER!” Also ”don’t poop or hurt yourself”
What is your favorite PR song?
Uncle Lucius: Keep the Wolf’s Away
Awolnation: Sail
Slipknot: Custer
Let’s wrap up… What is the most important thing people should know about you?
I love my wife, my cat, my gym, and having a full crew of like minded powerlifters join me in #TheNoWhineCellar.
Thanks Keith
Make sure you check out Keith’s training and gym:
Instagram: Keithhoneycutt73
Gyms Instagram: TheNoWhineCellar
https://www.openpowerlifting.org/u/keithhoneycutt
