Palmetto Pump House

Palmetto Pump House is a powerlifting and strength training gym built for people who load a bar heavily. The floor has competition squat racks, deadlift platforms, calibrated plates and Olympic lifting platforms, and chalk is allowed. The gym has hosted the South Carolina State Championships and a Powerlifting United showdown, and it draws competitive lifters, physique athletes and serious recreational lifters alike.

Members can train 24/7, 365 days a year, which suits shift workers and anyone who trains outside normal hours. Military members, first responders and students have their own membership options, and couples can join together. Standard membership is $85 a month month to month or $75 a month on a three-month term. Day passes and one- and two-week passes suit travelers who need a real barbell. Staffed hours run most evenings and weekends, and the gym is on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston.