PowerPohl Review: Making You Bigger, Faster and Harder

PowerPohl (aka Power Pole) Review: Bigger, Faster, Harder… or Just Weirder?

We spent the weekend at Jujimufu’s gym strapping a PowerPohl to our hips, sprinting (poorly), and discovering what this Chuck Vogelpohl brainchild actually does. Is it a secret weapon for strength, speed, and trunk power—or just the most gloriously awkward thing you can do in the gym? Short answer: it’s both. And we kind of love it.

What is the PowerPohl / Power Pole?

A hip-loaded lever you wear like a harness. Think “front-carry physics experiment” turned training tool: a center post you load with plates, plus multiple hook points to park a barbell for Zercher, front-rack, or back-squat variations. The farther you place the plates down the lever, the nastier the moment arm gets.

Inventor lore: Chuck Vogelpohl reportedly developed it to emulate heavy bag carries—that brutal “front carry” training effect without needing a feed store.

How it loads you (and why it feels different)

  • Variable moment arm: Sliding pins let you choose how far the plates sit from your hips. Farther = more torque = spicier reps.

  • Hips, trunk, upper back: Because the load is out front and down, you fight constant forward pitch—great for anti-flexion strength and gait mechanics.

  • Uniquely “reversed” strength curve options: Flip it for a reverse PowerPohl deadlift setup (lever behind you) and you’ll find the lockout gets easier while the initial leg drive feels awkward and heavy—a curve you can’t really mimic with bands/chains.

What we actually did with it

  • Loaded carries (the money maker): Walks feel amazing—especially with the load pinned farther out. We also held a slight hinge and marched.

  • Zercher + Good Morning combos: Barbell in the Zercher hooks, plates on the post. Awkward in the best way—trunk lights up.

  • Reverse PowerPohl pulls: Lever behind you while you deadlift—odd at first, but the lockout help is real.

  • Races (don’t do what we did): We sprinted with 3 plates because we make poor choices. You can dump plates if you tilt—ask us how we know.

Build & Options (what we handled)

  • Colors: Black, red, green, blue.

  • Price & lead time we observed:

    • MSRP around $450

    • Real-world landed cost for us: roughly $500–$550 shipped (shipping adds a bit over $100)

    • Quoted lead time ~6+ weeks

    • Sold via Lexen Iron Works

Who it’s for (and not for)

Great for:

  • Home-gym nerds who love odd-object strength

  • Strongman-ish loaded carry work without farmer handles

  • Powerlifters who want a new anti-flexion / trunk stimulus

  • Coaches chasing unique force vectors for Zercher & hinge patterns

Probably not for:

  • Minimalists with one barbell and a dream

  • Pencil necks (Boogs said it, not us)

  • Anyone expecting a tidy, quiet, pretty training tool—this thing is rowdy

Verdict

Is the PowerPohl a gimmick? No. It’s a legit hip-loaded lever that creates force angles barbells can’t. For loaded carries and anti-flexion trunk work, it’s elite—and the quirky Zercher and reverse-pull setups keep training fresh.

Is it for everyone? Also no. It’s niche, it’s weird, and that’s the charm. If you collect specialty tools and love being bigger, faster, and harder, you’ll grin every time you strap it on.

Drop a comment: Would you run one in your home gym? What’s your favorite setup? And yes, we’ll race you… slowly.

Tommy DeFeaComment