James Steel
is the author of Bas’ Barbell Club: Book of Programs, Steel Reflections: Thoughts, Programs & Stories from a Life in the Iron Game, chapbook Every Fucking Day, and articles featured on StartingStrength.com, DragonDoor.com and Strengthvillain.com.
Steel has been involved with the Iron Game for over 40 years. He has been the Associate Director of Sports Performance at the University of Pennsylvania, a strength coach and football coach at Charleston Southern University (S.C.), Gardner-Webb University (N.C.) and Montgomery Community College (MD.). Steel was also the defensive coordinator and strength coach at Eau-Gallie High School in Florida.
Steel has his undergraduate degree from Gardner-Webb University and his Master's degree from Salisbury University. As a former collegiate football player, competitive powerlifter, Muay Thai fighter, and bodybuilder, Steel has a plethora of experience. He was an All-America defensive lineman and team captain at Montgomery Community College and Gardner-Webb University. He was inducted into the Montgomery College Hall of Fame in April 2011. Steel has a 600 pound USPF no belt, no wraps, no suit squat. Steel is also the American Powerlifting Association record holder in the State of New Jersey in the squat (820lbs), deadlift (740lbs) and total weight (2,065 lbs.). In December 2013, he competed in the NPC South Beach Bodybuilding competition, held in conjunction with the IFBB Master's Olympia Contest. In October 2013, Steel competed in the NPC Big Cat Classic Bodybuilding competition. In 2018, Steel won the NPC Master's (over 50) Victory Classic and in 2019, he won the Master's (over 50) East Coast Championship.
Steel founded Bas’ Barbell Club, LLC in 2010.
