IRON COMPANY: All Things Fitness

Ironcompany.com is a Woman-Owned Small Business that strives to provide fitness and workout equipment to anyone wishing to workout and stay in shape using quality, affordable products.

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NEW ARTICLE by Coach Marty Gallagher: Understanding the greatness of Ed "King" Coan. Ed "King" Coan is, in my not-so-humble opinion, the greatest strength athlete of the 20th Century. Who could rival him? In powerlifting only 16-time world champion Lamar Gant (688 deadlift at 132 pounds) could be mentioned in the same breath as Coan. In Olympic weightlifting the 20th century contenders would be John Davis, Paul Anderson, Tommy Kono, David Rigert and Vasily Alekseev. I would respectfully point out that none of these men, despite their awe-inspiring accomplishments, were ever as far ahead of their competitors as Ed Coan was ahead of his at one remarkable point in time. READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-greatness-of-ed-coan.aspx

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NEW ARTICLE by Coach Marty Gallagher: How to dramatically improve your Bench Press. The bench press is without doubt the single most popular progressive resistance exercise. Only the biceps curl, and all its variants, could come close to rivalling the bench press in popularity. Why is the bench press so popular? There are many contributing factors but likely the biggest single reason for benching popularity is that bench presses are comfortable. You lie down on a padded weight bench and raise and lower the arms. Now compare this to the horrific squat where you have a barbell draped around your neck as you fight for balance or the equally horrific deadlift where you pull your guts out. Read the entire article here http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-how-to-improve-your-bench-press.aspx

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Don’t neglect those calves! www.ironcompany.com 

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Rubber Hex Dumbbells $0.99 at Ironcompany.com | Pinned Heads, Virgin Rubber, Beefy 34mm Handles and 2-Year Warranty. http://www.ironcompany.com/rubber-hex-dumbbell-sets.aspx

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NEW ARTICLE by Coach Marty Gallagher: The House Of Pain (Part 1). Eventually we got too strong and outgrew Hugh Cassidy's cramped basement gym. It made it easier to leave when we had someplace to go. We'd had a long a fruitful run at Hugh's Yoda-like cottage in the woods and now Mark Chaillet's House of Pain beckoned. I say "we" because there were four or five elite lifters training together at Hughs: myself, Marshall Peck and Joe Ferry (always,) Dan Pinkston was with us off and on for years, plus a revolving cast of strength characters; they came to Cassidy's to train and glean some wisdom from the grand maestro. Read the article here http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-house-of-pain-mark-chaillet.aspx

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NEW ARTICLE by Coach Marty Gallagher - Performance Nutrition: Nutrition is a minefield of explosive opinions and opposing theories. Our approach puts the science back into nutrition. We take the subjective out of dieting and relate to you a collective consensus, the nutritional modes and methods used by professional athletes, elite spec ops, MMA fighters and competitive bodybuilders to accelerate workout recovery and accelerate muscle growth. We use nutrition (in conjunction with intense exercise) to favorably manipulate body composition. Read on.... http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-nutrition-performance-nutrition.aspx

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NEW ARTICLE by Marty Gallagher – Flame Out! In 1972 the IWF bans the Olympic overhead press causing many athletes to exit Olympic lifting forever. Find out why the IWF banned the overhead barbell press in this RAW throwback through the eyes of Marty Gallagher. http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-flame-out.aspx

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NEW ARTICLE by Marty Gallagher - Nuts & Bolts Part 3 - Cardio Conditioning. Conditioning is critical. Conditioning done right improves and increases stamina, endurance, vitality and favorably alters body composition. We need train our “internal plumbing” with the same regularity and intensity we use to train our external musculature. The heart and lungs are muscles as surely as the biceps and thighs. Targeted training of these internal muscles strengthens them and improves their functionality while increasing organ capacities and capabilities. Read the entire article here http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-cardio-training-cardiovascular-conditioning.aspx

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NEW ARTICLE by Coach Marty Gallagher - Nature abhors a strength vacuum: The death of Olympic weightlifting gives rise to Powerlifting. On my third day training at Loprinzi’s, the guys were atwitter when I walked in: Ken was going to squat; the barbell was loaded to 385 when the massive Patera, 6-foot, a rock-hard 300 pounds, strolled out of the locker room, wordlessly adjusted his horn-rim glasses, stepped under the squat bar, un-racked the weight, stepped backwards, set up and prepared to squat – he then proceeded to press the 385-pound weight behind his neck overhead for three reps. Our minds were blown. Read the entire article here http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-death-of-olympic-weightlifting.aspx

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Rites of Passage by Marty Gallagher. Entering into high school, I had the good fortune to cross paths with a new teacher. I was an incoming sophomore and star football player and the new teacher, Roy Patmalnee, was starting a "weightlifting club." Roy was a counterculture hipster and walked with a swagger; he wasn't much of a lifting coach, but as a promoter, travel expeditor and go-between with the adult world, he was invaluable. Roy was the hip, supportive, cool uncle and we were his badass team of competitive lifters. He entered us in Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting intermural competitions and we effortlessly crushed other high schools. Read on http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-rites-of-passage.aspx 

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Nuts & Bolts Part 1 - Ultra-basics: Goal Setting by Marty Gallagher. Why do we go to the time, trouble, effort and expense to exercise and diet? I would suggest that the core rationale, the singular unifying motivation that explains all of our collective efforts is transformation, a dramatic, radical physical transformation. The goal is to modify the human body. We seek to reconfigure our physique. We seek to improve upon our current physical self. As Albert Camus once noted, "Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is." We refuse to be what we are, physically, and seek out means and methods that enable us to transform ourselves, from caterpillar into butterfly, using exercise and diet. This transformation of the body is something quite heroic and profound. Keep reading http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-transformative-disciplines.aspx

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NEW PRODUCT - Hampton HOP-DBU dumbbells are a weatherproof dumbbell designed for outdoor fitness training. Each urethane dumbbell is fully encapsulated in high tensile strength polyurethane, including the ergonomic steel handle, making for a dumbbell that is totally impervious to moisture and resistant to corrosion. Check them out here http://www.ironcompany.com/outdoor-urethane-dura-bell-hex-dumbbells.aspx

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NEW ARTICLE by Marty Gallagher - Nuts & Bolts Part 2 | Ultra-basics: Goal Setting – The five bio-motor classifications: identify, define and improve. Strength, speed, endurance, flexibility and coordination. http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-bio-motor-classifications.aspx

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THROWBACK THURSDAY - The invention of the kettlebell! Kettlebells were developed in Russia in the 1700s, primarily for weighing crops. It is said that these farmers became stronger and found them useful for showing off their strength during festivals. The Soviet army used them as part of their physical training and conditioning programs in the 20th century. They had been used for competition and sports throughout Russia and Europe since the 1940s. Check out more info on kettlebells here http://www.ironcompany.com/kettlebells.aspx 

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RAW is here now! RAW features a growing compilation of over 55 years of musings on training and life by one of the Iron game's most respected and enigmatic figures, Marty Gallagher. Learn and utilize the same transformational techniques and tactics used to create world champion powerlifters including Ed Coan and Kirk Karwoski as well as prepare Tier 1 spec ops fighters for battle. Get a glimpse into powerlifting and bodybuilding history through the eyes of Marty Gallagher dating back to his first Olympic weightlifting competition in 1962 and journeying forward to present day. Check back weekly for the latest RAW info! http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw.aspx

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NEW ARTICLE - Rites of Passage – Barbells, Beers and Bagapour. A look at Gallagher’s beginnings from age 12 to setting national records as a high school senior. Check it out here http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-rites-of-passage.aspx 

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SQUAT ARTICLE by Coach Marty Gallagher - Learn the perfect squat set-up, grip and grip width, step under, breaking the barbell from the rack, step back and adjustment steps, stance, proper breathing, rep speed and much more. Check it out here http://www.ironcompany.com/marty-gallagher-raw-resistance-training-king-squat.aspx