Why Strength: The Essence of the Barbell

Strength is a core component of Ironside’s mission. We pride ourselves on being a strength gym with a highly successful Powerlifting team, along with Olympic Weightlifting and Strongman modalities. 

But why is strength valued so highly?

In the “fitness” industry, there are countless paths one can embark on. “Functional” training, bodybuilding, running, pilates, kettlebells, etc. Yet, barbell training is what we prioritize. You've heard about the physical benefits of strength training: improved mobility, bone health, reduced risk of injury and disease, better health markers, etc. Lifting is not only a fun hobby, but it's also a healthy habit.

But what sets strength apart from other modalities is its psychological aspect. Strength changes lives. I’ve seen it happen before, time and time again, in myself and countless other people. The weights you lift in the gym affect every aspect of life. It translates far beyond the barbell and plates. And that’s an experience that everyone can benefit from.

Strength is empowering and confidence-building.

The barbell is one of the greatest tools of self-empowerment. Self-confidence is a hot topic. On social media, you'll constantly hear things like, "Just love yourself," "You´re perfect the way you are," "Be confident, just believe in yourself."

While these messages are positive, they aren't all that helpful. Confidence is built through action. It's difficult to believe in yourself if you don't have a reason to. You need evidence of it. The barbell is a tool to channel that confidence. In the gym, you are pushing past barriers & limiting beliefs in a controlled environment. You’re doing things you never thought possible. You’re proving your strength to yourself. 

Working towards that goal, reaching it, embracing the journey, lifting a weight you’ve failed before - it makes you feel powerful. Strength shows you just what you are capable of. It represents the idea of working toward something, pursuing it relentlessly until you achieve it. Strength takes hard work to build. But that lets you see what you can achieve when you put your mind to it.

Strength is an impactful feeling that stays with you wherever you go. When you have doubts about yourself, your capabilities, and prove them wrong? That increases your self-belief, confirming that you are capable of greatness.

These qualities gained in the gym apply outside of it, too. You stop living your life for other people. You go for that new job opportunity, pursue things that matter to you, speak up for yourself, embrace the unknown - because you’ve gained a greater belief in yourself. Lifting allows you to uncover your full potential, to see what you can become.

The barbell is a metaphor for life. When you show yourself that you’re stronger than you know, you feel more confident in your abilities, your identity, and yourself as an individual. You feel secure in who you are. 

Strength doesn’t care what you look like.

A unique quality to barbell training, compared to most aspects of the “fitness industry,” is that your physique is not the focus. Pursuing aesthetics is not inherently “wrong” or “bad”. However, there’s something to be said for setting goals that have nothing to do with a certain look or body fat percentage. 

Many people are unaware that this type of training exists. It’s a common belief that you go to the gym to “make up for” food you’ve consumed, to fit into a smaller dress size, to get bigger arms. 

Strength goes farther than that. Strength is not a look. Strength is not a body. Strength is a feeling and a mentality. 

Rather than focusing on how little you can be, on shrinking yourself and changing who you naturally are, on never living up to this arbitrary ideal, you celebrate your body for what it can achieve. You celebrate yourself for the growth it takes to get there. You commit to becoming a better version of yourself - no matter what you look like externally. 

The process is more enjoyable. Solely pursuing aesthetic goals can exacerbate disordered eating patterns, body image issues, and more. 

Strength can help remedy those issues. Shifting your mindset from “I want to be the smallest version of myself” to “I want to be the strongest version of myself” changes the way you view your body, your training, and your life. 

Pursuing your leanest self will never truly be fulfilling. Almost all of us have been there. It's not satisfying or gratifying. You never feel “enough.” You feel like shit at an ultra-low body fat percentage. But when you can pick up 200, 300, 400 lbs off the ground? You feel badass. You begin to accept and respect your body. You begin to focus less and less on your insecurities, what you’re self-conscious about, and more on improving who you are.

Lifting shouldn't be about taking up less space and fixating solely on how you look. It should be about embracing your accomplishments and doing things you never thought possible. Stop focusing on reducing the number on the scale, and start focusing on increasing the number on the bar. Less "running it off" and more "picking it up."

Training for strength can improve your mental well-being.

Because of the psychology involved in barbell training, it has a profound effect on your overall mentality. Training isn’t a replacement for therapy (we need those brain gains in multiple ways!). But, it can be therapeutic. 

The process of gaining strength allows you to focus solely on yourself, being in the moment, getting better as an individual. Lifting brings structure, discipline, and presence to a life that can be stressful and unpredictable at times. It’s a form of self-care and self-improvement that allows us to pour more into life outside the gym.

Iron keeps us grounded in both the highs and lows, the waves and the pitfalls. When other aspects of life are chaotic, we find comfort in the barbell. When life is unsteady, erratic, the iron provides stability. When we feel weak or powerless, training reminds us that we’re strong and powerful. Training gives us something to focus on when we feel incapable in other areas.

The barbell is a vessel for self-care: you can always rely on it, feeling safe and grounded. And training provides something to look forward to; spending time with friends, having fun, all in the pursuit of self-improvement. Seeing yourself get better over time is a rewarding feeling that ALL individuals can benefit from.

Strength is a modality that anyone and everyone can build.

Strength is an athletic variable you can significantly control. You don’t need to be a genetic anomaly or have an extensive sports background to be a strong human. There are no limitations to who can participate. 

All that it takes is hard work, dedication, solid programming, a support system, proper nutrition & recovery, and patience. Those habits aren’t always easy, but they are within your control. 

People of many backgrounds and life experiences can all unite under the goal of getting stronger. It's inclusive, and there are no barriers to entry. Strength is not restricted to drugged-up heavyweight men, gym bros, or professional athletes. No matter who you are or where you come from, you are capable of greatness. The barbell has a way of connecting individuals with many differences together in a common goal. 

All people should lift weights. Anyone can benefit from it. And everyone deserves that experience.

At Ironside, we emphasize the message that strength is for everyone. It doesn’t have a barrier to entry: no minimum age, body type, or gender. It just takes you and some iron, and incredible things will happen. 

Strength builds work ethic and tenacity.

The barbell pushes your limits like no other. Iron never lies, and great results are only built through honest work. You cannot force your body to do something it's not ready for. And that’s a very impactful aspect of the process.

Throughout the strength journey, there are countless ups and downs. Days when the weights feel heavy for no reason. When you feel as if you aren't making progress. When you fail weights you've easily hit in the past. These are the times in which your resilience is tested. Only through breaking those barriers, testing those limits, does your character strengthen.

As humans, we initially want to fight the unknown, the discomfort, the struggle. But the best things in life come from getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, from jumping into the deep end. Expect setbacks and expect failure. It will come. What you can control is how you respond to it. Will you keep going? Or, will you let it stop you?

It takes weeks, months, and years of hard work to progress in this sport. Training requires discipline, restraint, humility, experimentation, and a willingness to learn. It takes striving for self-improvement, trusting the process, quieting the ego when it awakens. The barbell forces you to step into uncharted territory, to embrace discomfort and invite challenges. These aspects are difficult beyond words at times. Feelings of discouragement and frustration are experienced along the way.

But it's all in the pursuit of improvement. Hard work eventually pays off, even if it's not in the timeframe one could've hoped. Yet, that's what makes it special: the process, the journey, that's what the number represents. The element of doubt you go through just makes those victories even sweeter.

You are capable of so much when you work for it, embrace the struggle, and get uncomfortable in the pursuit of something beautiful. Powerlifting is about discipline. And Ironside is about becoming your best self.

Strength builds community and lifelong relationships.

Community and culture are among the main values at Ironside. It's not just about knowledge or results - although those are core elements. Building relationships is equally as significant.

That sense of camaraderie changes the game. After all, this journey is more fun with friends, right?

Work hard, push your limits, stay disciplined. But also remember to have a good time. Everyone is working toward the same goal. We're all on the journey of bettering ourselves and embracing growth. Finding like-minded people only pushes us further. We learn from and support one another. It’s contagious energy.

Strength plays a significant role in that. Because the transformation process of getting stronger is so unique, the friendships are that much more special. You have a greater connection with those around you. Strength unites you with people you never otherwise would’ve met. And those relationships become life-changing ones, inside and outside of the gym. 

The ups and downs, the laughter and the tears, everyone can resonate with. You don’t have to imagine how a fellow teammate is feeling - you’ve experienced it yourself. When non-lifters don’t understand what the process entails, you have a sense of camaraderie with those who do. The only thing thicker than blood are the bonds we choose. Within Ironside, you’ll find your tribe. Ironside bridges the gap between “gym” and “family.”

At Ironside, focusing on strength and the essence of the barbell are core principles. Our goal is to extend that to the world, helping more people experience the power of strength. Ironside is about embracing a life grounded in iron - it’s how we forge our best selves.

Strength is for everyone. And we’re on a mission to spread that message to anyone who will listen.