Author: Tom Grace, M.S.-EXSci

First and foremost, Tom Grace is a fitness educator and enthusiast. It started in 1975 when he was part of Project Total Conditioning as a cadet at West Point. He later returned to West Point as an instructor in the Department of Physical Education. Upon retirement from the military, he became an entrepreneur with the goal of offering the most innovative and highest quality strength equipment with Black Iron Strength®. In addition, he also operated a successful personal training facility for 10 years.

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Black Iron Strength® Knocks Out Gym Germs with Antimicrobial Copper

Black Iron Strength® Adjustable Dumbbells are the only commercial grade dumbbells!
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Black Iron Strength® Adjustable Dumbbells are the only commercial grade dumbbells!Copper is making its debut in a highly necessary place, your gym and health club! Black Iron Strength® knew the hot spot meter for germs was high on the touch points at the gym and they are using Antimicrobial Copper CuLEAN® on their weight products to go to combat. These areas where you grip are a breeding ground for nasty bacteria, including Norovirus and microbes like MRSA. Read on to see how Antimicrobial Copper in your gym can lead to a healthier YOU.

The Nitty Gritty Grip

How many Americans are going to the gym each day? The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that 58,000,000 Americans utilize a gym 2 or more times per week in one of the 30,500 gyms or health clubs in the US. Imagine how many hands (washed and unwashed) are gripping the same weight-lifting equipment each day across the nation. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases breaks down the rate of incidence of the common cold in adults to 62,000,000 per year, 5,166,666 per month, 1,192,307 per week, 169,863 per day, 7,077 per hour, 117 per minute, 1 per second. 1 adult per second will come down with a cold. 1 each second. The gym is one of the main places where adults spend time. Members walk in with their germs, trek animal/human feces on their tennis shoes, and then walk from feee weights, to machines, to the court. Along comes “Joe” who starts his pre-workout stretch routine on ‘said floor’, finishes, then leaps up and grabs a dumbbell. Hello stomach flu! Yes, health club and gym doors open to many every day; add warmth and sweat, and there you have the ideal breeding ground for germs.

Now that we have thoroughly grossed you out, let’s talk about how CuLEAN® antimicrobial copper can sweep the nation and improve these disgusting statistics.

Keeping it C(u)LEAN® with Copper

Copper use can be traced to ancient Egyptian times where it was used in applications because of its inherent, antimicrobial properties. Copper is the first solid surface material to receive EPA registration through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, proving copper’s efficacy against infectious bacteria. CuVerro®, the nation’s leading manufacturer of copper applications, has joined forces with Black Iron Strength’s patented Antimicrobial Copper CuLEAN® touch point application to reduce germ transfer on major pieces of gym equipment with high use touch points.

With the recent outbreaks of untreatable infections including MRSA, which are often traced back to the work out facility, Black Iron Strength® took the ancient technology of copper and applied it to free weight equipment handles. With this patented technology, Black Iron Strength® is the only equipment manufacturer to offer free weight equipment with antimicrobial copper touch points. Given that bacteria can survive on surfaces for months, Black Iron Strength® prefers to use Antimicrobial Copper CuLEAN® on their products and equipment. It is simply the best material for all surfaces as bacteria cannot thrive or survive on it. CuVerro® shares “CuVerro copper alloys are bactericidal – they kill more than 99.9% of bacteria that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs) within two hours of contact. CuVerro® is a type of antimicrobial copper, but the term bactericidal is a more accurate description since CuVerro® antimicrobial copper alloys kill bacteria, and do not just inhibit bacterial growth. CuVerro® bactericidal copper surfaces not only kill bacteria, but they are registered with the EPA to make public health claims.” You can find out more about their products and the EPA testing on their website by clicking CuVerro

The POWER of Black Iron Strength CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper Gripping Surfaces by CuVerro®

  • PROVEN to kill 99.9% of bacteria in two hours or less.
  • ONLY EPA registered solid surface grips on free weight equipment.
  • WORKS continuously between cleanings–24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
  • ECONOMICAL and durable. Lasts lifetime of equipment. Easily maintained.
  • RECYCLABLE, environmentally responsible, green product.

Lou Quint Jr. Takes Wyoming Athletic Clubs to the Next Level with Antimicrobial Copper Equipment

Lou Quint Jr., the founder and President of Health Club Management, Inc. understands the importance of implementing copper for the health and safety of his members. As the managing general partner of Wyoming Athletic Clubs (WAC), it was crucial to him that when members came to work on their health, that they left healthy. Since forming Health Club Management, Inc. Mr. Quint has been involved with projects ranging from Casino/ Hotel, Sports Clubs, Multi-Unit Club Companies, Residential Developers, Spa Operators, Developers and Business Expansions. Under Mr. Quint’s direction, Health Club Management, Inc. has provided services that produce measurable results nationwide. Mr. Quint is a dynamic, educated, experienced and well-respected figure in the leisure/ fitness industry; he is known for his research based approach and being one step ahead in his early adoption of innovative products, game-changers, if you will. Lou Quint Jr. spent a great deal of time researching products in an effort to offer members free-weight products with germ-free touch points. Learn more about Health Club Management

CuLEAN® by Black Iron Strength® and Lou Quint, Jr. Join Forces

Wyoming Athletic Clubs are the first full service, high-end health clubs in the US to purchase the CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper Handles from Black Iron Strength. In their clubs you will find the Poles Apart® Wedge 40s, the Poles Apart® Barbell System, a Kettlebell Set, an Attachment Management System and a set of Triple Threat® Dumbbells. All of the handles are the CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper Handles by CuVerro®.

Being in the industry for more than 30 years, Mr. Quint understands the importance of creating a clean and healthy environment. The health and wellness of his members and staff will result in more days spent working muscle groups, and less time being treated by primary care doctors.

“In this day and age, you can’t afford not to use Antimicrobial Copper. ” Pia Norup, MD

Want to learn more about what they offer at WAC, click this link Wyoming Athletic Clubs

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Activate Complete Bio-Motor Abilities with Kettlebell Training

Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells shown in small rack system.
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Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells shown in small rack system.

In last month’s blogs, we covered the crucial history and reemergence of the kettlebell. We also introduced Tom Grace, President of Black Iron Strength®, and developer of the Modern American Kettlebell. This month, we will will dive into the reasons why the 100% premium solid steel kettlebells are exactly what you want to add to your company fitness center, home gym, or if you are a professional trainer, you will want to highlight these kettlebells in your fitness portfolio.

Black Iron Strength® kettlebells are manufactured in the USA, making their kettlebells the highest quality available in the worldwide market. A distinguishing feature of the manufacturing process of Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells is the use of proprietary technology using a 25-ton press-through, making Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells virtually indestructible.

Black Iron Strength® kettlebells are an amazing tool to lose weight, gain strength and improve your fitness, simultaneously. They are the training method of choice for many power athletes, including wrestlers and martial artists. Kettlebell training activates a majority of our Bio-motor Abilities. That being the physiological compulsions that enable our bodies to complete a task. Our Bio-motor Abilities are: strength, endurance, speed, coordination, flexibility, agility and balance. Traditional or typical exercises don’t activate many of these abilities where kettlebells do. Matt Marchant, of Marchant Training Method, has researched and compiled identities of human Bio-motor Abilities. It is easy to see how Black Iron Strength® kettlebells, with their unique design, positions your body for stronger muscle gains versus a traditional bell.

The Bio-Motor Abilities:

1. Strength

  • May be defined as: The ability to perform a task irrespective of time. You are strong if you can complete the task, the time it takes to do so is not a factor.
  • Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells are a revolutionary design to take kettlebell training to a whole new level. The traditional kettlebell has a standard ball design, which places pinpoint pressure on the foreman. Black Iron Strength® kettlebells are ergonomically designed with a flat edge, which takes away the pressure point on the forearm.

2. Power

  • May be defined as: The ability to perform a task respective of time. Power is strength with time factored in – how quickly you can perform the same task.
  • Not only does the rotating handle of the Black Iron Strength® kettlebell protect the user from injury, but the rotation of the handle takes kettlebell training to a new dimension. The rotating handle allows the user to move faster in training, as well as provides the user with a greater range of motion. The power output when training with the rotating handle is significantly higher that when training with a traditional kettlebell.

3. Endurance

  • May be defined as: The ability to perform a task respective of the duration required to complete the entire task. Endurance may incorporate strength and power over an extended period of time.
  • In addition to the flat edge, the Black Iron Strength® kettlebell has a rotating handle that allows the user to perform the Olympic lifts with the kettlebell finishing on the front side of the forearm or the back of the forearm.

4. Speed

  • May be defined as: The ability to increase or decrease the rate of velocity at which a task is performed or completed.
  • Black Iron Strength® rotating handle allows you to work faster, time is saved when performing many kettlebell moves since this addition allows the kettlebell to move more fluidly around your body.

5. Coordination

  • May be defined as: The ability to transition between a series of smaller tasks involved in a larger task. Coordination of muscle contractions are dependent upon 1) recruitment (activation and deactivation) of individual motor units 2) rate coding (change in the firing of motor units) and 3) synchronization of motor units (involving more or less synchronization).
  • The rotating handles protects the hands from callouses and the wrist from undue force vectors, as well as diminishes the impact of the force of the kettlebell landing on the user’s forearm. This design is so revolutionary that Black Iron Strength® has been awarded three (3) US Patents on their kettlebells.

6. Flexibility

  • May be defined as: The ability to move a muscle, connective tissue, and a joint within its full physiologically determined range of motion.
  • Black Iron Strength® engineers have developed a knurling pattern, which is the perfect depth for the user. The pattern is not too shallow where the user can lose their grip, which can often happen with sweaty hands. If the knurling pattern is too deep, it can cut into the user’s hand leaving blood on the handle. This knurling pattern has become the industry favorite.

7. Agility

  • May be defined as: The ability to combine coordination, acceleration and deceleration in the performance of a task or series of tasks.
  • The sleek profile of Black Iron Strength® kettlebells is at the cutting edge of functional exercise movements – they activate full body movements through coordinated physical effort, mental concentration and dynamic intensity. Kettlebells are ideal because they blend strength, power, cardiovascular fitness, dynamic core stability, mobility, flexibility, and balance into a ‘condensed’ training.

8. Balance

  • May be defined as: The ability to control the proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular mechanisms of the body in relationship to space, while performing a task. (proprioceptive = muscles, visual = eyesight, vestibular = equilibrium/inner ear fluid).
  • Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells are ergonomically designed to include beveled bell and head angle for improved comfort, safety and use. This design promotes balance from the kettlebell through the balls of the feet to maximize carry-over to ground base movement, improve speed, power, and agility on the ground.

Bio-motor Codependence: All eight abilities work in conjunction with each other at various times throughout a game/competition or within the same movement. This leads to various combinations such as: strength-speed and speed-strength.

Black Iron Strength® in Action
We have added a video of Rachel Button who is the owner and personal trainer at Button Up Fit, showing the awesome design and functionality of Black Iron Strength kettlebells. Melissa Miles, along with her trainer Rachel, demonstrate the ease of use that Black Iron Strength kettlebells provide. Melissa Miles played women’s basketball at West Point (USMA). She was in the second entering class of women who entered West Point. Melissa purchased Black Iron Strength® kettlebells for her home because she values the craftsmanship as well as the functionality of the product. If you would like to know more about opportunities to train with Rachel, click here! Rachel Button Personal Trainer

Rachel Button - Owner Button Up Fit

Are you ready to activate your Bio-motor abilities with kettlebell training?

Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells are available from 10 lb. to 75 lb. From 10 lbs. to 25 lb., the increments are in 2.5 lb. From 25 lb. to 75 lb., the increments are 5 lb. There are two handle choices available: Standard 1 ½ inch Handle and the CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper 1 3/8 inch Handle. Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells can be purchased as a single, pairs, or set.

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Kettlebells: Old-School Power, New-Age Technique = World Class Strength

Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells with rotating handles give you old school power with new age strength.
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Thick Bar Training

Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells with rotating handles give you old school power with new age strength.Bringing Instruction to the World

Michael Skogg is a world-renowned kettlebell coach, educator and author. He is a leader in the fitness industry and an inspiration to all who have trained and learned from him. Michael is also a contributing writer for STACK Media/Magazine, the number one training resource both online and print, designed specifically for the development of the young athlete.

Michael Skogg was introduced to kettlebells by a Highland Games competitor over twenty years ago while stationed in Scotland with the U.S. Military. He was frustrated with his training program, which often left him injured and sore.

His long history working with kettlebells, understanding of how the body works, and the unique workouts and classes he has created make him a standout in kettlebell training. The SKOGG Kettlebell Method is the kettlebell program that Michael developed. The SKOGG Kettlebell System, which is a five DVD set designed to teach proper form and technique to anyone who is learning kettlebell training. It combines conditioning, strength training and power development in a clean, easy to follow package. This includes the use of kettlebells, body weight and other functional training equipment. This Method is used every day at the SKOGG Kettlebell Gym and on Virtual SKOGG by thousands of members around the world. This DVD System has introduced kettlebell workouts to enthusiasts in 38 countries.

Today, Michael Skogg enthusiastically shares the benefits of his SKOGG kettlebell workouts at the SKOGG Kettlebell Gym in Portland, Oregon. As the recognized kettlebell expert for the NCAA Division I strength and conditioning coaches, Michael was the key-note speaker at the 2012 National Conference for the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA). In addition, Michael Skogg awarded 23 Division 1 college strength coaches the SKOGG Kettlebell Strength Coach Certification after completion of Michael Skogg’s program.

To learn more about the Skogg Kettlebell Method or to purchase the Skogg Training System, click here: Skogg

No One Competes with Black Iron Strength®

Black Iron Strength® currently has more active US Patents in force than the rest of the free weight industry combined. Upon its inception, Black Iron Strength® launched a series of new products to help strength professionals obtain an edge in training. The goal of Black Iron Strength® was to provide the world’s best free weight products, which would be manufactured in the United States with the highest grade materials and detailed craftsmanship. There would be no compromise on design and innovation.

Today, Black Iron Strength® continues to produce the best products in every free weight category and stands behind all products produced with a solid warranty. No other company in the world can claim that they manufacture higher quality Thick Bars, Solid Steel Dumbbells, Solid Steel Kettlebells, Solid Steel Barbells, and Attachments than Black Iron Strength®.

To check out Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells and to purchase direct, click here:

Black Iron Strength® Kettlebells

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Thick Bar Success: Get bigger and stronger with the top brand that’s killing it!

Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Bars with Patented Revolving Sleeves are the ideal choice for the serious lifter!
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Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Bar are known as the premier Fat Bar.
Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Training Bars are the highest quality available on the market. The patented rotating sleeves are a standout feature and only available on Black Iron Strength® Thick Bars. Get bigger and stronger and elevate your thick bar training with Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Training Bars. Automatic training When utilizing thick bars, you are training your grip the entire time, freeing you up from doing additional grip exercises. Exceptional results are noted around the world in champion bodybuilders, athletes, UFC fighters, Military, NFL, CrossFit and Special Forces soldiers. Weightlifting is a true exam of human ballistic limits (explosive strength); lifts are executed faster, with more mobility and a greater range of motion during their execution than other strength movements. Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Training Bars are the highest quality available on the market. The patented rotating sleeves are a standout feature and only available on Black Iron Strength® Training Bars. Read on to learn more about the unparalleled benefits of the thick bar, also known as fat bar, and how rotating sleeves are a must-have addition to your workout arsenal. Using a thicker diameter bar will allow greater muscle activation in the arms. This increased muscle activation creates significant muscle size and strength gains. Thick bars make your hands, fingers and forearms so much stronger that your body can stop waiting for your grip to catch up! You know this will unlock the strength and muscle gains in your upper arms, back and chest. Thick bar training automatically trains your hands, fingers and forearms at all angles. If you are bench pressing, the thick bar will train your hands and forearms in a completely different way than if you are doing chin ups with a thick pull-up bar. Thick bars are more to handle so you need to concentrate harder. Many have said that this forced concentration alone has made them significantly stronger. Thick bars evenly distribute weight over the entire palm of your hand (picture yourself bench pressing with a thick bar vs a standard skinny bar, get the difference?). Many trainers will tell you that having a fat bar makes training safer and less likely to cause injury. They also make the forearms extensors (the muscles on the top of the forearm) and forearm flexors (the muscles on the bottom) work more evenly which can help avoids imbalances, weaknesses and injury. Aside from serious issues, it also allows for more reps and you won’t feel the fatigue in the supporting muscle groups. Are you training for over-all strength, your perfect physique or straight up raw power? Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Training Bars will help you get bigger and stronger using the science of thick bar training. The Power of Rotating Sleeves One of the key features of the Black Iron Strength@ Thick Olympic Training Bar is the patented rotating sleeves, which places our Thick Olympic Training Bar in a class by itself since it is the only thick bar on the market that has been issued a US Utility Patent. Watching Olympic and other weightlifting competitions, you will notice the importance of Rotating Sleeves. The sleeve rotation is important for lifts, particularly the snatch and clean movements, because it drastically reduces the rotational inertia of the plates. Weightlifting is between a man or woman and their weights, moving together allows for more uniformity in movement, lessening the opportunity for injury. Without sleeve rotation, the lifter faces more challenging lifts and a greater risk of injury. The rotating sleeves protect the user’s wrists, elbows, and shoulders of undue stress, which reduces the chance of injury. This feature makes it the most superior bar available on the market. The Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Training Bar with Rotating Sleeves is the perfect choice to take your strength gains to a new level. Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Training Bars are available in two lengths: 6 ½ and 7 feet. The 6 ½ feet bar was designed to keep the weight of the bar as close to 45 lbs. as possible. Even with the decrease in length of the 6 ½ ft. Olympic Training Bar, it is important to note that the length of inside collar to inside collar is the same as the standard length of any Olympic Bar. Therefore, all Black Iron Strength® Olympic Training Bars fit on any piece of free weight equipment to even turn your power racks and benches into thick grip work horses! Another distinguishing feature of our Thick Olympic Training Bar is the precision knurling pattern on all of the bars. This aspect allows for a positive grip, which promotes optimal strength gains. Like all of our products, Black Iron Strength® Thick Olympic Training Bar are manufactured to the tightest specification with the highest quality materials. The finish on all of the bars is military hard chrome, which prevents corrosion.
  • Finish is military ‘spec’ hard chrome finish for corrosion resistance
  • Bar diameter and bar weight engraved on the end of each bar
  • Fits all free weight benches and power racks
  • Precision knurling pattern on all bars to promote positive gripping
  • Only Thick Bar available with US Utility Patent because of rotating sleeves
  • Custom Bar Holder also available – vertically designed to save space
  • Quality Manufactured in the USA

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Setting Fitness Goals For The New Year

Setting Fitness Goals for the New Year
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Setting Fitness Goals for the New YearThe holidays are upon us, and if you’re like most of us, you’re more than likely indulging in peppermint mochas and holiday treats while promising yourself that you will work hard to get in shape in 2017. While we all try to start off the New Year with a promise for better health and fitness, let’s be honest here, it is difficult to stick with our resolutions. Over 90% of New Year’s resolutions are broken by the end of January! Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail? The most common reasons that our resolutions fail is that they were either too extreme or too vague, making our resolutions difficult to achieve.   The most common New Year’s resolutions are centered around fitness goals. Have you considered setting fitness goals for the New Year? Here are some ways that may help you to stick with your fitness goals in 2017:
  1. Set smaller, more attainable goals for yourself as you start out and gradually increase to larger goals over time.   It can be tough to get yourself back into the gym. The results are worth it, but the struggle can be very real. Find a way to get active and do something to increase your heart rate daily. Often short walks are a great way to get started. Over the first couple of weeks, you will notice that exercising will get easier and easier. As it gets easier, your confidence and drive will increase. If you incorporate weight training, consider CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper Weights by Black Iron Strength® to combat the winter illnesses. Black Iron Strength® manufactures the only weightlifting equipment with Antimicrobial Copper Handles. Copper handles have been proven to kill more than 99.9% of bacteria or other germs.
  2. Be very specific with what your goals are and write them down! Keeping your list of New Year’s resolutions somewhere visible will also help keep you motivated. Consider placing a list of your goals in a prominent spot, maybe on the mirror in your main bathroom. There’s nothing like waking up in the morning, and seeing your list of goals ready for your review as you brush your teeth and get ready for the day. This is a great way to remind yourself of your goals and keep you focused.
  3. Set a deadline, a realistic one, for each resolution and schedule them on your calendar as another daily reminder. In order to achieve any goal, there are steps. You can’t go right from the starting line to the finish line, right? There are many points of challenge in between. We recommend starting off with some simple, achievable, goals. As you hit them, this will give you confidence and will help you hit the next one, and the one after that, and so on. Keep your goals simple, but make them impactful so you will not only see that you accomplished your goal, you will also feel the difference.
  4. Pace yourself. Don’t just jump in the deep end without warming up or learning how to swim first. You’re more than likely to burn yourself out if you start doing daily doubles at the beginning of your new routines. Remember that this is a process. Everything takes time, a whole lot of patience, and strong will. We know you have goals of extreme fitness, but it has to start somewhere. Make sure you are not over working your body. Some of the factors to consider are age, gender, weight, etc. Make sure you are working out enough to challenge yourself, but not so much that you cannot move for your next workout.
  5. Have fun with it! You’re more than likely to continue doing something you enjoy. If you can keep everything in mind, and build the intensity of your routine at a steady rate, your strength and endurance will grow, and soon it will not be so hard as it will be enjoyable to get your workout done!
  6. Don’t quit! It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to achieve your goal. You only fail the second you decide to throw in the towel. Consistency is key to literally EVERYTHING. There are always going to be those days where we struggle to get out of bed in the morning, or where we do not want to do our workout. Will we feel better after we do it? Of course! Is motivation still a real struggle? Yes, it is. The times when you make the biggest gains are the days you did not want to work out in the first place. If you are having trouble turning off the snooze button during the long cold winter months, watch this video.
Don’t repeat the past and allow your fitness resolutions in 2017 to fall by wayside. Whether you work out at the gym, home, or office, having the right equipment can mean all the difference. If you know someone (yourself included) who could use more muscle in 2017, consider Black Iron Strength® free weight products. With 15 patents on our equipment, we’re sure you will enjoy the experience, and get a better workout on our equipment. Be intentional when setting your goals and make it a great year! Cheers to hitting your goals in 2017!

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Looking to Beat the Winter Blues!

Learn how to beat the Winter Blues with exercise.
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Learn how to beat the Winter Blues with exercise.Looking to beat the ‘Winter Blues’! With the dark and cold winter months upon us, we can expect seasonal depression, also known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), to be an issue. With less sunshine during the winter months, we often give our system a boost with vitamin D rich foods or supplements, which can help. The biggest thing we can do, however, is kick those ‘winter blues’ and add a daily dose of exercise to include cardio and strength. Maintaining an existing exercise and training regime will also help curb those ‘oh so sweet cravings’, which will ultimately help maintain your current weight and boost your confidence this time of year. Depression is less likely to strike people who continue to train and exercise during winter months. They are too busy slaying away and working on their summer bodies. Here are some other tips to stay on top of your game and beat the ‘winter blues’.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

The winter can be a tough time to stay consistent with your routine. With darkness setting in early every day and the mornings getting more and more frigid, it can be tempting to hit that snooze button, roll over, and stay cozy in your blankets. In addition the holidays are a time of gathering with family, friends and co-workers, which leads us to partake in additional calories. It is also a difficult time to stay motivated with our fitness goals and to keep our regular workout routine. Although it can be difficult, sticking with your routine when the weather is cold and you are distracted by the holidays, maintaining your fitness routine sets you up for massive gains when the weather improves and it’s easier to stay motivated. At Black Iron Strength®, we have our own ways of getting out of bed in the morning when it’s 18 degrees outside, snowing, and pitch black. When you alarm goes off before dawn, and you consider rolling over, instead, hit this link and get moving!

DON’T HIBERNATE, INCREASE STRENGTH

Using strength training during the cold winter months will help get your metabolism at the top of it’s game, so you are not as anxious about the extra calories you will consume at holiday gatherings. It is very important to not cut back on weight training, as you will feel more tired and fatigue more quickly, thus increasing the chance you will succumb to the temptation to eating and sleeping more.

MAINTAIN GOOD CARDIO

Cardio helps our bodies in many ways, and none more important during the winter months because endorphins are released when we do cardio. These endorphins will help keep you pumped up and remain positive as the rain and snow hit the ground. Cardio will also help keep those unwanted pounds off so you can run your way into 2017 with a positive attitude and a few less pounds.

GET A FRIEND INVOLVED WITH YOU

If there was ever a time of the year to recruit a friend into your fitness routine, then winter is it. How many times in your life have you decided, “Next year I am going to work out and I am going to stick to it this time!” How many times have you heard a friend or family member tell you this at a Christmas party between sips of eggnog and bites of a cookie? Use this as an opportunity to set a workout date with that person. The accountability of having someone else depending on you to show up will help ensure you don’t slack on your routine during the tough time of the year. Too cold to go to the gym? No problem! At Black Iron Strength®, we customize our weights and training equipment to for home gyms. Black Iron Strength® is the premier choice of equipment for home gyms. Our equipment can be found in the homes of many athletes because we offer the only commercial grade adjustable dumbbells and barbells. We also offer customized racks with our conventional dumbbells and barbells so we can fit to your space requirements. We also highly recommend checking out our CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper Equipment as an extra precaution to keep those germs far away and out of your home during the cold winter months.

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Five Things to Consider Before Purchasing Free Weight Equipment

Black Iron Strength® Custom Dumbbells with Antimicrobial Copper given the user 24/7 protection from germs.
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Black Iron Strength® Custom Dumbbells with Antimicrobial Copper given the user 24/7 protection from germs.Outfitting a workout area with free weight equipment is a challenging undertaking. There are many factors to consider when choosing equipment. Whether the equipment is for personal use at home, a fitness facility for employees, a public gym, or an athletic performance center for a sports team, there are important factors, which are relevant to each of these locations. In this article, we will examine the top five factors that everyone, who is outfitting a workout area, needs to consider when purchasing free weight equipment.

SPACE

When equipping your facility, the amount of space that you have to work with is one of the major limiting factors, and will likely impact every other decision. Surely, just as there are many ways to ‘bake a cake’, there are many exercises and movements to achieve similar results. Some exercises require more space and the strength machines used can be bulky and provides only a singular movement, which accounts for too high of a percent of the total space used. In lieu of a strength machine, one may consider free weight dumbbells. If they are set up in a vertical storage configuration as part of a system, one can get many different weights and exercise options in a single rack. Black Iron Strength® features space saving dumbbell and barbell systems, check it out here. These systems are the only commercial grade adjustable dumbbells and barbells available on the market.

PURPOSE

The next factor to consider is the purpose of the facility. Different free weight equipment is appropriate for different types of people at different fitness levels. If the purpose of the gym is for your personal fitness, then choosing free weight equipment to fit in your space may be a bit easier, especially if you are familiar with exercise routines already. If the fitness facility is for a work place, where there are likely to be a mix of people in terms of fitness levels, it may be advisable to choose pieces of free weight equipment that are more flexible and offer a wider range of exercise options. If the facility is for an athletic team, like a professional hockey team, the free weight equipment choices can be tailored to a group of high performing athletes.

COST

With anything that we invest in, cost is a consideration. With free weight equipment, just like any other purchase, you get what you pay for. Although we mostly think about cost in terms of dollars spent, there are other costs to consider when selecting free weight equipment for a fitness facility. If the facility is in a public setting, let’s say in a workplace, one cost consideration could be the employee’s health. In reality, the reason why an employer might want to invest in a workplace fitness facility at the office would be to create a healthier group of employees, which would cut down on health care costs and employee absenteeism. When outfitting the workout facility, the goal is to create a healthy environment. Most of the time we start to workout more indoors when the weather gets colder and rainier outside. As we come indoors, we bring germs with us. These germs adhere to everything we touch, including the fitness equipment. Therefore, one of the considerations with a work place facility is to make sure the equipment is clean and germs are not spreading from employee to employee. To prevent the spread of germs and keep your employees healthy, you should check out Black Iron Strength®’s line of CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper dumbbells and other CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper products by CuVerro®. Click here to see them.

QUALITY

Quality and durability of the free weight equipment is an important consideration for any purchase regardless of location. Even when outfitting a workout area at home, it is best to buy quality equipment that serves multiple movements and exercises. The high-end commercial grade fitness equipment is always the safest and requires the least amount of maintenance, which significantly increases the life of the equipment. When equipping the workout area, start with the basic dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells to build the area. These free weight items are always the basic foundation of any strength area.

AUDIENCE/End User

Finally, the audience is an important consideration when selecting free weight equipment. Some of these considerations are age, gender, and fitness level. When outfitting a public facility, the equipment choices would need to encompass a wider range of users with varying abilities based on age and fitness level. When choosing free weight equipment for an athletic performance center, the buyer should select free weight equipment that offers high-end workout options for athletes, who are accustomed to rigorous workout regime. Overall, understanding who will be using the equipment will determine what is purchased. If you are considering a free weight equipment purchase for an existing workout facility, outfitting a new weight room, or planning a workout facility in the future, you should seek the advice of a trusted fitness equipment professional. Take a few moments to consider the five factors when making a free weight equipment purchase and then jot down some notes along with questions. Call or email a fitness equipment professional and seek their advice to outfit the workout area with the goal of meeting the fitness needs of the end user or users. If you are would like help in planning your ideal fitness project, let Black Iron Strength® help! Click here to get in touch

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Fitness Centers Turn to Antimicrobial Copper Touch Surfaces

Fitness Centers choose Black Iron Strength® Antimicrobial Copper Dumbbells, giving users protection from germs 24/7.
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Fitness Centers choose Black Iron Strength® Antimicrobial Copper Dumbbells, giving users protection from germs 24/7.By Adam Estelle, Project Engineer for the Copper Development Association

Fitness Centers are turning to Antimicrobial Copper touches surfaces to protect athletes 24/7. Superbugs can be career enders for athletes, whether they’re on a little league team or a professional team. Simple daily actions such as opening doors and lockers, flushing toilets and turning on faucets expose athletes to surfaces that can harbor bacteria for weeks or even months. To combat these often antibiotic-resistant bacteria, fitness centers have begun installing antimicrobial copper touch surfaces by Black Iron Strength® on strength equipment due to its scientifically proven ability to kill greater than 99.9 percent of bacteria within two hours of contact.

The Los Angeles King’s sports center, the Gilmour Academy Ice Arena and Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Paul W. Ahrens Fitness Center have installed copper and copper alloys in highly-trafficked areas, including exercise equipment handles, push and pull plates and doorknobs, as a simple and cost-effective way to protect athletes. Unlike other materials, products made from antimicrobial copper materials continuously kill bacteria transferred by touch in between regular cleanings, even after repeated contaminations.

With more than 350,000 students and community users passing through the Gilmour Academy Ice Arena, located just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, every year, copper push and pull plates, cabinet hardware and door handles in its locker rooms and restrooms was an easy solution to reduce bacteria on high touch surfaces.

“Installing copper hardware has given us the ability to add another layer of protection to our facility without purchasing completely new products or increasing our staff maintenance time,” said John Malloy, hockey director for Gilmour Academy. “Our goal is to not only to protect our athletes, but also their parents, friends and anyone else who comes in contact with our facilities.”

Woman doing dumbbell curls with Black Iron Strength® Antimicrobial Copper Dumbbell

In addition to copper hardware (switch plates and door and faucet handles), the Grinnell Regional Medical Center in Grinnell, Iowa installed copper free weights (dumbbells, barbells, kettle bells and pull down bar attachments), in its Paul W. Ahrens Fitness Center, located just a few blocks away from the hospital.

“Our desire is for the fitness center to be the safest it can be for patients, staff and members of the community. They certainly shouldn’t expect to leave with an infection that they didn’t come with,” said Todd Linden, president and CEO of Grinnell Regional Medical Center. “That’s why I feel great about the fact that we have a 24/7 bacteria killing machine in our fitness center. Even when we go home at the end of the day, it’s still doing its job.”

A range of manufacturers worked closely in the development and installation of products throughout the facilities, including free weights by Black Iron Strength, switch and outlet plates by Eaton, cabinet hardware by Colonial Bronze and grab bars and faucet handles by Rocky Mountain Hardware.

Copper products have also made their way to the national level. The 2012 and 2014 champions of the National Hockey League, purchased copper dumbbells and machine attachments for its newly renovated Toyota Sports Center, located in El Segundo, California.

“Our objective was to further minimize the exposure of bacteria in our training spaces and having dumbbells with antimicrobial copper handles made huge sense in upgrading our equipment,” says Matt Price, Los Angeles Kings head strength and conditioning coach. “The net reduction of the spread of bacteria is our goal as we look to minimize athlete’s time lost unnecessarily to illness.”

For more information about antimicrobial copper, visit www.antimicrobialcopper.com

 

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