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I just went back and re-read this entry and realized its quite long. But after all that effort, I’m not about to pare it down. If you don’t want to read it then don’t. However, you will be missing out. By all means skip over my babbling and just read the article…I’ll make it clear when it starts…and think about it. Don’t just read it, think about it. Think about your life before you started here at SPARK (and if you were already lifting things - not using machines but actually lifting heavy things) think about your life before that and compare then to now.Â
This essay can, will and should apply to each and every one of you. Its not touchy feely but it puts things into words I am not able to do. What do you say when someone asks you why you come here? I’ll bet most of you don’t have an answer for them. After this, you might.
Someone showed me this essay a few years ago. It had nothing to do with anything in my life at the time, it was just one of those “hey check this out, its a pretty cool read” type moments…kind of like right now for you guys.
It just so happened that I was given this when I was really coming into my own as a young adult trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. I had learned a lot in school - most of it garbage - and would continue to “learn” more for another semester. I always questioned my profs (I know, shocker) and some of them loved it - some on the other hand did not. But one thing that is the same about me today as it was back then is that I really didn’t give a rats behind. I am opinionated, I like certain things done a certain way - as the other coaches in the gym can attest to. I’m not an a-hole, in fact I’m pretty laid back but in my mind CERTAIN THINGS MUST BE DONE A CERTAIN WAY.
I realize this may take time and I’m willing to put in the effort, but at the end of the day I am not satisfied until its done correctly (notice I didn’t say MY way…I said correctly). Thats why I bag on you guys so much about form. For me “lifting” should be done a certain way. And on that point I will not waiver. Yes there are different ways of doing a clean which are not necessarily my way but that doesn’t make them wrong, its just a different way and as long as they are done in an actual proper manner I’m cool with it. A reverse curled fish out of water flail fest is not correct…you will hear about it.
There are 2 reasons why I decided to share this with you today. One is because I’ve been thinking about the gym a lot lately and all the things I would like for it. How to make it better, how to make you guys better. I’ve looked back on where we came from, where we are now and where I would like to see it. Albeit a small thing, one of the things I have always wanted to put on the wall is a single sentence, “The Iron Never Lies” but I didn’t want to have to explain it every other day. It was more for me than anything else but after reading the essay again today I thought I would put it up for everyone.
The second reason is this: ever since we started to fill in the whiteboards over the chairs with people’s PRs no one seems to be minding the heavy lifting days. I used to hear a few groans every time we did some heavy work but it has gone away. People seem to be excited for the BIG lifts now and I love it. Without strength whats the point? I am ecstatic that everyone now realizes and accepts this.
I won’t say which day and I won’t say which movement but one of your fellow athletes hit a lift that was amazing. By big picture standards it didn’t break any records or anything but for this individual it was huge…a massive PR. I have to tell you that it meant the world to this person…may as well have been a gold medal.Â
One of the quieter folks here they didn’t cheer, didn’t scream, didn’t jump up and down but they did get welled up a bit. I went to ask if they were ok thinking they might have hurt themself. I got an arm around me with a “thanks for helping me get here” and then they took off to the bathroom to clean up. I won’t lie I got choked up. Its always nice to be reminded that all of the coaches here are helping to change your lives and please remember that as we see you grow and progress you change ours.
Anyway, this was written by Henry Rollins. Probably one of the most opinionated a-holes on the planet. I don’t always agree with what he says but I respect that he says what he feels and believes.Â
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“THE IRON NEVER LIES” - Henry Rollins
I believe that the definition of definition is reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself. Completely.
When I was young I had no sense of myself. All I was, was a product of all the fear and humiliation I suffered. Fear of my parents. The humiliation of teachers calling me “garbage can” and telling me I’d be mowing lawns for a living. And the very real terror of my fellow students. I was threatened and beaten up for the color of my skin and my size. I was skinny and clumsy, and when others would tease me I didn’t run home crying, wondering why. I knew all too well. I was there to be antagonized. In sports I was laughed at. A spaz. I was pretty good at boxing but only because the rage that filled my every waking moment made me wild and unpredictable. I fought with some strange fury. The other boys thought I was crazy.
I hated myself all the time. As stupid at it seems now, I wanted to talk like them, dress like them, carry myself with the ease of knowing that I wasn’t going to get pounded in the hallway between classes.
Years passed and I learned to keep it all inside. I only talked to a few boys in my grade. Other losers. Some of them are to this day the greatest people I have ever known. Hang out with a guy who has had his head flushed down a toilet a few times, treat him with respect, and you’ll find a faithful friend forever. But even with friends, school sucked. Teachers gave me hard time. I didn’t think much of them either.
Then came Mr. Pepperman, my adviser. He was a powerfully built Vietnam veteran, and he was scary. No one ever talked out of turn in his class. Once one kid did and Mr. P. lifted him off the ground and pinned him to the blackboard.
Mr. P. could see that I was in bad shape, and one Friday in October he asked me if I had ever worked out with weights. I told him no. He told me that I was going to take some of the money that I had saved and buy a hundred-pound set of weights at Sears. As I left his office, I started to think of things I would say to him on Monday when he asked about the weights that I was not going to buy. Still, it made me feel special. My father never really got that close to caring. On Saturday I bought the weights, but I couldn’t even drag them to my mom’s car. An attendant laughed at me as he put them on a dolly.
Monday came and I was called into Mr. P.’s office after school. He said that he was going to show me how to work out. He was going to put me on a program and start hitting me in the solar plexus in the hallway when I wasn’t looking. When I could take the punch we would know that we were getting somewhere. At no time was I to look at myself in the mirror or tell anyone at school what I was doing.
In the gym he showed me ten basic exercises. I paid more attention than I ever did in any of my classes. I didn’t want to blow it. I went home that night and started right in. Weeks passed, and every once in a while Mr. P. would give me a shot and drop me in the hallway, sending my books flying. The other students didn’t know what to think. More weeks passed, and I was steadily adding new weights to the bar. I could sense the power inside my body growing. I could feel it.
Right before Christmas break I was walking to class, and from out of nowhere Mr. Pepperman appeared and gave me a shot in the chest. I laughed and kept going. He said I could look at myself now. I got home and ran to the bathroom and pulled off my shirt. I saw a body, not just the shell that housed my stomach and my heart. My biceps bulged. My chest had definition. I felt strong. It was the first time I can remember having a sense of myself. I had done something and no one could ever take it away. You couldn’t say shit to me.
It took me years to fully appreciate the value of the lessons I have learned from the Iron. I used to think that it was my adversary, that I was trying to lift that which does not want to be lifted. I was wrong. When the Iron doesn’t want to come off the mat, it’s the kindest thing it can do for you. If it flew up and went through the ceiling, it wouldn’t teach you anything. That’s the way the Iron talks to you. It tells you that the material you work with is that which you will come to resemble. That which you work against will always work against you.
It wasn’t until my late twenties that I learned that by working out I had given myself a great gift. I learned that nothing good comes without work and a ceratin amount of pain. When I finish a set that leaves me shaking, I know more about myself. When something gets bad, I know it can’t be as bad as that workout.
I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness. But when dealing with the Iron, one must be careful to interpret the pain correctly. Most injuries involving the Iron come from ego. I once spent a few weeks lifting weight that my body wasn’t ready for and spent a few months not picking up anything heavier than a fork. Try to lift what you’re not prepared to and the Iron will teach you a little lesson in restraint and self-control.
I have never met a truly strong person who didn’t have self-respect. I think a lot of inwardly and outwardly directed contempt passes itself off as self-respect: the idea of raising yourself by stepping on someone’s shoulders instead of doing it yourself. When I see guys working out for cosmetic reasons, I see vanity exposing them in the worst way, as cartoon characters, billboards for imbalance and insecurity. Strength reveals itself through character. It is the difference between bouncers who get off strong-arming people and Mr. Pepperman.
Muscle mass does not always equal strength. Strength is kindness and sensitivity. Strength is understanding that your power is both physical and emotional. That it comes from the body and the mind. And the heart.
Yukio Mishima said that he could not entertain the idea of romance if he was not strong. Romance is such a strong and overwhelming passion, a weakened body cannot sustain it for long. I have some of my most romantic thoughts when I am with the Iron. Once I was in love with a woman. I thought about her the most when the pain from a workout was racing through my body. Everything in me wanted her. So much so that sex was only a fraction of my total desire. It was the single most intense love I have ever felt, but she lived far away and I didn’t see her very often. Working out was a healthy way of dealing with the loneliness. To this day, when I work out I usually listen to ballads.
I prefer to work out alone. It enables me to concentrate on the lessons that the Iron has for me. Learning about what you’re made of is always time well spent, and I have found no better teacher. The Iron had taught me how to live.
Life is capable of driving you out of your mind. The way it all comes down these days, it’s some kind of miracle if you’re not insane. People have become separated from their bodies. They are no longer whole. I see them move from their offices to their cars and on to their suburban homes. They stress out constantly, they lose sleep, they eat badly. And they behave badly. Their egos run wild; they become motivated by that which will eventually give them a massive stroke. They need the Iron mind.
Through the years, I have combined meditation, action, and the Iron into a single strength. I believe that when the body is strong, the mind thinks strong thoughts. Time spent away from the Iron makes my mind degenerate. I wallow in a thick depression. My body shuts down my mind. The Iron is the best antidepressant I have ever found. There is no better way to fight weakness than with strength. Once the mind and body have been awakened to their true potential, it’s impossible to turn back.
The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you’re a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds. -
Post thoughts / stories / triumphs / defeats to “Comments”
Workout of the Day:
- 21 Burpees With Double Push Up
- 42 DB Snatch 35lbs / 20lbs (21 per arm)
- 15 Burpees With Double Push Up
- 30 DB Snatch 35lbs / 20lbs (15 per arm)
- 9 Burpees With Double Push Up
- 18 DB Snatch 35lbs / 20lbs (9 per arm)
Post Results to “comments”
October 9th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
WOW!!!! I have read this 3 times now….it is so powerful and soooo true. I am going to put this on my mirror so i can reread it from time to time just to remind me of all that is important and has value in my life!!
I do know that when i do not work out my day is never complete. I always feel like i am missing something. I am always mentally stronger after a work out and way more productive in my workplace and at home!!
What do i say when people ask me why i go to crossfit???
I begin by saying IT IS AMAZING!! I tell them how it has changed me physically. I have always worked out and i truly know the mental benefits i achieve from a great work out, but there is nothing like crossfit!!! I work 50 - 60 hours a week and juggle a career with family and try to maintain somewhat of a social life..lol!!!! They feel my passion in every word i say as i talk not only about how great each and every workout makes you feel, but the support and friendships that are made are unbelievable and i feel that that is one of the most amazing attributes of SPARK. Big or small, strong or weak we all have very similar goals, and no matter what your level of fitness is WE as a group are an amazing team….
So congrats to every one at Spark…that is something to be soooo Proud of and an accomplishment not easily achieved!!!
C
October 10th, 2009 at 2:37 am
What a cool article. I love underdog stories.
I think I can relate to it a bit. Growing up I was always the smallest kid in my class and I suppose I just learned to accept that. Although I was always athletic I was never the strongest or fastest I just got by as I was. I used the usual excuses to keep myself out of the gym like “not enough time” or “too much money” or just plain old too lazy.
It wasn’t until I graduated and wanted to continue playing football that I looked into gyms. I got my first gym membership in November, 2005 and haven’t looked back. Exercise gave me self confidence, a stress release, and a way of achieving my goals. Basically no one could get between me and any given goal, except myself, and I still feel that way today both in and outside of the gym.
3 1/2 years later I was looking for some new ways to push my self even harder and thats when I stubbled across Spark.
I’m thankful everyday that I called Kim instead of another gym. Not just because of the evil WOD’s that he thinks up to kick our asses on a daily basis, but because of the community that is such a big part of Spark. For me, the gym has become more than just a place to blow off steam and reach personal goals. It is a place where we can see others overcome hardships, learn new things, and surprise themselves with thier own abilities. It’s could be a new PR, or completing a WOD rx’d for the first time, or the satisfaction of knowing you spent every ounce of energy in that hour of training. I absolutely love every second of it!
October 11th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Just over 2 years ago a friend of mine (who knew Kim)told me about her friend that was opening a gym. She asked a group of us to start going with her - no commitment, no pressure, just be his first ‘group’ session. Well, here I am 2 years later, I think the only one still coming consistently. At the time I had been a non-smoker for about a year, had been injured playing hockey and was thus in probably the worst shape of my life. When I came to Spark I couldn’t do a push up or even really extend my arms over my head. Well, my push ups are still on my knees, I’m finally adding iron to my overhead squats but I improve, it seems every time I dedicate an hour a day to myself. There truly is a high associated with working out and I’m a believer in the additional high you feel when you achieve something you didn’t think you could… and no, the iron never lies!
October 11th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
I don’t know who said it better; Kim,Henry, Cheryl, Graham or Wendy. There are some powerful messages in those stories and comments. I really enjoyed that article and it really is powerful tie to Spark, and the way all of us gym go-ers can feel. I find that day in and day out, no matter how i felt during the day, or what else i have to do, I always feel like a million bucks leaving that gym. Everybody is so supportive, from the coaches (Thank you guys so much), to the other participants. I love how it has become a bit of a family for so many people, there is no judgement, ever, just constant encouragement. And when people crush PR’s, or become successful at a new lift, there are usually a bunch of people who can’t wait to give a high five, or a pat on the back.
That idea that “The Iron never Lies” is so true, Kim has said it before that if a person is not true to themself. They do not see the true gains.
Keep it up everybody!! Lets show that the proof is in the Iron.
October 11th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
The part abut injury and what effect not working out has on the mind is what strikes me. You can push too hard and the sum total of not listening to your body can really leave you beat up. I have not been able to lift anything for two months now and my injury does not seem to be getting much better. It is the mental distress from not having an outlet that I find hardest.
It is really easy to quit during a WOD, or to slack off and not workout. It is only when you are not able to even do mild exercises that you realize what a gift it is to be healthy and able.
Keep lifting guys and gals. Some of us on the sidelines are really rooting for you.
October 12th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Great essay Kim. It made me think of all those reasons why I keep coming to Spark and why I like to push myself as much as possible during a workout. What better way to deal with every day stresses than picking up a bunch of weight or pushing through a difficult WOD. I love the feeling of getting stronger not only physically but mentally as well.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyones numbers on the board to keep on climbing!
October 12th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
I have found my short time at Sparks to be one of the most productive things I have ever given myself. I was so intimidated to walk through the door, and the basic assessment work out kicked my butt! I have never been a very athletic person and struggle with anything that requires coordination, but all the trainers at Sparks manage to get me through each workout. I have been coming pretty consistently for the last 3 months and what a change!
First, a few weeks back we did the basic assessment work out again - and I was able to take off almost 4 minutes from my time. Now, I understand that comes from experience and familiarity as well, but I was busting with pride and quite a few people there that day gave me congrats and pats on the back.
Also, when I started I could not lift anything properly. The poor trainers spent lots of extra time trying to coach me. Each one had another tidbit or a different way of saying something to help, but I couldn’t quite put it together. 3 months later, doing the clean and jerk 1 min on/1 off for 20 minutes I was able to go ABOVE rx weight and I was complimented on my form by the trainer asking if I had previous experience with this type of lifting. I almost laughed by butt off! Me? I was the one everyone was pulling their hair out trying to get me to just do it right. What a milestone for me!
There have also been days I went home and just cried because I felt inadequate and like I just didn’t belong with this group of athletes. I finish last occasionally and try really hard to look at it as an opportunity to develop and grow. And when I tell someone how I felt they usually relate and tell me a similar story, which just picks me back up again and makes me realize I can keep working at it.
Thanks to all at Sparks who have gotten me this far, and I look forward to where I go from here…
October 13th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
The Iron Never Lies - Thank you Kim, Johnny, Cam & Sliver for all the instruction and inspiration you have provided. Being a part of Sparks and pushing myself beyond limits that I never saw possible is exciting to say the least. I thought that I had left my ‘athletic self’ back in high school and trust me, it’s been a long time since high school.
In the past, I’ve been a gym rat, working out and dabbing a bit of sweat from my brow. But Sparks has set the bar and demanded that I perform in ways I never deemed possible. Now, there is no point in dabbing the sweat because there is a pool of it at my feet. (Sorry) I finally experience that ‘high’ every time I work out and I look forward to the challenging workouts instead of half assing it.
The encouragement from the trainers and the ‘Sparks family’ is another reason that I look forward to working out. Seeing other people reaching and surpassing their goals is so inspiring. (Graham, you ARE a machine)I like the comradery, the competitiveness and the intensity that we all engage in.
Thank you for providing such an exemplary gym; one that doesn’t allow us to become stagnant. I love feeling stronger and faster with each workout. Thank you to all the trainers for not giving up on me and pushing me each and everytime. I cannot say enough good things about Sparks…it’s a great addiction!
October 14th, 2009 at 9:41 am
the comments above are true and inspiring.
I remember reading this article a couple years ago (pre spark) to push me through a plateau at the gym. Rereading this essay reminds me of some hardships I’ve had in and out of the gym and the only thing I give credit to in overcoming those hardships is the iron. It teaches you commitment, dedication, self respect and if you walk away from a problem or the iron, it will always be there when you get back… So deal with it or figure out a new way to handle it.
Thanks to Kim for posting this and to all of you that make Spark such a great community.
Keep up the good work.
October 14th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Reading the comments here is very impressive. I continue to be staggered by the awesome community at SPARK. From the hellos on the way in, to the support provided to fellow SPARKers, to the thoughtful, personal commentary that is left on this blog, I think that SPARK is just a tremendously special place to be.
A lot of the time, the first thing people say to me when I talk about SPARK is “OMG, look how much you pay!”. I tell them that what I get out of it is worth every dollar I spend. Not only have I become physically stronger, and perform better on the ice, but I feel better in every way. I’m excited to get to SPARK, I bust my ass through the workouts, and I leave with a smile. I come home and I excitedly recount what we did. I laugh about how sore I am. And I look forward to next time.
Before I came to SPARK, I was working out at the UofA gym. That’s actually when I first read Rollins’ article. At that time, I was 5×5ing it and looking to make progress of the big three lifts. It really resonated with me then, and it still does. The iron isn’t going to smooth talk you, hold your hand, or talk you up. It is what it is. You cheat the movement, maybe you go up a couple pounds, but the second you try to work through it the right way, you get bumped right back down to size. But when you do make that progress, you know you’ve earned it. It is what it is.
October 16th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I love the comments and I could just say that I agree with what everyone else is saying, that SPARK is a fantastic community where I look forward to the people and the WOD (with a healthy fear for what the WOD holds for me) every single time I walk into the gym. Truthfully I have never lifted anything heavier than a 20lb dumb bell before I joined SPARK. And every time we do lifting days I am repeatedly surprised and impressed with the weight that comes off the mat (with the correct technique)
So thank you guys for showing me that I am alot stronger than I thought!
October 18th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
This was a really good article but even better commentary. I really like seeing the different perspectives from people who come to SPARK but all have positive things to say. I love that at SPARK, you can be of any athletic calibre and still get so much out of it. I have been coming for nearly two years now and can’t believe how much it has improved my strength, fitness and overall health. The best part about it is that I know that I can never plateau here. I can always get stronger, faster, improve my form and hope to eventually challenge some of the firebreathers in the gym.
By the way, really liking all the heavy lifting we are doing in the gym. It is really helping my squat depth and strength. I think my butt now goes about a foot closer to the ground on my squats than it did three months ago. Thanks to all the instructors and fellow Sparkers for all the encouragement, coaching, and assistance.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Great post…..love Henry Rollins!
What do I say when people ask me why I go to SPARK?
“They’re the best…..period.”
“Really!?…..They’re that good?”
“Yes…..you should go right now.”
You guys really are the best in so many ways. I think I speak for everyone when I say that you have helped shape all of our lives in some way or another. Whether that is helping us set a new DL PR or just being supportive when we need it…….thanks Kim, Jonny, Kam and Sliver.
February 12th, 2011 at 3:00 am
I just don’t get this…I really don’t.
February 14th, 2011 at 10:36 pm
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