Welcome.

Iron is my girlfriend. What does that mean? To me, it’s pretty simple. I’m a straightforward guy.

I don’t have hobbies. I like eating and lifting weights. On the weekends, I throw boozing into the mix.  That’s about it, honestly. I don’t even like sports.

Besides eating and working, the only constant in my life is the gym. Girls come and go. Friends can be flaky- everyone’s got their own shit going on. We’re adults now. The one thing that has been a major component of my life through thick and thin, and will continue to be, is the gym. You know, I only have a single friend who has been in my life longer than iron has, and I barely like him. So thus, iron is my girlfriend.

I don’t want to come off here as anti-social, bitter, or anything like that- I’m absolutely not. I love going out, having a good time, meeting people. But bar lines, clientele, talent quality, cabs… they are all incredibly unpredictable: nights can be the most fun or turn into a shitshow, often due to factors out of your control. The gym is the exact opposite. The chalky, worn-out barbells sitting in the squat rack have been there for me for the past decade, and will continue to be there for the next who-knows-how-long. You are the only who decides the outcome of your time spent there. 

From beginnings at Physique Company, to RWU’s two-floor masterpiece of a gymnasium, to my current home at Gold’s in Southie. The same benches, squat racks, dumbbells. The same bag full of crusty wrist straps, a shaker bottle, and some band aids in case I rip a callous open again. As weird as this sounds, I feel as though I truly share a bond with these inanimate objects because they have been a part of my life for so long- longer than any other girlfriend ever has.

There’s almost a zen-like, meditative, therapeutic quality to working your ass off. You can do this without touching a weight- runners, yogis, and other fitness-forward folks all experience the same thing. There’s truly no better feeling than finishing up a tough day at the office, blocking out the world with your headphones, and beating the shit out of yourself for a few hours. This feeling is incredibly addicting, and rivals anything any other girlfriend could provide.

But enough preachy bullshit. This blog is for real people. The 90% of people that you see in the gym who enjoy being in good shape and getting stronger, who go to the gym as a hobby to challenge themselves. Every time I pick up a FLEX or read an article online, it’s almost as though they assume that every guy who steps foot in the gym is measuring their diet down to the specific macro, an expert in supplimentology, and willing/currently jabbing themselves in the ass with needles. This blog is for the in-betweeners: the people who aren’t willing to forfeit their social life for a difference in 2% body fat, but also aren’t going to miss the gym unless there is a VERY good reason. People who are interested in learning more, but frustrated with the overwhelming amount of information available out there, often backed by little more than anecdotal evidence.

The good thing about being both a nerd and a gym rat is that I read. A lot. I’m constantly scouring forums and reading articles on nutrition, powerlifting, bodybuilding, and supplements. I have become adept at sorting the bro-science from the real stuff, at sorting sound workout advice from stuff that’ll get you hurt. I’m by no means an expert or a professional, but I’d like to think that this information, in addition to a number of years experience, can help me provide some occasional insights that can help your workouts. Welcome to Iron is my Girlfriend. Thanks for reading.