“We Know Training.” That’s our mantra, our focus, our mission statement. This issue is a perfect example of how we use those three words to shape IRON MAN.
Peary and Mabel Rader, the founders of Iron Man, believed not only that training was much more than lifting weights but that lifting weights was much more than lifting weights—it was a part of a process of building or expanding one’s self. The components of physical culture have expanded as our knowledge has expanded. From the beginning, Iron Man has been an open forum for ideas, and that has led to an eclectic mixture of authors and information that you won’t find in any other magazine in our field.
Everything starts with the author—no script, no movie! Passion is the unifying attribute, which is exemplified in coaches Bill Starr and Charles Poliquin. They have the credentials, certainly, but they also have the experience of testing their ideas on many athletes in the crucible of the gym. Their focus is narrow but with a wide field of vision. That, plus their ever-present passion, is what makes their material so interesting to read and their ideas so useful. In addition to Coach Poliquin’s regular column, this issue includes a feature by him on the chinup, which begins on page 158 of the July ’08 issue.
Joe Horrigan, D.C., has helped Olympic and professional athletes, famous actors and yours truly to overcome injury at his world-renowned Soft Tissue Center. He’s another unique and invaluable resource who’s included under our training umbrella, and he covers both prevention and recovery in his monthly Sportsmedicine column.
If you train regularly, you know that motivation is an indispensable part of the pie. Knowledge is only potential energy until the mind energizes the body to action. Both words and pictures can be sources of that all-important ingredient, and Michael Neveux’s photography is an integral part of the inspirational mix. From food to fab abs, he sets the standard. Page through this issue, and you’ll see why his images are a cut above.
Training for competition is a big motivator for some. This issue highlights a bodybuilding champ from the past, Leo Robert, whose interview begins on page 188 (July ’08 issue), and a current up-and-comer, ’08 IRON MAN Pro champ Phil Heath, who gets a pictorial salute, starting on page 242 (July ’08 issue). Excellence is timeless. Fifty-plus years separate those two champs, but they share the will and passion to win. I find them both inspiring.
Jerry Brainum is the pros’ pro. He answers the tough questions from the pros and shares his 35-plus years of experience and research with us on various topics every month in IRON MAN. Jerry is a unique training resource whose expertise in nutrition, supplementation and pharmacology is unequalled.
As you can tell from this issue’s table of contents, there’s a cornucopia of training and related info that makes us who we are and what we are striving to be. IM
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