Stone And Steel Gym

06/13/2026

One bonus one before I go, the preacher curl pad is in great shape functionally, but is starting to get in rough shape structurally. Someone(s) has probably been trying to pick up the entire bench by lifting the pad, and it's badly damaged the underside of the pad. I've added some metal brackets to try to keep it from ripping completely in half, but do keep two rules of thumb in mind when moving gym equipment.

1) If a bench or machine doesn't have wheels on it, don't move it. That's my job.

2) If it's heavy and made of metal, don't move it by lifting the one part that's light and made of fabric.

06/12/2026

I've got a few last treats for you before I skip office hours the next two weeks, call it a going away present.

First is that the new treadmill is installed and ready for use. Hopefully this will help with the often busy treadmills on rainy summer days.

Second, there's now a new fan up in the rafters pointed at those treadmills. Am I not merciful?

Third is a new poster by the boxing equipment, a custom one I had printed of the legendary Jack Johnson (no not that one). The top photo is from his fight with Tommy Burns where he became the first black World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. The second photo is from the original The Fight of the Century, long before Ali fought Frazier, in which he defended his title against James Jefferies, dubbed the Great White Hope. There's more to the story than that, but I'll leave it there and encourage you to read more about Johnson and the aftermath of his victory.

Lastly the order of replacement pads and covers came in this afternoon and most have been installed. A few didn't come out quite the way I'd have liked, the replacements for the hip abductor adductor were way too hard for what's a pretty sensitive area, but I'm waiting to hear back from the manufacturer and hopefully we'll have new ones in short order.

06/11/2026

Scheduled staffed hours are DONE for the next two weeks. I am available BY APPOINTMENT until end of day this Friday, so if you want to set up a new membership, day pass, or buy merch get in contact soon. If you're an active member and want a tank top before July, message me and I can leave one out for you.

06/11/2026

Treadmill number four arrived today, and thanks to some lovely volunteers we were able to get it downstairs and in place. It's not quite ready for use just yet, I'm expecting the building contractor to run the electrical Friday. Soon!

06/10/2026

Rearranging the cardio machines sucks, so when it happens that's usually a clue that something's coming...

In related news, if you're here this afternoon don't be surprised if I try to rally some troops to bring something into the gym.

06/08/2026

A new decoration for the gym care of Jeremy who has kindly donated these pristine 1975 Joe Weider posters. How you find 51 year old body building posters that don't have tears, tape, or even pin holes I'll never know.

06/08/2026

I heard a news story on the radio this morning that brought to mind the infamous internet meme "Middle aged white women will do anything except lift weights." That phrase often gets tossed around to shame people for doing themed group workout classes, which is a level of judgement I'm not about. Whatever exercise you enjoy that gets you moving and in shape is great. But I'm also not about expensive gimmicks that don't work nearly as well as just moving your body against resistance a few times a week.

For $800 you can buy a vibrating belt that, if you wear it for a half hour every single day (which realistically you're not going to do), may help slow bone density loss. Not build density, just slow the loss.

Or for $800 you could pay for nearly two years of a gym membership, or a pretty decent little home gym setup, lift weights for an hour a week and actually gain bone density. Not slow the loss, GAIN.

In fact weight bearing exercise is the single most effective way to build bone density. Better than any device, shot, pill, or diet yet conceived, and the evidence is conclusive.

And while the side effects of your bone density medication are heartburn, nausea, fever, headaches, etc, the side effects of your bone density strength training routine are increased energy, endurance, strength, physical capability, better sleep, and improved physical appearance. I don't think that belt is going to get you any of those things either.

More than 40 million adults in the U.S. aged 50 and older have osteopenia, or low bone density. An FDA-approved wearable vibration device is giving some women a tool that could slow that loss.

06/07/2026

There will be NO staffed hours for two weeks starting next Sunday June 14th. That means no new member sign ups or day passes during that time. Returning members will be able to restart their membership by DMing me here on Facebook, Instagram, or email. If you had been planning on setting up a new membership or coming in for day or week passes between the 14th and 28th, contact me this week and we can set that up in advance.

This also means no merch sales for two weeks, so if you're wanting one of our new tank tops this is the week.

06/06/2026

It's a long shot, but if anyone has experience with cleaning and restoration of old books please get in contact with me, I'd like to see if I can clean this cover up a bit before it goes on display.

One of the next decorations going up in the gym is this first edition printing from 1897, Strength and How to Obtain It by the legendary Eugen Sandow. Sandow is the father of both modern bodybuilding and strength training. While circus strongmen were popular in his age, Sandow was the first whose performances were more about his lean muscular physique than raw physical strength.

The first chapter also has what I believe to be the name of the original owner of the book, Ivan Fulton Smith, Lance Sargent of the 9th Battalion Royal Scots. Ivan would have been 17 when the book was published, he also wrote his own measurements in the back of the book alongside Sandow's. Ivan was born in Glasgow Scotland in 1880, by 20 his family had moved to Manchester and he worked there as a brewer. Married in 1905 he became a widow two years later after his wife died during childbirth.

In 1914 he volunteered for service shortly after the outbreak of WWI. Ivan took part in the Second Battle of Ypres which marked the first mass use of poison gas attacks in the war. The German army used chlorine gas in an assault on French, Canadian, and British positions. He died of his exposure on May 20th 1915 and was buried in a Commonwealth military cemetery in Rouen, France.

06/03/2026

Just in time to beat the heat our 2026 tank tops are in. Not many people could hold up to posing besides Arnold, but our Steven Gerraughty is one of them (available for personal training btw). This year's tank top was inspired by the iconic World Gym tank that Arnold frequently wore while training for his 1980 Olympia comeback.

There are available in limited quantities, once they're gone they're gone. Available in XS, S, M, L, and XXL, they run large so I'd suggest a size down if you want something form fitting. $20 after sales tax while supplies last.