Article by Henry Rollins
‘Iron’
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 advisor. 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 certain 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.
– Henry Rollins-
———
You want to bookmark this Blog Post. Come back & read it often.
Henry Rollins speaks the truth, not many people can describe the iron as he does.
Henry Rollins is a soul lifter, just as I am.
The Iron Never Lies.
Don’t ever forget that.
Live The Code 365,
–Z–
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First of all I’d love to know how to get Henry Rollins to write a post for me! Secondly, this is probably the best written post (other than yours) that describes the struggles and passions associated with our love of the iron. It makes me want to go dead lift!
Rock on Henry!
WOW…So very well put. It’s been awhile since a post has commanded my attention and focus this much. I found myself nodding my head with each passing word.
Images of my own life and how much the “Iron” has been there as my therapy and my friend, kept coming to mind. It has helped me through some tough times and instilled a lot of character in me. I am most at ease mentally when I am one with the Iron!
Keep up the great posts Zach!
Know I must go visit my old friend Mr.Iron for more Iron Mind Therapy!
Great post! There is no doubt of the carry-over from your relationship and interaction with “The Iron” to the rest of your life. Thanks to Henry Rollins for putting it into words and to Z for sharing it.
This is definitely one of the best posts I have read here. It pretty much somes up the whole strength training mindset. You need passion, dedication, and a good sense of who you are to be healthy and strong.
F**K all those posers we know why we lift and thats because it freakin rocks and we know we gotta be strong!
Peace
DAMN Straight bro!
Great post!
Soul lifter….solitude=focus, strength=discipline, pain is not my enemy……
Good lessons for men, young and old.
Ah – the old Rollins “Iron” article. Don’t even remember the first time I ever saw this (I think it was cross posted over the at mixedmartialarts.com S&C board, but I’m not sure), but I’ve read it countless times over the years.
Should be required reading for anybody who thinks they have the soul of a true lifter.
Good stuff, man.
Wiggy
http://www.workingclasscardioworkout.com
http://www.workingclassfitness.com
I… LOVED… THIS.
I think I’ll link here from my Facebook page for my gang too.
thanks
oldie but such a goodie
That was bad ass!
I’ve read this countless times, and for good reason. It is timeless, inspirational, and gets better, more meaningful, and more powerful every time i read it. I love it
this essay was showed in http://www.rosstraining.com a few days ago,..since then i have read this essay atleast 25 times… cant stop reading it…. whenever u run outta motivation just read this once…. motivation would no longer be a prob… so go beat the iron, fellow warriors
This is an awesome statement. I always liked his music and now I can say it’s not only the music. The man has passion.
Thanks for sharing it!
/bossk
Rollin’s writings have inspired me since I was 13 he is a very powerful man.
God damn Zach, Loved this post! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
its true, iron never lies.
Lifting, like sports, can be a great metaphor for life. It provides you with discipline, direction and purpose. It gives young men and women confidence, especially as we see in so many situations, when there is none.
“Strength is understanding that your power is both physical and emotional” basically encompasses the importance of mentoring, just as Mr.Pepperman did. Lifting heavy is great, but giving confidence to those through our passion is even better, and more fulfilling. What greater reward can there be?
Derek
http://www.derekshore.com
I’ve been listening to Henry Rollins for years now and I ‘ve always known he was as hard as two hundred pounds!
He looks like he is crazy, because he is different but he is emotonal and inspirational.
Keep writing down, singing and pushing hard!
(from France)
Zach,
AMAZING! Such a great post; and I am sureone that alot of the fellow bloggers here will relate to. No matter which junction I am at in my life I can easily relate the challenge I face to a lesson learned in the gym.
Henry brings up an interesting point about how much more productive he feels as a result of lifting and being under the iron; he hits the nail on the head especially when he says we become akin to the very thing we try lift – IRON, there is no sustitute for hard work…Vince Lombardi clearly states that hard work is the price we must pay to enjoy success; for this willing to pay this price success will surely follow.
How many of us have given into a modern life of convenience? This post has got me fired up…I’m going out to cool off and shovel the snow!
AGE QUOD AGIS
Christopher
Always love re-reading that one. Thanks, Zach.
I have to say, this is a very motivational post, it reminds me of how I was in the eighth grade. I was a weak, out of shape little kid that got pushed around day in and day out. Then my father of all people, a former state champion boxer, taught me what it was like to be an athlete and to defend myself. This was in December. By the beginning of ninth grade, no one didn’t know who I was and that I was the real deal. This taught me to truly be brave and to fight for my rights.
Thanks Zach, this really got me thinking about how I started training and how I transformed from a weakling to a man of both physical and intellectual prowess.
Rollins shows his intelligence and introspection with this fine piece of work. I am extremely impressed with his insight and application.
It also goes to show that one person can make an unimaginable difference in someone’s life by caring and reaching out.
WOW! Don’t normally comment but that stirred up some serious emotions. Very powerful. That article is going on the wall in the garage gym. Keep up the good work and stay strong.
Jay
I still have the original article that I cut out of a Details magazine back in 94. Powerful stuff.
This post is what iron IS. What an excellent post about what it feels like to be involved with iron. It really brings out the spiritual aspect of working with primal elements, described as only one who DOES it understands. Excellent, Excellent Excellent!
PURE GOSPEL!!! I have been moved and inspired by this passage. It has re-iterated my sole motivation for working out: to become STRONGER!!!
Bookmarking right away!!!!!
another mad inspiration, great post zach, lovin these pieces of literature
I knew there was a reason I have continued to lift for over 30 years… There may be hope for today’s immature spoiled youth if we can get them to learn the lessons of the iron-no short cuts or instant gratification rather hard work gets you where you want to go and in the process is a reward unto itself.
This is the best commentary on lifting weights I’ve ever come across.
Ballads when lifting weights? HARDCORE.
-Chris Bielke
Rollins rocks! I’m proud to say he hails from my hood. As did Black Flag!
I love this. I have no words…the bells are waiting I suppose. Time to get busy like EPMD!
I wonder what a gym would look and sound like if Rollins had his own gym for the public?
Wonder what the rules would be to become a member??
–z–
Speechless, goosebumps all over.
This is why I love the Iron game, its gave me a way out when I was young, and still does till this day.
I haven’t read that in a few years. It’s a great piece of literature that refocuses me right away on what counts and what doesn’t. Many thanks for posting it.
Mr. P is a real man. I wish there were more Mr. P’s around today. That’s probably what’s wrong with America. American schools hate the Mr. P’s.
It must take great inner strength to bare your soul like that – makes me feel powerful just reading it.
Holy sh*t Zombie Slayer!!!
U r f**ing DEAD on!
Mr. P woulda been fired in today’s day & age
Wait till you hear my next story dude, goes hand in hand with Mr. P and society of today!
Great name by the way!!!
–z–
I’ve read this piece of writing y Rollins a lot of different places. It’s the real deal, man. Great post.
“When the iron doesn’t come off the floor, it’s the kindest thing it can do for you” … awesome.
Henry is terrific, I have seen him nearly a dozen times in concert, and his career is pretty amazing. Rollins Band featured some of the best musicians of the 90’s. I had an almost identical youth in high school, but I didnt discover my body and health, until I was about 20. I went through the same thing, punk kid like all of my friends. Guidance counselors telling me I would never amount to anything. Teachers blowing me off and treating me like a piece of trash. Getting into fights all of the time with jocks and gangs, who btw the way now are fat insurance salesmen or are just unimpressive people. The substance abuse fueled the self hatred and shame. Parents that didnt step in and bring me back to reality, I struggle now with forgiving or forgetting that, but ultimately it was on me. I ended up dropping out of HS and suffered the consequences of that for nearly 5 years after. Went on years later to earn a 3.8 in college and have a successful career. Went to night school, no fraternity or mommy sending checks. I had to do it myself, and it certainly is possibly to bring yourself out of any hole, just give those kids chances. I will always be that punk kid, and now I know thats ok.
You are the man Z! ” pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness”