The Iron Fortress Gym

Dropped in for a day pass. Really cool powerlifting and strongman gym. Everything you need and more and super nice owners. Never seen that many atlas stones in my life.

I joined Iron Fortress a few years ago having absolutely no idea what I was doing, but knowing I wanted to get strong. Started off doing personal training with owner Nate to learn the basics, thinking I would maybe transition into a regular membership after a few sessions, but I quickly found that his wealth of knowledge and ability to troubleshoot and adjust for personal goals were absolutely invaluable. I decided to continue with sessions and ended up getting hooked on some strongman, particularly natural stone lifting (so much fun)! I also had a baby last year, and Nate was able to adjust exercises for me in such a way that I could continue to lift safely and effectively all the way up until the week of his birth. I absolutely credit my smooth postpartum recovery to having been lifting. Beyond that, the atmosphere at Iron Fortress is so friendly, welcoming, and supportive, and the owners are super nice guys. You won't regret joining!

Best gym around! Has all the powerlifting and strongman equipment you need. Open 24/7 which around here is hard to beat. Great group of people that all support each other. Nathan Weaver is an amazing coach (and co-owner) that will answer anything on the way to your goals. I’ve personally seen my strength sky rocket. Trust the process with one of the most knowledgeable people I know!

A year in at IFG, so time for a review! I picked the scariest gym I could (my previous didn’t even have a squat rack) to challenge myself. When I walked in Nate immediately introduced himself to me and explained how the gym worked. I’ve only had online coaches and wanted to try in person. I travel for work and can’t pause the typical online training program when I need to. But Nate has been beyond understanding each time work has taken me away for weeks at a time. Which is why I really appreciate paying for the sessions and not a monthly contract! Nate assured me I’d meet my goals and not to stress about having to travel. And he was right! Through his coaching and motivation I have lost 20 pounds AND added 100 plus pounds to my deadlift. I am the lightest and strongest I have been in my adult life and could not be happier! Joining IFG was a great decision but having an in person coach like Nate was the best gym decision ever! 10/10 will lift again.

I’ve been doing strongman and coming to IFG for over a year now and honestly it’s one of the best choices I’ve ever made. I’ve had a lot of problems getting back into fitness because of anxiety and other stuff going on, this place puts all of that at ease. Everyone is super helpful and chill and most of my best friends are at IFG, if you’re looking for a gym, especially one that’s really good for new lifters, powerlifters, or strongman stuff, you should definitely check out IFG.

Zack and Nate are two extremely friendly and knowledgeable guys who run a great place to work out and lift really heavy stuff. If you have questions, they are happy to answer them. They are always adding new heavy things to lift. They let the customers pick the music, rather than playing God awful pop radio I don't really know what else you could ask for in a strength focused gym, you know?Four years later, this is an even better place. Don't hesitate in the slightest if you're thinkin about giving here a shot.

Pros:- Great equipment for powerlifters- Very kind and strong community (plenty to look up to)- 24 hour access- Laid back ownersCon:- Place is filthy, which most people are indifferent to. But seriously, borderline health code violation. Reeks of mildew upon entry, especially in the summer.- Music is also entirely too loud the majority of the time considering the reverb of the warehouse-esque design. Has substantially worsened my tinnitus, but most people are indifferent to this.

Plenty of implements for the strongman or fitness enthusiast. It’s rare to find all these in one place. Owner was super cool. Other lifters were friendly and willing to show me how to use a squat cage I wasn’t familiar with.

Iron Fortress has been one of my favorite places in Columbia. It’s got an old school vibe. You’ll find old and new equipment for both strongman and powerlifting, expect to sweat in the summer and wear a hoodie in the winter. I love that when I’m there I feel like I’m in my own garage and that things are laid back. The owners are knowledgeable and kind, and it’s easy to find a time when you can either run into friends or find the gym empty for solitude. It’s been a place of progress for me as well as my stress relief getaway. If you’re looking for a typical cardio machine gallery this may not be your place, but for anyone interested in any kind of strength and conditioning, you can do it here.

6/30/2018: Been working with IFG and Nathan in particular for two weeks now. I was looking specifically for someplace that would be welcoming for a newbie to lifting, care about making sure I've got proper form, and not break the bank. Couldn't be happier with my choice!As someone who had never lifted before, I was a little intimated to walk in to IFG and get more information. But reading the reviews that were available, I decided to give it a shot. Everyone said it was welcoming, after all. And, they were spot on.Both of the owners are down to earth, good humans, who genuinely care about each and every person who walks through the door. And you can tell they attract equally good people to work out there - from spotting one another or just welcoming smiles or a nod to a new person.I'm participating in the 11 weeks of personally training and am so happy with it. I shopped around for trainers/gyms before deciding to go with IFG. I was looking for the most "bang for my buck" without compromising the quality of the experience. I also wanted to find a trainer/gym that was would help me learn and fall in love with working out as a long-term life style vs.just paying someone to get me in "shape" for X number of weeks.So how is IFG measuring up? From being able to get "homework" on the days in between training sessions, to having support, accountability, and someone available through text to change training times or answers questions (shout out to Nathan for being awesome!!), IFG has been better than I expected it to be. I look forward to what I'll learn each time I go, and am eager to practice at home or in the gym in between sessions.Excited to see how much I learn in the next 9 weeks of training!UPDATE: 3/4/2019Well, so much for thinking I'd only sign up for 11 weeks of training, hah! What can I say, I drank the kool-aid and have fallen in love with lifting. IFG is amazing, folks. If you're looking for a gym that is laid back, low-stress, and a family. This is the place for you.A special note for the LADIES out there, if you're new to lifting (or a complete and total novice like I was) then I cannot say enough about getting some one-on-one training for Nathan or Zach. They are both incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, and amazing coaches. They will go out of their way to make things work for you, your schedule/life style/preferences, etc.Need some concrete examples: I travel for work and therefore have an unpredictable schedule from week to week. This has not kept us from being able to progress. My workouts can be tailored to what's available in a hotel room. Additionally, last minute changes to when I come into the gym are completely something that happens more regularly than I'd like. Do I have to stress about my trainer being mad at me, docking my time, or anything of the sort? Heck no. It's always no big deal, and we can reschedule. The true flexibility is so incredibly nice.It's absolutely amazing. I never thought I'd fall in love with lifting as I have, but now I can't imagine not having IFG in my life. What are you waiting for, go sign up!