Editing IronMind

{{for|the Australian band|Iron Mind}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox company 
| name = IronMind Enterprises, Inc.
| logo = IronMind logo.png
| type =  Privately held corporation
| foundation = 1988
| location = [[Nevada City, California]]
| industry = Iron sports
| products = Weight training equipment and accessories, [[Grippers|hand grippers]], books, [[apparel]]
| homepage ={{URL|www.ironmind.com/}}
}}

'''IronMind Enterprises, Inc.''' is an American [[niche market]] business based in [[Nevada City, California|Nevada City]], California, that specializes in "tools of the trade for serious strength athletes."<ref>[http://www.ironmind.com/ IronMind main page]</ref> Though many of its products include [[strength training|strength-training]] equipment and accessories, IronMind also publishes books, [[DVDs]] and the quarterly magazine ''[[Milo (magazine)|MILO: A Journal For Serious Strength Athletes]]''.

IronMind sponsors competitions in [[Powerlifting|weightlifting]], [[arm wrestling]], [[grip strength]] and [[Strongman (strength athlete)|strongman]] at events such as the [[Arnold Classic|Arnold Sports Festival]], the [[GNC Grip Gauntlet]], and [[North American Strongman]].

==Psychology and strength sports==
IronMind was founded in 1988 by [[Randall J. Strossen]], a [[Stanford]] [[psychology]] PhD with a longstanding interest in weightlifting and related strength sports.<ref name="Stanford Magazine">{{cite web|url=http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2008/sepoct/classnotes/strossen.html|title=SPOTLIGHT: Randall Strossen, PhD ’79 The Strongman|work=Stanford Magazine|accessdate=October 5, 2008}}</ref> That year also marked the beginning<ref>''Iron Man'', September 1988, p. 74</ref> of Strossen's 12-year stint writing a monthly column for ''[[Iron Man (magazine)|Iron Man]]'' magazine about the psychology of [[bodybuilding]] and weightlifting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/timeline.html|title=IronMind timeline|accessdate=October 4, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915161838/http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/timeline.html|archivedate=September 15, 2008}}</ref>

IronMind's slogan, "Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies," reflects the company's roots in [[sports psychology]]. It is also the subtitle of Strossen's second book, a partial collection of his columns for ''Iron Man'', published by IronMind in 1994.

==Products==
Some of IronMind's notable products include the [[Captains of Crush Grippers]], the [[GNC Grip Gauntlet#Rolling Thunder|Rolling Thunder]], the Vulcan Racks system, and the book ''Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks''.

IronMind has been a [[mail-order]] company since its inception and publishes an annual product catalog that also provides training tips, a history of strength sports, and information on subjects ranging from [[hand health]] to nutrition.

The company counts scores of major [[college athletics|collegiate]] and professional sports teams among its customers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/institutionalcustomers.html|title=IronMind list of customers|accessdate=October 4, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022043716/http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/institutionalcustomers.html|archivedate=October 22, 2008}}</ref> Its Vulcan Racks are in use at the [[U.S. Olympic Training Center]]<ref>IronMind Enterprises, Inc. 1999-00. Catalog. Vol. 9, p. 29.</ref> in [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]], and at the US Olympic Education Center at [[Northern Michigan University]].<ref>IronMind Enterprises, Inc. 2005. Catalog. Vol. 13, p. 33.</ref>

The [[World's Strongest Man]] (WSM) contest has used IronMind's '''Draft Horse Pulling Harness''' for its competitions since 2002. In 2006, IronMind manufactured a harness for the WSM's Car Walk event after consulting with two-time WSM winner [[Jouko Ahola]] on the design. It has been used at WSM competitions ever since.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/wsm/faq.html |title=World's Strongest Man FAQ |accessdate=October 4, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822104907/http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/wsm/faq.html |archivedate=August 22, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Strength enthusiasts, people training at home and those with hand ailments such a [[carpal tunnel syndrome]] and [[arthritis]] make up the rest of IronMind's patrons.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/907261-p2.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130815204442/http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/907261-p2.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 15, 2013|title=He built his company on a very firm handshake (p. 2)|author=Robertson, Blair Anthony|newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |date=May 2, 2008|accessdate=October 4, 2008}}</ref>

==Focus on grip strength==
[[Grip strength]] has been a major focus for IronMind since the company introduced its specialized line of grip-strength tools in 1990.

The idea that grip strength comprises three basic components – '''crushing''', '''pinching''' and '''supporting elements''' ([[deadlift]]ing, etc.) – was first presented to the world in the 1992 IronMind catalog.<ref>IronMind Enterprises, Inc. 1992. Catalog. Vol. 2, p. 11.</ref> IronMind promoted<ref>{{cite web|url=https://strongerrx.com/how-do-your-hands-work.html |title=Strong and Healthy Hands: How Do Your Hands Work?|accessdate=October 7, 2008}}</ref> and further developed this idea in later catalogs. It first published a chart in 1995 highlighting how grip strength applies to activities and professions ranging from [[police|law enforcement]] to [[powerlifting]] and playing music,<ref>IronMind Enterprises, Inc. 1995. Catalog. Vol. 5, page 21.</ref> and expanded on it in subsequent catalogs.

Two books written by grip-strength expert John Brookfield and published by IronMind – ''Mastery of Hand Strength, Revised Edition''  (2008) and ''The Grip Master's Manual'' (2002) – also expand upon these basic components of grip strength, which are now considered as widely accepted fact.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.captainsofcrushgrippers.com/ironmind/opencms/gripperfact.html|title=Fact and Fiction About Captains of Crush Hand Grippers|accessdate=October 7, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618103818/http://www.captainsofcrushgrippers.com/ironmind/opencms/gripperfact.html|archivedate=June 18, 2009}}</ref>

===Captains of Crush Grippers===
{{main|Captains of Crush Grippers}}

IronMind is known worldwide for its Captains of Crush line of [[Grippers|hand grippers]]. These grippers, considered the "industry standard" in building grip strength,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.massiveforearms.com/forearms/Super-gripper.htm |title=Super Gripper: Build grip strength and a Crushing Grip by using a supergripper|publisher=Massiveforearms.com|accessdate=September 5, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mmaringreport.com/columnists-corner/columnist-s-corner/grip-strength-22.html|title=Grip strength|author=Aldridge, Lee|publisher=MMA Ring Report|date=May 2, 2008|accessdate=October 4, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011092839/http://www.mmaringreport.com/columnists-corner/columnist-s-corner/grip-strength-22.html|archivedate=October 11, 2008}}</ref> have become somewhat of a [[cult following|cult phenomenon]]<ref name="Stanford Magazine"/> and have amassed a worldwide following – one British strength enthusiast has written into his [[will (law)|will]] that he would like to be buried with his Captains of Crush hand gripper.<ref>Robertson, p. 2</ref>

In 1991, IronMind began certifying people able to close the company's benchmark Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper; certification on the Captains of Crush No. 4 was added in 1998 and certification on the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 was added in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/captainsofcrush5.html|title=Captains of Crush Grippers: Rules for Closing and Certification|accessdate=October 7, 2008|archive-date=January 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090120193246/http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/captainsofcrush5.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Only five people (Joe Kinney, Nathan Holle, David Morton, Tommy Heslep and [[Magnus Samuelsson]]) have been certified for closing the No. 4.<ref>Kassam, Rahim. "Titans of power." ''Musclemag,'' September 2007, p. 262.</ref>

==Publications==
IronMind has published 18 books by established authors such as [[John McCallum (author)|John McCallum]], [[Ben Weider]] and David Webster. It has also developed and published books by such first-time authors as John Brookfield, Steve Jeck, Steve Justa, Brad Johnson and Brian Jones, many of whom have become authorities in their fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nsca-lift.org/Conferences/natconjuly142007.shtml |title=2007 National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference List of Presentations |accessdate=October 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028182426/https://www.nsca-lift.org/Conferences/natconjuly142007.shtml |archivedate=October 28, 2007 }}</ref>

Randall J. Strossen's first book, ''Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks'' (1989), was also the first product offered by IronMind. It presents the classic 20-rep [[Squat (exercise)|squat]] routine, a routine best known for helping people bulk up in a short period of time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crossfitway.com/super-squats-gain-30-pounds-muscle-6-weeks-book-review/|title=Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks Book Review|publisher= CrossFitWay|accessdate=June 14, 2014}}</ref> The book is currently in its eighteenth printing (in English) and has been translated into German.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bokfynd.nu/398021317X.html|title=Super Kniebeugen – Jämför priser och köp|accessdate=October 7, 2008}}</ref>

As a photographer and editor-in-chief for IronMind's quarterly journal ''[[Milo (magazine)|MILO]]'' (launched in 1993), Strossen flies over 100,000 miles a year to cover strength-sport events around the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forticyr.com/nouvelles_Strossen_ang.html |title=Fortissimus News |accessdate=October 7, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610074847/http://www.forticyr.com/nouvelles_Strossen_ang.html |archivedate=June 10, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''MILO'' is the only American bodybuilding or weightlifting magazine to receive media accreditation to cover weightlifting at the [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996]], [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000]], [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004]] and the [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/MILO/Journal_Home.html |title=IronMind – MILO: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes |accessdate=October 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090529075514/http://ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/MILO/Journal_Home.html |archivedate=May 29, 2009 }}</ref>

==Arnold Sports Festival==
IronMind has been involved as a sponsor or an organizer of the International Weightlifting Invitational, [[GNC Grip Gauntlet]] and Arm Wrestling events at the [[Arnold Classic|Arnold Sports Festival]] (also known as the Arnold Classic or just "the Arnold" and named after [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]) for several years.

In 2005, IronMind worked with the event's co-founder, Jim Lorimer, to bring [[Shi Zhiyong (weightlifter, born 1980)|Shi Zhiyong]] and [[Zhang Guozheng]] – the two gold medalists from China's 2004 [[China at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Olympic men's weightlifting team]] – to [[Columbus, Ohio]], for the weightlifting exhibition at that year's festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/morenewsv6.php?id=1051#1051|title=Golden glow at the Arnold|author=Strossen, Randall J|publisher=IronMind News|date=March 1, 2005|accessdate=October 11, 2008}}</ref>

The following year, IronMind continued to help internationalize the Arnold by bringing in three more 2004 Olympic medalists in weightlifting: [[George Asanidze]] ([[Georgia (country)|Republic of Georgia]]), [[Le Maosheng]] (China) and [[Velichko Cholakov]] ([[Bulgaria]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/morenewsv6.php?id=1493#1493|title=Cholakov Brings It Home|author=Strossen, Randall J|date=March 5, 2006|publisher=IronMind News|accessdate=October 10, 2008}}</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Brookfield, John. 2008. ''Mastery of Hand Strength, Revised Edition''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|978-0926888-81-4}})
* Brookfield, John. 2002. ''The Grip Master's Manual''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|0-926888-11-0}})
* Jeck, Steve and Peter Martin. 1996. ''Of Stones and Strength''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|0-926888-05-6}})
* Johnson, Brad. 2005. ''Bodyweight Exercises for Extraordinary Strength''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|978-0-926888-78-4}})
* Jones, Brian. 2008. ''Grappling Basics: A New Twist on Conditioning''. Nevada City: Ironmind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|978-0926888-79-1}})
* Jones, Brian. 2004. ''The Complete Sandbag Training Course''. Nevada City: Ironmind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|978-0926888777}})
* Jones, Brian. 2007. ''The Conditioning Handbook: Getting in Top Shape''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|978-0-926888-14-2}})
* Justa, Steve. 1998. ''Rock Iron Steel: The Book of Strength''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|0-926888-07-2}})
* McCallum, John. 1993. ''The Complete Keys to Progress''. Ed. Randall J. Strossen. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|0-926888-01-3}})
* Strossen, Randall J. 1989. ''Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|0-926888-00-5}})
* Strossen, Randall J. 1994. ''IronMind: Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|0-926888-02-1}})
* Strossen, Randall J., J.B. Kinney, and Nathan Holle. 2009. ''Captains of Crush Grippers: What They Are and How to Close Them, Second Edition''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|978-0926888-84-5}})
* Webster, David. 1997. ''Sons of Samson: Volume 2 Profiles''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|0-926888-06-4}})
* Weider, Ben. 2000. ''Louis Cyr: Amazing Canadian''. Nevada City: IronMind Enterprises, Inc. ({{ISBN|0-926888-09-9}})

==External links==
*[http://www.ironmind.com/ IronMind News]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081221092623/http://www.captainsofcrushgrippers.com/ Captains of Crush Grippers]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090830021124/http://www.strongandhealthyhands.com/ironmind/opencms/index.html Strong and Healthy Hands]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080924053347/http://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/index.asp Arnold Sports Festival]
*[http://www.nastrongmaninc.com/ North American Strongman]
*[http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/# Functional Hand Strength]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090402105439/http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/907261.html "He built his company on a very firm handshake"] from [[The Sacramento Bee]]

[[Category:Weight training equipment]]
[[Category:Publishing companies based in California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Nevada County, California]]
[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1988]]
[[Category:Book publishing companies based in California]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in California]]