Editorial
Front Page - Friday, May 28, 2010
What'll they dream up next?
Iron Gym
Misty S. Brown
The Iron Gym is a sturdy, easy-to-install pull-up bar that can also be used for advanced push-ups, sit-ups and dips.
Like most young girls, I loved pretending to be a gymnast. I would do cherry drops from the bars on the playground at recess and practiced my balance beam routine on every parking bumper curb, railroad tie or deck railing I could find. Even in the middle of a baseball game at lunchtime during elementary school, I would be perfecting my cartwheel skills rather than manning the base. (No wonder I was picked last so often.)
I was a huge fan of the Magnificent 7 team from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, which included Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Amy Chow, Amanda Borden, Jaycie Phelps and Kerri Strug. Who could ever forget that historical vault landing by Strug that earned the United States female gymnastics team a gold medal? They were my American idols, and I loved looking up to and emulating them.
One day a few months ago, I had to laugh when I was at the park with two of my younger sisters – a woman was there with her son and attempted to make her way across the monkey bars after he had. Attempted is the key word here. She was embarrassed to find out that she could barely hang on, let alone swing to the next bar. Unfortunately, I could completely relate. I attempted the monkey bars last year when I took my boyfriend’s son to the park. Luckily, I was the only adult around to see me fail miserably at it. Sad to say, I completely lack the upper body strength I once had as a child.
Men, on the other hand, must still have a lot of monkey genes in their muscle make-up. Take my boyfriend, for instance; He can do pull-ups as if it were as easy as tying a shoe. When I try them, he does not understand why I cannot even squeeze one pull-up out.
I try very hard, even imagining that I am hanging over a cliff and one pull-up would save my life, or I start seeing images of the Magnificent 7 on the uneven bars float through my mind, but I just cannot muster the strength to do it.
Since my boyfriend is tall and lanky, he is always trying to build up his muscles. And since he is so darn good at pull-ups, I bought him the Iron Gym as a gift to help aid in the process. While I still cannot do a pull-up, he does a few each time he walks under it.
What it is
The Iron Gym is a pull-up bar that uses leverage to hold up in a doorway. It can also be used on the ground for sit-ups, push-ups and dips.
How it works
After a quick, one-time assembly of all the parts in the package, the Iron Gym installs on a doorway quickly and effortlessly. There is a small piece of metal that fits behind the trim on the top of a door and holds the top in place on one side, while the main horizontal bar fits on the front of the doorframe and uses leverage to hold it in place.
There are three positions that can be used to do varying styles of pull-ups – narrow, wide and neutral. After a pull-up routine, the Iron Gym can be removed from the doorframe for storage or to do advanced push-ups or small dips, or it can be held against the bottom of the doorframe for sit-ups.
Pros and cons
The Iron Gym is rated for users up to 300 pounds, so those who weigh more than this will need to look for a product that handles a heavier load.
Since it is removable, you do not have to worry about making a permanent installation or marring up your doorframe. The foam padding seems to keep it from making any marks or indentations, but the grips can slip slightly while in use.
Another advantage of its removability is that it can be used to assist in other exercises, such as sit-ups and pull-ups, but users say the range of motion for dips is not that effective.
The Iron Gym fits on doorframes from 24- to 32-inches wide, but it does not come with an extension for wider door openings.
Though there is an initial fear that the Iron Gym might slip during use, it is very sturdy and stays in place as long as the doorframe is about two inches wide. Adjustments may need to be made for wider or thinner molding.
When not in use, the Iron Gym can double as a temporary hanging spot for your next day’s outfit.
Where to buy
The Iron Gym is available at Target and Academy Sports and Outdoors for $29.99 plus taxes. You can send in for or find optional ab straps in the store for extra.
Submissions
Have a gadget you would like me to review? Send information to misty@dailydata.com.
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