IRON FACTORY

The Iron Journal

Training notes
from the floor.

No fluff and no listicles for the sake of it. Just how to train, straight from a gym that's owned and run by people who lift — written for lifters in Washington, PA and anyone else who finds it.

Dave Gratta, IFBB pro and owner of Iron Factory Gym, coaching on the floorLatest

Bodybuilding · 6 min read

What Bodybuilding Competition Prep Actually Looks Like

Competition prep from the perspective of an IFBB pro: the phases, the boredom, the discipline, and what off-season really decides. Straight from the floor.

Read it →

More from the floor

The muscle-man mural on the training floor at Iron Factory Gym

Getting Started · 7 min read

Your First Month in the Weight Room: A Straight Guide for Beginners

New to lifting? Here's exactly what to do in your first month at the gym — the movements that matter, how often to train, and what to ignore.

Read it →

The main training floor at Iron Factory Gym in Washington, PA

Training · 5 min read

Why 24/7 Gym Access Actually Changes How You Train

A 24-hour gym in Washington, PA isn't about bragging rights. It's about killing the one excuse that ends most training plans: I didn't have time.

Read it →

Reading about it is step zero.

The floor at 595 Racetrack Road is open 24/7 for members. Come put any of this to work.

Join Iron FactorySee Memberships