Iron Boots are an item long since forgotten by the fitness industry. Difficult to put on, dangerously loose at times and quite awkward to use, it is unlikely that the boots were built to last the tests of time. Tucked away in the back end of the Stark Center’s archives are several pairs of Iron Boots made by manufacturers like York Barbell, the Weider Company and several others. For those unfamiliar with this item, Iron Boots were exactly that – heavy boots whose attachments allowed you to add plates to either side. Admittedly, it’s an unlikely favorite in a collection...

Lifting in his prime during the 1930s and 1940s, Bob Peoples boasted a strength impressive even today. At his very best, Peoples deadlifted over seven hundred pounds at a body weight hovering around one hundred and eighty pounds.

  Fans of the Iron Game will undoubtedly be familiar with the name Peary Rader. For more than fifty years, Peary, and his wife Mabel, oversaw the organization, publication and popularization of Iron Man magazine from their home town in Nebraska. They also proved pivotal in the organization of American weightlifting, powerlifting and bodybuilding, for both men and women. Given the Raders’ longevity and importance in the field, their Collection marks a fascinating, and extensive, insight into twentieth century American fitness. In terms of its composition, the Rader Collection contains thousands of photographs submitted to Iron Man over several decades....