Church of Iron, Indianapolis

Aside from its prevalence in Church of Iron’s collection of dumbbells and kettlebells, iron symbolizes the strength and toughness that the results-oriented facility strives to instill in its athletes. Certified strength and conditioning coaches oversee each of the facility’s programs and individual workouts, propelling their disciples toward newfound levels of power, stamina, and speed by refusing to let them give up. The coaches emphasize safety as much as they do intensity, making sure that shoulders stay even during weightlifting moves such as snatches and jerks and gently reproving students when they attempt to shot put each other across the room.

Mike Holman, a staffer for the U.S. Olympic track-and-field team, designs the facility’s endurance programs, which incorporate training masks that simulate running at various elevations. Sports-performance programs help teens and college-level athletes build speed with plyometrics, weighted sprints, and agility drills, and CrossFit programs welcome all ages and fitness levels with scalable workouts that incorporate bodyweight exercises, intense bursts of cardio, and heavy objects such as kettlebells and Liberty Bells.