Elite Iron Sports Performance

What a week at Powerlifting America Aged Nationals in Corpus Christi!

I wasn’t able to capture photos with everyone, but I had the privilege of coaching so many incredible athletes throughout the week. Thank you to each athlete for trusting me to be in your corner.

This trip was filled with many wins — new PRs, podium finishes, personal growth, overcoming challenges, celebrations, great food, lots of laughs, and many memories.

Beyond the numbers on the platform, it was special to watch each athlete rise to the moment, battle through adversity, and represent with heart and determination.

I’m incredibly proud of every lifter who stepped on that platform. Thankful for the opportunity to be part of your journey and excited for what’s ahead.

PRsAndPodiums PowerliftingCoach

🚨 YOUTH BARBELL ACADEMY — LIMITED SPOTS 🚨

Hosted by Elite Iron Sports Performance

Strong athletes aren’t built overnight — they’re built through proper coaching, confidence, and consistency. 💪

This Small Group Barbell Academy is designed for athletes ages 8–13 who want to learn how to train the right way in a safe, supportive environment.

✔️ Proper lifting technique
✔️ Squat, bench, and deadlift fundamentals
✔️ Olympic lift basics: clean, jerk & sn**ch progressions
✔️ Build strength, coordination, discipline & confidence
✔️ Expert coaching with only 8 athlete spots available

Led by Coach James Townsend, bringing 20+ years of experience in:
🏈 Collegiate Strength & Conditioning
🇺🇸 USA Powerlifting National Team Coaching
🏆 World Games Team USA Head Coach
📚 NSCA CSCS Certified Strength Coach

📅 8 Total Sessions
🗓 Wednesdays + Fridays
⏰ 3:00–4:15 PM
📍 Elite Iron Sports Performance

This program is perfect for beginner athletes looking to gain confidence in the weight room while developing movement skills that transfer to sports and life.

📩 Message us to reserve your athlete’s spot today.

Highlighting another 2nd generation EI lifter 💪🔥

Evelyn has been such a joy to coach and develop this year. Inspired by her dad’s accomplishments in powerlifting, she decided she wanted to battle the bar too.

At just 7 years old, Evelyn shows up to training with a mature mindset, a great attitude, and a true willingness to learn. She approaches each session ready to work, improve, and have fun.

The growth she has made in such a short time has been incredible to watch. I’m so thankful to her family for trusting me with her training, and I can’t wait to watch her continue crushing goals and building confidence along the way. 💖🏋️‍♀️

The future is bright for this strong young athlete. ✨

Iron sharpens iron. 💪

Powerlifting Nationals was a success!!!!
Also a reminder of what happens when strength, discipline, and community collide.

The level of talent here is unreal, but what stands out even more is the support. An entire community built around chasing better.

Grateful to be apart of the journey and for the opportunity to support each individual. 🏋️‍♂️🔥

🎬

At Elite Iron, we’ve had the honor of serving clients with many different goals, challenges, and seasons of life.

But today, we want to pause and recognize a very specific group we’ve been privileged to walk alongside.

CANCER SUCKS.
There’s no sugarcoating it.

Over the years, Elite Iron has found itself in the middle of this journey with more and more clients navigating diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and everything in between. And we don’t believe that’s by accident.

With Coach James’ relentless focus on perseverance, grit, strength, and community — paired with his wife’s 15 years serving as an oncology nurse — this isn’t coincidence.

It’s a calling.

Today we want to highlight the 2025 challenge trial led by Kerry Courneya.
Not because this concept is new to us.
Not because we needed convincing.
But because this study reinforces with hard data what we have witnessed firsthand inside these walls.

📊 In the Courneya 2025 trial, which included over 800 CRC patients, the structured exercise group demonstrated:

• Improved physical function
• Increased cardioresal fitness
• Reduced treatment-related fatigue
• Better overall quality of life
• ~28% improvement in disease-free survival
• ~37% improvement in overall survival

Yes — you read that right.

Participants who trained in a supervised, progressive exercise program didn’t just feel better.

They had a significantly lower risk of recurrence and death compared to the usual care group.
That’s not gym hype.
That’s data.

Exercise isn’t just about looking better.
It’s about tolerating treatment better.
Recovering stronger.
Reducing recurrence risk.
Extending life.

For our cancer warriors — past and present — you are some of the toughest athletes we coach. The barbell doesn’t intimidate you. Chemo didn’t break you. Radiation didn’t define you.
Strength training during cancer isn’t reckless.

It’s evidence-based.
It’s protective.
It’s powerful.

We are honored to walk beside you.
We will keep building strength.
We will keep building community.
We will keep fighting back.
Because cancer may suck —
but strength fights back.

Quick trip to Vegas last weekend for Powerlifting America Bench Nationals — and it was a success.

Grateful for the opportunity to work with this crew. Thank you, as always, for trusting me to coach and support you on the platform.

Results:
Lee Brooks | Raw M2 – 105 kg
🥈 2nd Place | 2/3 lifts

Nick Farison | Open Equipped – 75 kg
🥇 1st Place | 197.5 kg bench | 2/3
✅ Qualified for Open Bench Press Worlds Team

Jordan Ku**er | 93 kg
🔥 3/3 with a PR bench of 180 kg
🥈 2nd Place | Open Equipped Division

Paul Stein | 105 kg
💪🏽 2/3 with a PR bench of 177.5 kg
4️⃣ 4th Place | Open Equipped Division

Proud of the work, the focus, and the results. On to the next one. 🏆

🎄 ’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the gym…

Not a dumbbell was stirring, not even a rep.

The bars were all racked, the plates were all stacked.

The workouts were done, the PRs were tight,
Now it’s cookies, cocoa, and sleep… just for tonight 😴🍪 💪✨

From our gym family to yours — Merry Christmas! Thank you for showing up, putting in the work, and making this place special all year long 🎅🎁

Hey ChaGPT

Create “THE IRON NORTH POLE” EI style 💀🎄

Where the lights are tangled, the chalk is flowing, and Santa doesn’t slide down chimneys…he squats heavy and pulls PRs.

Cookies are optional.
Deadlifts are mandatory.
Holiday cheer = questionable.

Train hard. Lift angry.
Merry Liftmas, ya filthy animals. 🎅🏋️‍♂️🔥