Fit in Prison? Pumping Iron on The MainlineFitness : Fitness ArticlesPumping iron traditionally was a way inmates passed. time, relieved stress and anxiety, and improved their self image. Prisoners in the general population were allowed access to all manner of weight lifting equipment. Prison administrators felt that lifting had positive benefits, not only to individual prisoners, but to the rehabilitation process as a whole. "The official position of the National Correctional Recreation Association is that weight lifting programs are an integral part of rehabilitation services within the spectrum of corrections. Properly administered, weight lifting programs are a vital tool in the daily management of a volatile environment as well as a potentially cost-effective measure." http://www.strengthtech.com