Monday, December 21, 2009
Apollon PosterHere's one you don't see every day: a rare poster, circa 1895, advertising the performance of the great French strongman Apollon. In addition to feats of strength, Apollon was also a very good animal trainer. One unique feat of strength which encompassed both areas of his expertise was for Apollon to lift a full grown lion and carry the beast around on his shoulders.
Labels: Apollon, Block Weights, French Strongman, Lion, Performing Strongman, Poster, Strongman Poster
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Travis ~ The Get Up LiftThe great strongman Warren Lincoln Travis is shown here in mid "get up" lift. That is one of Professor Anthony Barker's weights that he is holding aloft. We'll have more on these interesting pieces of equipment very shortly.
Labels: Dumbbell Lift, Oldtime Lift, One Arm Getup, Professor Anthony Barker, Warren Lincoln Travis
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Joe ZimmermanJoe Zimmerman and his brother Dick were Bob Hoffman's neighbors in York, Pennsylvania and they hung around the York Barbell Company office doing crazy feats of strength. Here's Joe performing a hand stand on some boxes -- which is tough enough by itself -- but he is also lifting the 202-pound Louis Cyr Dumbbell in his teeth at the same time!
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Feat, Hand Balancing, handstand, Jaw Strength, Joe Zimmerman, Louis Cyr Challenge Dumbbell, York Barbell Company
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Good Dumbbell ~ Found!For a number of years the famous Good Dumbbell resided at a water company near Adamstown, Pennsylvania. We went and visited it a while back and took some pictures... but when we stopped by a few years later to see it again, The Good Dumbbell was gone!
Now, a 2150 lb. dumbbell (and an equally heavy marble/stone stand) do not just walk away by themselves so it was quite a mystery as to what happened to it. For a long time it was thought "lost."
In a stroke of good fortune, the current owner contacted us to let us know that he was taking care of it and hoping to create a museum dedicated to the Good Brothers and their accomplishments. As you can see, the dumbbell currently has a very nice home. Hopefully the Good Brothers museum comes to fruition.
Labels: Adamstown, Famous Dumbbell, Good Brothers, The Good Dumbbell
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Friday, December 18, 2009
Arthur DandurandTo say that the Canadian Strongman Arthur Dandurand was gifted in the forearm department would be an understatement. He not only was able to deadlift over 550 pounds with one arm but also achieved a rectangular fix with 177 pounds - an all-time record! Keep in mind that Dandurand only weighed 180 pounds or so himself.
Labels: Arthur Dandurand, Canadian Strongman, Forearm Development, One Arm Deadlift, Rectangular Fix
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Monday, December 14, 2009
Louis HostinShown here is the French weightlifter Louis Hostin, who won the Gold Medal at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Hostin also won the Silver medal at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam (where the above photo was taken).
Labels: 1928 Olympics, 1932 Olympics, 1936 Olympics, Berg-Hantell, French Weightlifter, Gold Medal, Louis Hostin, olympic weightlifter
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
French Gym ~ 1905Here's an awesome French Gym, circa 1905. Looks like it is Noel Le Gaulois' place. The area in front of the weights was actually a sand pit which was there to provide a surface to drop the weights in case of a missed lift. This area was also used for wrestling.
If you look closely, you can see posters on the wall for Batta, Charles Sampson, and Apollon, among others.
Labels: Apollon, Batta, Charles Sampson, Circus Poster, Classic Strongman Gyms, Globe Barbell, Noel Le Gaulois
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Saturday, December 12, 2009
REAL Russian KettlebellsRussian Kettlebells have become all the rage in the last few years. It doesn't get more Russian than this gentleman, who lives in a small village in the shadow of the Caucasus Mountains.
Labels: Kettlebell Press, Mother Russia, Russian Kettlebell Training, Russian Kettlebells, Traditional Exercise
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
The equipment produced by The Narragansett Machine Co. was top notch all the way. Check out the specs on this interesting piece from 1910:
 The Narragansett Machine Co. Triplex Pulley | This illustration of details of the Triplex Pulley weight shows the thoroughness and care we put into the design of all our apparatus, particularly the pulley weights. The ceiling pulley is adjustable to provide for varying rope angles. The top pulley also swings to lead correctly to the ceiling pulley. The swivel chest weight pulley, with its sliding block, is a fine example of neat design and the swivel floor pulley reaches down over the floorboard to draw the handles as close to the floor as possible. The mounting boards are made of Oak hardwood, the pulleys themselves are made from cast iron and other fixtures are made of polished brass. |
Labels: Antique Equipment, Narragansett Machine Company, Pulley Weight, Wall Pulleys
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Oscar MarineauOscar Marineau, the great Canadian Strongman is shown here with a unique exhibition feat: that's 850 pounds supported on his back which he took out for a stroll. The two engines weighed 346 pounds each and his son weighed over 150 pounds. In order to get the weights in position in the first place, Marineau had to perform a partial squat. Marineau weighed only 142 pounds himself.
Labels: Canadian Strongman, Heavy Partial Movements, Odd Object, Oscar Marineau, Supporting Feat
www.oldtimestrongman.com
All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2009 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
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