Sunday, December 23, 2007
The Mighty Atom"...The Mighty Atom's encouraging doctrine, and his secrets of long life are not vague. Health and happiness do not beckon alone to youth. It is for people of all ages. Too many of us drift in out later years into a sort of fantasy life, dreaming of our lost youth.~ The Mighty Atom: His Philosophy of Health By Vic Boff
Instead of indulging in self pity for our drab and existing life - do something about it. We live not according to reason, but according to mere fashion and tradition.
The Atom's secrets of youth and longevity are as clear as spring water for those with determination, enthusiasm, and will power.
If we are willing to conscientiously exercise our bodies; if we are willing to push ourselves away from the table before we are stuffed; if we are willing to cut out, or cut down our self- indulgences; if we are willing to meditate each day for tranquility and peace of mind - yes, even in a world of nuclear fallout - a longer, healthier, and stronger life can become a reality.
You will then realize what it is to have a magnificent body to add to the completeness of a human career."
Labels: Health, Longetivity, Oldtime Strongman, The MIghty Atom, Vic Boff, Will Power
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Thursday, December 20, 2007
The Jowett Institute of Physical Culture DiplomaOur friend Carl Falco sent this one in (Thanks Carl!) This is the Diploma that he received in 1959 after completing George Jowett's monthly mail-order training course. Carl is 65 years young and his training hasn't changed much since then. Just goes to show you that great training info never gets old.
Labels: George Jowett, Jowett Institute, Jowett Institute of Physical Culture, Mail Order Course
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 The Inver Stone | Scotland is famous for it's Clach Cuid Fir or manhood stones... In Crathie, Aberdeenshire, in the shadow of the Inver Hotel, you'll find one of the most famous manhood stones of them all: The Inver Stone. This famous stone has challenged men for centuries. It is smooth, round, and unusually small for its 265 pounds. Lift it to your chest, and you'll entitle yourself to a free pint at the Inver Pub and a place in the record books. |
Labels: Clach Cuid Fir, Famous Stones, Inver Stone, Lifting Stones, Manhood Stones, Scotland, Strongman Feat
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Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The Rolandow BarbellThe Rolandow Barbell once belonged to the Swiss Strongman G.W. Rolandow who would bent-press it each night in his performance. This barbell has been lifted by many famous strongmen, including Eugen Sandow.
The Rolandow Barbell has had many famous owners over the years. It was purchased by Professor Attila, then Sig Klein (as shown). The Rolandow Barbell can currently be seen in the York Barbell Company Museum in York, Pennsylvania.
Labels: Barbell, Bent Press, Challenge Weight, Eugen Sandow, Famous Barbell, G.W. Rolandow, Professor Attila, Rolandow Barbell, Sig Klein, York Barbell Company Museum
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Indian Club Swinging at West Point"... besides the great recommendation of simplicity, the Indian Club practice possesses the essential practice of expanding the chest and exercising every muscle in the body concurrently."
- Indian Club Exercises, by E.B. Warman (1921)
"The effect of these exercises , when performed with light clubs, is chiefly a neural one, hence they are primary factors in the development of grace, coordination and rhythm. As they tend supple the muscles and articulation of the shoulders and to the upper and fore arms and wrist, they are indicated in cases where there is a tendency toward what is ordinarily known as "muscle bound."
– The United States Army Manual of Physical Training(1914)
"[Indian Clubs] cultivate patience and endurance, and operate most happily upon the longitudinal muscle of the back and shoulders, thus tending to correct the habit of stooping."
- The New Gymnastics for Men, Women and Children by Dio Lewis (1867)
"The club exercise will do much to develop the proper outlines of the shoulders back and waist. The man who uses the clubs diligently will never need to have his coats "built out" on the shoulder or padded on the front and rear."
- Indian Clubs by C.R. Treat (1869)
"Indian club exercises have of late years become one of the most universal methods of developing the muscular anatomy of the human body. Schools, colleges and even theological seminaries have adopted their use in their respective institutions with the most beneficial results. For keeping the body in a healthy and vigorous condition there has as yet been nothing invented, which for its simplicity and gracefulness can be favorably compared with the Indian Club exercise."
- Indian Clubs and Other Exercises by M. Bornstein (1889)
Labels: Indian Club Benefits, Indian Club Books, Indian Club Swinging, Indian Clubs, Strength Authors
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Tuesday, December 18, 2007
 The Iron Cross | Much of the origins of strength training and physical culture come from gymnastics. The Iron Cross as performed on gymnastic rings, is one of the most impressive gymnastic feats. It takes a great deal of strength and plenty of skill to perform The Iron Cross properly. |
Labels: Feat, Gymnastic Feat, Gymnastic Rings, Gymnastics, Gymnatic Exercise, Iron Cross, Physical Training
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Steve JustaSteve Justa has some pretty unique ideas about training... Lifting,Barrels, sandbags, rocks, chunks of concrete... all in a day's work for Steve Justa.
One of his theories is that walking with heavy weights will build incredible ligament strength, especially in the ankles.
Walking with a heavy barbell on the shoulders is cumbersome, not to mention dangerous should it fall. Instead, Steve built this piece of equipment which allows him to load up as heavy as needed and be in perfect position to walk every time.
He worked up to walking with well over a ton on his back.
Labels: Ligament Strength, Steve Justa, Strongman Feat, Supporting Feat, Weighted Walk
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| Ian "Mac" Batchelor of Los Angeles, California was a great Oldtime Strongman who specilized in feats of grip and forearm strength. He could easily bend metal bottle caps between his fingers and was for many years recognized as a champion of "wrist-wrestling" (in which he was undefeated.) This picture shows one of his more outstanding feats of grip strength: "walking" his fingers up a long, heavy wine bottle. Try it! |  Ian "Mac" Batchelor |
Labels: Grip Feat, Grip Strength, Ian Mac Batchelor, Mac Bachelor, Mac Batchelor, Oldtime Strongman, wrist wrestling
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In the U.S. we call it chest expander training but over across the pond it's referred to as "Stand Pulling" and there have been a number of books and courses, contests, and even more than one federation that keeps official records.
Here's a look at the 20 official Strand Pulling "pulls":
Here's a look at the 20 official Strand Pulling "pulls":
| 1. Right Arm Chest Pull 2. Left Arm Chest Pull 3. Two Arms Chest Pull 4. Front Lateral Raise 5. Back Lateral Raise 6. Press Behind Back 7. Press Behind Neck 8. Dislocation (attention) 9. Downward Pull - Knuckles In 10. Downward Pull - Knuckles Out 11. Upward Chest Pull 12. Left Arm Press 13. Right Arm Press 14. Left Arm Push 15. Right Arm Push 16. Left Arm Chest Pull Anyhow 17. Right Arm Chest Pull Anyhow 18. Two Arms Chest Pull Anyhow 19. Dislocation 20. Press Behind Back Anyhow |  Strand Pulling |
All About Strand-Pulling Labels: Chest Expanders, Strand Pulling, Strand Pulling Contests, Strand Pulling Exercises, Strand Pulling Workout, Strongman Equipment
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The York Big 12 SpecialThis is the weight set that helped put a lot of muscle on a lot of people - The York Big 12 Special as advertised on the back of the June, 1952 issue of Strength and Health Magazine.
That's Jack Delinger (Mr. America, 1949) on the left, and John Farbotnik (Mr. America, 1950) on the right.
This set included 240 pounds of barbell plates, long barbell bar, short dumbbell/swingbell bar, health boots, a head strap for building neck strength, wrist roller, kettlebell handles, collars and four York training courses (York Dumbbell course 1 & 2, Leg Development and Swing Bar Training.)
Labels: Barbell, Big 12 Special, Collars, head strap, Iron Boots, Jack Dellinger, John Farbotnik, kettlebell handles, Mr. America, swingbell, Training Course, Training Equipment, wrist roller, York Barbell
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Monday, December 17, 2007
| It's not hard to see why Eugen Sandow was well received as bodybuilding's first superstar a hundred years ago. Sandow's physique is still impressive by today's standards -- probably even more so. Sandow built his strength with basic exercises and the double-progressive technique. |  Eugen Sandow |
Labels: Bodybuilder, Eugen Sandow, Physique Star
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Sunday, December 16, 2007
Dave's Gym - South Bend, IndianaDave Bjoraas, (pictured far right) the legendary "Dave" of Dave's Gym and Dave's Barbell Club of South Bend, Indiana... for many years the center of strength activity in the Mid-Western United States.
Dave's Gym in South Bend, Indiana produced many Iron Game champions: 1956 Mr. America Ray Schaefer trained there. So did Jr. Mr. America Doug Lindzy (pro-wrestling's original "Doug Gilbert").
Dave's Barbell Club Weight-lifting team produced champions like Winston Binney and Mike Burgener. And, most importantly, many of the top football players on Notre Dame's great Irish teams trained with Dave.
Dave's Gym... one of the top gyms ever... Dave Bjoraas, a fine man and a giant in the world of weights.
Labels: Bodybuilding, Classic Strongman Gyms, Daves Gym, Heavyweight Lifting Championships, Jr. Mr. America, Mr. America, Notre Dame, Olympic Weightlifting, weightlifting
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| The great British Oldtime Strongman Thomas Inch wrote a lot of training guides you probably never heard of. This one, Scientific Weightlifting was published in the 1920's and covers the finer points of heavy lifting. As you might expect, lots of useful training information is contained within these covers. This particular copy is actually autographed by Thomas Inch himself (No, it's not for sale.) |  Scientific Weightliftingby Thomas Inch |
Labels: book, Scientific Weightlifting, Strength Author, Thomas Inch, weightlifting
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Iron Man Hand GrippersThere are advertisements for hand grippers going back as far as 1901, but the tradition of the heavy-duty steel hand grippers began in back in 1964 when Warren Tetting's grippers first appeared in the pages of Iron Man Magazine.
These grippers challenged many strongmen and there were four Strengths: "Light", "Heavy", "Extra Heavy" and "Super Heavy". Only the strongest hands could close the "Extra Heavy" gripper and it is unknown weather anyone actually closed the "Super Heavy" gripper level.
The Iron Man Grippers would be advertised for the next 79 issues and eventually became the inspiration for the Iron Mind Captains of Crush Grippers.
Labels: Forearm Strength, Grip Equipment, Grip Strength, Grip Training, Gripper Training, Hand Grippers, Iron Man Grippers, Strongman Equipment, Tetting Grippers, Warren Tetting
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 Hermann Goerner | The German Strongman Hermann Goerner specialized on unusual feats of grip strength. Here's a great lift you can try -- the 4-finger deadlift (that's using the index and middle fingers of each hand.) This picture shows Goerner lifting 595-1/2 pounds in that manner on November 30th, 1933, in Leipzig, Germany. |
Labels: Deadlift, German Strongman, Grip Feat, Grip Strength, Hermann Goerner
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Siegmund Breitbart vs. The Iron GirderSiegmind Breitbart was a great Oldtime Strongman with a number of incredible strength feats in his repertoire. He was best known as a Steel Bender and a Nail Driver but here's one you probably haven't seen:
Here's Siegmund Breitbart bending a 32-foot Iron Girder over his head. There's 12 people on each side. - YOW! This picture was taken October 29th, 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Labels: Bending Feat, Cleveland Ohio, Oldtime Strongman Feat, Siegmund Breitbart
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 Roy Hilligenn 1951 Mr. America | Roy Hilligen was a great all-around "iron athlete." As a bodybuilder, he won the Mr. South Africa title in 1943, 1944, 1946 and 1976 as well as the AAU Mr. America Title in 1951. As an Olympic lifter, Hilligenn was the first South African to Clean and Jerk double body weight. His lifts in 1946 were Press: 245 pounds, Snatch: 255 Pounds and Clean & Jerk: 321 pounds. In the early 1950's, and weighing just 173 pounds, Hilligen unofficially equaled the world record in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 375 pounds. |
Interestingly, he was also a life-long vegetarian.
Labels: AAU, Bodybuilder, Clean and Jerk, Ed Yarick's Gym, Mr. America, Olympic Weightlifting, Roy Hilligenn, South African
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The "Quad" Phonebook Tear by Pat PovilaitisIt's hard enough to tear a phonbook once, but check out what Pat Povilaitis can do -- the first (and to my knowledge only) phonebook "Quad" tear.
That's right, Pat tore the same phonebook into five strips -- and this feat can only happen when you can legitimately tear a phonebook.
Labels: Grip Feat, Pat Povilaitis, Phonebook Tearing, Strongman Feat
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German Strongman Karl MoerkeKarl Moerke was a German Strongman in the early 1900's. At a bodyweight around 250 pounds at a height of only 5'2 Moerke was quite the powerhouse.
He could deadlift 650 pounds, jerk 375 pounds (shown here), and had a 19-inch neck. It was Moerke whom Milo Steinborn defeated to win the German Heavyweight Weightlifting Championship.
Labels: Barbell, Clean and Jerk, Deadlift, German Strongman, Henry Milo Steinborn, Karl Moerke, Oldtime Strongman Feat
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 Apollon | The great French Strongman Apollon was well known for his grip feats. With reported 19-inch Forearms and 9-inch long hands, it's not hard to see why. This allowed him to toy with thick-handled weights that few other strongmen could even budge off the ground. |
Labels: Apollon, Forearm Strength, French Strongman, Oldtime Strongman Feat, Thick Bar Lifting
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Saturday, December 15, 2007
| John Grunn Marx was well known as a strongman who could bend and break horseshoes. Many oldtime strongmen faked their feats but this photo proves that John Grunn Marx really did understand how to bend horseshoes. The technique shown in this photo is how to actually bend horseshoes as demonstrated by Pat Povilaitis in 336 Pounds of Fury |  John Grunn Marx |
Labels: Bending Feat, Bent Horseshoes, Horseshoe Bending, John Grunn Marx, Oldtime Strongman Feat, Steel Bending
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Globe Barbells at the 1924 Olympic GamesHere's a look at the Globe Barbells that were lined up and ready to be used at the 1924 Olympic Games held in Paris France.
This was the last year that lifters were given the choice between lifting with shot-loaded globe barbells or barbells loaded with the iron disc plates that we use today.
The only lifters to choose the shot-loaded globes at the 1924 Olympic Games were the French Weightlifting team, of which great strongman Charles Rigoulot won the gold medal in the heavyweight class and his teammate Edmond Decottignies took home the gold in the light-weight Class.
Labels: Charles Rigoulot, Globe Barbell, Gold Medal, Olympic Weightlifting, Olympics, Paris France, Shot Loaded Barbells, Strongman Equipment, weightlifting
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Squatting With Paul AndersonIf there ever were a man who was born to squat, it was Paul Anderson.
"Big Paul" often had a hard time finding bars which could hold enough weight so he had to improvise. He built this "barrel barbell" from a design pioneered by his friend Bob Peoples.
Paul would also train the squat in an unusual way:
He would dig a pit in the back yard and load up the bar to for over his normal full-squat max, then he would do partial movements, filling in the hole with dirt an inch at a time for each successive workout until he was working with a full movement.
Labels: Bob Peoples, Heavy Partial Movements, Paul Anderson, Squat, Strongman Equipment, Unusual Training Equipment
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Friday, December 14, 2007
 WarrenLincoln Travis | If you wanted to win the Richard K. Fox Heavyweight Strongman Champiionship Belt you had to beat Warren Lincoln Travis at his own game in a challenge match. Here's the list of Travis' ten strength challenges: 1. 100 lb.barbell brought from the floor with both hands, pressed overhead with both hands, while seated(thirty seconds). |
Labels: Backlift, Challenge Feats, Dumbbell Lifts, Harness Lift, Oldtime Strongman Feat, One Finger Lift, Warren Lincoln Travis
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Thursday, December 13, 2007
| G.W. Rolandow was a Swiss Strongman who publically challenged Sandow to a contest on several occasions only to have Sandow turn him down each time. Rolandow accomplished the following lifts: |  G.W. Rolandow |
Labels: Bent Press, Card Tearing, Deadlift, G.W. Rolandow, Oldtime Strongman, one arm snatch, Supporting Feat, Tomb of Hercules
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 Fred Rollon | Fred Rollon was a strand pulling Champion but he excelled in a number of other traditional strongman feats. Fred Rollon is shown here in the act of tearing a deck of cards in half. |
Labels: Card Tearing, Fred Rollon, Grip Feat, Strand Pulling, Strongman Feat
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 Doug Hepburn | Here's something you don't see every day, a Doug Hepburn Wrestling trading card from the mid-1950's. Doug Hepburn had a short professional wrestling career in Canada once his weight lifting career came to an end. Doug would often perform feats of strength before his matches and his finishing move was an inverted bear-hug, squeezing the life out of his opponents until they had no choice but to submit. |
Labels: Doug Hepburn, Strongman Collectible, Trading Card, Wrestling
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| Swinging heavy Indian Clubs is a very intense workout and has been a part of Kushti (Traditional Indian Physical Training) for centuries where they are known as "Jori". Indian Clubs also appear in many other ancient physical training programs including Iran, where they are known as "Meels." These Indian Clubs are about three feet long and weight 26 pounds apiece. |  Heavy Indian Club Swinging |
Labels: Heavy Clubs, Indian Clubs, Indian Physical Culture, John Wood, Jori, Kushti, Physical Culture Equipment
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 The Nautilus Squat Machine | Casey Viator uses the Nautilus Squat Machine during the Colorado Experiment. You may recall that Casey put on 63 pounds of muscle over the course of the 28 day experiment and this machine was a big reason behind that. It has been well understood that intense leg work is the key to super strength. This machine allowed the hips and legs to be trained in a manner more intense than any other method created before or since. This particular Nautilus machine never actually went into production. |
Labels: Bodybuilding, Casey Viator, Equipment, Leg Development, Leg Training, Nautilus Machines, Nautilus Squat Machine, Squat Machine, The Colorado Experiment
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Wood's WoodWood's Wood is one of the Original Wooden Log Bars which was a gift from Dr. Ken Leistner many moons ago. It's called "Wood's Wood" because that's what is carved into the side of it. -- A Pretty Fitting Name
This is the same Log that appears in Brooks Kubik's "Bags, Barrels and Beyond" training video.
As you can see, this Log is a beast and nearly as tall as I am. It's still good for a workout every now and then but I much prefer the updated model for training.
Labels: Brooks Kubik, Dr. Ken Leistner, John Wood, Log Bar, Log Press, Log Training, Overhead Press, Strongman Equipment, Wooden Log, Woods Wood
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 Earle E. Liederman's Business Card | Earle E. Liederman was a great oldtime strongman and strength author as well as one of the best known of the Mail Order Muscle Barons. Here's a look at his business card from the 1920's when he was billed as "America's Leading Director of Physical Education." It lists 305 Broadway, New York City as his address. Wonder what's at that address these days? |
Labels: Earle E. Liederman, Mail Order Muscle Courses, Strength Author, Strongman Collectible
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Thomas Inch Dumbbell ReplicaIn the late 90s, the Staver Foundry of Minnesota produced replicas of the famous Thomas Inch challenge dumbbell. These solid globe dumbbells weighed 172 pounds but the handle is slightly thicker (2.47" vs. 2-3/8" on the original.)
172 Pounds may not seem like much of a challenge to lift but the thick handle makes it nearly impossible. Thousands of athletes have tried to lift the Inch Dumbbell but only a few have succeeded. You'll need a very strong grip if you want to add your name to the list.
Labels: Challenge Weight, Famous Dumbbell, Globe Dumbbell, Grip Strength, Inch Dumbbell, Strongman Equipment, Thick Bar Lifting, Thick Handle, Thomas Inch
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All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
 Bobby Pandour | Bobby Pandour was an early physique superstar and Vaudeville performer during the 1900s. Pandour never trained with heavy weights but built his incredible physique with gymnastics, muscle control work, hand balancing and high-rep training with a pair of 10-pound dumbbells. At his peak Pandour weighed only 160 pounds at a height of 5'6". It was reported that he had a 42-inch chest, 23-inch thighs and 17-inch arms. |
Labels: Bobby Pandour, Bodybuilder, Early Bodybuilder, Gymnastics, Hand Balancing, Physique Star, Vaudeville
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Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The Good BrothersThe Good Brothers, Harry, Walter and Bill, were a trio of weightlifters and Strongmen from Eastern Pennsylvania. Bill was the strongest of the three, winning seven Senior National Weightlifting Titles (1930-1937) and competing in two Olympic Games (1932 Los Angeles, 1936 - Berlin). Bill Good was the first American to Clean & Jerk 350 Pounds.
Walter Good competed in the 1936 Olympics as well.
Harry was the U.S. Professional Champion in 1933 in addition to writing training articles for a number of different strength publications and training courses. Harry Good went on to establish the "Good Barbell Company" in the late 1930s.
Mark Berry also used the Good Brothers to demonstrate several of the exercises in his book Physical Training Simplified (1930).
Labels: Bill Good, Equipment, Good Brothers, Harry Good, Olympic Weightlifting, Walter Good
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Monday, December 10, 2007
 John Y. Smith | John Y. Smith was a great strongman in the New England area in the early 1900's. Among his many impressive feats were a right hand bent-press of 275-1/2 pounds (which broke Louis Cyr's mark) and a left hand bent-press of 248 pounds (Which stood as an American record for many years.) It was said that Smith's hands resembled "Iron Claws" due to his extensive training with Thick Bars. |
Labels: Bent Press, Hand Strength, Iron Claws, John Y. Smith, Oldtime Strongman, Thick Bar Training, Thick Bars
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Franz Bienkowski - "Cyclops" - The Coin Breaker Franz Bienkowski was a Polish wrestler and strongman who performed in the late 1800's. It was reported that his grip and finger strength was so powerful that he could bend and break coins.
Labels: Circus Strongman, Coin Bending, Cyclops, Franz Bienkowski, Grip Feat, Grip Strength, Oldtime Strongman, Polish Strongman, Strongman Feat
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The York Olympic BarbellIf there's one thing that every Strongman needs, it's a quality barbell. Here's a look at a York Olympic Set circa 1939. Kind of amazing that the barbell hasn't changed much since it was invented in the early 1900's -- and equally amazing that a century later it's so difficult to purchase a quality set. (Note the "Deep Dish" plates.)
Labels: Barbell, Olympic Barbell, Training Equipment, York Barbell
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| The "Muscle Out" is an oldtime lift where a heavy weight is held at arms length to the front or to the side. Doing 50-60 pounds is impressive; many of the oldtime strongmen worked their way up to holding 80-90 pounds in this manner. Kettlebells were often used for this lift, as were 56 pound ring weights, as demonstrated on the right by a young Thomas Inch. |  Thomas Inch |
Labels: Heavy Weight, Kettlebell, Kettlebell Exercises, Oldtime Lift, Oldtime Strongman Feat, Ring Weights, Thomas Inch
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| John Grimek was impressive from all angles and excelled at a number of different strength feats -- but don't forget that the foundation of his strength and power was intense squatting and other forms of heavy leg work. Grimek was able to squat 400 pounds for reps well into his 60s. |  John Grimek Squatting |
Labels: Bodybuilding, Foundation of Strength, John Grimek, Leg Work, Power, Squat, Strength
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 Bill Pearl | Bill Pearl is one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, having won many different bodybuilding titles over his colorful career. Something you may not realize though is that Bill also began performing traditional feats of strength such as license plate ripping (pictured), chain breaking, spike bending, card tearing and even Nail Driving because he "felt that he should BE as strong as he looked." |
Labels: Bill Pearl, Bodybuilding, Golden Age Bodybuilder, Strongman Feat
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Sunday, December 09, 2007
Paul Anderson BackliftPaul Anderson's 6270 pound record backlift stands alone as the heaviest weight ever lifted by a human being and certainly one of the greatest strength feats of all time. This is not a picture of Anderson's record lift but one of many backlifts he performed in front of crowds as he traveled the country giving speeches. Including the human weight and weight of the platform, this is probably close to a ton and "Big Paul" makes it look easy.
Labels: Backlift, Feat, Human Weight, Paul Anderson, Platform, Strongman Feat
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Bruce White - Rafter Pinch Grip Chin UpsAnother Pinch Grip Feat - It's hard enough to just hold your bodyweight off the ground by pinch gripping rafters. Far beyond that is doing a rafter pullup... and even farther beyond that is this feat:
Here Australian Grip Master Bruce White chins himself on rafters with 70 extra pounds tied to his waist. -- an unbelievable feat of grip strength
Now THAT is Strong!
Labels: Australian Grip Master, Bruce White, Chinup, Grip Feat, Grip Strength, Pinch Grip, Pinch Grip Chinup, Rafter Chinup, Strongman Feat
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| John Davis had a mighty grip to go along with his incredible strength. -- He would need a pretty terrific grip to lift the Apollon wheels. Davis could also perform three one-arm chinups with either hand. Pictured here is Two-time Olympic Gold Medal Winning Weightlifter John Davis performing a unique grip feat: pinching a pair of York "Deep Dish" 35-pound barbell plates. Not many people practice pinch gripping, or gripping a smooth surface with the fingers extended. Pinch gripping modern barbell plates is hard enough, what Davis is doing here is very impressive considering those particular plates are twice as wide as any barbell plates you'll find these days. |  - John Davis - Pinch Grip Feat |
Labels: Barbell Plates, Grip Feat, Grip Strength, John Davis, Pinch Grip, Strongman Feat
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Saturday, December 08, 2007
 - George Eiferman - Chest Development | Back in the old days, "chest development" meant chest and ribcage expansion. Here's a look at George Eiferman, a classic bodybuilder, who was famous for his chest development, on the cover of the February, 1948 Strength and Health Magazine. Eiferman won the AAU Mr. America, AAU Mr. California and IFBB Mr. Universe titles. In this picture Eiferman weighed around 190 pounds. You can tell that ribcage and chest expansion contributes greatly to the "look" of strength and power. |
Labels: AAU, Bodybuilding, Chest Development, Chest Expansion, Cover, George Eiferman, IFBB, Mr. America, Mr. California, Mr. Universe, Ribcage Expansion, Strength and Health
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Friday, December 07, 2007
| From 1911 to 1934, Edward Aston held the title of Britain's Strongest Man. Judging by this picture, it's not hard to see why. One of Aston's "Secrets" was to pay particular attention to strengthening the grip and forearm. He employed a number of different exercises to build his hand strength but one of his favorites was to do one-arm timed holds on a climbing rope. |  - Edward Aston - Britain's Strongest Man |
Labels: Britains Strongest Man, British Champion, Edward Aston, Forearm Strength, Grip Strength, Hand Strength
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Sandow's Chest ExpanderEugen Sandow promoted the very first commercially available strength training equipment. Sandow had a number of different chest expanders through the years. The chest expander above has dumbbells for handles which adds a pretty unique twist to chest expander training.
Labels: chest expander training, Chest Expanders, Dumbbells, Eugen Sandow, Sandows Chest Expander, Training Equipment, Vintage Strength Equipment
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| Farmer Burns built his neck strength to such an advanced level that he could literally "hang" himself with a noose, including the drop, -- and live. That's pretty intense as this rare photograph shows (DO NOT try this at home.) His theory was simple -- one of the most important physical training goals of any combat athlete is to build the neck to the point that no one can choke you out. The "Old Farmer" built up his neck strength with his favorite exercise: The Wrestler's Bridge |  Farmer Burns: The Hangman's Drop |
Labels: Combat Athlete, Farmer Burns, Neck Strength, Wrestlers Bridge
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| The undisputed King of the "2 Hands Anyhow" Lift was Arthur Saxon. First he bent-pressed a 336 pound barbell with his right arm, then he reached down and lifted a 112 pound Kettlebell in the other. The total poundage was 448 pounds lifted overhead - a feat that will never be broken in this style. |  Arthur Saxon's 2-HandsAnyhow Lift |
Labels: Arthur Saxon, Barbell, Bent Press, Kettlebell, Strongman Feat
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Thursday, December 06, 2007
| Quebec Canada has been called "The Cradle of Strongmen" because it has been home to so many famous strongmen -- but none were stronger or more famous than Louis Cyr. You'll find this statue honoring Louis Cyr in Place des Hommes-Forts ("Strongmen's Square") in Montreal. |  The Louis Cyr Statue |
Labels: Canadian Strongman, Louis Cyr, Quebec, Statue
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Ancient Russian KettlebellsKettlebells go back pretty far... but not as far as people think...
Before kettlebells were ever used as weight training tools they were simply used as handled weights to sit on a scale to weigh out dry goods. These kettlebells are direct from "Mother Russia" and are well over 150 years old. -- Note the Imperial seal.
Labels: Ancient Kettlebells, Kettlebells, Mother Russia, Russian Kettlebells, Training Equipment
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Wednesday, December 05, 2007
| To get the most out of training, there should be a certain attitude of confidence in all you do... Here's Wilbur Miller a few moments before pulling a heavy deadlift. Is there any question at all whether he will make this lift? |  Wilbur Miller Stalks The Bar |
Labels: Attitude, Barbell, Confidence, Deadlift, Powerlifting, Wilbur Miller
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 Al Gerard | Two decades ago, Al Gerard, a Powerlifter from North Carolina invented a piece of training equipment that would change strength training forever. His Gerard Trap Bar allowed trainees to train their legs without overtraining the lower-back. The Trap Bar became the piece of equipment for every gym. Al was able to deadlift over 725 pounds using his invention. |
Labels: Al Gerard, Deadlift, Gerard Trap Bar, Leg Development, Strongman Equipment, Training Equipment, Trap Bar, Trap Bar Deadlift
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Steel Bending With The Young Mighty ApollonYou just can't be a strongman without a strong grip. J.C. Tolson, who took his stage name from his favorite strongman Apollon, had some of the strongest hands of all time and was a very talented steel bender. He bent this bolt (pictured actual size) to win a bet in the 1920's.
Labels: Bending Feat, Bolt Bending, Grip Strength, J.C. Tolson, Steel Bending, Strongman Feat, Young Apollon
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 The Barbell Row | If you want to be a great overhead presser, you must build the pulling muscles as well. Here weightlifting Champ Doug Hepburn demonstrates one of the very best upper-body builders -- the rowing exercise (so named because it resembles rowing a boat.) You'll find this exercise recommended by all of the great strength training authors. |
Labels: Back Exercise, Barbell, Barbell Exercise, Barbell Training, Bent Over Rowing, Doug Hepburn, Upper Body Movement
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 Mail Order Muscle Courses | Before there was this thing called the inter-net, many folks around the country developed their training knowledge through the good old U.S. Mail. It was a perfect idea -- each month you would receive a packet of training information with new exercises, workouts and ideas to try. |
Some of the most famous mail-order strongmen include George Jowett, Joe Bonomo, and Earle. E. Liederman.
Labels: George Jowett, Joe Bonomo, Mail Order Course, Mail Order Muscle Courses, Strength Authors, Tradition
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Tuesday, December 04, 2007
The Double Bent WrenchIt's hard enough to bend a wrench one time but Dennis Rogers can bend one twice... It's a very tough feat that takes incredible grip strength to accomplish.
Labels: Bending, Bending Feat, Bent Wrenches, Dennis Rogers, Double Bent Wrench, Feat, Strongman Feat, Wrench Bending
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Apollon Thick Bar Strength FeatThe great Oldtime Strongman Apollon used to perform a number of unusual strength feats in his act -- many of them involved thick-handled equipment to take advantage of his incredible grip and forearm strength.
One of his signature feats involved a a unique 4-globed barbell with a 2-1/2 inch diameter handle. The two inner globes were solid while the outer globes were hollow which allowed the weight to be adjusted by filling them with sand or shot.
When full, the whole affair weighed 314 pounds. Apollon would "clean" the weight to his chest then press it with two hands...
While the barbell was overhead, he would balance it on one hand, lift his leg out in front of him, then allowed the bell to drop and caught it in the crook of his elbows.
Labels: Apollon, Grip Strength, Oldtime Strongman, Strongman Feat, Thick Bar, Thick Bar Lifting
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 Chest Expander Training With John Grimek | John Grimek loved training and he trained with as many different kinds of methods as you could think of. Harness lifting, the bent press, heavy dumbbell work, swings, squats, grip work and so much more -- one of his favorites though was chest expander training. Chest expanders, unlike traditional barbells and dumbbells, are not limited by gravity, therefore you can perform a number of useful movements that can't be done any other way. In the picture, John Grimek performs the "front pull" -- one of the very best chest expander exercises. |
Labels: Chest Expanders, Front Pull, John Grimek, Training Equipment
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Monday, December 03, 2007
| Horace Barre was Louis Cyr's protege as they traveled the country performing in the John Robinson Circus. Barre was often referred to as the "French Herculese" or the "French Sampson" and, like his mentor, he excelled in such oldtime strongman feats as the back lift, hefting heavy dumbbells overhead and barrel lifting. |  Horace Barre |
Labels: Circus, Circus Strongman, Horace Barre, John Robinson Circus
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Reg Park - Lat SpreadAnother classic shot of Reg Park. Is is any surprise that he won the Mr. Universe Contest three times? (1951, 1958, 1965)
In his training course "Strength & Bulk Training for Weight Lifters and Bodybuilders" he recommends bent-over rowing, power cleans and pullups for developing the back muscles. By the looks of this lat spread, I'd certainly say he knows what he's talking about.
Labels: Bent Over Rowing, Bodybuilding, Lat Spread, Mr. Universe, Power Cleans, Pullups, Reg Park
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Sunday, December 02, 2007
York, Pennsylvania: Muscletown USAAs you're heading down Highway I-83 in South Eastern Pennsylvania you can't miss this fellow -- he's 7-1/2 feet tall and revolves (or at least used to) for all to see, marking what was once the center of the strength universe: York Pennsylvania.
York, PA became home to so many champion bodybuilders, weight lifters, strength athletes and other assorted "barbell men" that it became known simply as MUSCLETOWN USA.
Hoffman, Grimek, Stanko, Terpak, Strength & Health Magazine, Protein From the Sea, Functional Isometrics, The York Picnic, The York "Gang," The Big 12 Special, Olympic Barbells, Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Iron Boots, Chest Expanders, Iron Shoes, and so much more... it all happened here.
Labels: Muscletown USA, York Barbell Company, York Gang, York Pennsylvania
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 The Iron Sheik | Many Oldschool Pro-Wrestlers had their own strength challenge to confound their opponents and sometimes members of the crowd. The Iron Sheik had "The Persian Club" challenge where he offered $1000 to all comers if they could swing a pair of "75 pound" traditional meels for as many reps as he could. To my knowledge he was never beaten, and what's more, Sheik used the Persian Club Challenge to injure then-champion Bob Backland before their title match back in '83. |
Labels: Indian Club Swinging, Iron Sheik, Persian Clubs, Wrestling
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 Doug Hepburn | It was once thought that strength training would makes athletes stiff and "muscle bound." -- That line of thinking couldn't be further from the truth and here's a good example: In addition to his tremendous lifting feats, Doug Hepburn was also a great hand balancer He believed hand balancing also contributed to his pressing ability. Doug pressed 440 pounds off a rack so I think there's a pretty strong case for that. This picture was taken at Ed Yarick's Gym in Oakland, California in the early 1950's. |
Labels: Doug Hepburn, Ed Yarick's Gym, hand balancer, Hand Balancing, Press, Strongman Feat
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| In addition to publishing "THE IRON MASTER" John "Osmo" Kiiha is a former World-Class Olympic Lifter who competed in the 1968 Senior Nationals in the 198 pound class. His bests lifts were: Total: 985, Press: 333, Clean & Jerk: 418, Snatch: 286. Here he is getting ready to incline press a pair of 150 pound dumbbells. |  Osmo Kiiha |
Labels: Clean and Jerk, Dumbbell Benchpress, Iron Master Magazine, Olympic Weightlifting, Osmo Kiiha, Press, Senior Nationals, Snatch, Strength Author, Total
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Saturday, December 01, 2007
 Mike Brown | Mike Brown is a modern day Renaissance man who has written several unique books on various aspects of strength training. I'd say Mike looks like he knows a think or two about building strength and power. Here's a look at Mike around the time he wrote Iron Claws: Grip Development and Bench Press Course. |
Labels: Cables, Chest Expander, Grip Course, Iron Claws, Mike Brown, Sticking Point Smashers, Strength Author
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Wilbur Miller: Leg PressWilbur Miller was a very strong lifter in the 1960's who probably didn't get as much recognition as he deserved.
Here's an impressive feat: This picture was taken on one of the lifting platforms in the Ridge Avenue York Gym. A group of lifters placed this 500 pound barbell onto Wilbur Miller's feet and he commenced to "leg press" it. Yikes!
Labels: Barbell, Leg Press, Strongman Feat, Wilbur Miller, York Gym
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 Harry Shafran | Harry Shafran was an oldtime lifter who ran two gyms (one in Brooklyn and one in greater New York City) in the 1920's. Eventually Harry got tired of big city life and moved to a farm near Scranton, Pennsylvania where he converted a large barn into a gym. His collection of oldtime strength equipment was quite impressive, you can see a bit of it in the picture to the left where Shafran is harness lifting 1500 pounds (at 72 years old!) |
Labels: Classic Strongman Gyms, Harness Lift, Harness Lifting, Harry Shafran, Oldtime Strongman, Strongman Equipment
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Indian Club Swinging"Indian club swinging can be described as circular weight training and can exercise the shoulder, wrist and elbow in ways not possible with traditional linear weight training.
Club swinging strengthens muscles and ligaments, maintains joint flexibility and improves range of motion.
Regular practice with Indian Clubs will improved grace, rhythm and eye-hand coordination due to the concentration and neural demands necessary to perform the movements. The benefits of Indian Club Exercises are enormous and can greatly enhance the performance of any athlete."
Labels: Circular Weight Lifting, coordination, Equipment, flexibility, Indian Club Swinging, Indian Clubs, Physical Culture Equipment
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| L.A. Chappell deadlifts 448-1/2 pounds with one arm in the 1920's. He would go on to lift over 500 pounds in the same manner. The one-arm deadlift is a fantastic grip developer and a worthy addition to your training program. Note: the cambered bar. |  The One-Arm Deadlift |
Labels: Barbell, Cambered Bar, Deadlift, Grip Strength, L.A. Chappell, One Arm Deadlift, Strongman Feat
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Super Squats by Randall J. Strossen"Half a century ago, a decade before Arnold was born, the pioneers of the Iron Game had equipment that was crude by today's standards and none of the food supplements or drugs that have spawned the current crop of bodybuilding and lifting champions.
Nonetheless, these hardy souls developed a system virtually guaranteed to pile muscular bulk on even the frailest physique, a system that works as well today as it did then.
...The system that produces these reults is simple, but not easy.
It builds real muscle, increases ones's strength enormously, and gives the cardiovascularsystem something more than a tickle in the process. About the only drawback to following this routine is that you will outgrow your clothes."
- From Chapter 1 of Super Squats by Randall J. Strossen
Labels: book, Ironmind, Leg Development, Randall J. Strossen, Squat Workouts, Super Squats, Workout
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The Mighty Atom: Nail DrivingLike many of the Oldtime Strongmen, Joseph Greenstein aka The Mighty Atom was very adept at the nail driving feat... And like many Oldtime Strongman feats, this one must be accomplished in your mind before it can be accomplished in real life.
Here's the Atom driving a nail through several pieces of sheet metal and a thick wooden board.
Labels: Joseph Greenstein, Nail Driving, Strongman Feat, The MIghty Atom
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 An "Ice Cold" Strength Feat | Joe Mongelli, a former pupil of Sig Klein, was an iceman by trade. He could carry a 325 pound block of ice on his back, then, using ice tongs, could pick up a 120 pound block of ice with his right hand and a 60 pound block with his left. Joe could walk the length of a city block carrying the entire 505 pound load! |
Labels: Joe Mongelli, Odd Object Lifting, Sig Klein, Strongman Feat, Supporting Feat
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York DumbbellsThe York Barbell Company used several different designs for their dumbbells over the years. In the 1970's they came out with the distinctive "hocky puck" design shown above.
This particular design, with its slighly sloping sides, was adopted as a grip challenge with half of the heaviest available dumbbell (the 100 pounder)known as "The Blob."
This design was discontinued in the late 1990's.
Labels: Equipment, Pinch Lift, The Blob, York Barbell Company, York Dumbbells
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