Louis Cyr vs. Hector Decarie: 102 Years Ago Today

Louis Cyr vs. Hector Decarie: 102 Years Ago Today
It was 102 years ago today that Louis Cyr met Hector Decarie in their famous challenge match.

At the end of the night each man had won four events apeice but despite the "tie" Cyr passed on the mantle of "World's Strongest Man" to his young challenger.

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John Grimek

John Grimek

This photograph was taken on May 25, 1940 as John Grimek competed in the Heavy weight class (weighing 183 pounds!) at the weightlifting Senior Nationals at Madison Squar Garden, New York City. In the afternoon he placed 3rd by totalling 860 pounds (including the 285 pound press shown here) Later that day he beat Frank Leight to win the AAU Mr. America bodybuilding title, including the "Most Musclular" and "Best Arms" subdivions.

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The Iron Shoe Exerciser

The Iron Shoe Exerciser

The Iron Shoe exerciser was a great oldtime piece of training equipment which has roots going back pretty far into strength history. As you may notice by the design, it is "horse shoe" shaped -- which is meant to mimic an actual horse shoe, the bending of which was a great oldtime feat and a mark of great strength. The "iron Shoe" provided a method of progressive resistance in some of the positions needed for horseshoe bending and trained the body, especially the grip and forearms in a very unique manner.

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How did the oldtimers train with Kettlebells?

How did the oldtimers train with Kettlebells? The answer might surprise you. In his book The Textbook of Weightlifting, Arthur Saxon lists a few of the different exercises he used: the crucifix, one arm press, and several grip and forearm exercises. Of course, kettlebells also worked pretty well for Combination feats just like this one. (I think that's Kurt Saxon being pressed overhead.)

Arthur Saxon

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George Eiferman's Favorite Strength Feat

George Eiferman was the 1948 AAU Mr. America and 1962 IFBB Mr. Universe winner and was particularly well-known for his chest development. On of the ways in which he built such a deep and impressive chest was regular trumpet playing. Eiferman used to like to show off a bit too and was fond of playing the "Hawaiian War Chant" on his trumpet with one hand while holding a loaded barbell overhead with the other. -- Talk about core strength. He regularly performed this feat at Muscle Beach.

George Eiferman

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Hoffman's Super Hi-Proteen

Hoffman's Super Hi-Proteen

I'm sure many of our viewers won't forget their first taste of Bob Hoffman's Super Hi-Proteen mix which was one of the very first commercially available food supplements. Hoffman's Super Hi-Proteen was available in standard plain, chocolate and vanilla flavors and black walnut and coconut flavors for more adventurous trainee. It was a little rough around the edges, not unlike today. Hoffman's Hi-Proteen is also responsible for many of the greatest "blender bomb" stories ever told (in the pursuit of making it palatable - which, I'm sure, was quite a task.)

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Kettlebell Handles

Kettlebell Handles

One of the the unique pieces of training equipment that you don't see often these days are ketlebell handles. These were U-shaped handles that could be retrofitted onto dumbbells creating a much more versatile piece of equipment. Kettlebell handles are particularly useful for shoulder specialization work.

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Hand Balancing Made Easy by E. M. Orlick

Hand Balancing Made Easy by E.M. Orlick

Professor E.M. Orlick was an outstanding strongman, physical culturist and gymnast who came from a long line of circus performers. Over the years Orlick wrote hundreds of training articles on a variety of topics and was also the editor or "Mr. America" magazine for a number of years as well as the assistant editor of a Boxing/Wrestling magazine. While he was certainly proficient at a number of strength feats but hand balancing was his forte, and he wrote several training courses on the subject. Orlick's training courses include: "Walking and Jumping on Your Hands," "How To Do The One Hand Handstand" and "Hand Balancing Made Easy."

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John Davis' Flag

John Davis Flag
There's no question that John Davis was one of the greatest strength athletes who ever lived. - He was exemplary at nearly every lift he tried, whether grip feats such as lifting the Apollon wheels or pinch gripping feats or Olympic lifting and other incredible lifts.

Here John Davis performs the incredible bodyweight feat "the flag" while training at Ed Yarick's Gym in Oakland,California.

Although Davis makes it look easy, this feat is harder than it looks - try it.

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Another Look At Sig Klein's Gym

Another Look At Sig Klein's Gym
What a place to train! -- Here's another look at Sig Klein's Gym located in Times Square, downtown New York.

The thing that makes a gym truly great is the atmosphere -- and Sig's place had it. You can just tell that many great workouts took place here.

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Al Treloar "The Most Perfectly Developed Man in the World"

Al Treloar
Al Treloar was a stage assistant to Eugen Sandow who went on to develop his own strongman performance.

Treloar went on to win the title of "The Most Perfectly Developed Man in the World" on January 16th, 1904 at the very first large-scale bodybuilding competition in America which took place at the original Madison Square Garden in New York City.

It was said that Treloar could tear four decks of playing cards at once.

After graduating from Harvard University, Treloar became the director of physical education at the famous Los Angeles Athletic Club in California, a position he held for the next forty-two years.

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Louis Cyr Rock Press

It was said that the great Louis Cyr could pretty much lift whatever he wanted -- this photograph, however, was obviously staged. On May 7, 1896 Louis Cyr is credited with several impresive lifts, and among them was a one-hand Jerk of 254 lbs. Of course, lifting rocks is an altogether different animal.

Louis Cyr

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Backlifting with Mac Batchelor

Mac Batchelor was most well-known for his feats of grip strength but he was no one-trick pony -- Mac trained many different lifts and was exceptional in all of them. In this classic shot, "Big Mac" warms up with 30 or 40 reps in the Backlift with half a ton.

Mac Batchelor

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Reg Park's Arm Workout

Reg Park's Arm Workout
Some of the most impressive arms in history belonged to Reg Park. Reg built his arms with basic exercises and focused on getting stronger through time. In his many training courses, Reg recommended a lot of overhead pressing for tricep work and the simple barbell curl for biceps.

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Harold Ansorge

Harold Ansorge

Harold Ansorge, the great strongman from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was a bent-press specialist. He never broke Arthur Saxon's record of 336 pounds but came very close with a lift of 335 pounds. Here is Ansorge bent-pressing a great 200 pound dumbbell. His gym, the Harold Ansorge Health Studios, was listed at the following addresses: 2124 Plainfield Ave., N.E and 141 28th Street, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Anybody know what's there now?

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Jack Walsh's Bridging Feat

Jack Walsh's Bridging Feat

The great strongman Jack Walsh from New Jersey performed some very unique feats of strength over the years. Here he holds 300 pounds in the wrestler's bridge position -- he claimed to have once held 520 pounds like this!

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The Thomas Inch Dumbbell - Lifted At Last

Inch Dumbbell Lift

History is made: John Gallacher of Glasgow becomes the first man in modern history to lift the Thomas Inch Dumbbell at the 1957 NABBA Mr. Universe Contest held in London, England. Mr. Gallacher fully deadlifted the Inch Dumbbell 3 times that night and was awarded the Special Plaque by Thomas Inch himself. As you should know, the famous Thomas Inch Dumbbell weighs 172 pounds and has a 2-3/8th inch diameter thick handle making it a tremendous grip challenge for anyone who attempts to lift it. This challenge weight defied thousands of athletes until Mr. Gallacher came along.

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The York Barbell Broad Street Gym

The York Barbell Broad Street Gym
One of the great training halls was the old York Barbell gym, located on Broad Street on York PA. It was an old factory converted to a gym, with nothing but a couple lifting platforms, a climbing rope, a few old dumbbells and plenty of iron.

It was hot, dark and cramped (just like a great gym should be)and the equipment was old, but solid and it produced an untold number of strength Champions in bodybuilding and Olympic weightlifting.

That's Ike Berger on the platform working on his press while Bob Hoffman, Tommy Kono and others look on.

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Chuck Vinci

Chuck Vinci
Chuck Vinci was another great olympic weightlifter from York, Pennsylvania. Though he stood only 4'11" and weighed 123 pounds, he could clean & jerk well over 300 pounds and snatch 220+.

Vinci was a Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (1956 and 1960), Seven-time world Senior National Champion (1954-1956,1958-1961) and set Twelve World Records during his career.

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Joe Ponder - Teeth Lifter Extraordinaire

Joe Ponder

Of all the recorded oldtime strongmen feats, Joe Ponder may very well have accomplished the most unusual (and maybe the most impressive, all things considered.) Ponder was particularly skilled at feats of teeth and jaw lifting -- here he lifts a 343 pound pumpkin in that manner. Yow!

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Alan Calvert

Alan Calvert
A very rare picture of Milo Barbell Company founder and noted strength author Alan Calvert.

Calvert established the Milo Barbell company in 1902, one of the very first training publications "Strength" Magazine in 1914, wrote several training books and courses and helped pave the way for thousands of trainees to develop size and strength.

Gotta love those classic 'bells!

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Plate Curls

Plate Curls

One of the most effective exercises for developing grip and forearm strength can be done with a simple barbell plate. The steep strength curve from the leverage involved can impose quite a challenge -- even when using a very light plate.

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Hermann Goerner's Human Bridge Feat

Hermann Goerner's Human Bridge Feat
A look at Hermann Goerner's incredible "Human Bridge" stunt where he supports a platform on his shoulders while an automobile loaded with passengers drives over it.

It was said that at the heaviest point in this feat, Goerner supported over 3000 pounds on his shoulders.

This may not be quite as heavy or as dangerous as Lionel Strongfort's Human Bridge Feat but it's still very impressive.

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The Hammer Strength Hip and Back Machine

It's really too bad that many people have closed minds about "machines" -- this is the one that can change strength history: The Hammer Strength Hip and Back Machine. I say this because while squatting or deadlifting, the "weak link" will often be the strength of the lower back.

The Hammer Strength Hip and Back Machine

This machine allows a trainee to work those muscles to the maximum in an intense, but safe manner, without the shearing forces on the spine, or the disadvantages of any other method.

I don't believe it is even still in production as most people misunderstood what it was for and how to use it. Consequently it gathered dust at most gyms. If you ever happen to find one, do yourself a favor and grab it quickly.

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The Titanic Gym

Titanic Gym
Here's something you don't see every day; this is a rare photograph of the workout room from The Titanic -- yes, that Titanic, the one that sunk back in 1912.

It may look familiar as they recreated it for a few secenes in the movie of the same name from a decade ago. -- Looks like they did a pretty good job.

Note the early 2-man Rowing machine and exercise bikes. It's hard to make out but those may be some Zander Machines over on the left.

I have to say, I dig the dark wood paneling.

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Ike Berger

Isaac "Ike" Berger
Ike Berger is one of America's most successful Olympic Weightlifters -- he was the first featherweight in history to lift more than 800 pounds and the first to press double body weight.

Over his career he was the owner of 23 world weightlifting records, a 12-time United States national titleholder, 2-time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1956 Games in Melbourne Australia (along with two more Silver medals at the next two Olympic Games.)

At the 1964 Olympic games, he estabilished a record of 152.5 kg (336 lb) in the jerk, at a bodyweight of only 130 pounds (59 kg). This lift made him pound-for-pound the strongest man in the world, a record that stood for nine years.

Ike Berger was elected to the United States Weightlifter's Hall of Fame in 1965.

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Vasily Alexeev's Unusual Training

Vasily Alexeev's Unusual Training
The Russian Champion Vasily Alexeev is one of the greatest weightlifters who ever lived.

One of Alexeyeev's most unusual training techniques was to practice his cleans in waist-deep water. This famous shot was taken of Alexeev as he trained in the Don River in Mother Russia.

Unconventional... but certainly effective:

Alexeev set the first of his 80 world records in 1970 and was undefeated for the remainder of his career which also included two Olympic Gold medal winning performances (1972, Munich and 1976, Montreal)

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Armand Tanny's Favorite Exercise: The One Arm Clean

Armand Tanny's Favorite Exercise: The One Arm Clean
Armand Tanny (brother of Vic Tanny) was a very successful bodybuilder in the late 40's and 50's, and a regular at the original Santa Monica Muscle Beach scene.

Tanny competed in many major bodybuilding contests and won the Pro-Mr. America in 1950. His favorite exercise was one you don't often see these days: the one arm clean.

Its hard to tell how heavy the bar is loaded to in this shot -- I'd say at least 225 or so, and you sure won't find any bodybuilders who could do that these days.

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Young Lionel Strongfort

A young Lionel Strongfort, circa 1900, billed as "America's Most Perfect Athlete" (and he certainly looked it.) Actually Strongfort was a great athlete -- he excelled in boxing, wrestling, track and field events as well as feats of strength. He could perform a somersault with a 50-pound dumbbell in each hand along with many other traditional oldtime strongman feats.