Saturday, December 12, 2009
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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Sunday, November 08, 2009
Terry's Wrist Exerciser!Throughout the years there have been a number of devices created for building grip strength. Here's a look at "Terry's Wrist Exerciser!" which was simple but effective. Terry's brand of equipment was most often advertised in the British strength publications.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Equipment, Grip Strength, Grip Training Equipment, Hand Gripper, Terry's, Terry's Wrist Exerciser
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Thursday, November 05, 2009
Ironmind Silver Crush GrippersMany, many years ago, when Ironmind first started producing hand grippers, they were known as "Silver Crush" grippers and I'm sure you can see why -- chromed springs and brilliant silver handles. These grippers did not have the numbers engraved into the bottom of the handles, nor the distinctive band, and there were only three strengths: #1, #2, and #3.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Captains of Crush Hand Grippers, Grip Strength, Grip Tools, Hand Grippers, Ironmind, Ironmind Gripper, Silver Crush Grippers, Spring Hand Gripper
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Saturday, October 24, 2009
The Schmidt Machine: Life's BackboneProfessor Adrian Schmidt's "Schmidt Machine" was one of the very first commercially made pieces of strength equipment. It was ingenious in its simplicity, allowing for a number of exercises -- even those which required very heavy weights -- to be performed in a minimum of space.
Schmidt felt, and rightly so, that maintaining a strong healthy life was a matter of maintaining a strong and healthy back. This concept, as well as instructions for the exerciser, were all explained in his booklet "Life's Backbone". Back in 1919, when this ad appeared, you could send away for this booklet for 4 cents!
Labels: Adrian Schmidt, Advertisement, Antique Equipment, Back Strength, Life's Background, Professor Schmidt, Schmidt Machine
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Friday, October 02, 2009
The J.C. Korth GripperIf you are a fan of hand grippers you'll want to make a note of this one: the earliest patented nutcracker-type hand gripper design was back on May, 14th, 1912: The J.C. Korth Gripper. Grippers were around as early as 1901, but again, this is the first patented design. As you can see, it was part of a dumbbell which makes for a very interesting piece of training equipment.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Grip Training Equipment, Hand Gripper, J.C. Korth, Unique Equipment, Vintage Hand Gripper
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Monday, August 17, 2009
Sig Klein's GymSig Klein opened his gym in 1926 and ran it -- without a day off -- for the next 50 years. It's not hard to see why it was the place to train in the east coast. Here's some classic Kettlebells, Ring Weights and Globe Barbells. Sig luckily inherited much of the equipment when he married Professor Attila's daughter.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Classic Gym, Classic Kettlebells, Kettlebells, Ring Weights, Sig Klein, Sig Klein's Gym
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Monday, August 10, 2009
Desbonnet's GymA look at Professor Desbonnet's Gym (or at least one of them) circa 1901. Do you think you could get strong training in a place like this?
Labels: Antique Equipment, Classic Gym, Globe Barbell, Globe Dumbbells, Professor Desbonnet
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Thursday, July 23, 2009
Dr. Rouhet's WeightsThe image quality isn't ideal but the subject matter should more than make up for it... I guarantee you have never seen this picture before. Shown is the famous French physical culturalist Dr. Georges Rouhet and some of his fantastic training equipment. Having been at this for a while it certainly appears that the French Strongmen had the best stuff available to train with.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Classic Equipment, Dr. Georges Rouhet, Globe Barbell, Globe Dumbbells, Ring Weights, Strongman Equipment
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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
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sandow's NEW Spring-Grip DumbbellsEugen Sandow successfully sold a variety of "Spring-Grip" Dumbbells in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Eventually he decided to upgrade and this ergonomically designed version was patented on June 12th, 1917. The illustration from the patent application is shown above. Note Sandow's signature in the lower right corner.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Dumbbell, Eugen Sandow, Grip Training Equipment, Sandow's Grip Dumbbells, Spring Dumbbell, Training Equipment
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Saturday, July 11, 2009
The Shafran DumbbellHere's a famous dumbbell which you have probably never heard of... This unique dumbbell once belonged to the great strongman Harry Shafran who lifted it during his Vaudeville performances. Like many stage weights, the Shafran Bell is hollow so the weight can be made much heavier by filling it with shot, if need be and also features a thick handle which necessitates a great amount of grip strength in order to lift. You can visit the Shafran Bell at the York Barbell Company Museum.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Dumbbell, Famous Dumbbell, Grip Strength, The Shafran Dumbbell, Thick Handle, York Barbell Company Museum
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Friday, July 03, 2009
Wooden DumbbellsWooden Dumbbells like this one were used for calisthenic work a century ago. If you look closely at this particular dumbbell you can see that it is stamped "1 lb." and was manufactured by the Narragansett Machine Company.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Calisthenics, Narragansett Machine Company, Physical Culture Equipment, Vintage Exercise, Vintage Strength Equipment, Wooden Dumbbells
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Monday, June 01, 2009
Grimek Training With The Automatic ExerciserJohn Grimek loved to train with just about everything. Here's the man getting in a quick set of deadlifts with one of Professor Schmidt's Automatic Exerciser machines. Schmidt machines were a pretty nifty idea even back then, someone should see about bringing them back...
Labels: Antique Equipment, Deadlift, John Grimek, Professor Schmidt, Schmidt Machine
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Bert Goodrich, The First Mr. America, Trained With KettlebellsAmong the many strength athletes who have trained with kettlebells is the very first Mr. America Bert Goodrich. Each of these 'bells weighed 56 pounds, and he used them primarily for shoulder work.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Bert Goodrich, Kettlebells, Mr. America
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009
German Weightlifting Club ~ 1905A German weightlifting club circa 1905 with a selection of classic equipment. Of note are the large and rather impressive kettlebells. If you are familiar with your kettlebell history you know that the Germans were particularly fond of kettlebell juggling which is the reason for the squared off handles.
Labels: Ancient Kettlebells, Antique Equipment, German Kettlebells, German Strongman
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Monday, March 23, 2009
Ring WeightsOne of the most interesting pieces of training equipment often used by many of the oldtime strongmen were ring weights. An early version of the kettlebell, ringweights were most often used for a variety of training techniques including throwing, such as in the Scottish Highland Games (in which the 56-pound weight for height is contested) as well as the popular oldtime lift "the muscle out."
Labels: 56-Pound Weight, Ancient Kettlebells, Antique Equipment, Equipment, Highland Game Events, Highland Games, Kettlebell, Muscle Out, Oldtime Strength Equipment, Ring Weights, Weight Throwing
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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
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Narragansett Machine CompanyAt the turn of the century, The Narragansett Machine Company was the very first widespread manufacturer of physical training equipment. They made everything from Climbing Ropes and Indian clubs to traveling rings, Wall Pulleys climbing ladders, and even sophisticated strength machines made very eloquently with oak and brass.
I didn't realize it until much later but my grade school gym was outfitted back in the 1920's entirely with classic physical training equipment from The Narragansett Machine Company -- and we were still using it fifty years later.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Climbing Ladders, Climbing Ropes, Gymnastic Rings, Indian Clubs, Narragansett Machine Company, Physical Culture Equipment, Physical Training, Providence Rhode Island, Wall Pulleys
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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
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
The Iron ShoeYet another look at the Iron Shoe. Years ago, if you wanted to learn to bend a horseshoe this is where you would begin.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Horseshoe Bending, Iron Shoe, Iron Shoe Exerciser
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Friday, January 16, 2009
Wall PulleysWall Pulleys were one of the first commercially available pieces of training equipment and were a common sight in gyms in the later 19th and early 20th century. Pugilists used to use them for building punching power as well as developing upper body endurance.
Here the great Light-heavyweight boxer from Philadelphia Tommy Loughran gets in a quick workout while his trainer Jack Brady looks on. These two shots are especially rare as they are two different shots taken at the same moment from two different cameras. They were taken in 1929.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Boxing Training, Oldtime Boxers, Tommy Loughran, Wall Pulleys
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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The CrusherHere's one from way back ... although you've probably seen one somewhere along the way. "The Crusher" -- or a simple metal spring with handles -- is a great way to "bomb and blitz" your muscles. Yow! Be careful when using it, wouldn't want to get too strong...
Labels: Antique Equipment, Chest Exerciser, Strongman Equipment, The Crusher
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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
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Yes, we have shown it before but Sig Klein's gym never goes out of style.
Here's another shot clearly showing the rich, oak panneling, great collection of oldtime globe barbells and antique weights and the Persian rug on the floor (better take your shoes off before you train at Sig's place!)
This shot was taken before Sig had a shelf built around the perimeter of the gym for his world-famous beer stein collection.
Sig Klein's GymHere's another shot clearly showing the rich, oak panneling, great collection of oldtime globe barbells and antique weights and the Persian rug on the floor (better take your shoes off before you train at Sig's place!)
This shot was taken before Sig had a shelf built around the perimeter of the gym for his world-famous beer stein collection.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Classic Gym, Classic Strongman Gyms, Globe Barbell, Sig Klein, Sig Kleins Gym
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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
Friday, October 26, 2007
 General Custer's Dumbbell | General George Custer first came to Kansas in 1866 as Lieutenant Colonel of the newly formed 7th U.S. Cavalry. He spent late spring of 1867 at Fort Hays, where the 7th camped until they had accumulated adequate supplies and ammunition for a summer campaign. |
It is made of bronze and weighs around 25 pounds.
Custer's Dumbbell currently resides in the Kansas Museum of History.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Custer's Dumbbell, Dumbbell, Famous Dumbbell, Strongman Equipment
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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
Sunday, July 29, 2007
| Someday I may get around to putting together the Secret history of Kettlebells -- there's more to it than what most people would have you believe. Here's something that will make a good chapter: blockweights. These were an offshoot of the kettlebell "handled-weight" concept and used for many of the same exercises, at least in Strongman Lore (which is an important distinction.) The real function for blockweights is to provide ballast (i.e. just "weight") to hold down the scenery/props etc backstage in the theater. My theory is that many oldtime strongmen noticed these unusual weights during their performances in various places and thought they would make an interesting implement to train/lift with. The top ad is for a blockweight sold by the Milo Barbell Company circa 1926. The bottom two are vintage blockweights, weighing 50 and 30 pounds respectively. |    |
Labels: Antique Equipment, Blockweights, Classic Equipment, Kettlebells, Milo Barbell Company, Strongman Equipment
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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
Friday, June 22, 2007
| Back in 1899, the hottest thing going was Eugen Sandow's Spring-Grip Dumbbells. These weights consisted of two dumbbell "halves" joined together by a series of springs. As one followed the suggested workout movements, they could build their forearm strength by keeping the two halves "crushed" together while they increased the rest of their bodily strength. Sandow's Spring-Grip dumbbells came in a variety of styles and types -- ranging from "Basic Black" to nickel-plated models with leather handles. Some of the later versions had a bell that rung as you squeezed the handles (Left) or were ergonomically fitted to your hand. (Middle) The smaller version, shown in the right of the picture, was nickel-plated and had only three springs as it was the "Youth" version. |  An Early Ad Sandow's Spring-Grip Dumbbells |
Labels: Advertisement, Antique Equipment, Eugen Sandow, Grip Equipment, Grip Strength, Hand Strength Equipment, Sandow's Grip Dumbbells, Spring Dumbbell, Strongman Equipment
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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
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