Monday, February 22, 2010
 The Zimmerman Brothers | Joe and Dick Zimmerman were a couple of tough farm boys who liked lifting weights who also just so happened to be in the right place at the right time: Bob Hoffman was their neighbor in York, Pa. Needless to say, Bob took a liking to them, partially because they were always doing crazy feats of strength like this one. That's Joe is on the bottom, supporting a barbell loaded to 485 pounds. Dick, bodyweight of 130 pounds, is on top while also holding a 50-pound dumbbell in each hand. As a finale to this particular act, Dick jumped down onto Joe's stomach, still holding the bells! The Zimmerman Brothers also performed more traditional feats like teeth lifting, bar bending, hand balancing, and chain breaking. |
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Dick Zimmerman, Hand Balancing Feat, Joe Zimmerman, The Zimmerman Brothers
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Monday, December 21, 2009
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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Monday, November 09, 2009
Happy Birthday Bob Hoffman!A very Happy Birthday to Bob Hoffman who was born on this date back in 1898. Bob grew up on a farm in Tifton, Georgia and always appreciated the value of a hard day's work. It was certainly no lack of effort which allowed him to build The York Barbell Company which taught (and continues to teach) thousands upon thousands of people the thrill of strength.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Cover, Magazine, Strength and Health Magazine, York Barbell Company
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Monday, August 31, 2009
The York Leg Developing Course"A man is as good as his legs" ... so began one of the all-time classic training booklets: "The York Leg Developing Course" written by Bob Hoffman. Originally written back in 1943, the training information is just as pertinent -- and effective -- these days. As you might guess, squats were prominently featured.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, John Grimek, Leg Development, Leg Work, Leg Workout, Squat, Training Course, York Barbell Company, York Leg Course, York Leg Developing Course
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Friday, August 14, 2009
Bob HoffmanWhen you are serious about training it's hard to pass by a row of dumbbells without at least giving some a try... Here Bob Hoffman got in a few impromptu repetition bent presses with a 100-pound dumbbell on a visit to the Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington sometime during the fall of 1953. Bob's best bent-press was 282 pounds although he credits much of his progress in this department by practicing with the 248-pound Cyr Dumbbell.
Labels: Bent Press, Bob Hoffman, Cyr Dumbbell, Dumbbell Bent Press, Dumbbell Lift, One Arm Lift
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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
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Strength and Health Magazine, March, 1934The great weightlifter Art Levan on the cover of the March, 1934 issue of Strength and Health Magazine.
This is one heck of an issue: Check out the lineup of strength authors: George Jowett, Earle E. Liederman, Harry Good, Bob Hoffman and Professor Paulinetti.
Labels: Art Levan, Bob Hoffman, Cover, Earle E. Liederman, George Jowett, Harry Good, Magazine, Professor Paulinetti, Strength and Health Magazine, York Barbell Company
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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, July 08, 2009
York Simplex Weight Training SetsNeed a weight set? York has long been the standard as far as barbells and dumbbells are concerned. Here's a few of the weight sets you could have ordered back in the 1950s. There's no telling how many people built a heck of a lot of size and strength with this very equipment. This was back in the days when you could address an envelope with only "Muscletown USA" and it would be delivered promptly to Bob Hoffman in York, PA.
Labels: Barbell and Plates, Bob Hoffman, Equipment, Muscletown USA, York Barbell, York Barbell Company, York Barbells, York Weight Sets
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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 06, 2009
Roy HilligennRoy Hilligenn did some training at York in preparation for the 1951 Mr. America Contest (which he eventually won). Here he is in front of the famous Warren Lincoln Travis Dumbbell which, at the time, sat in front of Bob Hoffman's house in York, Pennsylvania.
The famous dumbbell can currently be seen at the York Barbell Museum and if you know where to look in York, you can also see Bob Hoffman's old house too.
Labels: 1951 Mr. America, Bob Hoffman, Bodybuilder, Famous Dumbbell, Roy Hilligenn, Travis Dumbbell, Warren Lincoln Travis, York Barbell Company Museum, York Pennsylvania
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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, July 02, 2009
Bob Hoffman's Ten in One Hi-ProteenStraight from the pages of Strength and Health Magazine comes Bob Hoffman's Ten in One Hi-Proteen. What made it "Ten in One?"
According to the label it contained "TEN of the best natural high protein products which are rarely, if ever, found in adequate quantity on the usual diet, blended in the exact proportions to promote bodily efficiency."
Namely:
1. Mira Soy - Natural Soya Powder
2. Caseinate of Milk
3. Cotton Seed Protein
4. Egg Albumen
5. Gelatin
6. Peanut Meal
7. Brewer's Yeast
8. Wheat germ
9. A 96% Soya Protein
10. Lecithin
(Sounds delicious.)
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Food Supplement, Hoffman's Super Hi-Proteen, Protein Powder, Strength and Health Magazine
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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, June 10, 2009
Bob HoffmanOne of Bob Hoffman's favorite lifts was The Bent Press - and he was exceptionally good at it. Here's Bob bent-pressing 260 pounds on Christmas Eve of 1940 at Vic Tanny's Gym in Santa Monica, California.
Labels: Bent Press, Bob Hoffman, Vic Tanny's Gym
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Monday, May 04, 2009
Strength and Health 1933: Bob Hoffman CoverBob Hoffman (with hair!) on the cover of the August, 1933 issue of Strength and Health Magazine. As was customary for most strength athletes of the time period Bob focused on chest expansion techniques and it's pretty noticeable in this early picture.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Bodybuilding Magazine, Chest Expansion, Cover, Strength and Health Magazine
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Giving Bob Hoffman a LiftSometimes Bob Hoffman had to call up the York Gang when he needed a lift... That's Steve Stanko on the right and Stan Stanczyk on the left.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Car Lift, Odd Object, Odd Object Lifting, Stan Stanczyk, Steve Stanko
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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Bob Hoffman's Simplified System of Swingbell TrainingBob Hoffman and the York Barbell Company produced a number of books, courses and training guides featuring their equipment. This course, written for the York swingbell was written during the early 1940s. You can make your own swingbell pretty easily out of a dumbbell handle and some plates.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, swingbell, Swingbell Exercises, Swingbell Training, Training Course, York Barbell, York Barbell Company
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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, March 08, 2009
Bob Hoffman: The Bent PressBob Hoffman's favorite lift was the bent press. Here's Bob pressing about 240 pounds. Note the sweat-shirt, this helped create more friction for the upper body and prevent slippage during the lift.
Labels: Barbell, Barbell Lift, Bent Press, Bob Hoffman
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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, March 06, 2009
Milo Barbell PlatesAlan Calvert began the Milo Barbell Company in 1902 and manufactured primarily globe barbells and dumbbells. In 1935, The Milo Barbell Company was purchased by Bob Hoffman as he established the York Barbell Company. Hoffman, however, still kept the name alive and sold "Milo Barbell" plates and bars for years afterwards. This is an example of one of the later "Milo Barbell" plates. -- Not quite the same as the old globes but still fun to train with.
Labels: Alan Calvert, Barbell Plate, Bob Hoffman, Equipment, Milo Barbell, Milo Barbell Company, Milo Barbell Plate, Weight Plate
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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 18, 2009
Bob HoffmanHere's a classic shot of Bob Hoffman at the old Broad Street Gym demonstrating one of his favorite exercises, squatting on the toes. That's a pretty nifty globe barbell that ol' BoHo is using, and , of course, he's wearing his trusty York Barbell Club t-shirt. The fellow on the left is Frank Findley, the great physical culture coach and gym owner from Australia.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Broad Street Gym, Frank Findley, Globe Barbell, Leg Exercise, Squatting Feat, York Barbell Club t-shirt, York 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
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Bob Hoffman - "Functional Training"Modern "functional training" methods advocate training in an unstable environment. This is not a new concept, however, Bob Hoffman pioneered it decades ago on some warm York, Pennsylvania afternoon: try repetition clean and presses while balanced on the gunwale of a canoe. John Grimek looks on in amazement.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Clean and Press, John Grimek
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Friday, March 21, 2008
Paul Anderson "A Wonder of Nature"The great Paul Anderson warms up before a weightlifting exhibition at Dynamo Stadium in Russia, circa 1955 (at the height of the Cold War), as Bob Hoffman, Tommy Kono and other members of the York Gang look on.
At the time, the World record in the Olympic press was 330-1/2 pounds, set by the Russian champion, Medvedev. In front of a crowd of 15,000 people on a rainy day, Paul Anderson pressed 402-1/2 pounds.
The Russian crowd gave Anderson a standing ovation and rightfully began calling him "Chudo Prirody," which means "a wonder of nature."
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Dynamo Stadium, Medvedev, Olympic Weightlifting, Paul Anderson, Press, Russia, Tommy Kono
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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, February 18, 2008
 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.) |
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Food Supplement, Hoffman's Super Hi-Proteen, York Barbell Company
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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, February 15, 2008
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.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Broad Street Gym, Classic Gym, Classic Strongman Gyms, Ike Berger, Olympic Weightlifting, Tommy Kono, York Barbell Company
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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, January 14, 2008
The Mighty Atom - Nail BitingThere are several good steel benders in the world right now but here is a feat we are unlikely to see again any time soon: The Might Atom could actually bite through nails. As Bob Hoffman and other members of the York Gang look on, "The Atom" bites a nail in half during one of his appearances at the York fair.
I don't know for sure but I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up being the bitten nail that can seen in the The York Barbell Hall of Fame.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, Feat, Joseph Greenstein, Nail Biting, Oldtime Strongman Feat, The MIghty Atom, York Barbell Hall of Fame
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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, October 07, 2007
Classic Muscular Development MagazineBob Hoffman and the York Barbell Company began Strength and Health Magazine in 1932 to highlight and promote the wonders of proper strength training to the world. These early Strength and Health magazines covered a variety of topics including bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, Nutrition, athletic training and more.
In 1964, the York Barbell company started its second magazine entitled "Muscular Development" which was devoted specifically to bodybuilding. The editor of Muscular Development Magazine from 1964 until 1986 was none other than John Grimek (who also graced the first cover.)
The first five issues are featured above (January to May 1964) Covermen from left to right John Grimek,Bill Pearl, Bernie Earnst, Larry Scott and Hugo Labra.
Labels: Bernie Earnst, Bill Pearl, Bob Hoffman, Bodybuilding, Hugo Labra, John Grimek, Larry Scott, Muscle Magazine, Muscular Development, York Barbell
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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, September 06, 2007
 Bob Hoffman | At a time when just about everyone frowned upon weight lifting, Bob Hoffman was one of the few that understood its benfits. He made high-quality training equipment and sound training advice available to everyone and under his leadership York, Pennsylvania (a.k.a Muscletown USA) became the center of the Strength world. Hoffman's "boys" were Champions, plain and simple. Among them: John Grimek (God of Bodybuilders, Mr. America of 1940 and 1941), Steve Stanko (first man to break the 1000 lb. barrier in Olympic Weight Lifting) and Tommy Kono (2-time Olympic Gold Medal Winner.) |
Hoffman's books, training courses, and magazines ("Strength and Health," and Muscular Development) taught millions of young men the thrill of strength.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to Bob Hoffman.
Labels: Barbells Dumbbells, Bob Hoffman, Bodybuilding, Pennsylvania, Strength and Health, York, York Barbell
www.oldtimestrongman.com
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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