Sunday, September 13, 2009
| Another look at a version of the Half Moon Bench used for chest and ribcage development. These used to be quite common in gyms in the old days but are rarely found now. These benches work best when used in combination with leavy leg work and light dumbbell pullovers or flys. That's 1953 AAU Mr. America Bill Pearl demonstrating. Also note the Iron Boots on the wall, as well as the Stall Bars on the right. |  The Half Moon Bench |
Labels: Bill Pearl, Chest Development, Dumbbell Exercise, Dumbbell Fly, Equipment, Half Moon Bench, Iron Boots, Stall Bars, Swedish Bars, Unusual Training Equipment
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Saturday, September 05, 2009
The Spalding Semi-Circle Strength DeveloperBelieve it or not, stength "machines" have a history that goes back even further than barbells and dumbbells. This "Semi-Circle Strength Developer" was manufacured by Spalding in the late 1890's. This was actually a fairly common style of machine and several different companies had their own version.
Labels: Chest Development, Semicircle Strength Deveoper, Spalding, Vintage Strength Equipment
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Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Chest Development with Gymnastic Rings"... And finally, "he said, "another exercise that's a little different. You need two flying rings for this one. Suspend them from the ceiling with good strong rope. They should be about two feet apart and three feet off the floor.
Hold one in each hand, and put your feet on a bench so that you're facing the floor. you should be in the same position you'd be in if you were going to do push ups.
Now, let the rings out to the sides and your body drop between them. Go as low as you can and then pull the rings back together again so that your body levers up to its original position. It's something like an upside down flying exercise, only more so.
Bend your arms slightly at the start and try to keep them bent to the same degree during the whole exercise. Build up to five sets of ten and you'll know what pec work really is..."
- John McCallum, in Keys to Progress
Shown demonstrating in the photos above is the first Mr. Olympia Larry Scott performing the described exercise at Vince's Gym.
Labels: Chest Development, Gymnastic Rings, John McCallum, Keys to Progress, Larry Scott, Vince's Gym
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Monday, April 06, 2009
Vintage Strength MachinesMany people are under the mistaken impression that 'strength machines' are recent inventions. The fact of the matter is that machines have been around almost as long as barbells and dumbbells. This chest machine (along with many other machines) dates to around 1880 or so and first appeared at the Hemenway Gymnasium.
Labels: Chest Development, Chest Exerciser, Chest Machine, Exercise Machine, Hemenway Gymnasium, Vintage Strength Equipment, Vintage Strength Machines
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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, February 22, 2009
Barton HorvathNew York City Bodybuilder Barton Horvath, on the cover of the October, 1937 issue of Strength and Health Magazine. His focus on chest expansion is evident. Horvath did not compete in many contests but did become a successful strength author for a number of years.
Labels: Barton Horvath, Chest Development, Classic Bodybuilder, Cover, Muscle Magazine, Strength and Health Magazine, Strength Author
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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, April 07, 2008
 Paul Von Boeckmann | An ad for the famous oldtime strongman Paul Von Boeckmann's Breathing Gymnastics Course. Von Boeckmann felt that one of the Secrets to great strength and physical development had much to do with building large, powerful lungs through breathing exercises and taught these techniques by mail order for years. |
Labels: Breathing Exercises, Breathing Gymnastics, Chest Development, Chest Expansion, Deep Breathing, Mail Order Course, Paul Von Boeckmann, Powerful Lungs
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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
| 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 |
Labels: AAU, Breathing Exercises, Chest Development, Feat, George Eiferman, IFBB, Mr. America, Mr. Universe, Muscle Beach
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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
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
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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