Monday, January 11, 2010
The York Cable Course No. 2The York Barbell Company produced many training courses over the years, and among them, several for getting stronger with "Cables" (or chest expanders, or strands ~ whatever you are more comfortable in calling them). Here's a look at York Cable Course No. 2 which covers all the bases pretty well.
Labels: Cable Course, Cable Training, Chest Expander Course, Chest Expanders, Training Course, 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
Monday, November 30, 2009
John GrimekHere's the great John Grimek performing what is commonly known as "the overhead downward pull" with a chest expander. This is an excellent movement for broadening the back muscles, and one that you should be doing if you train at all with chest expanders.
Labels: Back Exercise, Chest Expander, Chest Expander Exercises, Chest Expanders, John Grimek, Overhead Downward Pull, Upper Body Exercise, York Chest Expanders
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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, November 01, 2009
Earle E. LiedermanEarle E. Liederman has been one of the most outspoken proponents of chest expander training since the very beginning. It's with good reason, expanders allow you to build strength in ways that no other equipment can match.
Labels: chest expander training, Chest Expanders, Earle E. Liederman, Physical Training, Rubber Chest Expanders, Strength Author, Training 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, May 01, 2009
Abe BoshesTo provide further proof that one can be impressive without being "huge" here is the famous Brooklyn strongman Abe Boshes. Boshes stood 5'3" at a bodyweight of around 150 pounds and was very well-known for his shoulder development (which was obviously a big contributor to his stature.) Boshes did quite a bit of training with chest expanders.
Boshes could bent-press around 220 lbs for a single and a 100 lb. dumbbell 18 times in succession. In the early 1900s he won a contest put on by Bernarr MacFadden and the fame from doing so allowed him to travel the country on the Vaudeville circuit. Like many strongmen of the time he also did some wrestling.
Labels: Abe Boshes, Bent Press, Bernarr Macfadden, Chest Expanders, Early Bodybuilder, Shoulder Development, Vaudeville, Wrestling
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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 Back-Press AnyhowThe anyhow lifts are so named since you get to lockout anyhow you can. Sometimes the results may look a little unusual but they get the job done. Shown in the Back-Press Anyhow performed by the British strand pulling champion Derek Rogers. The Back-Press Anyhow was part of a series of three competitive strand pulling exercises often referred to as the "strength set."
Labels: Anyhow Lift, Back Press, British Strongman, Chest Expanders, Competitive Strand Pulling, Strand Pulling, Strand Pulling Contests, Strand Pulling Exercises, Strength Set, The Back Press Anyhow
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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
Reg Park: Chest Expander TrainingThree time Mr. Universe winner and bodybuilding legend Reg Park was a big fan of chest expanders. He included them in his workouts frequently and even created and sold his own brand, which are shown above.
Labels: Bodybuilding, Chest Expanders, Mr. Universe, Reg Park, Reg Park Workout, Training 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, February 02, 2009
Saxon BrownAs a boy athlete, Saxon Brown was Britain's strongest youth. As a professional, he performed many traditional feats of strength such as Nail Driving, Nail Bending, Card Tearing, The Human Chain and Steel Scrolling. He could also lift a car from the side and would let a motorcycle drive over his neck as a part of his act. Saxon Brown was the first man to pull a bus with his teeth.
Labels: Card Tearing, Chest Expanders, Nail Driving, Saxon Brown, Steel Bending, Steel Scrolling, Teeth Lifting
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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, December 19, 2008
Chest Expander Training - Earle E. LiedermanEarle E. Liederman was one of the many Oldtime Strongmem who were big proponents of Chest Expanders. Here he demonstrates the "front pull," a great exercise for building shoulder strength.
Labels: Chest Expander Exercises, Chest Expanders, Earle E. Liederman, Front Pull
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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, December 05, 2008
The Samson Cable SetMike Brown was always a big fan of expander training and came up with his own unique st which he used to advertise in the back of Ironman Magazine. The handles actually unscrew apart so the bands can be looped on to them - an ingenius design really.
Labels: Cable Training, Cables, Chest Expanders, Iron Man Magazine, Mike Brown, Rubber Chest Expanders, Samson Cable Set
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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, November 10, 2008
York Chest ExpandersThe York Barbell Company was most famous for selling barbells, but they featured a variety of other types of equipment as well. One of the most popular was chest expanders which were much easier to transport places than heavy weights.
In fact, York had several different types of chest expanders, the flat band type, similar to Noe's Graduated Xercisor, the round cable type, similar to modern chest expanders and the metal spring type, similar to those used in Strand Pulling Contests.
Regardless, you can get a great workout with all of them (but be sure to wear a shirt if you're training with metal springs!)
All About Strand-Pulling Labels: Chest Expanders, Equipment, Noe's Graduated Xercisors, Rubber Chest Expanders, Strand Pulling, York Chest Expanders
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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 05, 2008
John Grimek and Chest Expander TrainingJohn Grimek was a fan of many different types of training but chest expanders were one of his favorite. Quick, portable and most importantly: effective.
Here he is demonstrating a great shoulder exercise, the one-arm press with one of the old spring-type chest expanders... (if you're going to be using springs, I recommend wearing a shirt.)
Labels: Chest Expander Exercises, Chest Expanders, John Grimek, Spring Expander
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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, September 09, 2008
Liederman on Chest Expander Training"I have spent considerable time in showing people how to get strength and development by using chest-expanders; a device consisting of two handles connected by steel springs, or rubber-cables.
If a pupil asked me to give him an exercise that would develop only the triceps, I would have to tell him to proceed in this manner. To hold the expander loosely across his chest; hold the upper arms out horizontally to the sides so that the elbows pointed straight out; and then to stretch the expander by straightening his arms.
Since the upper arms are held still, the cables are stretched by moving the forearms only; and practically all the work would be done by the triceps, which by their contraction would bring the forearms into line with the upper arms.
But that would be a particularly poor exercise, for it would make the triceps work separately, instead of in conjunction with other muscles. So I prefer to hold the expander across the chest with the elbows close to the body, and the hands near the shoulders; and then to stretch the cables by pushing the hands out straight to the sides, and extending the arms as I straighten them.
For that develops not only the triceps, but all the shoulder and upper-body muscles, which move the arm away from the body; the muscles you would use in "putting the shot," or in striking a hard blow with your fist."
-- Earle E. Liederman, Secrets of Strength, 1930
Labels: Chest Expander Exercises, Chest Expanders, Earle E. Liederman
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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, May 26, 2008
 Abe Boshes | Abe Boshes of Brooklyn New, York won Bernarr Macfadden's gold medal at Madison Square Garden in 1903 and was featured prominently in MacFadden's "Physical Culture" Magazine. Boshes would go on to become one of Earle E. Liederman's top students. Boshes became an expert in Chest Expanders, wrote several training courses on the subject and eventually employed a young Angelo Siciliano (later becoming Charles Atlas) to demonstrate his wares. |
Labels: Abe Boshes, Angelo Siciliano, Charles Atlas, Chest Expanders, Earle E. Liederman, Jewish Strongman, Oldtime Strongman
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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 31, 2008
| The list of champion athletes who have trained with Chest Expanders is quite long. ... Stanislaus Zbyszko happens to be one of them. The great Polish wrestler, was well known for his incredible strength, in addition to his grappling ability. Back then, just as today, Chest expanders, no doubt, allowed him to train some of the smaller muscles that "weights" won't always get to. |  Stanislaus Zbyszko |
Labels: Chest Expanders, Stanislaus Zbyszko, Training Equipment, Wrestling
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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, January 06, 2008
The Look of PowerYou'll often hear talk of the "look" of power... Sandow unquestionably had it. He trained with light dumbbells, heavy dumbbells, block weights, chest expanders, muscle control, heavy supports, bodyweight calisthenics, gymnastics exercises and a whole lot more --- but however he trained, he did so progressively...
Labels: Blockweights, Chest Expanders, Dumbbell Training, Eugen Sandow, Progressive Resistance Training
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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, December 18, 2007
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 |
Labels: Chest Expanders, Strand Pulling, Strand Pulling Contests, Strand Pulling Exercises, Strand Pulling Workout, 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, December 07, 2007
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
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
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
 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
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
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
York Rubber Chest ExpandersThe York Barbell Company sold several different versions of Chest Expanders over the years and here's a look at one of them.
Pretty ingenius really - a set of detachable hands with progressively harder rubber straps. They came in four levels: "Medium," "Athlete," "Strong" and "Hercules" strength.
On the right that's Mr. America Winner and Champion Weightlifter Steve Stanko demonstrating the overhead pulldown chest expander exercise.
Labels: Chest Expanders, Rubber Chest Expanders, Steve Stanko, Strongman Equipment, 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, October 29, 2007
Strongman EquipmentYou've got to hand it to the oldtime strongmen, they didn't mess around when it came to quality equipment. How strong do you think you could get if you were training with the globe barbells, globe dumbbells, blockweights etc, in the above picture?
If you want to get strong and I mean STRONG you have to have good training equipment and that's just how it is.
It all begins with a quality barbell, good plates and a solid pair of collars. If you have nothing else, you must have at least that much. From there, add other equipment as needed.
Other equipment that will help you tremendously includes a solid bench, dumbbells, a power rack, a Gerard Trap Bar, chest expanders, Thick Bars, Hand Grippers and anything else that you will find on our Strongman Equipment Page.
Labels: Barbells, Blockweights, Chest Expanders, Dumbbells, Globe Barbell, Globe Dumbbells, 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
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Eugen Sandow's School of Physical CultureThere are a lot of strength history "firsts" associated with Eugen Sandow - one of those "firsts" is that he established the very first commercial gym franchise.
Im 1900, Sandow opened five of his Schools of Physical Culture in London, with others in Manchester and Liverpool. Pictured above is Sandow's School of Physical Culture, 185 Tottenham Court Road, circa 1901.
Notice sets of Globe Barbells, Dumbbells and Chest Expanders along each wall.
Labels: Chest Expanders, Classic Strongman Gyms, Dumbbell, Eugen Sandow, Globe 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
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