Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sandow's DumbbellYou've got to give Sandow a lot of credit ~ he had style. This dumbbell is obviously a lot lighter than it appears but you have to admit that it looks outstanding when lifted on stage. You can also see it in action here.
Labels: Classic Equipment, Dumbbell, Eugen Sandow, Globe Dumbbell
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Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Alexandre' MaspoliThe great French lifter Alexandre' Maspoli was born in Lyons in 1875 and was an amateur champion an astounding 19 years in a row (1901 to 1920). He won a Bronze Medal at the 1906 Olympic Games. He also competed in the long jump in the 1906 games but did not place. Maspoli's greatest lifts include a right hand snatch of 207-1/2 pounds, a two-dumbbell clean and press of 231-3/4 pounds, and a two-dumbbell jerk of 298 pounds. Maspoli was also a successful sculptor.
Labels: 1906 Olympics, Alexandre Maspoli, Bronze Medal, Dumbbell, Dumbbell Jerk, French Weightlifter, one arm snatch
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Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Sandow's EquipmentWhere did Sandow get all his great stage weights? Charles Heap and Co., of course. This was back in the 1890's mind you. Sure would be great to have a place to get weights like these now-a-days...
Labels: Barbell, Classic Equipment, Dumbbell, Eugen Sandow, Globe Barbell, Globe Dumbbell, Ring Weights
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Monday, October 19, 2009
Jack LaLanne PushupsHere, Jack Lalanne shows one very good way to add some weight to your pushups - by balancing a dumbbell on your back. (Jack celebrated his 95th birthday on September 26th, 2009 - way to go Jack!)
Labels: Dumbbell, Jack LaLanne, Pushups
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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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Monday, June 22, 2009
The York Aristocrat Weight SetThe York Aristocrat Weight Set, circa 1955. Not much more to say other than you can get pretty damn strong with only what is pictured here ~ and many people did!
Labels: Advertisement, Barbell, Barbell and Plates, Dumbbell, swingbell, York Aristocrat Weight Set
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Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Gittleson DumbbellThe 'Gittleson Dumbbell is so named because it sat on my college strength coach Mike Gittleson's desk for all the years that I was at Michigan, and likely at least a decade before that. (Mike was the University of Michigan football strength coach for 30 years and produced more All-Americans and NFL Draft picks than any other college strength coach in history.)
As you can see this unforgiving chunk of Iron weighs 120 pounds - I've bent pressed it, snatched it but not yet strictly overhead pressed it ~ something I am on track to do sometime this summer.
Labels: Bent Press, Challenge Weight, Dumbbell, Dumbbell Training, Football Training, Mike Gittleson, one arm snatch, University of Michigan
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Monday, April 06, 2009
The Good DumbbellThe Good Dumbbell, so named for it's former owner Bill Good is the world's heaviest exhibition dumbbell (weighing 2150 pounds.) You can read more about it here. For a number of years the Good Dumbbell was displayed on this stand at a water company near Adamstown, Pennsylvania. You used to be able to go visit it although it has disappeared in recent years and the current whereabouts are unknown.
Labels: Bill Good, Challenge Weight, Dumbbell, Famous Dumbbell, Good Brothers, The Good Dumbbell
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Friday, April 03, 2009
Jaw StrengthMany of the oldtime strongmen used teeth lifting in their performances and also as a neck developer. If you do decide to incorporate this lift into your training, please do so safely. Here's a classic shot of Jim Murray, managing editor of Strength and Health Magazine using aYork custom-made mouthpiece to lift a 200-pound dumbbell.
Labels: Dumbbell, Jaw Lifting, Jaw Strength, Neck Exercise, Neck Strength, Strength and Health Magazine, York Barbell Club t-shirt
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Thursday, March 12, 2009
Fred WintersFred Winters of the New Westside Athletic Club of New York won the Silver Medal in the Dumbell Lifting portion of the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. The competition consisted of nine individual dumbbell lifting events with the tenth event being an original feat of strength of the competitors choice.
Fred did very well and was in the lead after the dumbbell events. For his choice feat he performed six one-arm pushups with 105 extra pounds of weight strapped to his back... but it was only good enough for second place.
Labels: 1904 Olympics, Dumbbell, Dumbbell Competition, Dumbbell Contest, Dumbbell Feats, Dumbbell Training, Fred Winters, Olympic Athlete, Silver Medal
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Sunday, March 08, 2009
The Dumbbell GripperA highly imaginative combination of a classic wooden dumbbell and a hand gripper.
I have no idea of the story behind this one... It dates to the early 1900's if not earlier. If it was commercially made I have never seen it advertised anywhere and if it was homemade whoever was behind it did an exceptionally good job. Either way, here it is.
Labels: Dumbbell, Grip Equipment, Grip Strength, Hand Gripper, Vintage Hand Gripper, Wooden Dumbbells
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Monday, February 16, 2009
ApollonSomething that you may not have noticed is that the great French Strongman Apollon rarely performed two-arm lifts, instead preferring to train with heavy barbells or dumbbells by lifting them with each hand individually. Even a hundred years later that's still a great way to get strong...
Labels: Apollon, Barbell, Dumbbell, One Arm Lift
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Saturday, February 14, 2009
Vince Gironda - The Iron Guru Say what you like about Vince Gironda but one thing was for sure, there was never a dull moment around him. Here he gets in a little negative chin work while holding what looks to be a hundred pound dubbell - that's intense!
Labels: Dumbbell, Iron Guru, Negative Chinup, Negative Training, Vince Gironda, Vince Gironda Exercise, Vince Gironda Training, Vince Gironda Workout
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Sunday, January 11, 2009
| Over a century later, Arthur Saxon still holds the greatest bent press poundage ever recorded. The man who has come the closest under official conditions was Al Beinart who managed 330 pounds and trains at Yaco's Gym in Detroit. The hardest part of the lift, according to Beinart, is getting the weight to the shoulders. This is the style that he used. and with 300+ pounds, that's an impressive feat by itself. |  Al Beinart |
Labels: Al Beinart, Arthur Saxon, Bent Press, Dumbbell, Yaco's Gym
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Sunday, December 28, 2008
York BarbellsA selection of York Barbells and dumbbells in a classic wooden rack. They were marketed as "second to none" and they were. Notice the plates are positioned on the bars to minic a globe shape.
Labels: Barbell Plates, Barbells, Barbells Dumbbells, Dumbbell, York Barbell, York Equipment
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Friday, December 19, 2008
An Interesting ComparisonAn interesting comparison of bent-press techniques. On the left, Real Lacombe of Toranto, Canada bent-presses a heavy dumbbell. On the right, grandmaster martial artist Wang Zi Ping bent-presses a Chinese stone lock.
Labels: Bent Press, Chinese Stone Lock, Dumbbell, Wang Zi Ping
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Friday, November 28, 2008
Louis Cyr's WeightsA rare picture of some of Louis Cyr's weights. Note the Ring Weight in the foreground and the fact that most of these classic weights have thick handles. You can tell a lot of strength was built with these weights.
Labels: Dumbbell, Globe Barbell, Globe Dumbbells, Louis Cyr, Ring Weights, Thick Handle
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Saturday, June 21, 2008
| Sometimes you'll have to improvise if you still want to get in a workout. Back during the second World War, our troops overseas had to do just that if they wanted to keep training. Here, Cpl. Robert Hamilton of the 1st AAF in Italy fashioned a nifty dumbbell out of some narrow-gauge train wheels. I'm sure the thick handle made for some interesting workouts. |  Train Wheel Dumbbell |
Labels: Dumbbell, Thick Handle, Train Wheel, Unique Equipment, Unusual Training Equipment
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Thursday, April 10, 2008
George Zottman Globe BarbellsA rare picture of a young George Zottman with some of his great oldtime stage equipment. Grip strength is a premium for any oldtime strongman. Gotta love those thick-handled globe barbells and dumbbells. You can tell a lot of great workouts happened with those.
The globe dumbbell in the foreground weighs 175 pounds -- and the dog's name was Sphinx. Tullus Wrtght "The American Sampson" is pictured sitting on the left.
Labels: Dumbbell, George Zottman, Globe Barbell, Globe Dumbbell, Grip Strength, Grip Tools, Oldtime Strength Equipment, Thick Bars, Thick Handle, Tullus Wright, Vintage Strength Equipment, Zottman Curl
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Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Jack Walsh Jack Walsh from Trenton, New Jersey, is the strongest man you've never heard of.
Over his career he performed all kinds of crazy strength feats, including lifting elephants, towing trains and letting trucks run over his body. At a bodyweight of 190 pounds, he even broke Louis Cyr's backlift record.
Anyhow, here's Jack Walsh jerking a 230-pound dumbbell overhead -- That's damn strong! Do you know anybody that can jerk more than bodyweight overhead with one arm?
Labels: Dumbbell, Dumbbell Exercise, Dumbbell Jerk, Feat, Jack Walsh, Jerk, Oldtime Strongman, One Arm Lift
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Friday, March 28, 2008
| Bob Jones again shows why he was one of the greatest hand balancers who ever lived... a one-arm planche while simultaneously holding a 55-pound dumbbell in the other hand. You won't be seeing this one again any time soon... |  Bob Jones |
Labels: Bob Jones, Bodyweight Feat, Dumbbell, Hand Balancing, Hand Balancing Feat, One Arm Planche
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Doug Hepburn Presses the Jowett DumbbellDuring his pro-wrestling career, Doug Hepburn often performed feats of strength in the ring. Here Doug presses the 169-1/2 pound George Jowett dumbbell overhead. This special dumbbell was said to have a handle "four-times" thicker than a normal dumbbell. -- Yet another incredible pressing feat from the great Canadian Strongman.
Labels: Challenge Weight, Doug Hepburn, Dumbbell, Dumbbell Press, George Jowett, George Jowett Dumbbell, Globe Dumbbell, Overhead Dumbbell Press, Overhead Press, Shoulder Exercise, Thick Handle
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Friday, January 18, 2008
 Chuck Ahrens and Bert Elliot | Two fixtures in the Santa Monica, California Muscle Beach scene share a laugh in the late 1950's - Chuck Ahrens and Bert Elliott. Chuck Ahrens was a man of immeasurable power, and Bert Elliott was a champion weightlifter and bodybuilder (He won the 1954 Sr. Nationals Weightlifting Title in the 165 Pound Class (totaling 765 pounds), the 1953 "Iron Man" bodybuilding contest as well as the 1954 AAU Mr. Southern California.) At their feet is Bert Elliott's 201 pound "challenge" dumbbell which he could bent- press with ease. |
Labels: AAU, Bent Press, Bert Elliott, Bodybuilding, Challenge Weight, Chuck Ahrens, Dumbbell, Globe Dumbbell, Iron Man, Mr. Southern California, Muscle Beach
www.oldtimestrongman.com
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
| In the mid-1990's a new grip challenge appeared: "The Blob" --it was half of a 100 pound York Cast Dumbbell with the handle sawed off. Often referred to as a "block weight," think of a 50 pound aspirin and you can imagine why this awkward chunk of iron has defeated some of the strongest hands in the world. No chalk or "stickum" allowed. |  The Blob |
Labels: Challenge Weight, Dumbbell, Grip Strength, The Blob, York Dumbbell
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Friday, November 02, 2007
The Louis Cyr Challenge DumbbellThis incredible dumbbell belonged to the famous Quebec strongman Louis Cyr who used it in his act as a challenge for anyone to lift it.
Due to the 1-5/8 inch thick handle the bell is difficult to lift but it was specially designed for Cyr who had a very strong grip. It weighed 202 pounds empty and at its heaviest, packed with metal pellets, Cyr's Dumbbell weighed 273 pounds. Cyr handled it easily using the overhead "side press" style.
To this day only a handful of men have been successful in lifting it overhead with one arm.
Among them John Grimek, Sig Klein, and Wally Zagurski as shown above using the bent press style (Yes, that's the exact dumbbell above being lifted by those individuals at different points in time.) The Cyr Dumbbell currently resides in the York Barbell Company Hall of Fame in York, Pennsylvania.
Labels: Bent Press, Challenge Weight, Dumbbell, Globe Dumbbells, John Grimek, Louis Cyr, Side Press, Strongman Equipment, Strongman Feat, Thick Bar, Wally Zagurski, York Barbell Hall of Fame
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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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Monday, October 22, 2007
 Strongman Dennis Rogers |  At 5'9" and a bodyweight around 160 pounds, Dennis Rogers sure doesn't look like your average strongman... But when it's time to lift some iron, Dennis can do some things that will shock and amaze you. One of Dennis' unusual abilities is his incredible bicep strength. At Memorial City Mall in Houston, Texas Dennis Rogers' established a World Record One Arm Dumbbell Curl record of 98 pounds x 10 Reps with an Iron Master Dumbbell- he weighed 148 Pounds at the time. (Above) |
Labels: Bicep Strength, Curl, Dennis Rogers, Dumbbell, Strongman Feat
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Circus Strongman George Levasseur's Classic Stage WeightsGeorge Levasseur was the "Strongman" at the Ringling Brothers Circus during the early part of the 20th century. He was famous for his Backlifting ability but he performed all manner of classical strongman feats, including lifting several unusual "stage" weights as pictured here: Globe barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells.
Notice the Thick Handles on the globe barbells.
Labels: Backlift, Barbell, Circus, Dumbbell, George Levasseur, Kettlebell, Oldtime Strongman, Strongman Equipment, Thick Bar
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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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Sunday, October 07, 2007
Thomas InchAt just 16 years of age, Thomas Inch was Britain's Strongest Youth. From there, he became a strand pulling Champion, the first official Britain's Strongest Man and at one time had the largest physical fitness correspondence school in Great Britain.
It was Thomas Inch who pioneered the use of strength training for athletes, most notably in swimming, track and field and boxing. He was also credited with introducing the adjustable "disc"-type barbells and dumbbells into modern strength training (although that is debatable.)
But when it comes to dumbbells, Thomas Inch is most well-known for one in particular...
The Thomas Inch "unliftable" Challenge Dumbbell has defied thousands of strong men over the last hundred years (and still does today.)
Many a strength athlete have tried... but failed... to break it off the ground.
What was its secret?
You can read one of Thomas Inch's best known training courses right here: Developing the Grip and Forearm by Thomas Inch (1930)
Labels: Barbell, Dumbbell, Grip Strength, Inch Dumbbell, Oldtime Strongman, Thomas Inch
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Thursday, October 04, 2007
The Iron Master DumbbellFrom 1989 to 2000, Osmo Kiiha published "THE IRON MASTER" one of the most informative periodicals ever produced on the history of strength training.
What made this publication stand out from anything before or since was the focus on training, -- every issue focused on one or more of the all-time greats but it wasn't just talk, there was always a number of workouts included so that readers could learn exactly how the champs trained.
At one point, Osmo decided to create a further link to the past by coming out with his own classic equipment. He created a series of globe barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells which were reminiscent of the kind of equipment that the MILO Barbell Company had produced a century before.
The "Iron Master" Dumbbell is shown above.
Like the MILO models, these had hollow globes which could be filled either with shot or loded with smaller plates through the handle. They were cast in either aluminum or steel and were machined, one at a time, by hand ~ true works of art.
Labels: Dumbbell, Globe Barbell, Iron Master Magazine, Milo Barbell Company, Osmo Kiiha
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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 13, 2007
Henry Holtgrewe: The Cincinnati StrongmanHenry Holtgrewe was born in Hanover, Germany in 1872 but came to live in the United States at an early age. He settled in Cincinnati, where he ran a saloon near old Chester Park in Northside.
In his spare time he delighted in performing feats of strength, especially lifting barbells and dumbbells with thick handles -- which not only confounded smaller-handed competition, but also allowed Henry Holtgrewe to build a tremendous 15-1/2 inch forearm in the process.
Holtgrewe also out "pressed" the great Louis Cyr with a single-arm lift of 287 pounds. It was said that each time Eugen Sandow performed in Cincinnati Holtgrewe challenged to a lifting contest -- and each time Sandow refused.
In 1904 Holtgrewe backlifted two opposing baseball teams at Redlands Field in Cincinnati. The combined weight was estimated at 4103 pounds easily placing him among the strongest backlifters of all time.
Labels: Backlift, Dumbbell, Eugen Sandow, Henry Holtgrewe, Louis Cyr, Oldtime Strongman, Strongman Feat
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Monday, August 20, 2007
The MILO Barbell ShowroomAlan Calvert established the MILO Barbell company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. It was the very first source for barbells and heavy dumbbells in the United States.
Located at 1116 Olive Street, the MILO Barbell showroom must have been quite a sight to see with its grand selection of globed barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells.
Unfortunately the MILO Barbell Company is long gone but we do have a number of Alan Calvert's training materials left to instruct future generations:
The Milo Barbell Courses
The Truth About Weight Lifting
Super Strength
Labels: Alan Calvert, Dumbbell, Globe Barbell, Kettlebells, Milo Barbell Company
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Thursday, August 16, 2007
George Barker Windship's Adjustable DumbbellGeorge Barker Windship was one of the very first proponents of "Physical Culture" and unlike many of his contemporaries, promoted hard work and heavy lifting for super strength.
Pictured above is the dumbbell he patented on February 2nd, 1865 which could be loaded from eight to 101 pounds in 1/2 pound incriments.
"The body should be made as strong as possible, with no weak points. It should be balanced and symmetrical with the muscles full and round and strong, like those of the "Farnesian" Hercules. Heavy weights and short workouts are the secret to health and longevity.
Training should be systematic, with the intensity of the exercise gradually increasing over time. Workout sessions should never last more than an hour and that proper rest must be obtained before the next day's training."
- George Barker Windship, February, 1861
(Couldn't have said it better myself. -- JW)
Labels: Dumbbell, George Barker Windship, Strongman Equipment
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Monday, July 23, 2007
I don't know what you would call this one but I have never seen anything like it. When you're "strong" you can pretty much do whatever you want... something George Jowett called "The Thrill of Strength."
Labels: Dumbbell, George Jowett, Globe Barbell, Strongman Equipment, Strongman Feat
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Monday, July 09, 2007
Here's a classic shot from the 1904 Summer Olympics held is St. Louis, Missouri. Back then they contested "weightlifting" i.e. with a barbell in events with both one and two hands. Interestingly enough, they also had a seperate Dumbbell contest.
Weightlifting at the 1904 Summer OlympicsLabels: 1904 Olympics, Barbell, Dumbbell, Olympics, St. Louis, weightlifting
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