Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Les WilloughbyLes Willoughby, the great light-heavyweight British weightlifter, is shown here about to perform the 2-dumbbell press, one of the seven best power building exercises.
His best performance in this lift was a press of 230 pounds for two reps. He could also press 245 lbs., snatch 242-1/2 lbs. clean & jerk 330 pounds and just may have done some squatting in his day.
Labels: British Champion, British Strongman, Dumbbell Press, Leg Development, Les Willoughby, Snatch, Two Dumbbell Press
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Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Leg Press!Now this is crazy, both in theory and in practice. That's Harry Good performing a 1-leg press with 280 pounds. His best was 380 pounds for 3 reps. It was also mentioned that while performing this lift, Harry was able to get the loaded barbell onto and off of his foot unassisted.
Labels: Barbell Exercise, Harry Good, Leg Development, Leg Exercise, Leg Press, One Leg Press
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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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Thursday, March 05, 2009
 The York Health Shoe | "This is what the new York "IRON BOOT" is. A super leg developer. Merely strap the five pound Iron Boot on your foot and attach your adjustable dumbbell to it. There you have the most progressive leg builder ever devised. It is like being able to pick up a dumbbell with your feet. Back your legs with that snappy, springy power! No use dragging around as if your feet weighed a ton. Get speed and lightness into your stride. The Iron Boot will increase your running, jumping, gymnastics and lifting." |
Labels: Equipment, Iron Boots, Leg Development, York Barbell Company, York Health Shoe
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Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Fred LoweThe great Olympic Weightlifter Fred Lowe was said to have the absolute greatest leg development of any strength athlete in any sport - ever. That would be a pretty tough point to argue otherwise. Fred only weighed 165 pounds so you can bet those legs could generate a lot of power. He is STILL the lightest man to ever clean and jerk over 400 pounds. Here's Fred on the way to winning gold in the 1972 Senior Nationals.
Labels: Clean and Jerk, Clean and Jerk Record, Fred Lowe, Leg Development, olympic weightlifter, Senior Nationals
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Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Nautilus Compound Leg MachineThe 'point' of any tool is to give yourself an advantage that could not otherwise be had... in this case, a machine which will allow a for the performance of a specialized training technique: pre-exhaust.
The Nautilus compound Leg Machine combined a leg extension with a leg press, allowing a trainee to move from one exercise to the next in the quickest possible time -- and creating one of the most intense leg workouts ever devised.
Labels: Casey Viator, Leg Development, Leg Workout, Nautilus, Nautilus Compound Leg Machine, Nautilus Machines, Strength machine
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Friday, February 20, 2009
One Secret of Strength and PowerOne Secret of Strength and Power... you want to get strong? Work your legs like you mean it. John Davis understood this better than most. Here he is rock-bottom squatting over 500 pounds. You sure don't see squatting ability like this very often these days... nor men with the kind of all-around strength that Davis had.
Labels: Barbell, John Davis, Leg Development, Leg Exercise, Squat, Squatting Feat, Strength and Power
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Wednesday, February 04, 2009
The Hammer Strength Leg PressThe Hammer Strength Leg Press is the very best leg press that I've ever used. This machine can also be an excellent alternative to the squat for building leg strength. Consider yourself lucky if you can find one though.
Labels: Hammer Strength, Hammer Strength Leg Press, Leg Development, Leg Press, Leg Press Machine, Leg Strength, Strength machine, The Leg Press
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Sunday, January 11, 2009
Killer Legs www.oldtimestrongman.com
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Friday, December 05, 2008
Squatting with CaseyIf there is a "secret" to super strength it's hard, intense leg work. Here's 1971 Mr. America Casey Viator getting in a quick squat workout at the infamous quonset hut, Deland Florida, circa 1971 or so. I count well over 500 pounds on the bar -- not bad for a "training weight."
Labels: 1971 Mr. America, Barbell, Casey Viator, Leg Development, Squat, Squat Workout
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Magic SquareYou've heard of the Magic Circle... but have you heard of the Magic Square?
It was another experiment to make intense leg work more "comfortable." However, like the Magic Circle, it also changed the lifter's center of gravity which was somewhat problematic.
Still, the Magic Square was GREAT for Hise Shrugs and calf work.
Labels: Equipment, Hise Shrugs, Leg Development, The Magic Circle, The Magic Square
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Monday, June 23, 2008
1959 AAU Mr. America winner Harry Johnson demonstrates Moore's Squat Bar, a unique piece of equipment often advertised in the old Iron Man Magazine that eliminates much of the discomfort of squatting.
Look familar?
The rights were eventually purchased by multiple-time Mr. Olympia winner Frank Zane, and re-released as the Frank Zane Leg Blaster (which is still available today.)
Moore's Squat BarLook familar?
The rights were eventually purchased by multiple-time Mr. Olympia winner Frank Zane, and re-released as the Frank Zane Leg Blaster (which is still available today.)
Labels: 1959 Mr. America, AAU, Frank Zane, Iron Man Magazine, Leg Development, man Magazine, Moore's Squat Bar, Mr America, Mr. Olympia, Squat Workout, Training Equipment, Unique Equipment
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Wednesday, February 06, 2008
 John Grimek Hip Lift | The "hip lift" is an oldtime exercise where a very heavy weight is moved only a few inches with the aid of a a leather harness attached to a stout bar. With a setup like this, a tremendous amount of weight can be moved, sometimes even a ton or more. The great John Grimek demonstrates it here. You'll probably recognize this picture from the front of the Mark Berry Barbell Courses |
Labels: Hip Lift, John Grimek, Leg Development, Oldtime Lift
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Thursday, December 13, 2007
 The Nautilus Squat Machine | Casey Viator uses the Nautilus Squat Machine during the Colorado Experiment. You may recall that Casey put on 63 pounds of muscle over the course of the 28 day experiment and this machine was a big reason behind that. It has been well understood that intense leg work is the key to super strength. This machine allowed the hips and legs to be trained in a manner more intense than any other method created before or since. This particular Nautilus machine never actually went into production. |
Labels: Bodybuilding, Casey Viator, Equipment, Leg Development, Leg Training, Nautilus Machines, Nautilus Squat Machine, Squat Machine, The Colorado Experiment
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Wednesday, December 05, 2007
 Al Gerard | Two decades ago, Al Gerard, a Powerlifter from North Carolina invented a piece of training equipment that would change strength training forever. His Gerard Trap Bar allowed trainees to train their legs without overtraining the lower-back. The Trap Bar became the piece of equipment for every gym. Al was able to deadlift over 725 pounds using his invention. |
Labels: Al Gerard, Deadlift, Gerard Trap Bar, Leg Development, Strongman Equipment, Training Equipment, Trap Bar, Trap Bar Deadlift
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Saturday, December 01, 2007
Super Squats by Randall J. Strossen"Half a century ago, a decade before Arnold was born, the pioneers of the Iron Game had equipment that was crude by today's standards and none of the food supplements or drugs that have spawned the current crop of bodybuilding and lifting champions.
Nonetheless, these hardy souls developed a system virtually guaranteed to pile muscular bulk on even the frailest physique, a system that works as well today as it did then.
...The system that produces these reults is simple, but not easy.
It builds real muscle, increases ones's strength enormously, and gives the cardiovascularsystem something more than a tickle in the process. About the only drawback to following this routine is that you will outgrow your clothes."
- From Chapter 1 of Super Squats by Randall J. Strossen
Labels: book, Ironmind, Leg Development, Randall J. Strossen, Squat Workouts, Super Squats, Workout
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Monday, November 19, 2007
Al Gerard and The Gerard Trap BarAl Gerard was a powerlifter from North Carolina who devised a unique "frame" which allowed him to increase his deadlift without putting undue stress on his back.
He named his invention the "Trap Bar" because of its shape -- using the Trap Bar, Al was able to deadlift over 745 pounds. Soon the Gerard Trap Bar was featured in many strength publications such as Iron Man Magazine, Powerlifting USA and Hardgainer Magazine (above.)
Once people understood its unique advantages, The Gerard Trap Bar became one of the "must have" pieces of training equipment for leg and back development..
Here's a few reasons why:
Unlike most of the classic equipment that is featured on this blog, The Gerard Trap Bar is still available, and you can get your own right here: The Gerard Trap Bar - It's Back!
Labels: Al Gerard, Deadlift, Equipment, Gerard Trap Bar, Hardgainer Magazine, Leg Development, Leg Strength, Powerlifting, Shrugs, Trap Bar Workout, Traps
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
 Sig Klein Demonstrates The 1-Leg Squat | The 1-leg squat has long been a popular exercise with the old-time physical culturists -- Sig Klein recommended it as one of the top leg developing exercises. Here's a look at Sig Klein demonstrating the 1-leg squat while holidng a classic globe barbell. |
Labels: 1 Leg Squat, Globe Barbell, Leg Development, Sig Klein, Squat, Strongman Feat
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Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Olympic Champion John Davis - Squat!If you are truly interested in size and strength, you need to train your legs. -- and one of the best leg exercises is the barbell squat. In fact, heavy squats have built the foundation of some of the greatest strength athletes in history.
Here's a look at the great John Davis squatting at Ed Yarick's Gym in Oakland, California in the 50s -- and that's how you should be squatting: full and deep.
No monkey business there, just pure power development.
I don't recommend squatting with a board under the heels but it seems to work for John Davis, who was Twice Olympic Weightlifting Champion (1948 and 1952) and Six Time Senior World Weightlifting Champion (1938, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951).
Labels: Ed Yarick's Gym, Gold Medal, John Davis, Leg Development, Olympics, Squat
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
The Leg PressThe need for intense leg training should be obvious -- But don't try this one at home! Just because you "can" do a certain exercise doesn't necessarily mean you should...
For one of the very best ways to build leg and back strength that is both safe and productive, try a Gerard Trap Bar instead.
Labels: Barbell, Leg Development, Leg Press, Strongman Feat, Trap Bar
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Tuesday, August 07, 2007
 The Magic Circle - FOR MAGIC RESULTS - The most satisfactory device yet found for doing quarter, half and full squats -- for doing Hise Shoulder Shrugs and other heavy poundage exercises where weight is held on shoulders. It has made squatting a pleasure by removing the agonizing and sometimes paralyzing pain and discomfort of a heavy bar across the shoulders cutting into the flesh and putting pressure o the spine. The "Magic Circle" gives a freedom for deep breathing in the popular and result-producing "Breathing Squats" for the exerciser can stand erect and breathe normally with a high lift of the chest at every breath, and is not compelled to hump over forward and breathes it the abdominal area as with a bar. In use, the "Magic Circle" is loaded up on the side pegs (unless you go over 700 lbs., in which case you have front and back pegs to load on), step in the circle (which is supported on side horses or boxes), lift shoulder straps onto shoulders, center straps, stand erect and walk away from stand and begin squats in normal manner. When finished, walk back to stands and lower ring to supporting rack. While squatting it helps to grasp ring in front and pull slightly toward you. If you get stuck at bottom you place hands on legs and push upward to recover. No more getting stuck at bottom, will hold 1200 lbs. or more. |
If you read Iron Man Magazine in the 70's you remember Peary Rader demonstrating the Magic Circle. I actually grew up with one in our basement gym -- that's right a fully functioning Magic Circle, one of the last ones left. I don't like using it for squats -- it changes the center of gravity in the bottom position too much for my taste. Though not necessarily the same concept, (but very much along the same lines), a Gerard Trap Bar will give you a much better leg workout.
Labels: Deep Breathing, Hise Shrugs, Iron Man Magazine, Leg Development, Peary Rader, Shrugs, Strongman Equipment, The Magic Circle
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