Tuesday, October 13, 2009
| Maxick's amazing muscularity was built by a combination of Muscle Control and heavy lifting, and is quite impressive even a hundred years later as this rare shot can attest. His marks at his best -- as a lightweight -- would still today be great lifts for a heavyweight athlete. For example, he could right hand snatch 165 pounds and press 230 pounds (all at a bodyweight of only 145 pounds). What you may not have known though is that Maxick was also an expert at Fingerhakeln. |  Maxick |
Labels: Fingerhakeln, Maxick, Military Press, Muscle Control, one arm snatch
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
MaxickIn 1913, Maxick performed this novel advertising stunt, pressing a 210 pound man overhead while drinking a glass of beer with his free hand. Maxick weighed only 147 pounds. Maxick's manager Tromp Van Diggelen took the picture, and that is also his barrel barbell in the foreground.
Labels: Barrel Barbell, Human Lift, Maxick, Press, Tromp Van Diggelen
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Monday, May 11, 2009
MaxickThough only weighing 147 pounds, Maxick was one of strongest and most physically impressive men who even lived. He was one of the first men to clean and jerk double bodyweight and his level of muscularity would still be impressive a century later. I suspect a great deal of his success came from his practice of muscle control... Maxick was one of the few men who understood and practiced deep concentration to accomplish many of his lifts and feats.
Labels: Clean and Jerk, Early Bodybuilder, Maxick, Muscle Control
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Friday, May 01, 2009
Edward Aston: Britain's Strongest ManEdward Aston ran off and joined the circus at 17 years old and never looked back. Among his other feats, in 1909 he did a one-hand swing with 162-1/2 lbs. beating Thomas Inch's record. A year later he defeated Maxick to take the title of "Britain's Strongest Man", which he held until the early 1930's.
Labels: Britains Strongest Man, British Strongman, Circus Strongman, Dumbbell Swing, Edward Aston, Maxick, Thomas Inch
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Friday, March 20, 2009
MaxickThe amazing Maxick was best known for his muscle control ability, but he still moved some very impressive weights. Maxick could swing a 150-pound dumbbell - a dumbbell as heavy as his own bodyweight. He could also overhead press over 230 pounds. He was also a very good hand balancer, and could easily walk up and down a flight of stairs on his hands.
Labels: Dumbbell Swing, Hand Balancing, Maxick, Muscle Control, Press
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Friday, December 26, 2008
MaxickEven a hundred years later, there aren't many men who can compete with Maxick in terms of pure muscularity. His incredible condition came about mostly from practicing Muscle Control but he was no slouch when it came to moving some heavy iron either. Maxick could "swing" a 150-pound dumbbell - a dumbbell as heavy as his own bodyweight. He could also overhead "press" over 230 pounds - impressive feats for any sized athlete.
Labels: Dumbbell Swing, Maxick, Muscle Control, Press
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Monday, July 28, 2008
Maxick - Muscle Control"The serious student of muscle control will soon become aware of the fact that his will-power has become greater and his mental faculties clearer and capable of increased concentration.
Thus, it will be observed that the controlling of the muscles reacts upon the mind and strengthens the mental powers in exactly the same proportion that the control of the muscles strengthens the body and limbs."
- Muscle Control by Maxick, chapter IV, written in 1910
(looks like it works!)
Labels: Maxick, Muscle Control, Muscle Control Course, Muscle Control Feat
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Monday, May 26, 2008
| "Maxalding" was a method of training developed in 1909 by two masters: Maxick and Monte Saldo. This unique training style was a combination of abdominal muscle control and breathing exercises, and required no equipment. Courses on Maxalding proved to be very popular and were sold well into the 1970's. This advertisement is from 1956 and features Monte Saldo's son Courtlandt Saldo. |  Maxalding |
Labels: Maxalding, Maxick, Monte Saldo, Muscle Control, Muscle Control Course
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Tuesday, January 29, 2008
As a young man, Monte Saldo apprenticed at one of Eugen Sandow's Gymnasiums and eventually became a performing strongman himself.
Saldo's incredible motor car support feat (which put him in considerable danger if something were to ever get out of hand) made him one of the top earning strongmen of the day.
As you can see, he was pretty rugged.
Saldo went on to become of the great masters of Muscle Control and teamed up with his friend Maxick to establish the Maxalding system.
Labels: Maxick, Monte Saldo, Muscle Control, Oldtime Strongman, Supporting Feat
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Tromp Van Diggelen - The South African HerculesTromp Van Diggelen survived a sickly childhood to become a traveling performing strongman and one of the true unsung heroes of strength history.
His performing feats were certainly impressive (such as the 210 pound "barrel lift" barbell press above) but it was his work behind the scenes which he should be remembered best.
It was Tromp Van Diggelen who discovered "Max Sick" and had him change his name to Maxick.
Van Digglen also managed Joseph Steinbach and Hermann Goerner and also founded The British Amateur Weightlifting Association (BAWLA).
Labels: Barrel Lifting, Hermann Goerner, Joseph Steinbach, Maxick, Oldtime Strongman, Press, Tromp Van Diggelen
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Monday, September 24, 2007
Maxick: Master of Muscle ControlHe began his life named "Max Sick" and it was certainly fitting as he suffered with a variety of ailments.
As a young man he was introduced to physical training as a method for improving his condition. Using isometrics, hand balancing and weightlifting he built himself back to health and later became reborn as "Maxick" champion Strength athlete.
One day, while working as an artists model he noticed that he was able to isolate his abdominals in a certain way while he held a specific pose for periods of time. As time passed, he began to experiment with isolating other muscle groups and the unique art of "Muscle Control" was born.
The audiences of the time had never seen anything like it. It was not only quite a sight but Maxick himself used primarily Muscle Control to build an incredible physique. Though he rarely lifted weights, Maxick was incredibly strong,
At a bodyweight of around 150 pounds, he could perform the following:
Due to the unique benefits and training effects of practicing muscle control, many physique stars and physical culturists practiced it including: Otto Arco, Alan P. Mead, John Grimek and Ed Jubinville.Two hands military press with barbell: 230 lbs. Right hand military press: 112 lbs. Right hand snatch with barbell: 165 lbs. Right hand swing with dumbbell: 150 lbs. Two hands clean and jerk with barbell: 272 lbs.
Labels: Alan Mead, John Grimek, Maxick, Muscle Control, Otto Arco
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