Friday, January 29, 2010
The Nautilus Infi-Metric Bench PressThe Infi-Metric was an interesting training concept which was pioneered by Arthur Jones. It involved pitting the strength of two body parts against each other. In the case of the Infi-Metric Bench Press machine shown here, as trainee pressed up one handle, the opposite handle lowered. This allowed one to train in a negative fashion in a very safe and productive manner. Because of the angles involved, it was also possible to get a stronger contraction in the chest muscles. Those who used this style of training correctly got great results, eventually becoming so strong that they bent the steel of the movement arm!
Labels: Arthur Jones, Casey Viator, Infi-Metric, Nautilus, Nautilus Machines, Strength machine
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Monday, January 18, 2010
Casey Viator, The Colorado ExperimentA rare look at Casey Viator training during the Colorado Experiment. Many of the machines used during the Colorado Experiment revolved around "negative" training techniques. The one Casey is using, for example, was an overhead press machine. On the right is the infamous "Mr. Happiness" negative bench press machine. Both of these machines were prototypes and never made it to actual production.
Labels: Casey Viator, Nautilus Machines, Negative Training, Omni Machines, Strength machine, The Colorado Experiment
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Monday, October 05, 2009
Nautilus Instruction ManualA look at a Nautilus Instruction Manual, circa 1980. Pictured are the DUOsymmetric/POLYcontractile Hip and Back Machine, 4-Way Neck, Double Shoulder, and Pullover. That's "Big" Jim Flanagan demonstrating in the right-most pictures.
Labels: Nautilus, Nautilus Hip and Back, Nautilus Machines
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Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Nautilus Duo-Squat MachineThere's no question that the barbell squat is a fantastic exercise for building size and strength, yet it still has its disadvantages. The Nautilus Duo-Squat Machine was created to address some of those disadvantages.
Namely, same great results but no heavy barbell on the back, no danger of being trapped under a weight if you can't make a rep and the "reverse cam" solves the leverage issue at the top of the movement allowing you to hit even more muscle fibers than you normally could. If you are still skeptical, I recommend trying it out (if you can find one) before you pass judgment. Use it correctly and you might just be surprised...(Photo courtesy of Michael Petrella)
Labels: Leg Workout, Nautilus Duo Squat Machine, Nautilus Machines, Squat Machine, Strength machine
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Nautilus Hip and Back MachineShown here is the Nautilus Hip and Back machine, as demonstrated by 1971 Mr. America Casey Viator. It's a real shame that so many people do not take the time to understand what some machines are capable of insofar as their training results are concerned.
This particular model, for example, is a superior way to train the musculature of the hips and lower back, without the drawbacks of the barbell squat -- something which no other exercise or training method is able to duplicate as efficiently.
The Nautilus Hip and Back machine was in production in the early 70s, well before some of the well-known low-back developers of today. Due to its design, this Nautilus version also avoided the shearing forces of the highly promoted modern versions as well.
Labels: 1971 Mr. America, Casey Viator, Low Back Machine, Nautilus, Nautilus Hip and Back, Nautilus Machines, Strength machine
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Thursday, July 16, 2009
The Nautilus Double Chest MachineIt's a real shame that machines get such a bad rap these days. The fact of the matter is that the whole 'point' of a machine is to gain a training advantage which can't be had any other way.
Here's a great example: the Nautilus Double Chest Machine. The upper "fly" portion of the machine thoroughly pre-exhausts the chest muscles and then the trainee can immediately switch right into the decline press movement. Both exercises allow the upper arms to be in a position where the pectorals are fully contracted.
If you have access to this machine, count yourself lucky, there aren't many around.
(Photo courtesy of Michael Petrella)
Labels: Chest Exercise, Fly, Nautilus, Nautilus Double Chest, Nautilus Machines, Negative Training, Pre-Exhaust, Strength machine
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Thursday, February 26, 2009
Nautilus Leverage MachinesWhen most people think of Nautilus Machines they picture cams and weight stacks, which were certainly the case... But later on, Nautilus came out with a series of leverage pieces with the look of machines but the feel of free weights. Pictured here is Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro Linebacker Reggie Williams demonstrating the shrug/row combo piece. This photograph was taken in the world famous "Kong Room" and if you were ever there, you sure never forgot it.
Labels: Back Machine, Equipment, Kong Room, Nautilus, Nautilus Leverage Machines, Nautilus Machines, Reggie Williams, Training Equipment
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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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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, May 22, 2008
Loprinzi's GymA look at Sam Loprinzi and his famous gym in the Portland, Oregon area. Loprinzi took great care in the equipment selection and layout of his gym which is why it was known as one of the top gyms in the country for many years. (I hear it's still in business.)
The pro-wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura used to train there early in his career and mentions that he benched 500 pounds for the first time while training at Loprinzi's place.
Loprinzi's gym also was one of the very first gyms in the country with a full set of Nautilus Machines.
Labels: Bench Press, Classic Gym, Jesse Ventura, Loprinzi's Gym, Nautilus Machines, Sam Loprinzi
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Monday, March 31, 2008
The Nautilus Pullover 1969 AAU Mr. America Boyer Coe pictured with a vintage Nautilus Pullover circa 1972.
The Nautilus Pullover took the strength world by storm in the early 1970's and it will work just as well today -- provided it's used correctly. A few hard sets (per week) will build incredible back and upper-body development, again, if it's used correctly.
There aren't many pullovers of this generation left these days, if you have access to one, consider yourself lucky.
Labels: Boyer Coe, Mr. America, Nautilus, Nautilus Machines, Nautilus Pullover, Strength machine
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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, January 18, 2008
The Zander MachinesGustav Zander was a Swedish physician who created over 70 different exercises "machines" at the turn of the century. His machines were very meticulously designed with a very intricate system of pulleys and counter balances in order to account for the physics of the human body.
These machines are from a 1906 catalogue. The machine pictured on the left was for forearm flexion/extension and on the right, a machine which trained leg flexion and extension.
Despite their obvious similarties in appearance, Arthur Jones had no prior knowledge of Zander machines when he designed his Nautilus Machines. (Which actually function quite a bit differently.)
Labels: Arthur Jones, Gustav Zander, Nautilus, Nautilus Machines, Vintage Strength Machines, Zander Machines
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Monday, January 07, 2008
The Nautilus CamThe unique advantage that the Nautilus Machines had over traditional freeweights is that they used cams like this one to manipulate the leverage of certain exercises effectively eliminating the sticking points and thus enabling a greater percentage of muscle fibers to be utilized during training.
The Nautilus BulletinsLabels: Arthur Jones, Nautilus, Nautilus Cam, Nautilus Machines
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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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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, November 17, 2007
The Nautilus Bicep/Tricep MachineI find it pretty funny that many people will not train on some strength machines for no other reason than because they are machines.
I find it even funnier than many people used to denigrate machines when they first appeared... but those same folks did a 180 and started singing a different tune when they started selling their own brand of machines.
Hmm...
The fact of the matter is that some machines provide training advantages that no barbell, dumbbell or kettlebell can even come close to. Pictured above is the Nautilus Bicep/Tricep Machine circa 1972.
You would be hard-pressed to find a better arm workout... if it's used correctly.
Labels: Arm Workout, Equipment, Nautilus, Nautilus Bicep Tricep, Nautilus 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
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