Saturday, November 21, 2009
Clark GableBeing a swashbuckling leading man in Hollywood is tough work, which is why Clark Gable here, regularly engaged in physical training throughout his acting career. Not only that, but the posture, and body control developed from this physical training increased screen presence - Gable was one of the most popular actors of his time. The wall pulleys are likely from The Narragansett Machine Company.
Labels: Clark Gable, Movie Star, Physical Training, Speed Bag, Wall Pulleys
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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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Sunday, July 12, 2009
Early Physical TrainingSome of the early physical training "gyms" looked a lot like this one; essentially a big playground. The idea was to simply get your body moving in a number of ways. Notice all the different training methods represented in this rare engraving: balance beams, pole climbing, climbing ropes, the vault horse, climbing ladders, parallel bars, horizontal bars and bodyweight calisthenics.
Even with more modern methods - I'm talking with barbells and dumbbells etc - Getting out and learning to move your body through space in a vigorous manner is still a good idea today.
Labels: Bodyweight Calisthenics, Climbing Ladders, Climbing Ropes, Horizontal Bar, Physical Training, Pole Climbing, Pommel Horse
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Friday, July 10, 2009
Pull-Ups... Chin-Ups... whatever you want to call them they are a great exercise... And you can't beat the simplicity. This Marine is performing his pull-ups during a 2005 deployment to Camp Taqaddum, Iraq as a part of the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab's experimental "combat conditioning" physical training program.
Labels: Bodyweight Calisthenics, Calisthenics, Chin Ups, Marines, Military Training, Physical Training, Physical Training Program, Pullups
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Sunday, April 19, 2009
Saxon on Strength"The usual idea about strength -- I mean the idea of the average reader of health magazines -- is generally a wrong one. Although a weightlifter (and weightlifters are supposed to be very narrow-minded in their views on this subject),
I hope that I, personally, am broad-minded enough to recognize that a man does not prove himself an all-round strong man just because he is able to lift a heavy weight, especially when the weight is lifted once only.
The following is my diagnosis of real strength:
Genuine strength should include not only momentary strength, as proved by the ability to lift a heavy weight once, but also the far more valuable kind of strength known as strength for endurance.
This means the ability, if you are a cyclist, to jump on your machine and ride 100 miles at any time without undue fatigue; if a wrestler, to wrestle a hard bout for half an hour with a good man without a rest, yet without becoming exhausted and reaching the limit of your strength.
Apart from sports, enduring strength means that the business man shall stand, without a break-down, business cares and worries, that he shall be capable, when necessary, of working morning, afternoon and night with unflagging energy, holding tightly in his grasp the reins of business, retaining all the while a clear mind and untiring energy, both of body and brain."
~ Arthur Saxon
The Development of Physical Power, Chaper 3
Labels: Arthur Saxon, Endurance, Physical Training, Real Strength, Stamina, Strength, Strength Book, The Development of Physical Power
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Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Farmer Burns"You might read all the literature ever printed, and listen to all the lectures ever prepared, and watch the world's greatest athletes and all of this would not do you a great deal of good so far as making yourself proficient is concerned.
THE ACTUAL WORK IS WHAT COUNTS. In order to develop your muscles to a degree that will be helpful, the student must take up the work systematically. He must not hope to make progress too rapidly, but if the practice is carried on with regularity, and an earnest and determined effort is made, nothing in the world will prevent a normal man or boy from becoming a splendid athlete.
The importance of enthusiastic application cannot be over-estimated. Do not read the lessons and expect that to make you an athlete. It won't. Study the exercises and then prepare to give regular time to the work EVERY DAY."
~ Farmer Burns
Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture
1912
Labels: Conditioning, Farmer Burns, Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture, Physical Training
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Monday, March 30, 2009
Rope ClimbingLike many exercises, rope climbing as a means of building strength and endurance was adapted from the early physical training of the military. Thousands of years ago soldiers and warriors climbed ropes to build upper-body strength and endurance -- and many still do so today for the very same reasons.
This shot features a group of U.S Marines climbing ropes during a typical training session. It was taken on February 1st, 2006 at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina.
Labels: Climbing Ropes, Military Exercise, Military Training, Physical Training, Rope Climbing
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Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Narragansett Machine CompanyAt the turn of the century, The Narragansett Machine Company was the very first widespread manufacturer of physical training equipment. They made everything from Climbing Ropes and Indian clubs to traveling rings, Wall Pulleys climbing ladders, and even sophisticated strength machines made very eloquently with oak and brass.
I didn't realize it until much later but my grade school gym was outfitted back in the 1920's entirely with classic physical training equipment from The Narragansett Machine Company -- and we were still using it fifty years later.
Labels: Antique Equipment, Climbing Ladders, Climbing Ropes, Gymnastic Rings, Indian Clubs, Narragansett Machine Company, Physical Culture Equipment, Physical Training, Providence Rhode Island, Wall Pulleys
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Sunday, December 07, 2008
George Hackenschmidt - The Russian Lion"...Any man who is normally of good physique, who has indulged in any form of athletics, or who has practised the series of exercises dealt with previously, for a period, say, of six months, should, however, devote his principal attention to muscular development. He may secure and maintain a condition of fair physical fitness by means of exercise without weights, but he cannot hope to become really strong unless he exercises with weights; for it is only by so doing that he can develop muscle of really good quality, and, as already hinted, it is important, both from the Health and the Strength points of view, that every muscular group throughout the body should be of the best quality attainable..."- The Way to Live by George Hackenschmidt Chapter 9
Labels: George Hackenschmidt, Physical Training, Strength Author, The Russian Lion, The Way to Live
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Thursday, December 04, 2008
Eugen Sandow"...Strength enthusiasts of today should feet a debt of gratitude towards Eugene Sandow, who thrilled audiences in Europe and America during the last decade of the nineteenth century with his wonderful showmanship and the remarkable shapeliness of his physique. Witnessing the perfection of his muscular development and apparently super human strength undoubtedly caused more men and boys to become interested in the improvement of the human body than the efforts of any other single human... "- Physical Training Simplified by Mark Berry, Chapter 30
Labels: Eugen Sandow, Mark Berry, Physical Training
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Dio Lewis was an early physical culture pioneer who was outspoken on the role of temperence, clean living and physical training as a part of education. His system of gymnastics was eventually adopted by schools and laid the groundwork for modern physical education.
Labels: Dio Lewis, Gymnastics, Physical Culture, Physical Culture Pioneer, Physical Education, Physical Education Pioneer, Physical Training
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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
The great Eugen Sandow wrote a number of books over his lifetime. Here is a look at them, in order of publication:
 Eugen Sandow |
Labels: Bodybuilding, Eugen Sandow, Life is Movement, Physical Training, Sandow's System of Physical Training, Strength Author
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Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Wrestler's BridgeThe Wrestler's Bridge is and can be a very good exercise for developing neck strength. You must first master your own bodyweight before moving on the the weighted version that this Japanese wrestler is demonstrating.
Labels: Bodyweight Exercise, Bodyweight Feat, Physical Training, Wrestlers Bridge, Wrestling Exercise
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Tuesday, December 18, 2007
 The Iron Cross | Much of the origins of strength training and physical culture come from gymnastics. The Iron Cross as performed on gymnastic rings, is one of the most impressive gymnastic feats. It takes a great deal of strength and plenty of skill to perform The Iron Cross properly. |
Labels: Feat, Gymnastic Feat, Gymnastic Rings, Gymnastics, Gymnatic Exercise, Iron Cross, Physical Training
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Sunday, November 11, 2007
| Bruce Lee was one of the greatest and most influential martial artists who ever lived. It should come as no surprise that he was also a fanatic when it came to physical training. And like most serious trainees in the 1960's Bruce Lee trained with a York Power Rack on which he could perform his isometric workouts. He felt that physical training, in addition to martial training, was of the utmost importance to any combat athlete. |  Bruce Lee's Power Rack |
Labels: Bruce Lee, Isometrics, Martial Arts, Physical Training, York Power Rack
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