Antone Matysek and the Roman Chair

Antone Matysek and the Roman Chair

Matysek was much more than a master of muscle control, for many years he was one of the premier strength performers in the entire world and excelled at a variety of feats. This Roman Chair feat is especially difficult. It requires a great deal of abdominal power but also depends very heavily on the strength of the frontal thigh muscles.

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Professor Attila

Professor Attila was one of the true innovators of the Iron Game. It was Attila who came up with the idea for hollow equipment which could be loaded with shot to increase the weight. Professor Attila also invented several oldtime strongman exercises such as the bent press, the Roman Chair, the Roman Column and the feat of tearing decks of poker cards in half. It was also Attila who inspired a young Eugen Sandow to start strength training after Sandow watched Attila's strongman performance -- eventually, Attila became Sandow's mentor and coached him to even greater heights.

Professor Attila

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Louis Durlacher aka Professor Attila

Louis Durlacher aka Professor Attila
It was Louis Durlacher aka Professor Attila who trained a young Fredrick Mueller and changed his name to Eugen Sandow.

It was also Professor Attila who invented many of the feats of strength we know today, such as the Roman Column, the Roman Chair, supporting feats in the human bridge position, tearing packs of playing cards; and the the hollow globe-ended barbells and dumbbells we know today.

Attila was also the first man to bent press over 200 pounds and in addition to Sandow, Professor Attila could also list many other famous strongmen among his students:

Including: Warren Lincoln Travis, Anthony Barker, Horace Barre, Arthur Dandurand, Lionel Strongfort, George Rolandow, Louis Cyr, Bobby Pandour and Adolph Nordquest.

In 1894, Professor opened his famous Studio of Physical Culture in downtown New York city. His daughter, Grace, later married Sig Klein.

If Eugen Sandow was the "Father" of Oldtime Strongmen, surely Professor Attila, was the Grandfather.

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