Sunday, August 16, 2009
John GrimekLike many of the oldtimers, John Grimek recommended the One-Arm Dumbbell Press for building wider shoulders. Grimek suggested six to seven repetitions per arm for best results.
Labels: Dumbbell Press, John Grimek, One Arm Dumbbell Press, One Arm Press, Shoulder Exercise, Upper Body Exercise, Wider Shoulders
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Tuesday, April 21, 2009
William BarkerToo old? 75-year old William Barker shows he's still "got it" by performing a crucifix with a kettlebell handle loaded to 50 pounds hanging from each thumb. Barker had previously been featured in LIFE magazine. In 1901, Mr. Barker was a gold-medal winner at one of Sandow's competitions.
Labels: Crucifix, Eugen Sandow, kettlebell handles, Shoulder Exercise, William Barker
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The Bent Lateral RaiseWith a pair of Aristocrat Dumbbells to provide resistance, Sig Klein demonstrates the favorite exercise of another oldtimer George F. Jowett. The bent lateral raise is primarily intended for training the rear delts.
Labels: Aristocrat Dumbbells, Bent Lateral Raise, Dumbbell Exercise, George Jowett, Shoulder Exercise, Sig Klein
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Monday, March 30, 2009
 Heavy Clubs | Although there actually were a few outlets for finding commercially-made wooden indian clubs, many, like this one, were custom made by local craftsmen. This was especially true of heavier clubs -- those weighing five pounds or more. This particular style of club was popular during the late 1800s and can be seen in the background here. The heavier clubs were very popular among wrestlers and boxers for building shoulder strength. -- something they are still very effective for accomplishing. (You'll want to master the light clubs first though, before moving on to heavier clubs.) |
Labels: Custom Indian Clubs, Heavy Indian Clubs, Indian Club Workout, Indian Clubs, Shoulder Exercise, Shoulder Strength, Wooden Clubs
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Friday, February 20, 2009
George W. LeeGeorge W. Lee, of Astoria, Long Island, reports that his secret to keeping young is regular physical training. He says that he never engages in "normal" calisthenics but rowing and a series of exercises he devised with a pair of oars.
He claims to be the only man of his age able to perform this feat. The oars are nine feet, six inches in length. George is sixty six years young and this picture was taken in 1940.
Labels: Boating, George W. Lee, Oars, Rowing, Shoulder Exercise, Shoulder Strength
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Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Mighty Norseman - Karl NorbergThink you're too old? The Mighty Norseman Karl Norberg could perform a crucifix with an eighty pound dumbbell in each hand. -- He was 70 years old at the time. It was said by those who witnessed them that Norberg performed such feats with ridiculous ease. This feat was performed at the San Francisco Central YMCA where he did much of his training.
Labels: Crucifix, Dumbbell Crucifix, Dumbbell Lift, Karl Norberg, Mighty Norseman, Shoulder Exercise, YMCA
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Monday, November 03, 2008
Kettlebell Crucfix LiftWalter Donald demonstrates the Crucifix with a pair of great MILO Kettlebells.
"... what the English lifters call "the crucifix lift," and which the European lifters call "holding in the balance." One of the most popular of all strength tests is to hold a weight straight out from the shoulder in one hand; and it is a common thing to see a group of workmen or athletes in an impromptu competition with the object of seeing which one of them can "muscle-out" the heaviest weight. In some parts of the country they allude to this stunt as "off-arming." No matter what you call it, it is a fine test of strength, because anyone can do it without practice, there being little skill required." - Chapter 10, Super Strength by Alan Calvert
Labels: Crucifix, Milo Kettlebell, Shoulder Exercise, Supporting Feat, Walter Donald
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Monday, April 07, 2008
Chest Expanders It's hard to tell from this angle but I believe that's 1945 AAU Mr. America Clarence "Clancy" Ross demonstrating one of the very best chest expander exercises.
Just another example in the long line of Champions who have built their strength from using them.
Labels: 1945 Mr. America, Back Exercise, Back Press, Bodybuilding, Chest Expander Exercise, Chest Expander, Clancy Ross, Golden Age Bodybuilder, Mr. America, Shoulder Exercise
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Friday, March 28, 2008
The Back PressThe "Back Press" is one of the best and most effective Chest Expander exercises -- a great one for tricep development and widening the shoulders.
The back press cannot be performed with any other piece of equipment other than a chest expander. That's 1943 Mr. America Jules Bacon demonstrating.
Labels: Back Press, Chest Expander Exercise, Chest Expander, chest expander training, Jules Bacon, Mr America, Shoulder Exercise
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Doug Hepburn Presses the Jowett DumbbellDuring his pro-wrestling career, Doug Hepburn often performed feats of strength in the ring. Here Doug presses the 169-1/2 pound George Jowett dumbbell overhead. This special dumbbell was said to have a handle "four-times" thicker than a normal dumbbell. -- Yet another incredible pressing feat from the great Canadian Strongman.
Labels: Challenge Weight, Doug Hepburn, Dumbbell, Dumbbell Press, George Jowett, George Jowett Dumbbell, Globe Dumbbell, Overhead Dumbbell Press, Overhead Press, Shoulder Exercise, Thick Handle
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Monday, February 18, 2008
 Kettlebell Handles | One of the the unique pieces of training equipment that you don't see often these days are ketlebell handles. These were U-shaped handles that could be retrofitted onto dumbbells creating a much more versatile piece of equipment. Kettlebell handles are particularly useful for shoulder specialization work. |
Labels: Dumbbells, kettlebell handles, Kettlebells, Oldtime Strength Equipment, Shoulder Exercise
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Wednesday, February 06, 2008
 Reg Park | There's not too many folks who are instantly recognizable from the back but any iron fan knows that this is undoubtedly Reg Park. Here's Reg pressing a pair of 110-pound dumbbells at the original Muscle Beach. I sure couldn't think of anyone better than Reg to play Hercules in the movies. ... The two-dumbbell press is a great shoulder builder, as you can see. |
Labels: Bodybuilding, Dumbbell Press, Dumbbell Exercise, Golden Age Bodybuilder, Hercules, Muscle Beach, Reg Park, Reg Park Workout, Shoulder Exercise, Two Dumbbell Press
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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
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
| The "side press" is a looser version of the dumbbell press - contrast the picture on the right with the one here. Because it's a bit of an "anyhow" lift, much more weight can be used than a strict dumbbell press. You should be able to press well over a hundred pounds in this manner. Paul Anderson could side press over 300 pounds with ridiculous ease. |  The Dumbbell Side Press |
Labels: Dumbbell Press, Dumbbell Exercise, Exercise, Feat, Paul Anderson, Press, Shoulder Exercise, Side Press
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Saturday, January 26, 2008
| Lest we forget, that Indian Clubs actually did come from India... This sequence is from The Encyclopedia of Indian Physical Culture and is featured as a method for keeping the shoulders strong and flexible. It was suggested that children especially should be taught the Indian Club exercises in order to build a foundation of strength as well as good posture. |  Indian Clubs |
Labels: Encyclopedia of Indian Physical Culture, Indian Club Benefits, INdian Club Exercises, Indian Clubs, Indian Physical Culture, Shoulder Exercise, Wooden Indian Clubs
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Friday, January 18, 2008
| The "Muscle Out" is an oldtime lift where a weight is held at arms length to the front or side of the body. Generally a block weight or ring weight was used. This lift is quite a test of shoulder strength. If you can accomplish this feat with a 56-pound weight, like the French gentleman on the right, you are indeed strong. |  The Muscle Out |
Labels: Blockweights, Exercise, French Strongman, Muscle Out, Oldtime Strongman Feat, Ring Weights, Shoulder Exercise
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Tuesday, January 15, 2008
James J. Corbett's Indian ClubsIndian Clubs used to be very popular with turn-of-the-century boxers because they will build strong and well-conditioned shoulders.
This pair of indian clubs once belonged to the great Heavyweight Boxing Champion James J. Corbett who used them in his training circa 1895 (he held the championship belt from 1892 to 1897.) You can make out his name written in black ink on the left-most club.
Corbett certainly looks like he trained.
These clubs are 17 inches long which means they weigh around a pound each. They also once were on display in "The Ring" Boxing Museum.
Labels: Boxing, Indian Clubs, James J. Corbett, Shoulder Exercise
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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
Classic Indian ClubsIndian clubs originated centuries ago in India where they were used by soldiers, wrestlers police, and other combat athletes who needed to develop strength, agility, balance, endurance, physical prowess and martial arts skill.
Soldiers brought Indian club training to Europe and European immigrants brought Indian clubs to the United States in the mid-1800's, where the clubs were soon introduced into both American school physical education programs and military physical readiness training.
These clubs came in all shapes and sizes, and ranged from 1 pound to 30 pounds or more. Those shown above are just a few examples of the different kinds and styles that were used for training.
"Indian Clubs cultivate patience and endurance, and operate most happily upon the longitudinal muscles of the back and shoulders, thus tending to correct the habit of stooping" - Dio Lewis, 1882
Labels: Dio Lewis, Indian Club Swinging, Indian Clubs, Physical Culture Equipment, Shoulder Exercise, Wooden Indian Clubs
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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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