Monday, June 22, 2009
The York Aristocrat Weight Set, circa 1955. Not much more to say other than you can get pretty damn strong with only what is pictured here ~ and many people did!
Labels: Advertisement, Barbell, Barbell and Plates, Dumbbell, swingbell, York Aristocrat Weight Set
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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Bob Hoffman and the York Barbell Company produced a number of books, courses and training guides featuring their equipment. This course, written for the York swingbell was written during the early 1940s. You can make your own swingbell pretty easily out of a dumbbell handle and some plates.
Labels: Bob Hoffman, swingbell, Swingbell Exercises, Swingbell Training, Training Course, York Barbell, York Barbell Company
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Saturday, December 20, 2008
Swingbell Exercises | The swingbell is a dumbbell with the weights loaded in the middle instead of either end. This configuration has a great feel for exercises such as curls, wrist curls and swings, as the name implies. |
Labels: Arm Exercise, Swing, swingbell, Swingbell Exercises, Unique Equipment
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Monday, January 07, 2008
Swingbell Exercises with Jules Bacon, Mr. America 1943I've mentioned the Swingbell before, now here it is in action.
As you can see you can do several exercises with a swingbell that would be difficult with normal barbells or dumbbells dumbbells. Swingbell Exercises are particularly good for strengthening the abdominal muscles.
That's 1943 Mr. America winner Jules Bacon demonstrating.
Labels: Abdominal Training, Exercises, Jules Bacon, Mr. America, swingbell, Swingbell Exercises
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 04, 2008
The SwingbellA piece that you used to see all the time in the old magazines that has all but disappeared these days is the Swingbell -- essentially a combination of traditional free weights and medicine ball training exercises.
As you can see, a swingbell consists of a dumbbell bar loaded in the middle rather than the ends. It is grasped at either end and used for a variety of rotational and "circular" movements.
Labels: Equipment, Strongman Equipment, swingbell
All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The York Big 12 SpecialThis is the weight set that helped put a lot of muscle on a lot of people - The York Big 12 Special as advertised on the back of the June, 1952 issue of Strength and Health Magazine.
That's Jack Delinger (Mr. America, 1949) on the left, and John Farbotnik (Mr. America, 1950) on the right.
This set included 240 pounds of barbell plates, long barbell bar, short dumbbell/swingbell bar, health boots, a head strap for building neck strength, wrist roller, kettlebell handles, collars and four York training courses (York Dumbbell course 1 & 2, Leg Development and Swing Bar Training.)
Labels: Barbell, Big 12 Special, Collars, head strap, Iron Boots, Jack Dellinger, John Farbotnik, kettlebell handles, Mr. America, swingbell, Training Course, Training Equipment, wrist roller, York Barbell
All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2010 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Welcome to the Strongest Blog on the Net!
This is THE PLACE where you will find interesting bits of Iron Game history, lore and training tips from the strongest men of all time.

The York Aristocrat Weight Set
Bob Hoffman's Simplified System of Swingbell Training
Swingbell Exercises