"How DID the Old Time Vaudeville, Circus and
Stage Strong Men Really Train?"
One of The Iron Game's biggest Mysteries now solved...
Dear Friend,
Many training courses authored by the mail-order muscle barons of the early 20th century promoted
high-repetition exercises using light weight dumbbells or similar equipment (if they included any equipment at all.)
Of course, anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that you can't build the strength to heft
heavy weights by waving around 2-3 pound wooden dumbbells.
The Henry Higgins Strength and Muscle Course is unique among training material of that period since it is one of the earliest, if not THE earliest training course to promote the
lifting of heavy weights for the purpose of building great strength.
While the original publication date of this course is unknown,
as near as we can guess, it was originally written and distributed some time around 1915 in the Boston/ New England Area by the
famous Gym whose name adorns the title.
Henry Higgins is said to have met and discussed training methods with such Old Time Strength notables
as Eugene Sandow, Louis Cyr, Franz "Cyclops" Bienkowski, Samson, Walter Kennedy and more.
Higgins took their advice and, along with
years of experience in the gym business, put together this very effective training course.
Using the training methods found in this
course, the author is said to have once "put up" 254 lb. with one hand. Later, he trained a 20 year old Harvard medical student
to do a one hand dumbbell lift if 211 lb. at a 145 lb. bodyweight. Yet another student succeeded with a 225 lb. lift.
With nothing
more than gradual, adjustable dumbbells, the author guarantees that his training methods will enable the average trainee to clean and press a 140 lb. dumbbell in less than a
year's time!
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The Henry Higgins Strength
and Muscle Course (1915)
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All in all, a fascinating read providing the experience and point of view regarding the actual training methods used by a turn of the
century gym owner and genuine strongman.
Here is a look at some of the things you will learn about within its pages:
The simple secret which allows for the development of great strength and how to start using it in your training program
immediately
The single most important factor for developing the fullest strength and how the author learned to acquire it
The author's favorite training book from the 19th century and how he discovered the biggest reason why some men become far stronger than others
The secret of strength that all strongmen know about and which one, of all of them, had the most intelligent training ideas
How the weakest of men can be transformed into splendid athletes
Why it is impossible to become very strong with only light dumbbells
The REAL secret of the Strongman's strength
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How long it will take to become truly strong
A 22 day introductory program using 5 dumbbell exercises
When to advance to the heavier 'bells
10 exercises using a 25 lb. dumbbell
11 Exercises to do with a 50 lb. dumbbell, how often to do them and in what proper order
8 overall lessons for correct heavy dumbbell use
A section on general lifting hints and tips including how to give the right and left hands equal strength,
the greatest factor in training success, what wise pupils know to avoid, why training too heavy is a mistake.
How Sandow developed more "nerve" force than many professional athletes
How beginners should breath correctly while training
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The original edition of this course was uncovered quite by accident among a huge collection once belonging to the world famous old-time weight lifter, bodybuilder and gym owner
Sig Klein. That should mean quite a bit right there. This training course provides a fascinating look into the past and also just goes to show that what made people
stronger a hundred years ago still works every bit as well today.
This 8 1/2" x 11"- 24 page training course belongs in the library of every serious strength student.
Train hard.
John Wood
The Henry Higgins Strength and Muscle Course - $14.99 + $7 S&H - Order Below
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