Oldtime Strength Blog - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Steve Justa Goes for a Stroll

Posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 by John Wood

Walking with weights on your back can be a tremendous method for building overall body strength. Here, Nebraska strongman Steve Justa goes for a jaunt — like it’s no big deal — with his custom-made “barrel” yoke loaded to around 800 pounds.

Quite a “Bar-Belle

Posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 by John Wood

Bar”Belle” Norma Wieland lifts some interesting train-wheel weights at Yaco’s Gym in downtown Detroit, Circa 1945. Of course, something as nifty as a train-wheel barbell would have to come from Detroit. There is just something about the look and feel of unique training equipment that makes for better workouts. I bet those particular weights were fun to lift…

Clancy Ross

Posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 by John Wood

Clarence “Clancy” Ross on the cover of the October, 1950 issue of Muscle Power Magazine. According to the cover, Clancy was 6 feet tall, weighed 210 pounds, with a 50-inch chest, 18-inch arms, a 31-inch waist, 27-inch thighs, and could put 360 pounds overhead.

Simon Javierto

Posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 by John Wood

Another look at Simon Javierto” of the Philippines who was one of Earle E. Liederman’s top mail-order students. As you can see, his results were impressive (to say the least!) Here Javierto displays phenomenal abdominal control performing a feat of muscle control that is known as “The Vacuum.”

Sandow’s Magazine

Posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 by John Wood

Among the number of Sandow’s many “firsts” include the publication of the first publication devoted to strength training. Initially published from 1898 to 1899 titled “Physical Culture,” it eventually changed its name — appropriately enough — to “Sandow’s Magazine of Physical Culture and British Sport and ran until 1907. A variety of topics were covered but Sandow’s advice, articles on his own training, and various feats of strength were the highlight of each issue. Here’s a look at the cover of the April, 1903 edition.

Leopold Gasseau

Posted on Thursday, January 10th, 2019 by John Wood

Leopold Gasseau was the weightlifting champion of Northern France in the early 1900’s. He was particularly noted for his gripping power, of note of the Régnier and Collins dynamometers on the wall behind him. Gasseau set three official amateur record with these devices: squeezing 127 kg in 1909, 135 kg in 1914 and 189kg in 1919. Gasseau’s marks were better than most professionals, among them many notable strongmen such as Charles Vansart, Emile Deriaz, Batta, Stanislaus Zbysko, and even Apollon himself.

An Epic Pair of Indian Clubs

Posted on Thursday, January 10th, 2019 by John Wood

Cabinet cards were taken of many little known strongmen and circus performers, which on one level was a good thing since we can see a little bit more of some folks whose image we might not otherwise see. The flipside though is that in many cases, an image or maybe two is all we have for some folks, and we will never learn their name or their story. Case in point, it sure would be nice to know more about this gal and her epic pair of Indian Clubs. In all the physical culture ephemera that I’ve come across, I’ve never seen another set of clubs like them. Also of note is the smaller barbell or “wand” by her side.

Joe Bonomo’s Comic Advertisement

Posted on Thursday, January 10th, 2019 by John Wood

Most people remember the Charles Atlas “Insult That Made a Man out of Mac” comic ad from the back of thousands of comic books — and it is indeed one of the best and most effective advertisements of all time. However, Atlas was not the first or the only strongman to use comic advertisements. Here we have a Joe Bonomo ad, circa 1943 and if the possibility of getting your hands on the Vibro-Pressure, Tonic Relaxation, Psycho-Power, Rhythmic Progression course isn’t enough to get you to part with your paper route money, I don’t know what would.

Iron Boots

Posted on Thursday, January 10th, 2019 by John Wood

Before there were leg press machines, a pair of Iron Boots was a pretty good way to condition your lower body. Demonstrating here is professional wrestler Adrienne Nichols from Cleveland, Ohio. This was actually from a photo shoot for Life Magazine in 1948.

P. Ivanov – The Man Who Conquered Nature

Posted on Friday, January 4th, 2019 by John Wood

Physical Culture exists in many forms… Here’s some from “Mother Russia” that you probably haven’t yet heard of: P. Ivanov was a man who born and raised during the troubled years of revolution and civil war in Russia. He often wondered the reasons for such suffering… and one day an idea entered is mind: an answer to his questions.

Ivanov reasoned that suffering and hardship occured when Man tried to divorce himself from nature with artificial environments. Consequently life and survival became dependent on these conditions often breeding struggle, mistrust, indifference or loneliness among people.

Instead Man should strive to live with nature, instead of in opposition to her…

It was then that Ivanov began his experiment, to free himself of these dependencies by gradually conditioning himself to wear less clothes in freezing climates and to go long periods without food or water.

Eventually he became immune to cold weather and disease. He would most of his days shirtless and barefoot in the unforgiving Russian winter. As he spread his ideas, he was often called “Master of Nature” since he no longer concerned himself with the harsh conditions that became commonplace for most people.

The 12 keys to Ivanov’s “Method” are listed below:

1. Twice a day take a cold bath in natural waters so that you feel good. Bathe in whatever you can – lakes, rivers, a bath, take a shower or pour water over yourself. Finish a hot bath with cold water.

2. Before bathing or after it, and if it is possible at the same time, go out in the nature, stand barefooted on the earth or on snow in winter for at least 1-2 minutes. Breathe in the air several times through your mouth and thankfully wish good health for yourself and all the people of the world.

3. Don’t drink alcohol or smoke.

4. Once a week, try to go without food and water for one day.

5. At 12 Sunday, walk barefooted outside and breathe in and out several times and think positive thoughts. After that you can eat all that you like.

6. Love the nature surrounding you. Do not spit around you and do not spit anything out of yourself. Get used to it – this is your health.

7. Greet everyone everywhere, especially old people. If you wish to have good health yourself make it a point to greet everybody.

8. Help people whenever you can especially the poor, ill, hurt or needy. Do it with cheer. Respond to his need with soul and heart. You will make a friend in him which will help the cause of peace in the world.

9. Win over the stinginess, laziness, egoism, fear, falseness and pride in yourself. Trust the people and love them. Do not talk unjustly about them and do not take close to your heart the negative thoughts about them.

10. Free your mind of the thoughts about illnesses, disabilities and death. This is the greatest Victory of your life.

11. Do not separate thoughts from action. You have read – good. But the most important thing is to ACT!

12. Talk of and give the experience of this business to others, but do not brag and think too highly about yourself. Be modest.

You’ll find a bit more on P. Ivanov here.