Oscar Heidenstam is known as the Father of British Bodybuilding. In 1937, he won the “Mr. Britain” contest on his first try and went on to win the 1939 “Mr. Europe” title, the first British bodybuilder to do so. Later, he became president of not one but two bodybuilding promotions: The World Amateur Body Building Association (WABBA) and the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA).

Heidenstam wrote many books on physical training including “Modern Bodybuilding” which can be found in The Iron League.” Above, Heidenstam, a life-long devotee of gymnastica and hand-balancing, easily goes down a flight of steps on his hands — he was 45 years of age at the time.