Tag: Dr. Luis J. Phelan

Dr. Luis J. Phelan, of the University of Chicago, was an early physique star and proponent of physical training. The good Doctor used his own physical development as an illustration of what could be achieved — although interestingly, he claimed to have never so much as ever lifted a weight but had only trained with rubber exercisers. Sandow himself recognized Dr. Phelan’s achievements and publicly awarded him a medal in 1897. The above shot was from 1898, when Phelan was 32 years of age and weighed 10 stone, 3 lbs. (143 lbs.) Notably, Phelan also entered the 1907 world card tearing championships where he successfully halved 115 cards at once.