Ellington Darden Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Super High-Intensity Bodybuilding by Ellington Darden

Posted on Tuesday, October 12th, 2021 by John Wood

1986 was the year when Ellington Darden came out with “Super High-Intensity Bodybuilding. Throughout the book as well as on the cover, there were training shots by the great Chris Lund of a young up and coming bodybuilder by the name of Jim Hellwig. Not long after, EVERYONE would know Jim Hellwig, but by another name: The World Wrestling Federation’s Ultimate Warrior.

The John Wood Report

Posted on Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 by John Wood

The John Wood Report

I had an idea for a new type of publication, one more streamlined and “bite-sized” with stuff to do, techniques to try, commentary and advice on common training problems. Most people are not interested in reinventing the wheel when it comes to their training routine, but what they do need are new ideas to try or tweaks to improve what they already might be doing and that is exactly what you’ll find here:

The John Wood Report is a downloadable PDF newsletter that comes out every few weeks which contains a multitude of interesting and valuable training ideas, answers to common questions, sample workouts, and much more:

The John Wood Report #9
– Downloadable PDF –

“The Grip Issue”

1. The World’s First Published Super Gripper Workout
2. Mickey Mantle’s Favorite Grip Exercise
3. The Football Snatch
BONUS: Arthur Jones on Wrist Curls (Part I)

$9.99

The John Wood Report #8
– Downloadable PDF –

1. Sledge Hammer Training III
2. Fractional Plates
3. The Gym in a Bag
4. Football Training in 1941

$9.99

The John Wood Report #7
– Downloadable PDF –

“The Bodyweight Issue”

1. The New King of Leg Development
2. The Cloak and Dagger Abdominal
Exercise
3. The Gotch Bible
4. Gotch Bible Workout Examples
5. “We Must Work to Be Fit” (WWII Calisthenics)

$9.99

The John Wood Report #6
– Downloadable PDF –

1. Thick Bar Tip #1
2. My 2019 Big Neck Program
3. The Farmer’s Walk: Part 2
4. Building Pressing Power Part 2
5. Wrist Roller Training in WWII
6. POWER Shrugs
BONUS: Q & A #1
BONUS: How to Tear a Deck of Cards by Dennis Rogers

$9.99

The John Wood Report #5
– Downloadable PDF –

1. Wrist Roller Training Secrets Part I
2. Bone Strength Project Update
3. The Farmer’s Walk
4. The Two-Set System
5. The Plan B Workout
6. Workout Hack #1
BONUS: Great Quotes
BONUS: Chicken Soup Recipe

$9.99

The John Wood Report #4
– Downloadable PDF –

1. The Bench Shrug
2. Get Ups
3. Hammer Training part II
4. 1862 Indian Clubs
5. Handbalancing Part I
BONUS: Plateau Buster #2
BONUS: “Stanko was a Big Fan of…” by Jan Dellinger
BONUS: How To Add An Inch To Your Arms In Four Weeks by Ellington Darden
BONUS: Training To Lift The Inver Stone by Steve Jeck

$9.99

The John Wood Report #3
– Downloadable PDF –

1. Shaolin Iron Wrist Training
2. Workout Design Part III
3. The Pullup Bar Challenge
4. Old School Calf Training
5. The Secret of The Rice Bucket
BONUS: Plateau Buster #1
BONUS: “A DAMN Good Tricep Exercise” by Jan Dellinger

$9.99

The John Wood Report #2
– Downloadable PDF –

1. Five Secrets to Motivation
2. Workout Design Q & A part 1
3. Six Ways to Flatten Your Stomach
4. Building Pressing Power part 1
5. Three Quick Ab Exercises
6. A Pair of Pushup Challenges
7. The Reverse Curl
8. The Hammer Man’s Challenge
9. February, 1987 Steel Tip Workout
10.The 3% Rule
BONUS: Angled Barbell Training by Jan Dellinger

$9.99

The John Wood Report #1
– Downloadable PDF –

1. The Five Best Trap Bar Movements
2. Gym Etiquette
3. Workout Design Template
4. Three Simple Grip Builders
5. Train Your Pinch Grip
6. The Zottman Curl
7. Great Quotes
8. Commercial Gym Grip Solutions
9. Two Climbing Rope Drills
10.Ten Ways to Finish Your Workout

$9.99

Ellington Darden

Posted on Tuesday, February 20th, 2018 by John Wood

Ellington Darden was a champion bodybuilder who graced the cover of several different magazines in the 1970’s. He made the cover of Strength and Health Magazine and Muscular Development Magazine several times but he never did make the cover of Iron Man Magazine…

He did, however, make the back cover a few times, one of which of which is shown here from the November, 1970 issue.

Darden went on to write countless training articles and a few books (about fifty).

You can get your hands on one of his best books here: The New Bodybuilding for Oldschool Results.

Ellington Darden

Posted on Monday, November 13th, 2017 by John Wood

Before authoring over 50 books on strength training and meeting Arthur Jones, Ellington Darden was a very successful bodybuilder in the 60’s and 70’s. Interestingly enough, Ellington Darden won the 1969 Mr. Texas Bodybuilding contest, the same contest where a 17 year old Casey Viator finished 4th. This shot was taken a few days after Ellington Darden won the 1972 AAU Collegiate Mr. America Contest.

The New Bodybuilding for Old-School Results by Ellington Darden

Posted on Wednesday, September 28th, 2016 by John Wood

GONE.

The New Bodybuilding for Old-School results is sold out, but we can point you toward this classic Ell Darden title which is available on Amazon Kindle:

Strength and Conditioning for Football by Ellington Darden

Muscle Training Illustrated, March, 1973

Posted on Monday, September 1st, 2014 by John Wood

A look at the March, 1973 issue of Muscle Training Illustrated featuring Ellington Darden on the cover. Just a few months before, Ell won the 1972 AAU Collegiate Mr. America title ~ and he is still going strong today!

Ellington Darden’s Neck

Posted on Friday, March 7th, 2014 by John Wood

Like many young trainees, Ellington Darden wanted to build size and strength, but unlike many of his peers, he wanted a bigger neck to go with a bigger pair of arms. Throughout junior high and high school, he focused specifically on his neck work, primarily using the wrestler’s bridge and a Neck Helmet.

He continued this neck program in college, which was especially important while playing football. It paid off… When he graduated from Baylor University in 1966, at a body weight of 215 pounds, Ell sported a genuine 18-inch neck.

Unsurprisingly, neck training was always a part of Darden’s training books and courses. You’ll find many good neck training training ideas in this book, which was especially written with football preparation in mind.

Ell Darden ~ Muscular Development Magazine, January, 1973

Posted on Sunday, December 16th, 2012 by John Wood

Ell Darden on the COver of Muscular Development, Januarly 1973

Ell Darden on the cover of the January, 1973 issue of Muscular Development magazine. Ell made a point to focus on chest expansion techniques and it certainly showed. You can read more about Ell Darden’s training right here.

Hammer Strength/Tim Krumrie

Posted on Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 by John Wood

Tim Krumrie, Hammer Strength and a classic Globe Dumbbell

Tim Krumrie, the Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro nose tackle is shown here with a classic globe dumbbell in this early advertisement for Hammer Strength equipment. The dumbbell shown (yes, it was a dumbbell) once belonged to the great French strongman Apollon.

Krumrie was well-known for his incredible hand strength, which should be an essential part of training programs for the game of football. Krumrie’s specific grip routine can be found in The New Bodybuilding for Old-School Results by Ellington Darden.