Jackson Barbell Company Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Globe Dumbbells

Posted on Sunday, April 8th, 2018 by John Wood

For the better part of the last century and a half, globe dumbbells and barbells were the “art form” of the Oldtime Strongman. Many were hollow, which allowed it to be filled progressively with shot to increase the weight and produce a unique training effect. Others, like this one, were solid, and just fun to train with. Several companies used to manufacture globe dumbbells: The Good Barbell Company, The Jackson Barbell Company and, of course, The York Barbell Company who made this one.

In fact, York Barbell was still producing globes like this one until well into the 1970’s. Unfortunately there are no true solid globe dumbbells currently being manufactured today, so if you see any, better grab them quickly because they are exceedingly rare.

Kim Wood’s Gym

Posted on Sunday, April 17th, 2016 by John Wood

No, it’s not Professor Desbonnet’s Paris Gym or Professor Attila’s Health Studio but the private gym of Kim Wood. Look closely and you’ll see a barbell that once belonged to Warren Lincoln Travis, a Dumbbell lifted by the great Apollon, a Jackson 1-A Barbell Set, an oak climbing ladder from the Narragansett Machine company and more than one Milo Kettlebell. There’s no finer gym in the land…

Fred Bryce

Posted on Monday, September 16th, 2013 by John Wood

Fred Bryce

Here we find Mr. Fred Bryce, of Amsterdam, New York, with the 320 pound clean and jerk that won him the 1952 New York State 198-pound weightlifting championship. Bryce also had the unusual ability to clean 250 pounds from a kneeling position. Look closely and you’ll notice that he is using a Jackson barbell set.