Muscle Control Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

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.”

Ed Jubinville

Posted on Wednesday, June 27th, 2018 by John Wood

Ed Jubinville from Holyoke, Massachusetts, took up physical training after becoming inspired by an article about Eugen Sandow in Bernarr MacFadden’s Physical Culture Magazine. In fact, his first workouts were with a couple of bricks. Shortly afterward he began training with more conventional equipment at the B-6 Weightlifting Club run by Armand LaMarr… and it was Armand LaMarr who first taught him Muscle Control. Around this time, Ed also happened upon the writings of Mark Berry which he lists as being very influential.

With a solid foundation in proper weightlifting and a knowledgeable teacher, Ed Jubinville went on to become one of the greatest Muscle control experts the world had ever seen. You can read a very interesting anecdote on Ed Jubinville’s Muscle control act in The Dellinger Files Vol. I.

The Dellinger FIles

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

SOLD OUT!

We recommend >>> Gray Hair and Black Iron

Alan P. Mead: Muscle Control Miracle

Posted on Monday, December 4th, 2017 by John Wood

Alan P. Mead lost a leg during the War and in order re-build his strength, he sought out several forms of physical training. He eventually found that he had a natural talent for Muscle Control and constant practice in this lost art made him into one of the most physically impressive men in strength history. In fact, he was often called the “Human Anatomy Chart.” Here’s a look at some of the things he had to say about the value of muscle control:

“Complete control of movement of the human body is performed entirely by contraction and relaxation of the voluntary muscles. It must be remembered that a muscle can act in one direction only and that the energy that it is capable of exerting can be converted into movement only by pulling, a muscle cannot push. The reverse action is performed by that muscle’s opponent muscle, usually situated on the opposite side of the limb or part of the body in which the movement is produced.”

Arco’s Arm

Posted on Monday, September 25th, 2017 by John Wood

Another look at Otto Arco’s rather impressive arm. Arco only weighed 150 pounds or so, and this picture was taken nearly a hundred years ago yet you will rarely — if ever — see an arm as well developed these days. The phrase “carved out of granite” immediately comes to mind. If you are looking for some extra “peak” on your biceps or knotty forearms, you may want to give Muscle Control training a try.

Muscle Control by Maxick

Posted on Saturday, September 16th, 2017 by John Wood

“Now You Too Can Learn One of the True Lost Secrets of Oldtime Strength Training”

We’ve heard more than a few people say that the secret to
super strength is merely hard work and just putting your time
in — which is certainly partly true — but there’s more to
it than that. The Oldtime Strongmen and Physical Culture
pioneers figured out things about building great strength:
unusual techniques that almost no one knows how to
do these days.

…One of these “lost” techniques is the art of Muscle
Control, and there is no greater resource for learning
how to do it correctly than right here.

Unlike most kinds of training, Muscle Control work
can be done every day, multiple times per day,
without an equipment and the results can be
outstanding.

The increased flexibility, dexterity, and greater
blood flow to the muscular system from regular Muscle Control practice
is ideal for promoting greater recovery, making it a very valuable tool
for all strength athletes. And check out Mr. Maxick on the right, that
level of muscular development is still VERY impressive despite the fact
that photo was taken well over a hundred years ago!

If you would like to get started with Muscle Control, as long as you provide the commitment, we can provide the know-how in the form of one of the best training courses ever written on the subject:

The great “Maxick” ~ champion weightlifter and famous Muscle Control expert. Read on to learn more about him and his methods

Muscle Control

by Maxick

Originally published in 1910, this truly remarkable training course has run through countless editions. This was the course that started it all. The author, Maxick, was the first great Muscle Control master and it served him incredibly well. Maxick developed his own unique system to add to his weightlifting… the result was a champion physique and world class levels of strength.

In fact, Maxick was the third man in the world to put double bodyweight overhead with a lift of 322-1/2 lbs. at a bodyweight of only 145 lbs!

Throughout the course, Maxick describes in detail how, by use of concentration, you can develop and gain deliberate control of each muscle group in the body. Detailed explanations of each technique and area of the body are provided. Highlighting the instruction found in the text, are rare, high-quality photographs of each technique in action for each muscle group.

Further written tips from the master himself show you exactly what to do and how to do it.. Muscle Control should be an important part of everyone’s training and has been to some of the greatest names of the past: Eugen Sandow, Otto Arco, John Grimek, Sig Klein, John Farbotnick, and Marvin Eder, just to to name a few.

Muscle Control by Maxick
__________________ $19.99 plus s/h

Muscle Control – “The Rope”

Posted on Monday, April 25th, 2016 by John Wood

The art of muscle control is about training voluntary control of involuntary muscles. Here, the great muscle control master Otto Arco demonstrates one of the most difficult and impressive muscle control feats: “The Rope.”

You’ll notice the abdominal muscles are tensed while holding an abdominal vacuum, a very striking effect. This feat is much more difficult (and much more impressive) with the arms overhead like this, indicating that Otto Arco was truly in a class by himself.

Henry Laft ~ “The Human Skeleton”

Posted on Tuesday, April 29th, 2014 by John Wood

Henry Laft ~ "The Human Skeleton"

The German physique artist Henry Laft was so adept at Muscle Control that he was called “The Human Skeleton.” As you can see in this highly unusual pectoral control, Laft could not just control certain muscle groups, but individual muscle insertion points as well!

Sig Klein’s Hand Balancing

Posted on Thursday, February 28th, 2013 by John Wood

The fact that Sig Klein has been mentioned so many times throughout this blog should tell you that he was a jack of all trades — and he most certainly was. Name a classic training discipline and ol’ Sig was a master: muscle control… kettlebell and barbell juggling… heavy weight lifting… posing … the bent press … the list goes on and on.

One of Sig’s absolute favorite types of training was hand balancing, and he mentioned it often as the way he trained in the days before he got his weight set. Sig felt that hand balancing was not just for show but was a fantastic way to build size and strength — a viewpoint that we certainly agree with. Sig also believed that regular hand balancing was a great way to improve the press …and the results speak for themselves.

Clevio Massimo

Posted on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 by John Wood

Italian Strongman Clevio Massimo Lifting a Giant Kettlebell

Now THAT’S a Kettlebell! …Antonio Clevio Massimo Sabatino, professionally known as Clevio Massimo, was born in Opi Labruza, Italy in 1895. When only a small boy he immigrated into the US and made Buffalo, New York his home. Shortly after finishing high school, Clevio Massimo toured the country performing strongman feats, hand balancing, adagio dancing and muscle control and for a time, even ventured into professional wrestling. You can find out more about Clevio Massimo in The Mark Berry Bar Bell Courses.