Physical Culture Magazine Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

The Sports Grip

Posted on Tuesday, November 14th, 2017 by John Wood

Here’s a piece of equipment that you don’t hear about very often – mostly because there aren’t many people that know much about it! You might find this gyroscopic grip device called a “Sports Grip,” a “Rist-Rassler” or a “Broncho Gripper” (in the July, 1918 issue of Physical Culture Magazine.) It uses a gyroscope to build grip strength and just like the ad says – It bucks!

1913 Milo Bar-Bell Ad

Posted on Sunday, November 13th, 2016 by John Wood

Check out this ad for the Milo Bar-Bell Company from the December, 1913 issue of Physical Culture Magazine. Back then, strength training was not as popular or understood as it is today, hence advertisements like this one had to be informative as well as compelling. By the way, the demonstrator in the ad is well-known strongman and strength author Ottley R. Coulter.

WHAT IS A BAR-BELL ?

A Bar-Bell is simply a long-handled dumbbell; it can be used for either lifting or developing exercises. In the above picture, the athlete is “up-ending” a Bar-Bell, while at his feet lie a Dumb-bell and Kettle-bells.

WHY IS IT that a man who has been trained with heavy bells can perform feats of strength beyond the combined power of two or three ordinary men? Not alone, because his arms are twice as strong–because his back, hips and legs are FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AS STRONG as the average athlete’s.

There is only one was to develop this phenomenal back and leg strength: and that is, by the use of a Bar-Bell. You cannot do it by practicing one-arm lifts with a short Dumbbell; you cannot do it by going through the old 5-lb. Dumbbell drill with a pair of 25 or 30-lb. Dumbbells: nor can you do it with a pair of Kettle-bells. Kettle-bells are primarily arm and deltoid developers.

In a combination outfit, the Dumbbell and the Kettle-Bell are subsidiary parts–the Bar-Bell is the great developing instrument. It is because they use Bar-Bells that OUR pupils can develop 45″ chests. 16″ biceps, 24″ thighs, etc.

The back and leg muscles are infinitely bigger, stronger and more important that the arm muscles. After training thousands of cases, it is our conviction that the average man needs a Bar-Bell which can be adjusted up to 100 lbs. if he wants proper ALL-ROUND development.

We will be glad to assist and advise anyone in the selection of a combination bell of proper weight.

IN REGARD TO TRAINING

We believe we have the greatest course of training in the world–the BEST system. We have described it in some of our recent advertisements; but we want to say here that no system–however perfect–will suit any and everyone. If YOU buy and outfit and enroll as a pupil with use, we have to adopt our system to your PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL needs.

We can tell you a lot of interesting and instructive facts about body building and strength making; and we can also give you information about the finest line of adjustable combination bells in the world.

Write for our booklets.

THE MILO BAR-BELL CO.

1011 Chestnut Street
PHILADELPHIA, PA.

KAL-LI-THEN-OS Force Clubs

Posted on Saturday, May 30th, 2015 by John Wood

The idea of loadable/adjustable Indian clubs may seem like a modern one, but actually it has been around for a long time. This Ad for the KAL-LI-THEN-OS Force Clubs appeared in the June, 1901 issue of Bernarr MacFadden’s Physical Culture magazine. Ever seen one? These clubs were a work of art, polished steel with nickel handles.

The Geisel Exerciser

Posted on Friday, May 22nd, 2015 by John Wood

Here’s one for the “betcha-didn’t-know-this-one” pile: Here we have a vintage advertisement for “The Geisel Exerciser” which appeared in the December, 1907 issue of Bernarr McFadden’s ‘Physical Culture’ magazine. This device was actually patented in 1906 and is composed of a rod, encased by a heavy spring with a pair of handles. One uses it by grasping the handles and pushing or pulling them together in various positions. And this Geisel fellow from Springfield, Mass. who invented it? It doesn’t appear that he made a tremendous splash in the physical training field but his son Theodor would go on to become well known as Dr. Seuss of children’s book fame.

Physical Culture, March, 1904

Posted on Friday, September 27th, 2013 by John Wood

A look at the great Al Treloar on the cover of the March, 1904 issue of Bernarr MacFadden’s Physical Culture Magazine. As indicated, Treloar had just won the world’s first international bodybuilding contest. When adjusted for inflation, the $1,000 prize would equal over $25,000 in today’s money. As impressive as he was from a muscular standpoint, Treloar wasn’t all show, he could tear three decks of playing cards at once.

The Composition Barbell Company

Posted on Friday, March 29th, 2013 by John Wood

The Composition Barbell Company

What do we know about the Composition Barbell Company? Pretty much nothing other than this advertisement from a 1914 Physical Culture magazine. In fact, I’ve never seen or heard of this company or their equipment otherwise. Also, before getting in a tizzy about the 6 cents per pound price tag on their weights, it should be understood that this equals $1.38 in today’s dollars when adjusting for inflation. I’m not at all surprised to hear this, given the time and effort that goes into producing quality equipment.

Physical Culture Magazine: April, 1906

Posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2013 by John Wood

A look at the cover of Bernarr MacFadden’s Physical Culture Magazine from April of 1906. Macfadden’s arm graces the cover and while his methods were unconventional (even by today’s standards) they were certainly effective.

Physical Culture Magazine ~ February, 1902

Posted on Monday, December 5th, 2011 by John Wood

Physical Culture Magazine - February, 1902

Now THAT’S a kettlebell! …a look at the cover of the February, 1902 issue of Bernarr Macfadden’s “Physical Culture” magazine. If you were wondering where people got their training info a century ago, “Physical Culture” was pretty much it