Professor Attila Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

James Calabrese – The Italian Hercules

Posted on Thursday, June 10th, 2021 by John Wood

Now THAT”S an Indian Club! — The relatives of James “The Italian Hercules” Calabrese contacted us recently to see if we had any further info in our files. Unfortunately we did not, but they did provide us with this most excellent and very rare image which ran in the Police Gazette at the turn of the century. Calabrese evidently began his strongman career in Boston and later moved to New York City — which were, appropriately enough — the two hotbeds of Strongmanism in those days due to being the locations of Henry Higgins’ Gymnasium and Professor Attila’s Studio.

Attila: The World’s Greatest Physical Culture and Athletic Instructor

Posted on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015 by John Wood

Here’s a rare and pretty nifty advertisement for Professor Attila’s Studio of Physical Culture from 1903. Not many people have seen this one.

The Tomb of Hercules

Posted on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015 by John Wood

Supporting heavy weights on the knees and shoulders as shown here was known as “The Tomb of Hercules” feat and it was invented by Professor Attila. Practitioners, like Sandow pictured above, increased the drama by acting as the pivot point in a “human bridge.” In Sandow’s era, they used horses but a few decades later, many strongmen upped the ante by having heavy motor cars drive over the “bridge.” Because the weight is supported rather than lifted a tremendous poundage can be used, but that certainly does not mean that this feat is easy.

You Can Banish Weakness…

Posted on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013 by John Wood

Lionel Strongfort(aka Max Unger) was one of the first mail order muscle kings and this is one of his advertisements from 1928.

His “Strongfortism” system, which involved mostly body weight movements and light dumbbells, was incredibly popular in the early 20th century. Strongfort was originally a pupil of Professor Attila.

Sig Klein

Posted on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 by John Wood

Sig Klein with some classic barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells.

Sig Klein inherited much of his great equipment when he married Professor Attila’s daughter and took over his gym in New York. Of course, Sig had pretty good taste in equipment and often had custom-made barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells fashioned to train with.

Professor Attila

Posted on Friday, January 20th, 2012 by John Wood

Professor Louis Attila

Professor Attila — real name Louis Durlacher — was the mentor of Eugen Sandow and the man who invented many of the feats of strength that we know of today: The Roman Column, The Roman Chair, supporting feats in the human bridge position and tearing packs of playing cards. It was Attiila’s idea to make globe barbells and dumbbells shot-loadable so that their weight could be adjusted. Attila invented the bent-press and was the first man to perform the lift with over 200 pounds.

In 1894, Professor opened his famous Studio of Physical Culture in downtown New York city and it became a hotbed for learning the strongman trade. In addition to Sandow, Professor Attila could list many other famous strongmen among his students: Warren Lincoln Travis, Anthony Barker, Horace Barre, Arthur Dandurand, Lionel Strongfort, George Rolandow, Louis Cyr, Bobby Pandour and Adolph Nordquest.

Attila’s daughter, Grace, later married Sig Klein.